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Meet Erica Stockwell-Alpert

Developer at Velir; Sitecore MVP

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?


I’m from Sudbury, Massachusetts. I studied computer science and psychology at Connecticut College and began working as a .Net web developer after graduating in 2014. I started working with Sitecore when I joined Velir in 2016, and I am currently a full-stack developer in Velir’s Managed Services department. I first became a Sitecore MVP in 2018, in part due to my Sitecore module, the Content Export/Import Tool, which I created to accelerate data exports and content entry in Sitecore.

What does a day in the life look like for you?


I have five accounts that I regularly work on, as well as occasionally helping with large projects. In my department, because we are maintaining older websites (often built by other agencies), there is a lot of variety among my sites; I’ve got four different Sitecore versions currently, with the oldest being 8.2, and the differences in Sitecore versions, as well as unique codebase structures and very old legacy code, provides unique challenges in development. Some of my sites have very basic css and Javascript, while others have complex React modules. I get to work with a wide array of backend and frontend technologies. I also handle deployments to production and handle urgent issues such as site outages.

After work is over, I have a number of hobbies that keep me busy. I take an aerial silks class once a week, and I make art that I sell at local oddities markets.

What would you say is key in exceling in your industry?

It’s critical to be able to learn and adapt, as web technology is constantly evolving. Be aware of what new technologies are being adopted, and take advantage of opportunities to use those new technologies. If you can’t dive into new tech in your free time, then ask to be involved in work projects that utilize it. If you learn about a cool new technology that your company isn’t using yet, share it with your colleagues and suggest a place where it could be implemented.

Share your knowledge. One of the easiest ways to make a name for yourself is to blog about technical problems you’ve encountered and how you’ve resolved them. If one person finds your blog post or Stack Overflow question helpful, then it was worthwhile, and you never know which posts are going to blow up in popularity; something that you assume is too obscure a problem or too obvious a solution might actually be an issue many other developers need help with. If it took you more than a few minutes of Googling to find an answer, it’s worth writing about.

What challenges do you see for women in tech today?

My biggest challenges have been internal. When I first started my career, I was younger than all of my coworkers, and one of the only female programmers. I felt like everyone was smarter than me, and I was afraid to speak up with questions or opinions because I didn’t want to make myself look stupid. The people around me were very supportive, but I limited myself due to my insecurity. It was a challenge to overcome, and it would have been a lot harder if I didn’t have great colleagues who have encouraged me and mentored me.

People of any gender can feel imposter syndrome, but I think it’s especially common for women in tech since it’s a male-dominated field, and it can be hard to make yourself vulnerable when you feel like you are a representative of your gender. Simply having more female developers in your office does a lot to alleviate this pressure.

Do you have any advice or tips for women looking to start their careers in tech? What do you wish you had known?


Be confident in your skills and your knowledge. The people around you are not smarter than you, they’re just more confident/experienced. Imposter syndrome can make you reluctant to ask questions (“surely I should know this already”) or to share your knowledge (“everyone else must already know this”). But, asking questions is critical to growing as a developer, and can also help you form personal bonds with your colleagues. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you struggle to understand something. Some areas will be harder for you than others, and different people learn in different ways (I’m very hands-on, and often have trouble understanding new concepts until I get to work with real examples). Code, as well as documentation, should be easy to understand, and if it’s overly obfuscated, that’s a failing on the part of the writer, not you.

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Meet Ethel Crosby

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?

My parents immigrated from the Philippines to the United States and settled in Chicago. They raised me and my siblings in the suburbs near Chicago, and I still live in the Chicago area.  I got my bachelor’s degree in Information Systems at Loyola University Chicago and my master’s degree in Computer Information Systems at Northwestern University. I am currently the Director of Technology Operations and Offerings at One North, which is a full-service digital agency within TEKsystems Global Services. My main focus is on growing our technology offerings, including the Sitecore practice, and leading operational excellence across disciplines. I’ve been in the tech industry for the past 2 decades in a broad range of roles from client-facing project management and product teams, to IT, marketing and security.

What is your favorite part of working in the tech industry?

I love the continuous improvements and evolution of new technology we get to work with in the tech industry. It keeps our work interesting and ultimately leads us to deliver innovative solutions for clients as their expectations and experiences change.

What would you say is key to exceling in your industry?

It’s important to develop domain expertise in an area you are truly passionate about. I’m a strong believer in having a growth mindset. You have to be continuously learning in our industry in order to keep up and not let your skills get stale.

What challenges do you see for women in tech today?

Having ‘imposter syndrome,’ the anxiety-driven feeling of self-doubt in your abilities, tends to be a common barrier for many women. I’ve felt this in the past when I moved into more technical roles. First acknowledge that imposter syndrome exists, then move on. Don’t let your feelings of self-doubt hold you back and channel that energy into something productive.

Do you have any advice or tips for women looking to start their careers in tech? What do you wish you had known?

It’s okay to ask for help when you need it. You don’t have to go through your journey in tech alone. Many people have some help along the way. Help can come in many forms from a mentor or developing a professional network with people to share experiences and best practices. Help can also come from your family, partner, and friends. Having a strong support system is key to a manageable work-life balance and for your mental health.

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Meet Natalie Mankowski

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?

I’m originally from Perth in Western Australia, and moved to Canada two and a half years ago. I came to Canada for a ski season but loved it so much I never left and have recently become a permanent resident!

I’ve always loved being creative and knew I wanted to pursue a career that combines creativity with analytical thinking. After I finished my Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies, I worked in Singapore as an associate producer intern for a film production company, where I worked closely with the marketing team and fell in love with marketing. After the internship I landed a job in digital marketing, became obsessed and went back to university while working full time to become a Master of Marketing.

Throughout my career I’ve been really lucky to be exposed to a lot of different types of projects and areas of marketing so I was able to discover what I was really passionate about early on. I’ve worked with nearly every industry under the sun and every pillar of marketing, but my biggest passions are marketing technologies and SEO. I actually dreamt of working with Sitecore years before I got the chance to!

I’m proud to be the Marketing Manager at Fishtank Consulting, where I head up a team of talented marketers who do groundbreaking things with Sitecore, SEO and content marketing. I love helping businesses connect with their customers using incredible technologies like Sitecore, paired with killer content, SEO and personalization strategies.

