A big thank you to Anna Baram and Mika Matsumura who captured the key messages of the speakers.
On Thursday, May 16, FWSF held our signature “Master Class: Lessons in Leadership” event featuring a panel of distinguished women leaders in the technology industry: Irina Berkon (CFO and Board Member of Metallicus), Shannon Nash (CFO of Nash, an Alphabet company), and Shannon Power (CFO of Scope AR), moderated by Liz Fisher (certified health coach and former FWSF Board Member).
The panelists offered their candid perspectives on what leadership means to them, discussed challenges and pivotal moments they encountered in their careers, and shared the lessons they learned along their leadership journeys.
The panelists cited a number of challenges that they overcame in their careers, including being often underestimated and not considered for promotion as a woman, double standards on female ambition in terms of how much one may be able to express one’s desire to advance, and common regrets when they had to make trade-off decisions balancing their families and careers. In terms of work/life balance, they shared that they learned to have a longer-term view, making sure that they spend quality time with their loved ones, rather than worrying about the quantity of time.
Some of the valuable lessons learned discussed by the panelists included:
The event concluded with a lively Q&A with the audience. The questions touched on the future of the technology industry in San Francisco, the best approach to recruiting staff, and how to ensure equal opportunity access to funding sources for women entrepreneurs.
One question that resonated with all of us: "Are you of the mindset that it's better to wait to get the right people to help your organization accomplish what it needs to, or do you think there are situations where it's better to try someone who may not be the perfect fit for now, but is 'in the seat,' so to speak?" Shannon Nash acknowledged the urgency sometimes necessitated by immediate problems, like the workload associated with an IPO. Shannon Power suggested temporary or contract work as a solution while seeking the right permanent fit and she emphasized hiring for motivation and willingness over specific experience. Irina Berkon noted similarly that she prioritizes attitude and ethics over technical skills.
It was an inspiration for all of us in the room to hear the panelists’ stories that were both uplifting and relatable. And it was a call to action for all of us to take the lead!