For today’s article, I’m handing over to guest blogger Vera Tucci. She shares her experiences at the Women in Tech meeetup at the recent Pax8 Beyond EMEA conference in Berlin.
Vera is the COO and co-founder of T-Consulting, an IT services company specialising in cybersecurity. She is a passionate advocate for inclusivity and gender equality.
Richard Tubb.
***
“Are you here for the Women in Tech event? Welcome; it’ll start soon, and afterward, we’ll serve champagne if you want to stay a little longer.”
If my 24-year-old self had been here, she wouldn’t have believed her eyes. The first time she entered the room to attend an MSP event, it was just her and the marketing manager of the hosting company.
Today, when the elevator doors open and I enter this panoramic top-floor room at The Intercontinental Hotel, Berlin, I instantly feel a different energy.
I’m a little early, yet the room is already buzzing with people chatting, Pax8 representatives welcoming you at the entrance, and the panellists getting ready on stage.
I take a mental note of something: the men. There are plenty of men: MSPs, vendors, and distributors.
This event is going to be different. The topics will benefit us, of course, but they will ripple their effect throughout our industry because they are also here.
The statistics presented are clear: three out of ten people in IT are women, meaning seven are men. And we need those seven participating in the conversion because we also need their championship, and it can only come from understanding us and our perspectives better.
I’ve always claimed that a Women in Tech event isn’t as powerful as it can be without men. A GenZ would say, Pax8 is serving so far.
The Panel Session at the Women in Tech Meetup
At 5.30, the moderator, Michelle Correia, VP of Legal for Pax8 in EMEA, asks us to take our seats. It’s about to start.
In front of us, there are 4 women:
- Hayley McSpirit, VP of Microsoft Alliances for Pax8
- Michelle Curtis, Worldwide Distribution Leader for Microsoft
- Becky Hatton, Head of Business Operations for Mirus IT Solutions
- and Dr. Julia Freudenberg, the CEO of Hacker School.
In only 20 minutes, this group of established IT professionals, all at the top of their game, dismantled years and years of beliefs that have impacted all our careers as Women in Tech simply by showing up and being authentic.
Personally, one topic hits very close to home for me.
How do Women get Into Tech?
“What is your background, and how did you get into IT?” Correia asks all the guests.
Our panelists have different roles in different organsations, yet three of four share that they have “Fallen into IT.” This means they started their careers in a different industry, coming from a non-IT-related academic path, and have entered this world because of the right chance presented, and – most importantly – they took it.
This is common to many women in the field. Back in “our days” – I know how “boomer” it sounds… I tried to sound younger before, but let’s come back to reality – IT wasn’t an obvious choice for us.
For a long time, a generation of women thought that not having a tech background was a reason good enough to stir away completely from this environment.
The sense of inadequacy was so strong that it prevented us from showing up and sitting at the table even when some of us had already “fallen into IT.”
Among the panelists, Dr.Julia is the only one who chose IT, as she says, through the giggles of the crowd. Of course, we all anticipated it by reading her title in the presentation. But even if IT is her passion, she decided to start a non-profit, Hackers School – which Pax8 supported with a social booth selling AMAZING and nerdy merch throughout the event!
Their mission is to teach kids how to code through online courses supported by IT companies. She’s been in the field for a couple of decades now, and she understands how pivotal it can be to teach kids at a young age that there is a different path they may have never considered before.
Why We Still Need to Encourage Women into Tech Roles
When Correia dives right in with the question, “Do we still need this conversation?” The group answer is clear: YES. Showing up is essential to fill the still wide and open gap. The lack of women in our industry impacts how companies operate, make decisions, hire, and conduct their business overall.
A diverse environment changes conversations, approaches, and how we see the world.
Hearing that even if you have a background in advertising, like Curtis, or even the military, like McSpirit, you can greatly contribute to the IT world and the organization you work in (or for), it’s a paradigm shift.
