News & Press

PTW Coaches Corner

Mon, 9 Dec 2024 13:30:00 GMT

Welcome to the PTW Coaches Corner – where we share ideas, tips, stories and information about coaching.

The Cost of Doing It All Yourself

October 26, 2025 - By Valissa Pierrelouis, PTW Coach Committee Chair, Leadership Strategist & Executive Coach, Standout Career Guide, A Coaching Practice

One Story. One Breakthrough.

Last month, during the PayTech Women Coaching Empower Hour, a leader shared something you may have also wrestled with. Let's call her, Beth.

Beth wanted to scale her team and grow herself. She knew delegating was necessary but worried it meant losing quality, insight, performance – even control.

After a few questions, the final question sparked the shift: “What is it costing your team when you don’t delegate?”

She paused, let out a breath, and said, “I’m hoarding opportunities from them.”

That was her breakthrough. Beth’s perspective on delegation changed. Beneath the surface, delegation was about:

Trust – believing others will rise to the occasion.
Generosity – creating space for her team to grow and expand.
Leadership agility – redirecting her focus toward the strategic work that amplifies her and her team’s impact.

It became clear to Beth that one shift opens up a higher level of leadership thinking and a path forward.

One Metric.

“Organizations that push decision-making to the right level (meaning direct reports own the right calls) are 6.8× more likely to outperform in decision quality, speed and financial returns.”

McKinsey & Company

One Move.

Ask yourself this week:
“What am I costing my team, and myself, by holding on?”

As you decide what to keep or let go, run it through the 3D filter:

Ditch it – Does this still hold relevance and align with priorities?
Delegate it – Who is this an opportunity for on my team?
Do it – Is this strategic or confidential?

Using this filter keeps you focused on what matters most.

Senior leaders start to see you as more than an exceptional executor. They start to see your potential to influence at the next level of organizational leadership.

Grow intentionally. Lead strategically. Advance authentically.

Rooting for you,

Valissa
Leadership Strategist | Executive Coach

Keep Growing with PayTech Women

During the PayTech Women Leadership Summit, coaches and members will join the panel “Coaching That Works: From Insight to Action” – an inside look at how career coaching unlocked their next-level leadership potential and career advancement. Join us Wednesday, November 5, at 11:45 AM in Highlands session room.

Beginning the week of November 17, you can keep the momentum going during Summit Momentum Week, where 1:1 laser coaching sessions help turn your conference insights into action – stay tuned for more information.

Both opportunities are designed to help you invest time into your leadership and career growth. Knowledge is only power when you use it.

As part of your membership, click here and select the 'Book A Call' button for a complimentary session with one or more of our coaches. You can meet each of our coaches to determine the best fit for you!

Navigating Career Disruption in Payments & Fintech:

10 Ways Women Can Thrive Through M&A Transitions

July 17, 2025 - By Cynthia Knowles, PayTech Women Executive Coach

In the ever-evolving payments and fintech space, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are not rare – they’re not only routine but should be expected. While these deals can unlock substantial growth and innovation for companies, for professionals, especially women in any phase of their career, they often bring waves of uncertainty, role changes and cultural shifts.

“Mergers are like marriages. They are the bringing together of two individuals. If you wouldn't marry someone for the 'operational efficiencies' they offer in the running of a household, then why would you combine two companies with unique cultures and identities for that reason?”

– Simon Sinek

If you’re a member of PayTech Women or a leader navigating your career journey, here’s the truth: career disruption due to M&A is challenging – but it can also be a pivotal moment to realign, grow and lead.

Here are 10 ways to survive and thrive during mergers and acquisitions:

1. Understand What’s Happening – and Where You Are in the Process

M&A happens in three broad phases: before, when strategic decisions are being made; during, when systems, teams and leadership begin to integrate; and after, when culture shifts and long-term plans unfold. Each phase affects roles and reporting structures differently. The more aware you are of your organization’s position in this cycle, the more you can anticipate and adapt to change.

2. Lead through Change, Even without a Title

You don’t need to be in senior leadership to lead. In times of transition, emotional intelligence, communication skills and calm problem-solving are crucial. Whether it’s mentoring a junior colleague, smoothing cross-functional tensions or modeling adaptability, your influence matters. These are the moments when your leadership shows.

