What has been your business/work highlight of 2024 so far?

The opportunity to build out the customer base here at theCUBE Research, bringing our team of smart analysts to the fore, highlighting their capabilities, and doing great work for our clients.

Who is your business hero and why?

That’s a tricky one, as I don’t have just one. That said, I’ve long been a fan of Robert Smith, who is the CEO of Vista Equity Partners.

Aside from the amazing work that Vista Equity Partners does (particularly the Vista Frontier Fellows Program), Smith personally champions diversity and the underserved. He has helped pay off debt for college students and has been passionately committed to ensuring diversity on corporate boards. Fighting for equality is part of his DNA and as a woman in a male-dominated field, it’s always a bright spot to see our male counterparts stepping up and championing women.

What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?

Putting too much trust in a former partner was a mistake I learned a great deal from. Trust is important when building a business together, but putting guardrails in place so that you won’t be taken advantage of is important. That said, it’s been my experience that mistakes and the process of navigating the aftermath of a mistake – any mistake – is usually tremendously beneficial. You emerge smarter, stronger, and more resolved than ever to keep pushing forward.

What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read and why?

I’m reading Kara Swisher’s book, Burn Book right now. For those of us in the tech industry, Kara is a well-known presence. I’m very much enjoying her recap of the events of the last decade or so and a chronicle of the world’s most powerful players in the tech industry. It’s inspirational because she’s never been afraid to buck the status quo, forge ahead, trust her gut, call out the BS that is so rampant in this industry, and strive to do the right thing — and it shows in her writing.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in 2024?

Navigating a career pivot.

What technology will have the greatest impact on your business this year and why?

I can’t imagine anyone not answering this with “Figuring out how to adopt, integrate, and maximize the benefits to be derived from GenAI” — and that’s my answer.