CRN® just announced that it has named DataCore’s vice president, channel sales & enablement Devi Madhavan to its prestigious 2017 Women of the Channel list. The executives who comprise this annual list are recognized for outstanding leadership, vision and unique role in driving channel growth and innovation, and are selected based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise and ongoing dedication to the IT channel. In honor of this award, we sat down with Devi to learn more about what drives her, and what advice she has for other women pursuing careers in technology.
Q: What is your philosophy?
A: When it comes to the channel, my philosophy is building integrity and trust, and bringing value to our partners. Integrity and trust are the basic principles that I run the team and our channel partnerships on. This is really important for both the partners and end-users alike.
DataCore is an innovative company at the forefront of technology. Ensuring that we bring maximum value and benefits to the solutions we offer in order to add to what a channel partner is already selling in their business is key. Our philosophy is also that it is important to be easy to work with, and we take pride in our efforts here.
Q: What does this honor mean to you?
A: The opportunities for women to take expanded leadership positons, especially in outbound sales functions, have really grown over the years. I am honored to be representing DataCore in this role and thankful to be representing the types of partners and customers that we serve. It’s also a really innovative technology — I don’t feel there is anyone else out there that is bringing this type of opportunity to customers — and I am passionate about that element of my career. I am also excited to be bringing more recognition to our partner program and the company as a whole.
Q: What do you like most about working with DataCore and its channel partners?
A: DataCore channel partners have a wealth of knowledge in the datacenter space and we learn from them every day! A lot of the work that we do is around integrating our solution into partners’ existing portfolios. We have the opportunity to constantly innovate based on the knowledge that we gain from partners.
Q: What advice do you have for other women starting out in the technology industry?
A: In general, there is a wealth of opportunity in technology. Know what you are interested in and what you want to pursue. My recommendation is to research companies, find a mentor, get an internship, etc., to see if it ultimately something you want to pursue as a career. Talk to other women that have careers in technology as well to learn more.
As in any profession, to be fully impactful, make sure that you are pursuing your interests for the right reasons. Interest and passion are key and don’t compromise on that. The sky is the limit! There is tremendous opportunity to be creative, especially in the technology field. Technology is one of the most forward looking verticals and is always changing. You need to be able to adapt, and don’t be fearful of change.
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