3. Adapt to New Leadership Styles and Corporate Cultures

With new leadership often comes new values, priorities and communication norms. Observe carefully: What’s rewarded now? How are decisions made? Flexing your communication style and aligning with the new culture, while staying true to your values, can help you remain visible and valued.

4. Know Your Network: Mentors, Allies, Sponsors

During transitions, relationships matter more than ever. Make a map of your network: who gives you advice (mentors), who supports your work (allies) and who can advocate for your advancement (sponsors). Tap into these relationships intentionally, especially when navigating uncertainty.

5. Update Your Resume and Social Media Profiles

Even if you don’t plan to leave, M&A can introduce unexpected changes. Get ahead of them. Update your resume to reflect accomplishments, leadership moments and outcomes. Refresh your LinkedIn with a narrative that highlights adaptability and results. Be proactive, not reactive.

6. Stay Ahead of Potential Layoffs or Restructures

Watch for signals: leadership reshuffling, spending slowdowns, requisition holds, shifting business priorities. Don’t panic – prepare. Quietly research market opportunities, attend industry events and reconnect with recruiters or secure a career coach. Having options builds confidence.

7. Engage a Career Coach to Take Control of Your Journey

A coach can help you process uncertainty, explore possibilities and sharpen your strategic vision. They help career women identify patterns, navigate politics and articulate their value – especially during high-stakes changes like M&A. Investing in yourself is never a mistake and is never wasted.

8. Know and Communicate Your Value

What impact have you made? What problems have you solved? In a transition, decisions are often made quickly, and visibility matters. Be ready to articulate your contributions in terms of outcomes, not effort. Use numbers, influence and leadership stories to show your worth.

9. Turn Change into Opportunity

M&A often brings role changes, new teams or emerging markets. While unsettling, these shifts can create unexpected opportunities. Can you propose a new role? Take on an integration project? Expand your skill set? Don’t just survive the change, leverage it.

10. Engage With Your Community

You are not alone. Industry associations like PayTech Women exist for a reason – to foster community, share resources and elevate one another. Connect with others who have been through transitions. Share strategies. Offer support. Collective wisdom is a powerful resource.

Final Thoughts

For women navigating any phase of their career in payments and fintech, M&A can feel destabilizing, but it can also be clarifying. It’s a time to reassess what you want, what you offer and where you want to go next. With the right mindset, tools and support system, you can emerge not just intact, but elevated.

Let change sharpen your strategy, deepen your leadership and reaffirm your value. In the fast-moving world of fintech, it’s not just about adapting. It’s about owning your story, your power and your next move. One of the most effective methods to invest in yourself and discover career advancement opportunities is through partnering with a PTW Coach.

As part of your PTW membership, click here and select the 'Book A Call' button for a complimentary 20-minute session with one of our professional coaches to learn more. We will explore your next step and how to amplify your value.

Let’s LEAD: Taking a stand…for YOU!

June 6, 2025 - By Camille McKinney, PTW Executive Coach and Principal Executive/Leadership Coach, Camille McKinney - Leadership Coach

"What's your angle?"

It’s a great, if pointed, question…one that cover all manner of topics.

More specifically, this question came from a colleague with whom I was sharing some plans to expand my writing beyond this monthly newsletter.

I love to write, and honestly, when I sit down to write my newsletters, it starts with a question:

What’s top of mind for me right now?

Well, what’s top of mind for me right now is…declaring my ‘angle.'

When I started my monthly newsletter a few years ago, I didn’t really have a plan, but the structure has been consistent:

Tell a story (usually a personal one),
Connect it in some way to leadership, then
Offer three (3) related tips to help you, the reader, be a better leader.

But as I consider the ‘angle’ question, I’m thinking bigger.

As a Leadership Coach (and as a human, for that matter), what’s my position? In what ways do I take a stand?

It’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of perspectives I can have on many subjects, so I’ll focus on one:

In what ways can we each show up as the best leaders we can be?

No one goes into a leadership role with the intention of being a lousy leader. That doesn’t prevent it from happening.

For many years, I believed that if I worked really hard, I would be successful. As an individual contributor, it worked…for a time.

As a leader, not so much. My team didn’t need me to ‘do’ more…they needed me to BE their leader.

Many of us adopt a leadership style that is rooted in what we believe about ourselves and others. AND…we believe we’re right.

