.svg)
This Q&A is part of a continuous series interviewing inspiring team members at Scoop. Are you interested in working at Scoop? Check out our open roles.
March is Women’s History Month, commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. At Scoop, we take the time each year in March to not only celebrate the pivotal role of women in American history and beyond, but the paramount role womxn play in the success of our organization.
In a part of our commemoration of Women’s History Month, we sat down with three womxn leaders at Scoop who manage, shape, and positively influence our company every single day. We wanted to learn more about their proudest accomplishments, who inspires them at Scoop, and what advice they’d offer for other women starting or continuing a career in tech.
Get to know Aleks Leyzerovskaya, Head of Analytics; Cynthia Taylor, VP of Customer Success, and Kathryn Ross, Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications.
Aleks Leyzerovskaya, Head of Analytics
Role at Scoop:
I oversee and lead Scoop’s Data Analytics Team.
Proudest accomplishment:
Building out the Analytics Team at Scoop and getting the opportunity to see team members grow and develop their skills.
Someone at Scoop you admire and why:
Our head of UX Research, Rachel Buck, for several reasons. Not only does she expertly lead our UX Insights Team, but she’s also pursuing a full-time Masters in Human-Computer Interaction and Design outside of work. I truly don’t know how she manages to balance it all and make it look so effortless, but I admire her dedication to her practice and her incredible work ethic.
Key skills and resources vital to womxn when pursuing a career in tech:
A growth mindset and the ability to reflect and learn from mistakes will take you far in any career.
Be proactive about finding opportunities to learn new skills both at and outside of work. Let your manager know you want to be considered for projects that stretch your skills, enroll in online classes, and attend meetups in your local community.
Advice to women starting their career/new to the field:
I have four pieces of advice for those starting their career:
1. Check-in with yourself frequently and make sure you’re honest with yourself and your manager about your likes, dislikes, and areas where you’d like to grow.
2. Don’t let fear deter you from pursuing an opportunity. Everyone has to start somewhere.
3. Be kind to yourself and others, but know where to set boundaries in terms of people respecting your time and value.
4. Try not to have tunnel vision on a set goal. Realize there is joy in the journey, too.
Cynthia Taylor, VP, Customer Success
Role at Scoop:
I lead Scoop’s Customer Success Team, which is dedicated to driving valued impact to our customers and partners’ goals.
Proudest accomplishment:
I’m proudest whenever I see members of my team and our customers recognized together for driving united impact. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing your team’s Customer Success Manager standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a customer on stage, both grinning ear to ear.
Someone at Scoop you admire and why:
I deeply admire our Scoop Senior People Development Manager, Nazhat Salim. She has value to share with everyone at Scoop at every level, whether she’s working with a new hire, those early in their careers, or senior leaders. In every conversation you have with her or about her, her professional enthusiasm is always a topic of conversation. It’s infectious!
Key skills and resources vital to womxn when pursuing a career in tech:
Form a community, not just a network. From living and working in San Francisco for over 15 years, I’m lucky to have built a great network of colleagues and customers who I spend time and energy staying in touch with. It’s not easy but highly enjoyable and fulfilling!
On top of nurturing a network of colleagues and customers, some true magic happened when a few women and I came together years ago to support one another. Without realizing it, we had formed a community. Now that is something to cultivate.
Advice to women starting their career/new to the field:
Take the time to ‘ladder’ across job functions to gain well-rounded experience early in your career. If you’re customer-facing, take a tech or product based role, or vice versa. The time investment in moving laterally will help you move up to executive leadership in the long run.
Kathryn Ross, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications
Role at Scoop:
I feel very fortunate to lead the Product Marketing, Demand Generation, and Content/Comms Teams at Scoop.
Proudest accomplishment:
I’m proud of the wide range of companies I’ve worked for throughout my career so far. From a well-established privately-held company, to a publicly-traded multinational tech giant, to high-growth startups, I’ve experienced many different organizational structures, leadership styles, and marketing operation processes. It’s definitely challenging to figure out how to navigate different types of companies, but I think it’s made me more effective and adaptable.
Someone at Scoop you admire and why:
It’s tough to pick just one person at Scoop since there are many individuals who I admire on the team. Kelly Marren, who leads our Customer Product Management Team, does a particularly admirable job building relationships across the company, both on the technical and business sides of the house. She does a great job showcasing the team’s impact, works really hard, and is always in good spirits!
Key skills and resources vital to womxn when pursuing a career in tech:
Stay resilient and invest in your relationships.
Remember that there will always be change. By staying resilient as inevitable change comes your way, the sooner you’ll grow comfortable with bouncing back. This will allow you to dodge burnout and keep moving forward.
I also highly recommend cultivating a strong network of former colleagues. Take the time to keep investing in those relationships even after you move on to different companies because you can continue to learn from each other, sharing ideas, resources, advice, and encouragement.
Advice to women starting their career/new to the field:
Raise your hand for every opportunity that comes your way. Even if you don’t know how you’ll figure it out. Develop an ownership mindset as early as you can.
