Building Towards the Future: How uShip’s CTO Motivates Herself and Her Teams
Before the pandemic, Pari didn't worry too much about logistics. She ordered things online, of course and engaged in e-commerce activities. And her professional roles at tech giants like IBM, Google, and Microsoft had certainly exposed her to the importance of complex operations. Not to mention her stint as the Executive Director of Technology at The New York Times, where she had plenty of opportunities to think through how insight was delivered.
But it wasn't until the world shut down due to the pandemic and Pari and her family were stuck inside that she really realized the significance of the commercial transportation that kept everything moving.
"When COVID had essentially paralyzed our entire globe, not just our country and our economy, I realized the significance of the logistics industry," she says. "When the fear of the pandemic and losing lives literally took over humanity, and everyone transformed their lives to being fully virtual, fully remote, the only thing that kept us all living seamlessly was the logistics industry."
When the opportunity to join online shipping marketplace uShip as their Chief Technology Officer arose, she jumped on it, recognizing that there had never been a more important time to work somewhere that was supporting the future of commerce.
We sat down with Pari to hear more about how she's built her career, how her transition to this new role during the pandemic has gone, and how she's developed her approach to leadership and motivation during such a challenging time.
Strategic engagement from the start
As a seasoned technology leader, Pari is used to tackling real-world hard challenges. She began her career focused on Biotechnology, specializing in Genetic Engineering, doing her Masters in the field before deciding to do a second Masters focused on Computer Science, specializing in Software Engineering, with a dissertation in Artificial Intelligence.
"I love working in the area of data, [including] data engineering, data science, machine learning, and AI," explains Pari, who adds that some of her favorite past projects have engaged in building data science and engineering, applying the same to driving revenue for businesses, building next-generation platforms and future-proofing platforms against security threats.
As uShip's CTO, Pari is currently focused on transforming the EPD (Engineering, Product and Design) organization by hiring the right talent, driving transformation and building the next generation of their platform, leaning on data engineering and data science, to continue to differentiate uShip's product core IP.
Because uShip works by matching shippers and carriers on an open marketplace, it works with individuals and businesses of all sizes, explains Pari. "Building products in the logistics space is very challenging and very dynamic—nothing can get more real than logistics," she says, referencing the vital role the industry has played in distributing everything from PPE to furniture to cars, boats, RV's, over the last year and a half.
Motivation through change
Pari has never had trouble keeping herself motivated to achieve her professional goals. "For me, motivation is all about building a positive mindset and creating a feeling of gratitude for what we have and what we can do for others," she says. Still, she acknowledges that even as she took heart in knowing that her work was helping to drive a positive, real-world impact, it was hard to stay motivated during the extended isolation of the pandemic: "We humans are born to socialize, network, and work as a team."
But there's one piece of advice she returned to in the harder moments—"Get up, dust off, reload, recalibrate, re-engage"—and she applied that same approach to starting a C-suite role in an all-remote setting.
6 ways to manage, motivate, and lead at scale
Though stepping into a CTO role during a world-altering pandemic that only put more pressure on the importance of the logistic industry has certainly been complicated, Pari has been able to lean on her decades of management and leadership experience to settle in well and start making a positive impact.
Here are the guiding principles that will allow you to do the same thing, whether you're starting a new role or just looking to level up in the one you have now:
1. Set a vision—and then get out of the way. "It's our job as leaders to give a clear direction and then just get out of the way," says Pari. "Teams don't need micro management or over-focused process management, they need direction. Teams can tackle problems innovatively and productively themselves, and we can be there to guide the progress through workshops, demos or stakeholder presentations."
2. Connect with individuals. While providing team-level vision and guidance is important, it cannot replace building rapport on an individual level, says Pari. "With people I work very closely with, I engage in one-on-ones as often as I can. It's important to connect with people and understand what some of their challenges are." That's been especially important during the pandemic, she adds, when employees might be dealing with
economic or health challenges, losses in their families, or other hardships that require extra support. "I always sit down, listen, and try to understand what people are going through," says Pari. "No two people will go through the same sets of challenges in life, and trying to put yourself in the other person's shoes helps to solve for the challenges that people face."