Again, it’s Dr.Julia who bursts a laugh out of the crowd when she simply says: “We don’t code with our ovaries! Everyone can do everything! These limits are rooted in our culture, and it’s important to show girls that they can and should show up”.
How do We Advance Women in Tech Leadership?
The group doesn’t disappoint when a simple yet important question is asked:
“What is your tip for women to advance in leadership roles?”
I’m overwhelmed and comforted by the replies at the same time. This group of successful women still remembers how it felt at the beginning and generously and truthfully bestow upon us a series of one-sentence takeaways without being afraid to share uncomfortable truths. I could paraphrase them, but they are too good not to share verbatim.
“We feel the need to earn our seat at the table. Be brave, Be bold.”
“Start from school age to overcome cultural bias” (Hayley McSpirit)
“Be a role model [for the women in your organisation]. I use my example of going for leadership roles to inspire other women.” (Becky Hatton)
“Have the conversation of advocating for what you want with the women you lead.” (Michelle Curtis)
Again, Dr. Julia takes us home with a strike of advice that feels more like a Pinterest-worthy vision board/encouragement manifesto:
- “Don’t tell girls to be perfect but to be brave.”
- “A husband is not a life insurance policy; you must be independent.”
- “We must redefine how we see mistakes.”
I’m not sure she fully grasps the energy that runs through the crowd when she decides to end her list of tips with:
“Impostor syndrome is for boys too, but they don’t show it.”
Why Men Need to be Part of the Conversation
Honestly, I don’t remember if we collectively nodded, clapped, or had an “a-ha” moment. Maybe it was all of the above.
What I remember is looking at the men around me with a sense of relief that stood with me for the entire conference. We’re not different; we just express ourselves differently.
This subtle but substantial change in how we understand each other could lead to more open conversations and less discriminatory behaviors.
We all have unique strengths, but the common ground around weaknesses creates a united front.
It’s not one vs the other or instead of the other. It’s us, together with our collective sense of perfect imperfection, that can ignite the innovation engine of our companies.
It might sound naive, but I believe this is the ultimate goal of any conference or panel: change the narrative.
As Becky Hatton is awarded the Pax8 Women in Tech award, reserved for Innovators and leaders who advocate for diversity and inclusion, the words “trailblazer” and “Inspiring” are rightfully used.
I take my glass of champagne and look around at the city of Berlin under us; it’s the perfect setting for this moment.
A city once divided now thrives and reverberates the energy that comes from standing together and being united.
And if a trailblazer is “a person who makes a new track through a wild country,” I can’t help but think that I’m not only looking at Berlin. I’m looking at a new era for women in our industry.
We know what we bring to the table; we are surrounded by male colleagues eager to support and champion us, and we have solid examples of leaders who are unafraid to share their thoughts with us.
We have safe spaces where our feelings are valid and respected, and we’re pushed to pursue what’s best for us.
As I take the elevator down to the vendors’ pavilion to officially kick off Pax8 Beyond, I ask myself: “If 24-year-old Vera was here, what would you say to her?”
Be bold. Be brave.
About Vera Tucci
Vera Tucci is a passionate entrepreneur and the COO of T-Consulting, an IT services company specialising in cybersecurity and business continuity. With a background in Political Science, she co-founded T-Consulting and has navigated multiple roles within the company, embodying the spirit of small business growth.
Vera has lived and lectured in the USA, enriching her global perspective. A strong advocate for inclusivity and gender equality, she is also a dedicated communicator, driven by Maya Angelou’s philosophy of leaving a lasting emotional impact.
Connect with Vera Tucci:
- Twitter: Vera Tucci
- LinkedIn: Vera Tucci
- Website: T-Consulting
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Richard Tubb is one of the best-known experts within the global IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) community. He launched and sold his own MSP business before creating a leading MSP media and consultancy practice. Richard helps IT business owner’s take back control by freeing up their time and building a business that can run without them. He’s the author of the book “The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide” and writer of the award-winning blog www.tubblog.co.uk
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