Marie-Claire Andrews has the ultimate tech qualification, a philosophy degree.
A former government worker, she says her career in tech evolved as she moved across various tech-themed businesses, before eventually launching her own startup.
Today, she’s the CEO and founder of the NZ based ShowGizmo, an event app that adds value to trade shows, exhibitions and conference — offering a show guide, networking tool, and lead capture system from your smart phone.
Based in Wellington, a city flourishing with women entrepreneurs, she’s the latest to feature in our #womenintech series. Read why she got started, how she works, and why she still makes time for the gym every day.
Has your tech career been planned or did it just happen? Tell us about how you got started in tech.
It evolved. I fell into it first as I moved from a government job where I procured a new piece of software for managing projects…to the company that built the software. From then I was hooked on tech as a problem solver. I jumped around roles after that, but they always had a tech theme – attracting foreign direct investment into tech businesses, selling software etc.
What qualifications (if any) do you have that support you in this role?
I have a Philosophy degree! What more could you need 🙂 What what supports me most in this role is actually my network. It’s better to invest in colleagues, friends, partners so you always have an honorary team to call on, than in academic qualifications that won’t get you out of the inevitable pits you fall into.
Do you know any coding languages, is this relevant to your career?
Nope none, and my development team are adamant that I never learn any! I know enough about the frameworks they use and I’ve learnt a lot about the process of building software products to be supportive, but I’m good at what I’m good at, and it’s not coding!
What’s your proudest achievement so far in tech?
The first time we sold our product to people we didn’t know. Actual strangers, actually using the product for the reason it was developed, enjoying it and using it again. Not friends or family!!! Magic.
Why is diversity so important in the tech sector?
In some ways, for the same reason it’s so important in the big wide world – the best ideas come through tension and discussion and a weaving together of the best bits of everyone. When there’s no diversity, you just get what you’ve always got. And because of that, in tech it’s even more important – we’re about innovation, pushing boundaries, finding out what’s possible. If you get what you always got because you do what you always did, with the same faces around the table, there’s no innovation happening any time soon!
What do you want all girls and young women to know about careers in tech?
Because choice is power. I’d actually prefer them to know about building businesses in tech, or creating tech products – call me pedantic but the days of ‘careers’ are over, I want girls and young women to know how to carve out their own place in the world, create amazing things and use technology to do so.
What do you personally do to raise your profile and voice as a woman in tech – use social media, speak, network, participate in industry events etc?
I’m pretty active on Twitter (@marie_clair) and LinkedIn (latest post Trust Young People) and also speak at networking events in the start up community as often as I can. I’ve had some lets say ‘interesting’ experiences capital raising for ShowGizmo so share those stories with my peers and colleagues. Along with three friends I co-founded The Founders Exchange – a meetup group which has been running for almost four years. It started as a space for female founders to get together and share war stories and has grown into a thriving network of almost 400 women in Wellington who’re involved in start ups.
How can we get more women speaking at technology-related events?
There’s lots of ways. Firstly, lets organise more events – not wait to be asked, but set up our own. And related to that – encourage each other to volunteer! Check out Meetup or your local incubator, or local events space and see which events look like they’d be fun to present at, and put yourself forward. If you’re not confident, being part of a panel is a great way to start. I’m also impressed with the movement around boycotting all-male-panels which has started in Wellington as a way to force the issue of more women speaking at tech events. There’s a group of influential men who’re turning down invites to speak unless there are women involved in the presentations too. (And for fun, check out this hilarious Tumblr which outs all male panels around the world!)
What does your ‘daily juggle’ look like? Can you run us through an average day in your life? From working, to finding time for yourself (if any) to dealing with out-of work responsibilities etc?
Up at 6:30am so I can have a relaxing-ish drawn out get-up, I’m rubbish at jumping out of bed and getting into the car. So good hearty brekkie watching something on Netflix, then into hipchat to talk with the US team who’re ending up their yesterdays…wait for the traffic to subside and drive into work. I live 35kms out of town – since selling the boat we lived on for several years, we’ve gone back into a house that we had tenanted. It’s too far out. Anyway!
If it’s an office day, then it’s juggling transfer pricing policies (my new learning, how to manage two businesses for the price of one, now we have a US subsidiary), supporting the sales team in deal making, prospecting for new clients, monitoring the helpdesk if the team is flat tack, reviewing new features with the tech team and ALWAYS the gym. I put my personal training sessions and group fitness classes in the diary like meetings, as they’re that important to me. Exercise keeps me as sane as I’ll ever be!
Last year we moved the business into the same office that my partner works in – MakerSpace New Zealand – so I see him to wave at during the day, and at least the long commute gives us time to catch up. Might go to a networking event in the evening, but not much socialising for me. Am getting too old to burn the candle at both ends! Back home for dinner and sneaking in some more work while my partner renovates the house so we can move out quicker!
If it’s a travelling week, then up at some horrible time to fly out of Wellington, meetings meetings meetings, tradeshows, conferences, and very long days – in the US we work the usual day, then NZ comes online at 3pm so its another full day from then on….still always fit in some exercise. I love going to new places, and love to run round them to really see them. Washington DC is my most favourite running city, all those awesome monuments to run to and around – never mind the secret police out training too to help with the pace!
What more would you like to see the tech industry doing to better support women in the field?
Recruitment processes need to be as gender blind as humanly possible. Recruiters shouldn’t use the same networks they always use, because the same people will be there. They need to be careful of the language you’re using in their recruitment (kick ass ninja may put off some of the people they want to encourage). We also need to showcase more exciting opportunities, like building businesses and inventing cool stuff, to counteract any nerdy, boring preconceptions women might have about the field. And initiatives like this one are good – showcase diverse women from a variety of roles in the tech sector. After all, we can’t be what we can’t see.