Outside of work, I recently fell in love with rock climbing and now you could say I’m addicted. In the summer I also love to hike in the Rockies, and in winter I usually spend my weekends skiing.

Share some of your accomplishments within the Sitecore community?

I became a Sitecore Strategy MVP for the first time this year, after contributing to the Sitecore community in the areas I noticed a lot of marketers were struggling with. All my contributions to the Sitecore community are aimed at empowering marketers and content authors to get the most out of Sitecore.

  • I’ve published over 50 strategic blogs on topics covering personalization, campaigns, profiles, experience analytics, goal setting, A/B and multivariate testing, forms, marketing automation and many more
  • Wrote comprehensive guides to setting up Sitecore personalization
  • Published a series of ‘how-to’ YouTube videos for content authors with helpful tips and tricks
  • Created screen-recorded GIFs and downloadable infographics that show step by step how-to’s
  • Started Facebook and LinkedIn groups for Sitecore Marketers and Content Authors so members could ask questions and receive free Sitecore advice and help
  • Published Sitecore strategies, tips and tricks on social media

What resources have helped you along your career?

Having inspiring and encouraging people around me like my team members, managers, mentors, and friends and family, who believe in me and want to see me succeed.

My university degrees definitely set up my foundation of knowledge, and taught me a lot about prioritizing my time and meeting deadlines, especially doing my Master’s degree while working full time.

I owe a lot to communities like the incredible Sitecore community. Joining online communities and following leaders in the industry to learn more, stay up to date, get involved, give back and be inspired.

Newsletters – I have a few favourite weekly marketing newsletters that help me stay up to date with the industry in just a few minutes of reading time. My favourite marketing newsletters right now are SEOFomo and tl;dr Marketing.

When I have more time to spare, I love to read books and listen to podcasts. They aren’t all industry specific, but I love being inspired by other people’s success stories, habits and advice. One of my favourite books is Winging It by Emma Isaacs, and for podcasts, I love The Tim Ferriss Show.

And of course Google! I’ve learned a lot from other people’s articles and content, so I like to give back when I learn something new.

What challenges do you see for women in tech today?

Unfortunately, there is still a big gender gap in the tech industry, and unconscious gender bias, discrimination and harassment are realities for a lot of women working in tech. A lot of the time it’s systemic and covert, and people are just unaware that they’re perpetuating the biases, but that’s no excuse.

Everyone has a responsibility to take a stand and call it out. If you say nothing, nothing will change, and it needs to come from everyone. We need more equity and diversity for businesses and societies to thrive, and we can’t succeed when half of us are held back.

Do you have any advice for women looking to start their careers in tech? What do you wish you had known?

Believe in yourself and just start! Make small incremental changes towards your goals everyday.

Don’t overthink things and get comfortable with making mistakes. Put your hand up for a lot of different projects early on in your career so you can figure out what you love. Don’t be afraid of failing or asking lots of questions. Surround yourself with people you can learn from and help others as much as you can. Most importantly, have a loud voice, make sure your opinions are heard, call stuff out if it doesn’t sit right and cheer loudly for other women in the industry.

When I first started working in tech, I thought everyone would be a certain way, and have it all figured out with everything planned for every conceivable outcome. To my shock it turns out that everyone is human and most people are just winging it! So be yourself, stress less about the little things, smile and laugh as much as possible and don’t let anything hold you back.

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Meet Deepthi Katta

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?

This is Deepthi Katta. I am originally from India from a small town in the southern part India
called Anantapur. Now, I am a sun-loving Californian! I studied a lot while growing up, call it a
perk or a boon of being born in a professional South Asian family. Education was given utmost importance! Though my family was into medicine, Math intrigued me more than science or the size of my sister’s medicine book scared me to choose math as my major instead. Either was the case, that is where it all started!
I continued on that path to become a computer science engineer at Vellore Institute of
Technology. After graduation, I joined Wipro technologies as a rookie and experienced working for Microsoft as a vendor. When I came to United States, I pursued a Master’s in computer science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I gambled the program with all my might and graduated with honors. My first job here in America was on Sitecore (Destiny?) at a Company called Nowcom Corporation as a Software Engineer. My passion for delivering high-quality and standard solutions took me to my next step of being a technical lead within two years of joining the company. I currently work as Senior Technical Architect at Verndale where I lead cross-functional teams. I thoroughly enjoy solving tough problems and taking the teams involved through this journey of building something amazing that we can all be proud of.

What does a day in the life look like for you?

In a nutshell, never the same! I juggle many things in a day from both the professional and personal front. Like many women out there, I have commitments that I signed up for knowingly or unknowingly, but, I choose to stand by them and give my best.
At home, on the same day, I could be a hero and villain all at the same time. Most of it depends on if I say yes to junk food. I cherish and keep my family really close as they matter to me the most. I can’t imagine a day without my amazingly mature eleven-year-old and rock of my family, my husband. At work, I constantly wear several hats. On any given day, I might be collaborating with various individuals from different streams of software development. On quite a few occasions, I take matters into my own hands to solve any hiccups that come our way.
I mean only if a day of life is filled with an acceptable amount of madness is when I can sleep well. 

What would you say is key to exceling in your industry?

I strongly believe that to excel in any industry, it’s important that you love and have passion for what you are doing. Making it huge in the software world is no different! There is a cozy place in this industry for anyone who never thinks learning is a painful chore, loves solving problems in an innovative way, or could get people psyched up to do amazing at what they do to name a few.

What challenges do you see for women in tech today?

I have been blessed and fortunate to work alongside employees, bosses and people who always appreciated me as a valuable resource in the company. They strived in providing a caring and flexible environment which made my productivity twofold. Saying that, I know that is not the case everywhere and have seen first hand my friends quit due to lack of support from their managers especially while juggling professional and personal life. What was really sad is that in this case, the boss was a woman too.

It’s 2021, I struggle to believe that this is still an ongoing problem, but, it’s sadly true. We women have been blessed with the magical power to make humans and we should continue to do so to keep this world going strong. So, everyone around us including those we work for needs to support us during this transition. As they say, it takes a village!

Do you have any advice or tips for women looking to start their careers in tech? What do you wish you had known?

