Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 80
Critical Careers
SENIOR LEADER
What were the de昀椀ning decisions or
moments that shaped your career journey?
I’ve never felt like my career has had one perfectly planned path. It has
been more of a series of moments that nudged me in different directions.
I started out in accounting, very practically. I became a parent at a young
age, so my focus was on stability and doing something that would pay
the bills. I was good at it, but I wouldn’t say I was passionate about it.
That was an early “a-ha” moment that being good at something isn’t
always the same as being ful昀椀lled by it.
The real shift came when I found myself in a role where I just wasn’t
challenged. I had maybe three hours of work in an eight-hour day, and for
me, that was unbearable. I like to be busy, to feel like I’m contributing.
That frustration pushed me to look elsewhere, and a friend encouraged
me to take a chance on an entry-level inside sales role. It was a step down
on paper, but it felt like a step towards something that suited me better.
Within a few months, I was promoted, and that really set the tone for how
my career evolved. I’ve always been willing to start somewhere new and
back myself.
Emily
Sullivan
DIRECTOR STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS | BLACK BOX
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Another big moment was when the company I was with was acquired and
I was given the opportunity to build out a completely new vertical. I had
the choice between utilities or data centres, and I chose data centres, even
though I didn’t fully understand the industry at the time. But I 昀椀gured it out
by just researching, building a network, and asking questions. Early on, I
landed a meeting with a hyperscaler and that gave me a massive boost of
con昀椀dence that I could successfully operate in this world.
All of this is to say that I’ve learned how to say yes to things before I
feel completely ready. It could be something as simple as attending
conferences where I know no one or building relationships from scratch
or carving out a space for myself in an industry where people initially
questioned why I was even there. Believing in yourself and being open to
change can create some very happy accidents that end up building a very
ful昀椀lling career.