3. Create a cycle of clear goals and clear feedback. "I focus on setting clear, attainable goals and objectives (Objectives and key results or OKRs, a goal-setting framework for defining and tracking objectives and their outcomes) for teams to chase after quarter over-quarter," says Pari, highlighting that she works to add development and cross collaboration opportunities into those goals whenever possible. "That helps teams reach their full potential, whether they're in-person, completely virtual, or working in a hybrid model," she says. She believes in getting creative with innovation too, and gives the example of uShip's three-day hackathon as a way to drive innovation and creativity organically by teams: "It promotes networking, collaboration, and socializing, and even in a virtual workplace, it enables people to foster those connections we've lost in the past 15 months and to build something ground up or organically that helps drive business."
4. Let people ask why. Pari says that the biggest thing she does in any tech leadership role is to bring alignment during times of change. "A lot of times when we are transforming in any organization, it can be painful for people...whether at the people level, the process level, the product or technology level, or the overarching company level," she says. "Being in groups where you can have open-ended conversations, have workshops, and ask the 'five whys'—like why are we doing this in the first place!—is very, very important."
5. Invest in your people, not just your products. "In business, I believe strongly in one core principle: 'a company is only as good as its employees'," says Pari. "So I believe heavily in: 'Invest in your people and you will see huge rewards.' which is critical to success."
6. Don't forget to celebrate the wins. "It is so important to pause frequently and celebrate wins," says Pari. "They can be small wins, they can be large wins; it can be in meetings, town halls, All Hands, or even small team ceremonies. That's how we motivate ourselves and keep moving no matter how hard times get," she says.
If you'd like to celebrate future wins at uShip, check out their open roles!
How This VP of Brand Marketing Found a Job at a Company with a Mission She Loves
One of Jennifer Martin's first jobs was working the front desk of the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, where she got very good at asking one question: "How can I help you?"
She credits her earnest, honest interest in the answer to that question with her career success. "I learned everything that I ever needed to know about customer service from working at the front desk of a hotel," explains Jen. "And I quickly learned that I needed to have that guest service lens on in my career. How can I help? What can I do? How can I partner with you? I think if you're more open, people come to you because they know you're open to learning, they know you're open to relationships. They know you're open to failure."
From hospitality to client service to agency to now being an in-house marketer, Jen's career has taken her around the country and through several industries, but the role she feels most excited about is the one she has now: VP of Brand and Advertising for AI healthcare startup Olive.
Not only is she working with a company whose mission aligns with her own—discovering hidden connections that make people's lives easier—but as a mom of a child with a rare genetic disorder, she knows just how important it is to find those connections within the healthcare industry, which is ripe for innovation.
How Olive can help patients
Jen's daughter Sarah has Rett Syndrome. "She's great and healthy and thriving and beautiful—and nonverbal and works really hard to do a lot of the things that come so easily to most of us," says Jen.
Caring for her daughter has given Jen an intimate look at all of the inefficiencies and failures of the American healthcare system. "I understand from a patient perspective how difficult it is to navigate all of it," she says. "The healthcare industry is hard to understand for many people: prior authorization, claims, insurance, appointments, rattling off for the 100th time that yes, she does have an allergy to penicillin...We have so much more to do to fix the system and streamline the patient experience."
Olive is a healthcare-specific artificial intelligence solution that can help hospitals optimize administrative workflows including processing invoices, managing registration, authorizing claims, and verifying benefits. "I want to make [my daughter's] life better," explains Jen. "This is an indirect way for me to do that. I can draw a parallel if I can make another parent's experience with a hospital be more streamlined."
Staying open to new possibilities
If you'd asked Jen as she began her career where she thought she'd end up, she probably wouldn't have answered with her current role or even industry. That's been true for most of the professional transitions she's made.
While working at the Hyatt early on in her career, she started a pilot program with what was then a little startup out of Las Vegas called Expedia. Their partnership began selling 10 rooms, then 40, and then turned into a new role for Jen at Hyatt's headquarters working on building out the hotel chain's ecommerce functionality to sell their rooms directly.