It’s okay to fail! It’s okay to be wrong! I wish I had known this during the early days of my career. I thought I had to be perfect and maintain a score of 100 or close to it at everything I do. Upon thinking hard and noticing others around me, I see that is the tendency across most women. We are deeply wired to aim for perfection!
Let it loose and go, rogue, when you get an opportunity. The amount of learning and confidence that can be gathered by being brave and taking up challenges is just so much better than settling for less. Shift that focus from trying to be perfect to giving your best at everything that comes at you and forgetting the rest. You will see the magic unfold!

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Meet Anne Norman

Anne Norman, Director at Digital Solutions; Sitecore MVP

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started?

In my 15 years of experience focused exclusively within the digital industry, it’s been interesting to see the unique paths that have led many of us here, since “digital” jobs weren’t even a thing when we were getting started in the workforce. I began my career working within the telecom industry around the time IP Telephony was broadly commercially released. My company at the time asked me to help spearhead the design and implementation of our website. Needlessly to say, I was hooked on a career in digital from then on.

I rolled up my sleeves and learned the “business”, first at a full-service agency then in an all-digital consultancy. This approach allowed me to fully understand both traditional and digital parts of the marketing eco-system and the cohesive benefits it can offer customers and their end-users. As a I matured in my skill set and made the progression to an all-digital agency, I was able to see how just how innovative and hard-working digital experiences can be. I was able to go way beyond brochureware sites, working on highly complex, integrated solutions including multi-brand, commerce, connected products, portals, custom applications, you name it!

Historically, many of my roles have focused primarily on delivery and project execution, tackling everything from project management to client strategy and account direction. For the past 5+ years, I’ve worked within sales. The pre-sales expertise I provide includes highly personalized and pragmatic recommendations to prospective clients on what’s possible as well as what’s going to be impactful to their business; specifically in the areas of marketing strategy, commerce, and digital marketing technology platforms, like Sitecore’s full product suite. I also focus on sales enablement and working across our global selling teams at Horizontal Digital, making sure they have the information they need to help customers within Sitecore ecosystem – this everything from product knowledge, training, and access to sales assets like case studies.

Outside of work, I find balance with my husband and our three kids. We love to plan multi-state road trips, try every sport at least once, and we’re currently attempting to camp in each of Minnesota’s state parks. I also play on a women’s soccer league.

Was there ever a time that you wanted to give up when pursuing a career in tech? What kept you motivated?

As Rick Astley aptly sang “never going to give you up.” I’ve been all-in with a career in technology since I participated in that first website project in 2005. That said, it’s not all fun and games. Not only is the industry highly competitive, but things are also always changing; capabilities are enhanced, new platforms are introduced, and customer expectations are higher than ever.  

One thing that keeps me motivated is I’ve embraced a personal goal of continual learning and growth. I’m not talking about reading industry articles, trends, and research—though, yes, that’s part of it—I’m talking about a next level of education where it becomes a fundamental part of my day-to-day work. For me, this includes everything from seeking out innovative solutions to challenges, helping creatively solve problems, driving better results for customers, as well as refining our approach to how we work together ­– both internally, across disciplines as well as how we partner with our customers and partners. For those of us in the industry, it helps if you’re truly passionate about technology and believe in the endless possibilities of digital solutions. I also believe that gaining experience in multiple discipline areas helps provide a well-rounded perspective into the whole business.

What resources have helped you along your career? 

I spoke previously about cultivating a personal passion for learning and I can contribute a lot of my growth to this approach, but I think it’s only half the story. The other side of success is the individuals and teams that have pursued mutual success along the way.  

What challenges do you see for women in tech today?

One main challenge that comes to mind is representation. Research broadly shows women are becoming more influential in purchasing decisions both at home and in the workforce. However, many times those voices are absent when it comes to planning and creating the experiences that support them.  

Companies that invest in equality and diversity many times have better stock prices, higher performance metrics, and lead the pack on setting up a foundation for ongoing growth and bottom-line success. Today the technology industry is predominantly male, and companies can’t wait around for change to happen on its own. There isn’t a checklist of how to get it right. Instead, there needs to be a purposeful approach to define and shape what equality means for you, your organizational brand, and culture.  

Tangible ideas that come to mind that can help all of us to amplify the voices of women and the underrepresented in our day-to-day experiences include:   

  • Advocate for experiences that consider and support all people and their needs. For example, if your agency is creating a new website for a provider specializing in Prenatal care, your research and usability should include speaking with women that have become or plan to become pregnant as well as their partners.  
  • Professionally challenge the stereotypes and outdated cultural realities that suppress ideas and voices. Many times, folks may not realize they are interrupting when a woman shares in a meeting or always asking a woman to take on the more administrative tasks like taking notes or setting up the calendar invite. 
  • As you rise, lift others. Purposefully share the amazing stories of the women around you and elevate positivity.  
  • Support the next generation of working professionals by giving your time volunteering to help encouragement to the next wave of women technology leaders.  

Do you have any advice or tips for women looking to start a career in tech? What do you wish you had known?

One thing I wish I had learned much sooner in my career is to have courage and self confidence in my own voice and opinions. Oftentimes I’m the only female in the room and I’ve second guessed when I should speak up and/or if what I have to say will be taken seriously. What I’ve come to realize is that our opinion not only matters but it’s appreciated. Part of this is self-driven assurance that you and what you say is valuable, but there is also the cultural reality of the company you work for. An inclusive company culture promotes allyship and demonstrates it in practice every day.  

Finding our individual voice within the fast-paced, competitive technology industry can be challenging. If you can participate in a formal or informal mentorship program that provides 1:1 support from female leaders – I would recommend jumping at the chance. This may help those earlier in their career identify with successful role models, as well as offers personalized guidance to your specific journey and experience.  

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Women in Tech – Books, Videos and Podcasts on Inspirational Journeys You Must Check Out

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Everyone has a story to tell on what has transpired in their lives and key decisions that were made to shape them into who they are today. Memoirs and interviews of successful people are excellent resources for learning new things. Since there is an endless supply of inspirational stories, we’re here to help narrow down the choices. Check out our top recommendations on inspirational stories below from the Women of Sitecore community.

This is the final post of a three-part blog series that shares a helpful curated collection of books, podcasts, and videos that are personally recommended by talented senior technology leaders active in the Women of Sitecore community. In case you missed them, check out the earlier posts in the series: professional development recommendations and leadership recommendations.

