Social media handle(s): LinkedIn
A few words about me:
I have been selling IT for 20 years, living in the French Alps for 15 years. I love the outdoors and the mountains and the internet because it means I can live in the mountains and still make a living in this space.
I own a IT company called MCATS IT Ltd.
Are there any professional experiences you've had that are quite unexpected compared to what you do nowadays?
I was a TGI Friday Waitress throughout Uni! Otherwise no - I've sold IT since leaving Uni 20 years ago. ekk!
Is your background more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or non-STEM related?
Educational BA in Drama and Spanish then Professional straight into IT Sales job. I only worked at 2 IT companies before staring my own business 3.5 years ago. The 1st one was for 1.5 years the 2nd for 16 years!
Where did your professional journey start?
I would say it started at TGI Friday's believe it or not. I loved earning tips and being paid on my own work ethic rather than other's who might not have worked quite as hard. It was this notion that led me to look for a sales job out of uni, so that I could drive my own commissions through hard work.
How did you get into tech and what motivated you?
I fell into tech because it was one of the local sales jobs around at the time. It was pure chance!
"Put yourself out there. Learn from your peers. Never ever think you know everything. Always keep learning because it changes all the time."
What has been your biggest 'wow!' moment related to working in tech so far?
At the start of the pandemic on the 31st March 2020 - the company I had been at for 16 years sent me an email saying that I would no longer be paid from the 1st April 2020. So I had less than 24 hours notice that I had lost my job at the start of the world falling apart. They were able to do this because I was a contractor. I had been a contractor since I left the UK to go and live in the mountains as this was the terms under which they would let me move.
As you can imagine it was a super stressful period of my life, but as they say out of adversity you get great strength. I guess my WOW moment was they knowledge that I could do this on my own, and all of the years of experience that had led me to this point was exactly where I needed to be.
Looking back now, although it is still shocking to me that my company didn't even give me the courtesy of a phone call to say that I was sacked, I am nevertheless grateful for their decision as it has led me to where I am today.
What do you like / not like about working in tech?
What I like: The ever evolving landscape - it's fascinating and I love being on the pulse of new technologies. I also love helping my customers.
What i don't like: The ever evolving landscape - you have to keep jogging to keep up!
"I fell into tech because it was one of the local sales jobs around at the time. It was pure chance!"
What's been your favourite / most memorable / funniest 'career in tech' moment so far?
My favorite moment was closing the books on my 1st year of my own company realising that I could make it on my own and everything was going to be ok!
And to wrap up, is there any advice you'd like to give to others interested in a career in tech?
Put yourself out there. Learn from your peers. Never ever think you know everything. Always keep learning because it changes all the time.