technology

Deirdré Fryer

Apr 9, 2018 in Business development, Digital, Operations, People management, Profiles, Women in Tech

Name: Deirdré Fryer

Designation: Product Management Africa

Company: SYSPRO

What do you do every day?
Lots of meetings…
Industry and product Research to understand our positioning in the market as well as our strengths with a focus on looking for improvements.
Customer and sales engagements to understand and solve business needs with software and technology.
Product messaging and positioning to drive enablement of the product across our employees, partners and customers.
Collaboration with marketing and sales teams to drive collaboration around our product and the value features add

How did you get into the tech space?
By chance, while writing my final exams I took a temp job in reception at a software company, SYSPRO, and never looked back.
What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?
If people are not adopting or buying into what you are proposing, change your approach. You need to show people the value in what is being offered specific to them, not how you see it, solve their pain and they will embrace what you are offering without question.
What advice would you given someone wanting to get into the tech sector?
Learn, read, learn, read and never say no to an opportunity, even the smallest and most insignificant task will teach you something.

What motivates you to get out of bed everyday?
The thought that today I could be part of something that will make someone’s life easier. Making a difference little bit by little bit
Who do you want to be when you grow up?
A wine taster 😉
The best role model to my two daughters, showing them that having a career and good life balance is possible, you can have the best of both worlds.

Twitter: @FryerDee
Linked In: Deirdre Fryer

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Samantha Watt

Oct 1, 2014 in CEO, Founder, Owner, Profiles

Name: Samantha Watt

Designation: Owner

Company: Watt Communications PTY Ltd

What do you do every day? I communicate – one way or the other, I talk and talk and talk…with my mouth and my fingers!

How did you get into the tech space? I worked for an engineering company and they invested in an IT brand. I was seconded across to set up the communications department and the IT bug bit. That was in 1995!

What was the best advice anyone ever gave you? “When someone shows you who they are, believe them,” – a quote from the late Maya Angelou, shared with me by a great friend and business colleague. This is true in business and in life in general.

What advice would you given someone wanting to get into the tech sector? Be prepared to stretch yourself, learn how to move fast, do 10 things at once, while giving 120%.

What motivates you to get out of bed everyday? The school bell 😉 I am a single Mom of two amazing young girls and making a fabulous life for them is truly what motivates me.

Who do you want to be when you grow up? Content (and no, not what you think!) In today’s world we tend to achieve and over-achieve, never knowing when or what is good enough. I want to learn to recognise when I have given enough and can kick back, relax and smile, knowing it’s enough.

Find me on:
Twitter: @wattisup
LinkedIn: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/samantha-watt/1/b40/245/

Tabitha Bailey

Aug 4, 2014 in CEO, Director, Founder, Profiles
Tabitha Bailey, Daptio & TWP

Tabitha Bailey, Daptio & TWP

Name: Tabitha Bailey

Designation: Founder and CEO

Company: Daptio and Together We Pass

What do you do every day? My days are way too busy, because for past year and a bit I have been running two companies with small teams – which means that I have to do pretty much everything myself.

This includes meetings with clients for Daptio, with training and support for people already using the system. Meeting new potential clients and doing software demos. General admin for Daptio and Together We Pass (TWP) – which always takes up more time than you think! Directing the marketing strategy and writing content for TWP – we are SEO and social media driven so it is hands on and takes a lot of time to do well.

I also have to keep up to date with our development plan for Daptio and TWP, and make sure the right tech is being worked on in terms of the biggest business need of the day. I also do bug testing – we’re constantly testing our technology to make sure it’s all working as it should be. Part of my day is also spent keeping an eye on finances, especially daily income but also expenses and matching to budgets. Then there’s strategy and management – on every level. From keeping track of the overall plan for the next few years, to what we need to achieve this term, to what we are doing this month, to what people need to be working on today. It’s intense!

How did you get into the tech space? Through business need. TWP was growing too fast (100% in 2012) and we could not scale at that pace without technology to assist us. I found a technology partner to help, and suddenly I was in ed tech! I now have two businesses that are technology-based, both in education.

What was the best advice anyone ever gave you? Build your network – you can’t do business without one.

What advice would you give someone wanting to get into the tech sector? If you do not have a tech background, be very careful who you choose for your technology partner.

What motivates you to get out of bed everyday? My son.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Permanently on holiday. Working hard enough for two lifetimes now – have to stop at some point.

Find me on:
Twitter: @tabbybailey @togetherwepass @daptio
Blog: http://togetherwepass.co.za/blog/
Google+: TabithaBailey