Top Books and Videos on Inspirational Journeys

Books

1. Becoming By Michelle Obama

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  • Recommended by: Francine Anthony and Hetal Dave
  • Why Francine recommends it: We see this lady of poise and elegance in the press, and yet Michelle grew up from very humble means. She had doubts and fears, but she also had a backbone of trying her best. Reading her story will inspire and motivate all.
  • Why Hetal recommends it: An inspiring memoir where there is inspiration even in between the lines.

2. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

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  • Recommended by: Alison Sainsbury and Christina Hauge Engel
  • Why Alison recommends it: We’ve all heard of the gender pay gap – this is about the gender data gap. It’s a fascinating, sometimes infuriating look at how the lack of gender-disaggregated data doesn’t just disadvantage women financially or socially, it actually kills us. It’s very real, and as women working in STEM, something we need to be aware of and point out whenever we can. We are building algorithms and patterns now based on data which is not just biased against women – often as not, it actually simply excludes us. I raved about this to everyone at SUGCON (Sitecore User Group Conference).
  • Why Christina recommends it: This book is diving into the gender gap with case studies, stories and new research from across the world that reveals the biased data that excludes women. The Times has called this book ‘A game-changer.’

3. The Myth of the Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate by Fran Hauser

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  • Recommended by: Allison Simpkins
  • Why Allison recommends it: Great book which deconstructs the negative perception of being ‘nice.’ This book examines how women don’t have to sacrifice their values or hide their authentic personalities to be successful.

4. Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Christoff and Sheryl WuDunn

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  • Recommended by: Jacqueline Baxter
  • Why Jacqueline recommends it: This is one of those books that has stayed with me. It’s simultaneously an exploration of the social and economic oppression of women worldwide and a call to action for all of us to start making a difference.

5. The Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

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  • Recommended by: Jacqueline Baxter
  • Why Jacqueline recommends it: There’s an amazing lesson just in the title; so many experiences are missed and opportunities lost because of fear. This is a memoir, but it’s also a reminder of how many fabulous things are waiting on the other side of fear, and it’s inspired me to say ‘Yes’ to many more things than I would have otherwise! Reading this book reminded me of that old quote; “What if I fall? But darling, what if you fly?”

6. Man’s Search for Meaning by Dr. Viktor Frankl

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  • Recommended by: Ishraq Fataftah
  • Why Ishraq recommends it: One of the books that stayed with me for so long! Dr. Frankl argues that we can’t avoid suffering, but explores how we can extract meaning from that suffering, create a new purpose and cope.

7. Resilience: Navigating Life, Loss and the Road to Success by Lisa Lisson

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  • Recommended by: Allison Simpkins
  • Why Allison recommends it: An inspirational story on how to triumph over adversity and live each day with gratitude.

8. The Only Woman in the Room: The Making of a Stockbroker by Jean Hough Davey

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  • Recommended by: Allison Simpkins
  • Why Allison recommends it: Fantastic story about one woman’s pursuit in the 1960s, when women were neither accepted nor encouraged to enter the world of finance. Jean Hough Davey became one of the first women in North America to be licensed as a stockbroker.

9. Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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  • Recommended by: Christina Hauge Engel
  • Why Christina recommends it: A great and inspiring little book on parenting! A good friend of mine recently said to his son, who scratched his knee: “a true boy gets bruises.” But why didn’t he say: “a true kid gets bruises?!” This book opened my eyes to how we address gender differences. Our words matter. This book addresses how to raise a baby girl as a feminist. I recently became a mother to a baby girl, but I recommend this book to all parents, as we all play a huge role in shaping future generations – whether we have boys or girls. We can’t just focus on how we treat girls, we must focus on how to treat all children. The book gives an interesting perspective on how to raise children in a gender-neutral environment, but it’s expressed as advice from one friend to another. The book is an easy read with fifteen strong suggestions.

10. Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

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  • Recommended by: Hetal Dave
  • Why Hetal recommends it: This is an inspirational memoir of finding the fire (courage) within.

Videos and Podcasts

1. How I Built This with Guy Raz – NPR Podcast

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  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: Excellent stories sharing the journey and backstories of major innovators and leaders across the world’s most well-known brands. Hearing the stories of persistence and hard work through setbacks and triumphs, like Jen Rubio’s story on her unconventional career journey that led to her launching the successful Away travel brand, is incredibly inspiring. Full disclosure, I’m a big fan of my Away luggage and respect Jen and her company’s vision after listening to her interview.

2. Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations – Oprah Winfrey

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  • Recommended by: Stephanie Allen
  • Why Stephanie recommends it: In this podcast series, Oprah interviews inspiring leaders and changemakers who actively work to make the world a better place. With every interview, I find myself inspired to be a better human and motivated to make a positive change in my relationships and environment – professionally and personally.

3. TED Radio Hour hosted by Guy Raz – NPR Podcast

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  • Recommended by: Margaret Wise
  • Why Margaret recommends it: The Ted Radio Hour takes a topic and stitches together clips from multiple, related TED talks and interviews. I always learn a new way to think about the topic.

4. Breaking Barriers and Engaging Billions – Priyanka Chopra and Indra Nooyi – Forbes Women’s Summit

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  • Recommended by: Deepthi Katta and Hetal Dave
  • Why Deepthi recommends it: My two favorite women in the whole world. It is mesmerizing to see two women from different generations yet similar roots talk about breaking barriers, which may come in various shapes and forms, to reach the goals that one sets for themselves.
  • Why Hetal recommends it: An inspirational talk with Priyanka Chopra and Indra Nooyi about their journey to success.

5. How I Hacked Online Dating – Amy Webb – TED Talk

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  • Recommended by: Una Verhoeven
  • Why Una recommends it: This has to be one of the best data analysis talks that I have ever seen applied on a real-life example.

6. How I Work – Amantha Imber

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  • Recommended by: Alison Sainsbury
  • Why Alison recommends it: These are short and sweet, just right for a quick train trip to work. This podcast interviews business and creative people and talks about how they construct their day. Perfect for taking a quick tactic for the week and putting it into practice.

7. A passionate, personal case for education by Michelle Obama

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  • Recommended by: Deepthi Katta
  • Why Deepthi recommends it: It is a delight to see our former first lady speak at any time. In this talk, she focuses on her most passionate subject: education. She is a great inspiration, and we must in our own little way help young children across the globe to get the education they truly deserve.

