We all grew up with that “tech industry is a bit of a boys' club” mindset. Maybe it was a reality back in the days – and honestly at times it kind of still is, but more often than not it feels like diversity and equality are reaching a point of balance. More and more ladies are choosing the tech path and I bet some of you had no idea that the first computer programmer in the world was Ada Lovelace (1815 – 1852).

Nowadays, the events dedicated to women in IT are starting to bloom more and more with each year. Through this kind of gatherings women can connect with peers, discuss the industry and its challenges, and also hear inspiring talks.

On the 8th of March, we contributed to the universal warehouse of initiatives for tech ladies’ sector with ours, through Mind your Path to Success. Women in Tech event. We felt it was an amazing experience jam packed with a mix of inspiring talks, emotions, success stories, challenges, and opportunities in Tech Industry – and all from the eyes of our Tech Ladies.

For those who couldn’t be there with us, we would like to invite you on a journey that points out the most important insights of the event.

We started the evening with a light speech form our COO - Anamaria Bumbar, one of those persons you meet and you feel like your life won’t be the same from that moment on. She dedicates her energy, resources and time to people, being a permanent source of inspiration.

Through her speech she shared her journey full of changes from a musical high school to Sociology and afterwards to a tech industry. “It’s good to make thing that you’re not ready for by getting out of your comfort zone. Your job it’s not to please everyone but to please yourself. When you do what you like and you are happy, you feel like home. I am the result of the people I’ve met. You only need one thing to make a dream come true, and that is Willing”.

Another amazing speaker was Maria Tudor - IT Recruiter, a living proof of authenticity, who strongly believes that people are put in their best light when they shape their essence and have the courage to be themselves.  

Her speech was about the importance of Social Skills and her path from an introvert person to someone who is empowering people through their journey among culture, values and all the wonderful things that mindit.io can offer. She thinks that “When we don't contribute, when we don't express our opinion, expectations, desire and how we feel in a certain context - we erase ourselves. We are not there, we have no impact! We are all made of the same parts, just organized in different ways! Everything I feel it’s ok. Every fear and idea that I have are valid. It’s ok to be emotional, it’s ok to share my opinion.”

The key point of her speech was that “Having social skills is not a characteristic we are born with, it is a feeling, it is the trust that what we think and feel is OK, it is valid! I work with feeling and desires while those I’m having discussions with are working with data, certitude, well-defined-laws!“.  

Ioana Miron - IT Project Manager & BA, someone who naturally manages to create a safe space, trust, and good energy for those she interacts and works with every day. She shared with us her journey through the tech industry and how she managed to turn every challenge into a strong brick to the foundation she builds every day. “Mindit.io journey is the favorite accessory in my professional wardrobe. It wasn't all milk and honey, on the contrary - it occasionally created a noticeable discomfort for me - but now I feel that it suits me and represents me. Like the shoes I bought yesterday. I really like “this pair of shoes” named IT career”.

We continued our journey of inspiration with a woman who is the materialization of perseverance, courage, and intelligence in a person - Aura Paraschiv - Head of Support and KAM, who shared some of her secrets about how much tenacity and intuition matter at the negotiating table, especially in a world that for a long time was considered one of men's.

She manages strategic partnerships every day, builds sustainable relationships and turns every challenge into growth opportunity. “Communication it’s really important - not only what you deliver it but also the way you do it. Never let yourself overwhelmed by emotions when you work with a difficult partner. In every negotiation, the perseverance is extremely important - I learned not to give up to the 1st NO and the most important thing is to have the courage to position myself on an equal footing in every discussion.”

A person who inspires only by allowing herself to be completely authentic. A person who, in addition to her undeniable technical skills and the career she has built, has above all, the ability to be 100% human. Gabriela Stefan - BI Developer told us where it all started, what were the challenges she has faced over the time and how a woman, in a world of men, can manage to perform.

“In a technical career we put a lot of accent on the logical part, but we don’t have to lose sight of the fact that you have to trust what you feel. Why do I think it's a career that is worth pursuing? If you persevere, you can follow your passion and be rewarded for your work and the most important thing for me in this field is the flexibility that it offers you. I don’t know what the future holds, but I like the present! “

Another remarkable person who contributed to our inspirational talks is a person who makes you feel at peace only by listening to her. She is an inexhaustible source of inspiration and courage - Catalina Peltecu - BI Developer. She talked about fears and confidence, about learning and evolution, but also about the comfort zone and how we can get out more often, because it is a life-changing experience.

” For me as an introvert person, with a BI background, meant a lot getting out of the comfort zone and speaking in front of business persons. When I decided to do it, I realized that all the uncertainty and insecurity that I felt before disappeared. I discovered the joy of helping others! The future belongs to those who do not stop learning. “

She ended her speech with a insightful question for us “What really motivates you to grow professionally? And when do you decide to overcome the uncertainty that surrounds you?”

We ended the talks session with an emotional one from our CEO and founder of mindit.io - Irina Arsene. She lights our fires and sees the potential in everybody she interacts with. She made us feel all the feels with her speech about motherhood and tech and that perfect balance.

She is that person showing every day that women always have a word to say. For Irina is very important to pass on that light living inside of her and make the world a better place. She really believes that the perfect recipe for balance is that “Happy mothers are the best mothers”.  

After all those inspirational and emotional talks, we ended the evening with an interactive workshop about Creativity and Procrastination powered by our dear partners, Adela Popa and Adriana Virlan, from Promocrat. Bellow you have some key points and a sneak peek of the whole experience.

“Are you a software developer wondering how creativity can boost your career? Do you see yourself as an artist, or do you rather think that you use your logical brain, while creative thinkers go for traditional arts instead of coding? What does a developer have in common with Picasso?

Being creative means connecting dots, drawing connections between seemingly unrelated things. Inspiration to solve complex technical challenges can come from anywhere, not just by staying in front of your computer.

Getting inspired and turning an idea into something real and useful, like software applications takes a good level of creativity, so don’t you think you’re not creative just because you’re a developer!

We encourage you to be creative all the time and never put-up barriers”

In the end we would like to share with you how the event felt from the eyes of the participants.

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