If I believe others can’t be trusted, I’ll lead that way.
If I believe I’m the one with all the answers, I’ll lead that way.
If I believe success requires working ‘hard’ to be successful, I’ll lead that way.

Here’s what I believe: Leadership is an inside job. To be a great leader, you must first lead YOURSELF.

The term ‘self-leadership’ has been coined in a few different contexts…and of course, I need to add my own ‘angle.’

From my perspective, Self-Leadership is about creating a strong sense of WHO WE ARE so we can have the CLARITY and CONFIDENCE to go after what we want. It assumes that when we know, accept and care for ourselves, we can more easily extend the same to others…how we show up as leaders.

Of course, I had to create a model…

My experience has taught me that the better I got to know myself…my values, my strengths, my priorities, my beliefs…the more clarity and confidence I had to show up as a good leader, in ALL areas of my life.

How I show up in my relationships has changed. How I show up as a parent has changed. And most importantly…

How I show up for MYSELF has changed.

At this point, I usually ask the question: What does this have to do with leadership?

I’m going to use this space to break down the Self-Leadership model…AND share the value of building your Self-Leadership to who you are as a leader.

EXPLORE it. We start by getting to know ourselves through Self-Awareness and Self-Knowledge. This requires a willingness to see what we may not have seen about ourselves before.

Self-Awareness is foundational; it is a skill that attunes us to our emotions and feelings, revealing our emotional triggers (internal) and how we react or respond to the world around us (external). Regular 'check-ins' provide an opportunity to recalibrate through self-reflection.

Self-Knowledge is LEARNING from our self-awareness. It's our insight into who we are; our values, strengths and weaknesses, talents and gifts, and our 'superpowers.' We all have blind spots that prevent us from seeing how we impact others. Asking others to tell us how our choices and behaviors impact them provides us with additional information.

EMBODY it. As we start to pay attention to our responses and learn more about who we are, we’re asked to accept everything, positive and otherwise, about ourselves. We also can start to acknowledge our contributions in all areas of our lives.

Self-Acceptance sets the stage for making desired change through acknowledgment and accountability. Forgiving ourselves for our mistakes or things we may not be aware of (blind spots) helps us to release any related shame or disappointment. It includes empathy for our experience, forgiveness for our missteps and ongoing compassion for our human-ness.

Self-Regard (or self-love) is the fuel that drives our willingness to achieve our goals. Our self-doubt diminishes as we trust ourselves; we listen to our own 'inner guidance system,' and we rely LESS on the arbitrary opinions of others.

EXPRESS it. This is where the rubber meets the road…it’s the embodiment of Self-Leadership in action.

Self-Care empowers us to take a stand for US. When we prioritize our self-care, we speak our truth with the intention of being heard, expressing our feelings, needs and requests in a calm, clear way. We advocate for ourselves and others...

Being Self-Less engages our willingness to share what we've experienced and learned and modeling our new authentic way of being for others. We become more curious about others and what’s important to them.

Why is this important to your leadership?

Here’s what I know for sure: When we change the way we see ourselves, we see others differently as well. We are more honest, open and willing to lead intentionally from our unique authenticity.

When I change, others around me change. For example, when I set boundaries to honor my priorities, others will be forced to either accept those boundaries or not. It doesn’t change the boundary, only their response to it.

When Drive Becomes a Trap: A Lesson in Rest

May 11, 2025 - By Sweta Patel, PayTech Women Executive Coach and Founder & CEO, Inspire Possibilities

Resting is hard when achievement is your comfort zone.
I recently started running again. Not to train, not to hit a goal. Just to move.

But the moment I hit my first milestone, my mind whispered:

“Let’s go a little further.”

And then a little further again.

There was no pressure. No expectations.

No finish line but the one I invented in that moment.

And still, I watched myself shift into achievement mode.

There’s a part of me, one that is wired for momentum, for just a little more that is strong.

And to be honest, it’s helped me accomplish a lot over the years.

And it’s also made it incredibly hard to stop.

Because for a long time, doing more made me feel like I was more.

More valuable. More capable. More worthy.

The Hidden Cost of High Drive
Many high achievers say things like:

→ “I’m just wired this way.”

→ “I like the push.”

→ “It’s who I am.”

And often, that’s true. Drive can be a superpower.