8. How Digital Marketing Works – Gene De Libero

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  • Recommended by: Alison Sainsbury
  • Why Alison recommends it: Gene De Libero, my teammate in Sitecore, has more than 30 years of experience in digital innovation – spanning vendor, partner, customer and academia – and he brings it to this podcast, interviewing marketing leaders for their take on where we are with digital marketing, how we got there and where we’re going. There are only about 5 episodes so far, but they’re all must-listens.

9. Why Am I Even Alive? by Muniba Mazari

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  • Recommended by: Deepthi Katta
  • Why Deepthi recommends it: This watch always reminds me how easy our life is and yet we complain. Seeing Muniba on a wheelchair and yet so confident and bursting with enthusiasm of the life ahead of her inspires me to craft my own and appreciate the things that I have at this moment of life.

10. TEDx Talks: It is okay not to have a plan by Mihila Palkar

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  • Recommended by: Deepthi Katta
  • Why Deepthi recommends it: The moral of this is we think too much. Oh, I am going to get that degree, then buy a home, get a job, have a baby. But, the truth is it is okay to not have a plan and take life as it comes. Sometimes surprises come when you least expect them.

Special thanks to all the women that shared their recommendations:

Personal growth is an important skill to focus on throughout the different stages of your career. Whether you are relaxing at home, commuting to and from work, or clocking in hours hitting the trails for a long run, take time out for yourself to learn and grow.

I truly hope you become inspired by our recommendations. Feel free to share this series with your friends, family, and coworkers. We could all use a little boost.

What are your favorite books, podcasts and videos? Join me @EthelMCrosby and @WomenofSitecore in the conversation on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Missed the previous posts of this series? See the following:

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Women in Tech – Books, Videos and Podcasts on Leadership You Must Check Out

Tech Women Top Books and Videos Part 2 Banner Image

As we are coming up on summer vacation season, here are some fantastic recommendations for your summer reading list. This is part two of a three-part blog series that shares a helpful curated collection of books, podcasts, and videos that are personally recommended by talented senior technology leaders active in the Women of Sitecore community. If you missed the part one, check it out here.

The following content is filled with helpful tips and resources to sharpen your career skills, strengthen your leadership skills, and gain inspiration from the stories of successful people. I’ve been enjoying listening to and watching the many wonderful recommendations so far. I encourage you to add these to your lists too!

Top Books and Videos on Leadership

Books

1. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. By Brené Brown

  • Recommended by: Stephanie Allen
  • Why Stephanie recommends it: Every book or talk by Brené will likely inspire you, but this book really leveled me up. It taught me how (and why) to bring the power of vulnerability into the workplace and has given me a framework to show up with my best self to challenges.

2. Start with Why by Simon Sinek

  • Recommended by: Jill Grozalsky
  • Why Jill recommends it: A phenomenal read about how to inspire people to take action. We so often approach work conversations around the who, what, where, when – but it is important to start with WHY to give projects a sense of purpose.

3. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: This book is an approachable read on the concepts around Theory of Constraints. It is important to think logically about the underlying problem your business is trying to solve, and realize the cause and effect relationship on how actions lead to results. Don’t lose sight of the goal and just focus on efficiency for efficiency’s sake.

4. Emotional Intelligence: Influence and Persuasion by Linda Annette Hill, Nancy Duarte, Nick Morgan, and Robert Cialdini

  • Recommended by: Jill Grozalsky
  • Why Jill recommends it: It gives great advice and input on how to be a leader and approach conversations to get people to support your cause. It gives a lot of great insight into the emotion of business and how to “change minds by changing hearts.”

5. Shoe Dog A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

  • Recommended by: Ishraq Fataftah
  • Why Ishraq recommends it: Phil says: “The only time you must not fail is the last time you try.” Nike is a great example of how many times you might fail, your dreams won’t come true, or you get sued! But at the end, you will be able to build a loyal and obsessively driven team whose daily mantra is “JUST DO IT” and be one of the greatest brands you can ever imagine to create!

6. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink

  • Recommended by: Ishraq Fataftah
  • Why Ishraq recommends it: Always go back to the root when it comes to business: people! Daniel Pink reminds us to treat people as people and not assets, and to focus on motivational leadership.

7. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

  • Recommended by: Hetal Dave
  • Why Hetal recommends it: Inspirational journey of a woman leader. The book talks about women and leadership sharing insights on gender differences in the workplace.

8. The Business of Honor by Bob Hasson, Danny Silk

  • Recommended by: Isabel Tinoco
  • Why Isabel recommends it: This book presents how honor is the art of stewarding relationships well, with a special focus in business. Instead of being driven by self-serving, self-protection and fear, it presents the power of connection, including how to take the lead in building an honoring culture in any organization.

Videos and Podcasts

1. TED talk: How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek

  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: Simple and powerful concept of “Start With Why.” It’s important to understand your company’s core belief of the business and why it exists in the first place. It’s a subtle, yet important, difference that separates the Apples of the world from everyone else.

2. TED Talk: Why we have too few women leaders by Sheryl Sandberg

  • Recommended by: Deepthi Katta
  • Why Deepthi recommends it: Every single time I watch this, I can relate to this in many situations that I have been through as a woman, as a mom and as a passionate individual. It motivates me to go beyond, help women next to me, and together we shall rise.

3. Podcast: The Crazy One by Stephen Gates

  • Recommended by: Jill Grozalsky
  • Why Jill recommends it: Great digestible topics around being a better and more innovative leader. The podcast is a bit more design focused but really provides helpful inputs on navigating office politics, building better relationships and provides an honest look at what’s facing people in the tech/design space every day.

4. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

  • Recommended by: Ishraq Fataftah
  • Why Ishraq recommends it: Video that highlights Daniel Pink’s novel Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

5. Manager Tools Hall of Fame Casts by Michael Auzenne and Mark Horstmann

  • Recommended by: Alison Sainsbury
  • Why Alison recommends it: Comprising the best of the extensive range of Manager Tools podcasts, Hall of Fame brings together the top episodes from a range of podcasts and tools that have been recording for more than a decade – the first time podcasting was popular! Whether you’re managing up or down or looking for career tools, tips on all kinds of meetings, it’s all there. I love this because it’s the gateway to hundreds of really helpful coaching sessions I can just tap into any time I need.

Special thanks to all the women that shared their recommendations:

Stay tuned for the final post on the rest of the collection of books, podcasts and videos on Inspirational Journeys. You can also check out the Professional Development recommendations from the first post here: Women in Tech – Books, Videos and Podcasts on Professional Development You Must Check Out.