Then her hospitality background was appealing to an ad agency who needed an account director for their client, United Airlines, so Jen made the switch into agencies and marketing work. She and her husband then moved from Chicago to more family-friendly Columbus, where Jen got a job with a women-owned ad agency and took on other big projects, like launching Sherwin-Williams' ecommerce business.
But when IBM bought her agency and Jen realized she was on the fast track to becoming a partner, she had a wake-up call. She was at a training retreat for to-be partners that asked participants to think through their values, and Jen realized her current work wasn't aligned with what she cared about most. "[My coworker] and I spent a lot of time talking about what we wanted in life, and it was in those moments that I realized I wanted my work to matter," she says.
She left IBM and started at a smaller, more traditional ad agency, but it wasn't a good fit for Jen's ambitions. "I knew I wanted to find something that was rooted in technology, rooted in automation—which was a passion point for me at IBM—and rooted in creating better outcomes for humans," says Jen. She also knew she wanted to be on the client side of things. "I wanted to feel good about what I was building. At the agency, you don't get to own it. You have to just build it and walk away from it. And I'm at the point now where I would like to nurture a brand and see it grow and see it become something."
A friend told her to check out Olive. "I was drawn to Olive by her mission to drive innovation within healthcare, to affect patient outcomes. Olive has a vision for how to do it and the right team in place to make it happen," says Jen.
And now Jen is overseeing Olive's major branding campaigns in cities around the country, partnering with Olive's product and sales teams to get their message out, and finally feeling really connected to the work she spends all day doing.
She left us with a few tips for how you can find work that makes you feel the same way.
3 tips for finding a company whose mission you're aligned with
1. Write down your values. "The personal has to come before the professional. Start there and really try to understand and dig deep into your own self. Figure out what matters the most to you," says Jen, who offers an example: "I can tell you that in this moment, my family matters most to me, and my daughter is certainly a huge part of that."
2. Do your research. Jen notes that she didn't follow her own advice when she left IBM for another agency. "Find the leaders within whatever company you're evaluating and follow them on LinkedIn. See what they're saying, how they position themselves, how they position their company. Find multiple leaders to get a perspective that's more holistic," she says. She also recommends looking at hashtags that matter to you and seeing which companies use those in their posts. "Look to see how diverse the leadership is. Diversity drives much better thinking within an organization, much more well-rounded thinking."
3. Be yourself. "It manifests in different ways," says Jen, who notes that especially now, in extended work-from-home setups, it's important to be able to be your true self at work and feel like others are being authentic with you, too.
Learn more about Olive, their mission, and their open roles.
Women in tech on the fast track
Below is an article originally written by PowerToFly Partner Accenture, and published on September 29, 2020. Go to Accenture's page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.
Accenture is turning the spotlight on our women in tech.
Our new research, in partnership with Girls Who Code, shows that having an inclusive culture is key to retaining and advancing women in tech roles, but many companies do not recognize its importance.
Along with taking actionable steps to reset tech culture—expected to double the number of women in tech in the next 10 years—the report reminds us that learning from the voices of our women in tech drives innovation and transformation every day.
Career advice from women in tech
Meet five women at different stages of their technology careers, working in a rapidly growing industry landscape where diverse perspectives are the lifeblood to innovation.
From ethical artificial intelligence and laboratory R&D to platform partnership management, learn how these successful women are driving their career paths forward in new and exciting ways. They share important advice they wish they'd had when starting their journeys.
Jasmin Gogia
Technology Senior Analyst, 3 years in technology
What I do: I specialize in client-facing communication and present demos and stories to clients, engaging them in our team's work. I also help create custom websites and applications for clients, working end to end across platforms to solve unique problems.
Best part of my work: I think outside of the box and create something that was never imagined before.
My advice: Don't be intimidated by the size or the rapid pace of the technology industry—just go for it. Take classes and keep learning; there are hundreds of classes that highlight different parts of the industry. We offer all kinds of unique learning and development opportunities at Accenture.
Remember to believe in yourself. When I started in my career, I was overwhelmed by the many different aspects of technology. The best way to get rid of those fears is to try everything.