But sometimes progress becomes our identity, and stillness starts to feel like weakness. We end up pushing harder. Not because we need to, but because we don’t know how to stop.

What may look like motivation on the outside can sometimes be a form of self-protection underneath.

Recognizing the Pattern Beyond the Run
For me, that moment on my run wasn't isolated. I began to see how this patterns shows up in other places of my life:

At Work: Taking on more and more even when my schedule is full, driven by the need to prove my worth.
At Home: Constantly organizing or cleaning when I am craving downtime, unable to relax thinking about unfinished tasks.
In Relationships: Overcommitting to help friends and family, worrying that that saying no might disappoint them.

These examples revealed a common thread:

There is an internal narrative equating rest with laziness, and busyness with value.

The Question That Helped Me Recalibrate
In my own reflection (and in coaching others), one question continues to surface:

“Am I doing this because I want to… or because someone expects me to?”

It’s a simple filter. But it changes everything.

It invites us to check whether our actions are aligned with our values or just our image.

Growth Isn’t Always About Doing More
I’m learning that I don’t have to earn my rest. That growth doesn’t always mean adding more. Sometimes it means knowing when enough is enough.

Not everything has to be a milestone.

Not every moment has to be optimized.

If you’re used to moving fast, stillness can feel unfamiliar. But it’s not empty. It’s where the reset happens.

You don’t have to stop being ambitious.

But you do deserve to feel like enough, even when you pause.

Are You Still Waiting for a Seat at the Table?

April 17, 2025 - By Cynthia Knowles, PayTech Women Executive Coach

Does the title of this article ring with you? As a professional woman, you may often feel like you're waiting for your turn to be recognized or for your voice to be heard. You're not alone. Many women in corporate settings find themselves hoping to be 'picked' for leadership programs, promotions or key projects. But what if you stopped waiting and took control of your own career development?

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

– Shirley Chisholm, NY Congressperson

Here’s how you can stop waiting and start putting your ‘hopes’ into action and why a coach can help you achieve those goals.

Be Intentional

First and foremost, you need to be intentional in identifying the opportunities that align in advancing your career goals. This process, often referred as “agency,” involves taking action in a situation with a specific objective to achieve a desired result. These might include being proactive and intentional; taking calculated risks; addressing imposter syndrome; researching the issue; creating and executing a plan and understanding the distinction between aggressiveness and assertiveness.

This requires a clear and honest assessment of where you are today, what you want to achieve, the gaps that need to be filled and how to execute efficiently.

Six areas where a coach can provide guidance:

Recognize the relationship between actions and titles. Consider the connection between actions and titles. Titles alone do not define leadership. It is the actions taken that lead to being recognized as a leader and eventually gaining a position of influence.
Understand your role and purpose. As your career progresses, it is important to know how your contributions impact the organization and its mission. This may involve driving revenue, improving culture, bringing products to market or communicating strategy.
Conduct yourself with confidence. Maintain authenticity. Recognize your worth. Anticipate your presence. Avoid apologizing or being timid. "Embrace your unique competitive advantage."
Make your voice heard. Participate with a relevant comment or question. Be prepared, anticipate discussions and know the agenda in advance. Research the topics, develop your point of view and write down some key points. Arrive ready to be an engaged and well-prepared participant.
Add value. Provide meaningful input. Empty comments that lack substance are unproductive. Substantive, value-added comments that create action and outcomes will enhance your reputation as a respected contributor and authority.
Provide solutions to problems, not problems without solutions. This encourages addressing challenges with a focus on finding solutions rather than just highlighting issues. Instead of pointing out what’s wrong, contribute ideas or steps for improvement. This approach fosters positivity and forward-thinking in problem-solving.

Engaging with an Executive Coach

One of the most effective methods to invest in yourself and discover career advancement opportunities is through collaborating with an executive coach. A coach will provide a comprehensive personal assessment, offer guidance, assist in overcoming challenges related to gaining recognition and ensure accountability towards achieving your goals. By being deliberate, allocating a budget for professional development and securing the services of a coach, you can stop waiting for a seat at the table and begin creating your own opportunities.

What are you doing to secure your seat? As part of your PTW membership, click here and select the Book a Call for a complimentary 20-minute session with one of our professional coaches to learn more. We will explore your next step and how to amplify your voice and position at the table.