Update: Missed the other posts of this series? See the following:

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Women in Tech – Books, Videos and Podcasts on Professional Development You Must Check Out

If you want to expand your skills, get ahead in your tech career, or are looking for an entertaining read, look no further. This is the first of a three-part blog series that shares a helpful curated collection of books, videos, and podcasts that are personally recommended by talented senior technology leaders active in the Women of Sitecore community.

Last year, I was fortunate to speak on an all-female panel of Sitecore Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) at the annual Sitecore Symposium conference, covering a topic I’m very passionate about – Empowering Women in Technology. I discussed how to overcome the barriers in the tech industry, like ‘imposter syndrome,’ by having a ‘growth mindset’. The term Growth Mindset was coined by Dr. Carol Dweck from Stanford University; essentially, it is the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed, and can change with effort.

Group photo of the Sitecore MVP Women Panel at Sitecore Symposium 2018 Conference
Sitecore MVP Women Panel at Sitecore Symposium 2018 Conference

I personally enjoy listening to audiobooks while I run, and I watch TED talks or other interesting videos on my commute to and from work. This year, I’m training for the Chicago half marathon series races, and I’ve been having trouble finding my next book or podcast to listen to while I run. To continue the conversation and promote continuous learning, I thought it would be valuable to share a list of the top books and videos that women and people new to the tech industry can check out to help develop their careers. To create the list, I reached out to the Sitecore community and partnered with many talented women Sitecore MVPs, as well as women in Sitecore leadership, to crowdsource the top recommendations for content that we have personally found useful.

Ethel wearing the Sitecore Symposium 2018 jacket during a 10K race in a snowstorm
[Photo Credit: The Morton Arboretum]

The result is a thoughtfully curated collection filled with helpful tips and resources to sharpen your career skills, strengthen your leadership skills, and gain inspiration from the stories of successful people.

Needless to say, I no longer have trouble finding my next thing to read or listen to!

Short on time? Here are pro-tips:

  • Blinkist App – Una Verhoeven recommends using the Blinkist app. It has a set of audio and text books from all areas, with special focus on management. It has also broken down a few key sections into 15-minute audio parts, which is very handy when you are doing a short commute. Blinkist Logo
  • Increase Playback Speed – Margaret Wise recommends listening to podcasts at 1.5 speed, which your brain can easily process. I also use this tip listening to audio books or watching videos at a faster speed to maximize my time.

Top Books and Videos on Professional Development

Books

1. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Grit Book Cover Image
  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: This is an inspiring book on confidence, illustrating how everyone can push themselves to be stronger than they think they are by putting in the effort to reach their goals.

2. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

  • Recommended by: Ishraq Fataftah
  • Why Ishraq recommends it: I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said Brené Brown influenced a lot of who I am today. Her TED Talks and books helped me realize my potential and helped me to never be afraid of being seen by others. Embracing my fears and vulnerabilities helped me stand up and contribute in both my personal and my work life, and I’m sure it will help you too!

3. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte

  • Recommended by: Amanda Shiga
  • Why Amanda recommends it: This is my go-to guide when I prepare for a speaking engagement. Nancy’s structure for great presentations and the power of storytelling helps every time.

4. The Power of Story by Jim Loehr

  • Recommended by: Margaret Wise
  • Why Margaret recommends it: This book peels back the layers of what really drives you and helps you articulate your own story. It helped me crystallize my own personal mission of helping connect women to share their experiences with each other.

5. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

  • Recommended by: Stephanie Allen
  • Why Stephanie recommends it: An empowering and relatively quick read on how to trust yourself and realize the greatness that you possess. A perfect book to keep handy for those days when you feel knocked down and could use a confidence boost.

6. Presence by Amy Cuddy

  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: This is a helpful guide on overcoming stressful times by rethinking your approach, being true and authentic to yourself, and stop worrying about what others think.

7. The Confidence Code by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman

  • Recommended by: Allison Simpkins
  • Why Allison recommends it: An informative and practical guide to understanding the importance of confidence and learning how to achieve it.

8. Brave Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani

  • Recommended by: Allison Simpkins
  • Why Allison recommends it: Inspired by her TED Talk, this book has powerful insights and practices to help all of us let go of our need to achieve perfection and make bravery a lifelong habit.

9. Constructive Living by David Reynolds

  • Recommended by: Amanda Shiga
  • Why Amanda recommends it: A great read on self-mastery and focusing on what the moment demands, instead of rumination. The author also talks about feelings following behavior, which is a helpful and refreshing reminder.

10. What If I Really Am the Best Person? By Shari Graydon

  • Recommended by: Amanda Shiga
  • Why Amanda recommends it: Shari advocates for women’s voices to be better represented in the media and public discourse. She encourages women to speak up and not doubt the validity of their perspective. I was lucky to do a workshop with her and the message was empowering! A good read for a boost of confidence and inspiration.

Videos and Podcasts

1. The power of vulnerability – Brené Brown – TED Talk

  • Recommended by: Isabel Tinoco
  • Why Isabel recommends it: This talk is so real! We all need connection and we all face vulnerability. Brené discusses how embracing and acknowledging our imperfections, being authentic, taking risks and practicing gratitude can make a big difference in our lives. Everything is a choice. My favorite part: “We are all worthy of love and belonging”.

2. Teach girls bravery, not perfection – Reshma Saujani – TED Talk

  • Recommended by: Christina Hauge Engel
  • Why Christina recommends it: To me, this is an extremely inspiring talk discussing how we are raising our girls to be perfect, and we’re raising our boys to be brave. The talk opened my eyes and has made me extremely aware of how I can inspire children to be comfortable with imperfection and what impact this will have for them in their future.
    We must teach young girls to take risks and learn to program just like we do with young boys – two skills they need to move society forward. To truly innovate, we cannot leave behind half of our population. A moving talk.
  • Recommended by: Allison Simpkins
  • Why Allison recommends it: A fantastic TED Talk on the importance of teaching.

3. Grit: The power of passion and perseverance – Angela Duckworth – TED Talk

  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: A shortened TED talk video version of Angela’s Grit book. Great quick watch when you need a confidence boost.

4. The Call to Courage – Brené Brown – Netflix Original

  • Recommended by: Jacqueline Baxter
  • Why Jackie recommends it: “True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are” – this is one of those documentaries that left me feeling simultaneously very seen and challenged to be better, do better, go farther and trust.

