At Lotame, we are proud to have many talented women in leadership roles driving change for both our company and industry at large. In honor of International Women’s Day, we wanted to take a moment to ask a few of them about their own experience working in a male-dominated field, and any advice they might have to encourage the next generation to take the torch, and continue forging innovation through technology.
Lana Warner, Director of Partnerships & Client Strategy 
- What is one piece of advice you would give to women starting a career in Ad Tech or Tech in general?
Never make yourself small. We work in an idea economy, and you never know where the next great idea will come from. Be confident in what you bring to the table. You deserve to be there just as much as anyone else, but remember where you came from and hold space to allow others a seat with you.
- Can you share a new hobby you’ve taken interest in as a result of the pandemic?
Reading! Previously I didn’t have much time to invest in reading for fun, and the pandemic gave me a little more time to reinvest in a former hobby of mine.
- What can be done to encourage more women to join the industry?
For one, we need more women supporting and mentoring other women in our industry. Also, I’d like to see more investment from those in positions of leadership and power, to help curate and foster a more diverse, equitable workplace.
- What’s one thing you do everyday that has proved to make you more successful in both your work and personal life?
I treat every day as an opportunity to learn something new. Both in life and professionally, stay curious and always look to better yourself. It keeps you on your toes and makes life more interesting.
Hashmi Navin, Customer Success Director, EMEA
- What is one piece of advice you would give to women starting a career in Ad Tech or Tech in general?
Visualize your own growth and achievements. There’s so much to learn and experience in this industry! It’s really easy to get boxed into your day-to-day tasks, but taking time to look at the bigger picture really helps you to drive change and develop as a professional.
- What can be done to encourage more women to join the industry?
Seeing other smart and successful women in the industry has always empowered me to strive for more. I think being exposed to women in this space can be motivation enough.
- What’s one thing you do everyday that has proved to make you more successful in both your work and personal life?
Keeping a positive mind and expecting success to come to me! I take a lot of inspiration from ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne.
- Can you share a new hobby you’ve taken interest in as a result of the pandemic?
I completed the couch to 5k challenge. I had declared myself incapable of running before Covid. Now, although very slowly, I can run a full 5k!
Alexandra Theriault, Chief Customer Officer
- What is one piece of advice you would give to women starting a career in Ad Tech or Tech in general?
Speak up. The industry is evolving at such a fast clip that everyone is learning how things work, yet, at the same time, we are expected to have all the answers. Even those who have been in Ad Tech for 20+ years are still trying to make sense of it all. You might, and likely will bring a new perspective and smart ideas to conversations with those senior to you.
- What can be done to encourage more women to join the industry?
Keep helping women get in positions of leadership. It’s no different than other industries, it’s hard to envision yourself working in a role until you see people who look like you in positions of power. I was lucky enough to have a mother in Ad Tech who was an executive and a role model.
- What’s one thing you do everyday that has proved to make you more successful in both your work and personal life?
I wish I did it every day, but that’s unfortunately not the case. I try to workout every day, even if it’s just a 20 min walk. Balance is hard, but when I make the time to be healthier, I feel better and sleep better, which helps me both professionally and personally.
- Can you share a new hobby you’ve taken interest in as a result of the pandemic?
I picked back up painting, starting with a rather aggressive paint by number oil painting of Santorini. I’m over a year into working on it and can’t wait to see the final product!
Eliza Nevers, Chief Product Officer 
- What is one piece of advice you would give to women starting a career in Ad Tech or Tech in general?
Don’t be intimidated. It is easy to believe from reading about the industry that people know everything or that you have to be super technical to understand. This is a complex and fast-paced industry, but even though people appear to have all the answers, they don’t. And even if they do, things change so quickly. What worked yesterday may no longer work tomorrow and you don’t have to know the technical solution inside and out to provide value. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, challenge the status quo, and contribute new ideas.
- What can be done to encourage more women to join the industry?
Within Ad Tech specifically, I would love to see more women in the product, technology, and data science organizations. Ad tech is male-dominated, but technology organizations are even more so. I think having women in leadership positions is one key contributor, but I also believe it’s important to focus on recruiting women, especially at the college and graduate level, and understanding what is important to them when they are evaluating positions.
- What’s one thing you do everyday that has proved to make you more successful in both your work and personal life?
I try to take 15 minutes to plan. I quickly identify the top work and personal tasks that must get done. I also find it helpful to look at my schedule and jot down what I need to do to prepare for each meeting. On the days when I don’t take this time, jumping straight into meetings, or responding to emails, I find I don’t get as much done.
- Can you share a new hobby you’ve taken interest in as a result of the pandemic?
This sounds really lame but I started watching movies again. Prior to the pandemic, I had probably watched 10 movies in the past 10 years. My family spent the first six weeks of the pandemic watching every single Avengers, Star Wars, and Harry Potter movie. We then started digging into my old favorites from the ‘80s and ‘90s. I had forgotten how easy it is to truly escape into a good movie.
Zuzana Urbanova, Head of Data Solutions, APAC
- What is one piece of advice you would give to women starting a career in Ad Tech or Tech in general?
Ad Tech is a fast-paced and exciting industry to be in. So never limit yourself and always use this as an opportunity to further expand your knowledge and skillset to create your own career path.
- What can be done to encourage more women to join the industry?
Strengthening female networking and mentoring opportunities, plus offering flexible working hours or WFH options, especially for women with families.
- What’s one thing you do everyday that has proved to make you more successful in both your work and personal life?
Creating a positive environment around me by making sure I treat people (colleagues, clients, friends) the way I want to be treated.
- Can you share a new hobby you’ve taken interest in as a result of the pandemic?
Regular 10km walks in the evening to clear my mind and refocus after a busy day at work.
Kanika Bihal, Head of Second Party Data & Marketing, India
- What is one piece of advice you would give to women starting a career in Ad Tech or Tech in general?
Never think that this is not my place, just because you’re surrounded by men. Don’t stop until your voice is heard and make a difference for yourself.
- What can be done to encourage more women to join the industry?
The industry has started accepting women as leaders in tech, but there is still a long way to go. I think we need to start encouraging women from the very beginning by motivating them to pursue careers in technology.
- What’s one thing you do every day that has proved to make you more successful in both your work and personal life?
The most important thing that keeps me going without getting tired is my morning routine. I start each day with Zumba, before spending 30 minutes every morning listing down daily tasks in a diary. This helps me stay organized both at home and at work.
- Can you share a new hobby you’ve taken interest in as a result of the pandemic?
Gardening and organizing the kitchen. Making coffee for myself early in the morning and sipping it while admiring my plants is something that gives me great peace!
At Lotame, we pride ourselves in creating a highly collaborative, open, and inclusive working environment. These women are just some of the amazing members of our team who are leading the way through innovation in the adtech space. Will you join us in bridging the digital gender divide?