Why a Coach is Key to Cultivating Your Personal Brand

April 8, 2025 - By Cynthia Knowles, PayTech Women Executive Coach

In today’s fast-paced, highly competitive payments space, professional women must not only excel in their roles but also craft a personal brand that reflects their unique value. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder or establishing yourself as an industry thought leader, understanding and amplifying your personal brand can be key to achieving long-term success. Utilizing an executive coach can be an essential step in this journey to provide guidance, feedbac and insight to help you uncover your brand, build authenticity, and foster confidence in your professional identity.

Understanding Brand Types: The First Step Toward Clarity

A personal brand refers to the perception individuals have of a person, derived from their skills, experiences, and personality traits. It represents how a person is viewed within their professional career, industry and even in their personal life.

To begin defining your personal brand, it’s important to understand the various types that exist. Personal branding can be seen from different angles. To make it easier, think of them as simple frameworks that align with your career goals and values. Here is an example of some well-known brand types:

The Expert Brand: Known for deep expertise in a specific area.
The Inspirational Brand: Motivates and inspires others with a visionary leadership style.
The Connector Brand: Known for building relationships and networks across the organization or industry.
The Innovator Brand: Known for disruptive thinking and creativity that moves the business forward.

Take a moment to consider the brands and people that come to mind when reflecting on the categories above. Which brand category do you identify with? An executive coach can assist in evaluating your current position and desired future state. By identifying the brand category that resonates with your career aspirations, communication style, values and leadership approach, you can begin to carve out a clear and genuine brand identity.

“Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.”

– Jeff Bezos

Identifying Your Brand: Aligning Self-Perception with Reality

Your personal brand is the intersection between how you see yourself and how others perceive you. As a professional in payments, your brand reflects both your technical expertise and your ability to communicate with authenticity, integrity and vision. But how do you figure out where these two perspectives align?

Self-Reflection: To identify your brand, begin by considering your strengths, values, and interests. What are your areas of expertise? What tasks and projects do you find most engaging? What feedback have you received from colleagues and supervisors over time?
Seeking Feedback: A coach can assist in gathering input from colleagues, clients and supervisors to compare your self-perception with how others view you. This feedback will provide useful insights into your strengths and areas for improvement.
Clarifying Your Purpose: Defining your "why" is important. A coach can guide you in crafting your personal mission statement making sure that your brand aligns with your long-term goals.

Amplifying Your Brand

Once you’ve identified your brand, the next step is amplification. In a competitive industry like fintech, it’s not enough to just know your brand – you need to make sure it’s visible to the right people.

Leverage Your Network: As a professional in payments, networking is crucial. A coach can guide you to key industry events, conferences and opportunities to showcase your expertise and how to expand your influence.
Elevate Your Online Presence: Amplify your personal brand by optimizing your LinkedIn profile, contributing to pertinent industry blogs or presenting at webinars. A coach can assist you in developing content that demonstrates your thought leadership while remaining true to your style and values.
Seek Strategic Opportunities: Position yourself for promotions, projects or leadership opportunities that align with your brand. A coach can help you identify these opportunities and strategize how to position yourself effectively.

Building Authenticity, Trust, and Confidence

One of the key benefits of working with a coach is that they will help you understand how to establish authenticity and trust, which are foundational to a strong personal brand. In an industry as dynamic and innovative as payments, authenticity is a critical differentiator. Clients, colleagues and industry peers will relate, respect and trust you when they see you as a genuine communicator and leader.

Building confidence in your brand requires utilizing available tools to effectively address challenges and assert your authority. Whether you are leading a team, negotiating a deal or presenting to senior leadership, having a coach in your corner can boost your confidence and ensure that your brand is reflected consistently in all interactions.

The Importance of Personal Branding for Professional Growth

In our unique and exciting industry, your personal brand is an asset that can shape your career trajectory. Building an impactful brand can open doors to new opportunities, define your career path, establish your value and differentiate you from the pack – making it an indispensable tool for career growth. Working with a coach is not just about developing the right skillset; it’s about building a brand that is authentic, credible, trustworthy and impactful.

The world is waiting for the next great trailblazer in payments, make sure your personal brand reflects the dynamic, innovative and authentic person you are. By understanding the concept of branding and executing on a plan, you will position yourself as an influential leader in the industry.