5. Your body language may shape who you are – Amy Cuddy – TED Talk

  • Recommended by: Ethel Crosby
  • Why Ethel recommends it: Great quick watch on the “power posing” concept; how physical body language influences how you act and how others perceive you. Good to watch in preparation for an important in-person work meeting or presentation.

6. Speaking Your Brand – Carol Cox

  • Recommended by: Alison Sainsbury
  • Why Alison recommends it: I came across Carol’s podcast when I was asked to moderate a panel, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Really practical tips & interesting interviews with women who are putting themselves up on stage and out in the world. How to really move people whether on stage or in person, such an important growth area for many women and something even the great ones can continue to improve.

7. Indian Girls Code – Aditi Prasad – TEDxChennai

  • Recommended by: Hetal Dave
  • Why Hetal recommends it: TEDx talk on cultural divides and challenges girls face in India.

Special thanks to all the women that shared their recommendations:

As I mentioned on the panel last year, I’m a strong believer in adopting a growth mindset. I believe that both women and men become successful if they care about what they do, work really damn hard at it, and have grit. It’s okay if you don’t know something or get uncomfortable at times. Read as much as you can to truly understand the concepts, ask questions, and get your hands dirty by digging into the details.

Stay tuned for future posts on the rest of the collection of books, videos, and podcasts on Leadership and Inspirational Journeys.

Update: Missed the other posts of this series? See the following:

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Women in Technology

As a woman in technology for over two decades I have been to many conferences over the years and have been daunted, especially in my earlier years, by being one of the very few women in the room. Conferences, even only 5 years ago, were packed with a predominantly male audience and there was not a woman on stage to be seen.

Many companies have taken notice of this gender imbalance and have made a significant effort to change this. Salesforce is a wonderful example of a company putting equality at the forefront of their values. They understand that diverse companies are more innovative and better positioned to succeed. Diversity brings alternate, unique experiences and perspectives that enable better problem-solving, and contribute to stronger operational efficiency and organizational performance. If 82% of women hold the purchasing power but do not make up even 50% of the boardrooms how can companies build exceptional customer experience without these perspectives at the decision making table.


Multiple studies indicate that companies who embrace gender diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their business strategically outperform their peers.

Another company I have spent many years involved with is Sitecore, who has started their own ‘Women of Sitecore’ initiative. Sitecore kicked off this program at their 2018 Global Sales Kickoff in San Diego, where I had the honor of delivering the keynote. The program was introduced by CEO Mark Frost and fully supported by Marketing and HR to follow it through in branding and recruitment efforts.

I commend Sitecore for carrying this to another level at their annual conference ‘Symposium’ where they hosted a Women in Digital Marketing and Technology luncheon focused on increasing awareness. The luncheon started with a keynote by an amazing woman named Jodi Kovitz, founder and CEO of ‘Move the Dial’ (www.movethedial.com). #MovetheDial is a phenomenal organization with a mission to increase the participation and leadership of women in technology. Statistically there are not enough women in tech as they only represent 6% of CEO’s; 13% on Executive teams and 8% on Tech Boards. #MovetheDial, led by Jodi Kovitz hopes to increase the awareness of this imbalance and change those numbers. Jodi’s passionate keynote was followed by a panel of women discussing our experiences as women in tech; why it is important and how we elevated our career in technology. The luncheon came with rave reviews and impacted many individuals and organizations in the audience to make a change in some way to bridge the gender gap.

Sitecore has continued to push for diversity and inclusion in their company through recent hiring’s on their Executive and Management teams. They continue to lead an effort to bring awareness to all on this not just being a female issue but a business imperative. Most importantly this is an issue for both men and women to tackle together in order to effect real change.

The state of women in technology is changing and we are slowly moving the dial. I believe we need to showcase more women role models so everyone can see the array of opportunity within tech across industries for women. Technology is everywhere these days – in the industries of tomorrow, every company will be a tech company in some way. We need to work now to ensure that we’re involving everyone in that progress and equipping each person, regardless of gender, race or orientation, to succeed as innovators and leaders in our communities.

It is all of our responsibility, as men and women, to show this generation and our next generation of female leaders the opportunities that are offered in tech.

My hope is that at some point we are no longer having this conversation about gender. We reach a day where a person gets the job because they really worked hard and earned it, not because they are a woman. A day where it won’t matter what the gender is of any founder, CEO, VC or board member; a world where both our daughters and our sons have an equal chance at significant leadership positions.

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Tips and Tricks to Attain Sitecore MVP

The 2019 Sitecore MVPs were just announced, which means now is the time to start planning and setting yourself up for an award consideration in 2020.  It may seem a long way off, but in order to compete for this highly coveted honor, you have to start immediately.

This is not only my 5th consecutive year of receiving the MVP award, but it is also the start of the 6th year I’ve helped my organization run a program that enables Sitecore developers/strategists to succeed in the achievement.  In that time, the program has helped 11 different people reach MVP, 6 of them women!

If you need a refresher about the details of the MVP program, my fellow WoS (Woman of Sitecore), Una Verhoeven, has written a blog article about it. 

The gist is this though: ” Sitecore MVP is an individual with expertise in Sitecore who actively participates in online and offline communities to share their knowledge and expertise with other Sitecore partners and customers.”  Additionally: “Sitecore MVPs are awarded for the quality, quantity, and level of impact of the contributions they make by sharing their product expertise and mastery of the Sitecore platform with other Sitecore partners and customers.”

To make the cut is not any easy feat.  It takes time and persistence.  Many MVPs (including myself) can tell you frustrating stories of being passed over during the first couple years of submission.  As mentioned above, a baseline requirement is having mastery and expertise in the Sitecore platform.  For MVP, you need to go above and beyond attaining that knowledge, and additionally become an active community member who is recognized by those who first must recommend you before you can even submit a nomination form (Sitecore employees and current MVPs), and then those who sit on the selection committee (Sitecore employees). 

Most people who would like to try for this are working at partner organizations and client companies that already have high demands for their time in building Sitecore applications.  This means you have to carve out this extra time in your personal life: nights, weekends, holidays.  The good news is you can timebox and hone in on the important types of activities that will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

My hope here is to impart what myself and my colleagues have learned over the years in order to help you to reach for and achieve this goal.

