How Identity Has Influenced a CEO's Career at a Digital Transformation Company
As a woman in tech, Michelle found herself "usually one of 10 people in the room, the only finance person in the room, and usually the only female," and initially dealt with being called "kiddo" and later being mistaken for an admin while being the CFO; this experience led to focusing on the best interests of the company and addressing disrespect head-on, sometimes with humor, to avoid internalizing frustration, ultimately leading to a CEO role where such incidents are less frequent.
Women in Tech, Leadership, Overcoming Bias, Career Navigation, Finance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michelle Tinsley
CEO
Digital Transformation Platform Company
University of Oregon
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Finance, Marketing
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Technology
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Early career experiences involved navigating age and gender biases, such as being called 'kiddo' and having to address the discomfort it caused with a business partner.
2. Being frequently the only woman, and often the only finance person, in meetings required learning to assert oneself and focus on contributing to the company's goals.
3. Even at a leadership level as CEO, encounters with gender-based assumptions still occur, requiring a strategic approach, often using humor, to address and correct these misperceptions.
Transcript
Someone who identifies as a woman in tech, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
I always felt like I was the person who showed up, and that was a bit unexpected. When I first started my career, I looked very young.
One of my business partners called me "kiddo" for a while. I had to tell him, "Hey, that kind of makes me feel uncomfortable. You think of me as a child when I'm supposed to be advising you on your budget." He replied, "Yep, that's a fair point. Thank you for bringing it up. I didn't know it bothered you." He stopped calling me kiddo after that.
In my career in tech, I was usually one of 10 people in the room, the only finance person, and usually the only female. Maybe there were two of us. So, I just started to learn to be myself and really focus on what was best for the company or the business I was supporting. I tried to move the ball forward that way.
There were some very frustrating times. I'll tell people, women cry at work in the bathroom usually because they're frustrated and feel they're not being treated with respect. Sadly, occasionally I still run into that, but very rarely now in my role as CEO.
Sometimes people make assumptions. When I was in Denmark on assignment as CFO of a business we acquired, they assumed I was the admin and the other guy was the CFO. I had to clarify, "No, I'm actually here training him," even though he was 20 years older than me.
So, again, I'm not what they expect. I try to address these situations with a little humor, not seeming deflated, but really addressing it so it doesn't persist and drive me crazy.