PayTech Women members can learn more by watching the replay of our PTW Career Month Webinar: Leadership Presence: Strategies to Transform Your Brand.

Discover your brand today: To accelerate your career growth by building a strong personal brand, reach out to one of our professional coaches. As part of your PTW membership, click here and select the Book a Call for a complimentary 20-minute session to learn more. We will explore your next step and establish how you can develop your own unique personal brand for professional growth.

Start Now: Leaving Your Leadership Legacy

March 23, 2025 - By Camille McKinney, PTW Executive Coach and Principal Executive/Leadership Coach, Camille McKinney - Leadership Coach

“Happy birthday to me!”

Yes, this month I celebrated my annual trip around the sun. I’ll hold back telling you how many.

As I reflect on past birthdays, a clear memory comes to mind.

When I was a kid, my mom took a cake-decorating class at a local park where she learned to make these fancy Barbie ‘dress’ cakes with intricate decorations made of buttercream frosting. It was almost too pretty to eat…well, almost.

BTW, Barbie was ‘born’ in March as well…

I also remember inviting the neighborhood kids to our house for a birthday party. Lots of kid-friendly food and games, where I honed my uber-competitive skills.

My Hyper-Achiever in full bloom.

Birthdays prompt us to reflect on the past and ponder the future…and maybe see how far we’ve come over the years.

With several more years behind me than in front of me, I’m also starting to think more about legacy.

Legacy, as a strength, is defined as wanting ‘to create things that will outlast you, delivering a positive and sustainable impact.’

As I contemplate this definition, I can’t help but wonder…

What have I created that will outlast me?
What positive impact am I making on the world?
Will that impact be sustained beyond the kind words people will say when I’m gone?

So, what does this have to do with leadership?

When I started speaking in front of leaders, an earlier iteration of my signature talk included a brief activity:

What words would you use to describe your best boss?
How about your worst boss?

The intention was to set up a conversation about leadership and the importance of developing emotional intelligence (EQ) as a leadership skill.

In the context of legacy, I can see how this question prompted each person in those rooms to immediately flash to that one leader who:

cared
listened
was genuinely curious about them

Or…

didn’t care
didn’t listen
was only concerned about their own success

So, when these people become leaders, whose leadership do you think they’ll want to emulate? To avoid?

This is legacy. Positive and sustainable impact.

Here are a few tips to create a positive leadership legacy:

Reflect on the past. Go ahead…answer those questions for yourself. What words would you use to describe your best boss? Your worst boss?

How have these attributes influenced how YOU show up as a leader?

I once worked with a sales leader who was highly skilled at making me feel like I was the only person in the room. Often, I WAS the only person in the room, and he had a way of making me feel like nothing was more important than the conversation we were having in that moment.

It has been more than 20 years since I worked with this leader, and I still remember the impact he had on me and how I choose to show up as a leader. That’s legacy.

Commit to the present. Considering your ‘best boss,’ what are the attributes that YOU want to adopt as part of your leadership style?

Given my experience with this sales leader, I wanted to be a strong listener. I wanted others to feel like THEY were the only person in the room and that nothing was more important than the conversation we were having in this moment.

As a coach, this is a plus! It is my intention to be fully present to my clients and to hear what ISN’T being said. Only my clients can judge if I’m achieving what I intend.

As a leader, what would it mean to show up as your ‘best boss’ self?

Project into the future. The choices you make today create the legacy you leave tomorrow. How do you WANT others to describe that legacy?

There’s a visioning exercise that asks participants to imagine their retirement party. Everyone they have impacted in their lives is in attendance, and they all get a turn at the mic to share just HOW you have impacted them.

What words would you hope to hear at your retirement party?

Unfortunately, most of us don’t get the opportunity to hear how we’ve impacted others. Is there someone who has had a positive and sustainable impact on you?

Are you willing to let them know?

“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

– Taylor Swift

Understanding the Recent Executive Order on DEI and Its Effects on Women in the Private Sector

March 10, 2025 - By Cynthia Knowles, Certified Executive Coach, Former VP, Head of Business Administration, FIS Global

With the rapid issuance of Executive Orders (EO) by the new U.S. administration, including the debated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) EO, it is important to understand the impact on PTW members. My approach is to highlight DEI's relevance to professional women in PTW, regardless of their career stage, and how our resources can help navigate these developments.

