03 May A Woman in IT: The Journey of Our Founder
Being a woman in the IT industry is a life filled with obstacles and biases. As Cynthia Lee highlights on Vox News, James Damore, a former Engineer was brought to the limelight because of his infamous memo on the “biological differences” between men and women that contribute to the underrepresentation of women in the tech industry. If this one piece of news breaks your heart, this is only one instance of the several ways in which current circumstances become a hindrance to women’s professional growth and development.
Therefore, it has become common to see the field of tech and IT being dominated, professionally by men. According to the Western Governors University, “Research shows that the tech industry is almost 75% male, and even as the number of females in tech grows, it is very disproportionate to the number of men.” That being said, all is not hopeless. Women have made significant strides in asserting themselves and building themselves from the ground up; Amie, our wonderful CEO, is someone who has done just that.
After years of being in the IT Field and starting to feel unfulfilled, Amie decided to start her own IT consulting business. To do this, she set a plan in motion that would put her on the path to owning her own business, in order to realize her professional aspirations. Having completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science, she decided to expand her credentials by successfully pursuing numerous IT advanced certifications. Finally, in June 2016, Amie decided to formalize her consulting services as a Microsoft Partner under the moniker Seisay IT Solutions in order to provide web application-based consulting and training tailored to her client’s needs.
Creating a plan is only a piece of the puzzle. Amie also makes it a point to mention the invaluable lessons and pieces of advice she managed to receive from her connections. From all of the connections that she has made over the years, she has managed to grow her business and establish herself as a female entrepreneur and a woman in IT. Our CEO speaks of her experiences through her network and its impact on her development as a speaker.
“I’ve learned that what is important is tapping into the relationships you have with people who are supportive of you. I have tremendous support from people that don’t look like me who have promoted me as a speaker, hackathon judge, business owner, etc. and those are the invaluable connections that I rely on and depend on to keep me pushing through being a black woman in tech.”
She also recounts how her network and her clients have helped her through feedback and support:
“I developed so much confidence when I became a technical trainer by doing so, I overcame my fears of speaking in front of people. I remember being so worried about presenting my technical demos to the audience. But what I also remember very clearly after every training session and speaking engagement was the positive feedback I received at the end of a session. I believe that it takes courage to look different than the majority of your audience you are speaking to, but it builds up so much confidence knowing that your peers respect you and appreciate the value you are bringing into their world from your perspective. I’ve had some challenges as well, but I’m glad that back then I always kept my skills fresh and up to date to appropriately squash those challenges and continue my presentation without feeling defeated.”
Whether it be from her long list of clients or her professional, and personal inspiration, she has never forgotten to cite the importance of those she admires and their influence in her professional endeavors.
As Amie’s experience shows, in any business or field, building yourself and staying resilient can be an arduous journey with the best of circumstances. But, if you keep your goals in sight, surround yourself with the people who can teach and mentor you, and most importantly, adjust your plan accordingly as circumstances change and “life happens”, your success will always be within your grasp. Great strides have been made, but that doesn’t mean there is no room for even greater ones. Amie has been our source of inspiration at Seisay IT and we aim to carry her torch forward in everything that we do. Along with our clients and colleagues, we want to take this Women’s History Month to say that we are proud of Amie for creating the path for us to break the biases of the tech industry and being our source of motivation as we carry ourselves towards the future.
To learn more, please contact us at contact@seisayitsolutions.com or give us a call at 571-429-6079