Britney Crooks
Blockchain Segment Lead, 11 years in technology
What I do: I lead blockchain partnerships in enterprise technology. My work is all about innovation and problem solving; I get to take all the pieces of information and figure out how they fit together.
Best part of my work: I come to work and every day feels like a blank piece of paper. There's so much room to innovate and create—it's an addictive feeling.
My advice: Trust your instincts. If you think something is right, raise your voice and speak up. At the start of my career, I spent a lot of time second-guessing myself, researching twice before I raised information in a meeting.
Time is important; be known as a thought leader and creator of ideas, not just one who's validating ideas. Believe in yourself—there is so much value you can contribute.
Mary Hamilton
Americas Tech Innovation Lead, 23 years in technology
What I do: I lead our innovation capabilities focused on technology across North America and Latin America. This includes research and development, open innovation and rapid-prototyping capabilities to help identify, shape and scale emerging technology solutions.
Best part of my work: Technology has tremendous potential to be a catalyst for change and hope. Opportunities are growing fast; innovation is being amplified like never before and technology continues to have a significant influence in our lives.
My advice: Have confidence and don't worry too much about what you don't know. Frequently, we get in the trap of thinking, "I can't take that role because I am underqualified," or, "I don't know as much as everybody else." Take a leap into things you are not comfortable with and always be ready to learn—you'll build confidence along the way.
Rumman Chowdhury
Responsible AI Lead, 9 years in technology
What I do: I facilitate the integration of responsible artificial intelligence (AI) into client solutions. I think about the implications of AI and work with people to create solutions, and I see the results of what we've planned and built.
Best part of my work: As a social scientist, I design experiments and interventions that make a difference.
My advice: Pursue what you find interesting. Acquire as many transferrable skills as you can. Learn how to learn—that's most important. Figure out the process of acquiring new information and leverage what you've learned in another field, another industry.
Be brave. If you are stuck in an environment where you don't feel valued, leverage your skills and move somewhere you do.
Teresa Tung
Technology Research & Development Executive, 15 years in technology
What I do: I'm a leader in Accenture Labs, responsible for a global systems and platforms research and development group. Our projects include semantic modeling, edge analytics and robotics.
Best part of my work: Tech is like magic. I'm constantly learning and finding ways to apply technology, then seeing it in action in the world. It's so inspiring to learn all the time.
My advice: Believe in yourself and advocate for yourself. Nobody knows you or values you as much as you do. It took me a long time to figure that out.
Innovation is part of our DNA at Accenture. Read more about the transformational work we do, every day.
The Modern Workplace Was Built for White Men— If We Don't Diversify the Brains Behind AI, The Future of Work Will Be Built for Them Too
Making AI Work for Everyone
Most experts agree that AI will revolutionize the workplace. What's less clear is whether it will be for better or worse.
Many of these same experts argue that although machine learning will automate many tasks currently done by humans, it will also create a number of new roles.
But if AI is really going to do more good than harm, we need to diversify the brains behind it.
As Artificial Intelligence Reporter Karen Hao explains, the AI industry has a severe lack of diversity:
- "Women account for only 18% of authors at leading AI conferences, 20% of AI professorships, and 15% and 10% of research staff at Facebook and Google, respectively.
- Racial diversity is even worse: black workers represent only 2.5% of Google's entire workforce and 4% of Facebook's and Microsoft's."
Why does this matter? We know all too well how technology designed by and for one small group can end up hurting the rest of us.
As Hao points out, AI has already succumb to several of its creators biases:
- Devaluing women's résumés
- Perpetuating employment and housing discrimination
- Enshrining racist policing practices and prison convictions
We should be using AI to build a better and more inclusive workplace, not to further enshrine the biases of the white men who have the privilege of creating it.
Curious about the world we could create with more diverse minds shaping the future of AI?
- Check out Valla Vikili's latest for Quartz, "The future of work will be far less frightening when there's more women in AI"
- Join us FRIDAY. 9/27 to learn how you can use AI for good at work. Just educating yourself about AI and its potential is a great first step in ensuring it's used fairly (even if you're not going to make a career pivot into machine learning anytime soon).
Click Below To Sign Up