  1. Have at least one Sitecore certification in your resume. It isn’t necessarily required for MVP, but certainly does go a ways towards gaining and proving your expertise.
  2. Start actively participating NOW and make sure to do a minimum amount of activities that gain you recognition monthly. Keep this up right until the nominations open up around November. This is critical so that you stay relevant and maintain a presence throughout the year.
  3. Create a point system for different types of valuable activity and try to hit a minimum number of points each month. I’ll give you some examples of that in a moment.
  4. Compete with friends/colleagues who are also vying for a spot, maybe set up a prize for the end of the year as a reward for the person with the most points. This will keep you all motivated to keep going.
  5. Don’t let busy months at work get in your way. Make a concerted effort to carve out some time every single month! As little as 5 hours per month can be enough to write a few blog posts.
  6. Keep a log of your activity.  Sitecore is going to want you to regurgitate all of this information in your nomination form, so make it easy on yourself!
  7. Reach out to both MVPs and Sitecore employees. Make real relationships with them.  They will be able to recommend you come nomination time.
  8. Blog about topics that don’t already have posts out there! Writing another article on how to install the latest version of Sitecore is redundant.  Did you do something super interesting recently that was a challenge, that you could find no helpful information on in the community, kept you working all weekend, and you feel great joy over finally figuring out?  Then blog about it ASAP!  Be the first one out there.
  9. Become a subject matter expert in something within the Sitecore platform, especially good is a topic or enhancement that is new. Write a blog series on the topic. Present at a Sitecore User Group, and submit a presentation paper on it for Symposium.
  10. Take part in the Sitecore Hackathon, You can register for it through Feb 15th!  Not only is it a lot of fun, but it’s a sure way to get noticed (especially if you win!).  Note that although this seems like a developer only activity, you can get creative as an Ambassador or Strategist and join a Hackathon team as well!
  11. Share everything you do on social media especially Twitter and Facebook. Join the Sitecore Slack and Facebook groups, Sitecore Stack Exchange, and update your profile in the Sitecore Community.
  12. Do NOT plagiarize anyone else’s thoughts, blogs, tweets.  You will be found out, and exposed publicly 🙂
  13. For those going for a Technology MVP, it is important to share code, for example on github or Stack Exchange, otherwise you are likely falling into more of an Ambassador category.

In my company, we have tiered activities in the following way, with the higher tiers getting more points.  Note that some of these are more developer focused.

  1. Speak/Present at a conference such as Symposium or SUGCON, Participate in the Hackathon
  2. Speak/Present at a SUG or other smaller event, present a webinar (that people attend).  Note, these are GREAT practice for the larger events and having these on your resume give you a better chance of being selected to speak at Symposium/SUGCON.
  3. Attend a conference like Symposium/SUGCON (but make sure to interact with community members there!), Post a blog series (3+ posts, video or written) on a topic to help you achieve subject matter expertise recognition, create an open source module and share your code, attend a training that results in a new certification
  4. Attend a Sitecore a User Group in person, write or record a single blog post
  5. Attend a SUG virtually, attend a webinar (don’t depend on this though or overdo it), participate in Slack/Community discussions, answer questions in Stack Exchange, post in social channels

There are four types of MVPs. The activities for Technology and Commerce MVPs are more straightforward and some may find it a bit easier to engage in the Technology community (for one, it is a lot larger community than the others).

Important to note about Commerce is that you really do need to be focused on Commerce. Some that were Commerce MVPs last year have been switched to regular Technology because their involvement wasn’t focused enough on Commerce. In the past that could mean anything commerce that integrated with Sitecore, but likely going forward Sitecore will be looking more and more for the Sitecore Commerce product.

For those looking to achieve Strategy MVP, Stephanie Allen, a new Strategy MVP this year, recommends that you consider partnering with a Technology MVP and solving problems together on projects. You will gain important knowledge, including platform gotchas and sticking points, that you can include in your nomination form. In addition to writing your own blog articles around strategy themes, you could also partner with a Technology MVP to co-write articles together. Focus on attending events and applying to speak.

Jaina Baumgartner, another new Strategy MVP, shared the following list of activities which helped her:

  • Contribute to the #digitalstrategy channel on Sitecore slack
  • Write blog posts
  • Present in webinars and at events, especially around a specific topic (becoming an expert in it)
  • Provably show how you have optimized business value for a real company/client (you can share this in your nomination form in your best Sitecore Anecdote!)
  • Attend/conduct SBOS/Strategy workshops

Ambassador is the newest category and was made for really anyone else who is an evangelist of the Sitecore platform that bring value back to Sitecore and doesn’t fit into any other category. This could be executives, sales people, or leaders in the community who perhaps don’t code as much anymore but are still very involved. Many of the same activities listed above will work here, but you’ll have to rely more on blogging and speaking rather than code sharing.

To be well prepared, here is what Sitecore looks for in the nomination form (this has been consistent for a couple of years now).

  • Motivation, why you deserve this/want to be an MVP (don’t be afraid to BRAG about yourself, you deserve it!)
  • Objectives for next year within Sitecore Platform and Community (can’t hurt to mention some of the new bells and whistles on the platform roadmap)
  • Community Activity:
    • basic information: your blog url, Sitecore community profile url, stack exchange profile url, twitter handle, linkedin url, github url
    • Summary of online activity: Reported Bugs/Fixes, Slack, Marketplace Contributions, webinars, articles, blog posts, whitepapers, online discussions, comments on articles, Facebook/LinkedIn group activity, product feedback, influencing decision maker, etc
    • Summary of offline activity: Sitecore User Group Attendance, Presentations/Trainings (that Sitecore provided), Symposium, SUGCON
  • Work Experience
    • Best Sitecore Anecdote (keep this in the back of your mind and look out for interesting Sitecore experiences that come up during the year!)
    • Live Projects: URLs and your role on the project (even include the projects you or your company no longer maintain!)

For first time MVPs, as mentioned above, you need a current MVP or Sitecore employee to first recommend you, before you can even get your hands on a nomination form. Recommendations/Nominations usually open up around the beginning of November and close towards the end of the month. Sitecore then deliberates for two months, announcing the winners at the end of January.

Are you ready to take on this challenge? If you are and would like more advice or are looking for comradery in the process, join the WoS (Women of Sitecore) slack group and reach out to any of the current women MVPs directly or in the general channel. We all are looking forward to helping you!