Executive Order Overview

First off, what is the Executive Order? The title of the EO is “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.” The EO issued aims to limit or restrict certain DEI practices, highlighting specific areas. The new guidelines primarily target the federal government and its contractors; though these changes may impact the private sector and could impose potential restrictions on DEI training programs and other related corporate activities.

The stated purpose of the EO is to reassess or modify certain DEI policies implemented by previous administrations, addressing concerns about divisive training programs and promoting merit-based hiring and promotion.

Who Is Affected?

There is a direct impact on Federal employees and contractors. The order mainly affects federal agencies, contractors and grantees, directly influencing DEI programs within these organizations.

However, a ripple effect on the Private Sector has started to happen. Although the order does not directly impact private companies, it could influence corporate policies indirectly. Many large corporations have adopted DEI initiatives in response to previous executive orders and may reevaluate their approaches following new government directives.

What Is Driving the Executive Order?

Political Shift and Reactions. This change is part of a broader political shift aimed at limiting DEI practices viewed as divisive or politicized. The administration’s stance stems from concerns about the effectiveness and fairness of current DEI programs.

Criticism of DEI Programs. There has been and continues to be growing opposition from those who believe DEI programs may create division or undermine merit-based advancement. The opposition sees the EO as a means to ensure workplace training and policies unify employees rather than emphasize racial or gender-based differences.

What Does This Mean and How Does It Impact Women in the Private Sector?

Possible Shifts in DEI Focus and Investment. Scaling back corporate DEI programs may reduce mentorship, career advancement and leadership opportunities for women, especially women of color. This could impact talent retention, recruitment and employee morale, posing challenges for maintaining diverse perspectives and inclusive workspaces.

Women's Role in the Private Sector – Know Your Self-worth

This is not the time to retreat, doubt or waste time and energy justifying your role or being pulled down in your organization. It is time to amplify your voice and know your value by embracing the following actions:

Advocate for DEI Programs. Women leaders and their teams should continue to promote initiatives within their organizations, showcasing their value in creating an inclusive and high-performing culture and providing success examples.
Focus on Leadership Development. Include DEI principles in leadership and professional development programs that align with the organization’s culture and mission to maintain a reliable environment and retain a diverse workforce.
Build Strategic Alliances. Partner with other leaders, industry groups such as PayTech Women, or organizations advocating for DEI to maintain a collaborative approach to influence action.
Lead by Example: Don’t shy away from taking proactive steps to lead initiatives within teams, even if larger organizational efforts face challenges.
Adapt to Change. Stay adaptable, emphasize merit-based advancement and advocate for equitable opportunities to ensure fairness for all employees.
Invest in Yourself. Even if your company reduces, reshapes or ends DEI programs, continue investing in personal and professional development. Focus on education, self-awareness of biases, leadership training and find a mentor, coach or sponsor for career guidance.

Remember, your difference, your value and your voice are your greatest assets. The most effective leaders leverage their unique differences, not suppress them, and jump in to make a difference. Despite evolving times and regulations, promoting inclusive and equitable workplace policies remains critical. And these initiatives for women are crucial for growth, visibility and equity. Ignore external narratives or self-doubt – bet on yourself and invest in your own career path.

Commit today. As part of your PTW membership, click here and select a Book A Call button for a complimentary 20-minute session with one of our professional coaches to learn more. We will explore your next step and how to amplify your voice surrounding topics like DEI and more.

When Should I Give Up and Stop My Job Search?

December 10, 2024 - By Elizabeth Lions, PHR, PTW Career Coach and Executive Career Coach & President, Lionsology

Lately, I’ve seen countless LinkedIn posts from people laid off, sharing stories of applying to hundreds of jobs without a single response. As someone with more than 20 years of experience in this field, my honest advice: stop sending your resume. If you're not getting a response, it's a sign you're not resonating with employers, and your resume likely needs a complete overhaul.

What people don’t understand is the recruiter’s side. We open reqs and find 100 people applied in 48 hours only to find that more than half of the applicants didn’t even read the ad and did "one click" apply. Most resumes are not speaking to what the ask is, they speak to what the candidate did, causing the disconnect.

Here are three additional tips you can do before you pitch your job search:

HAVE FOCUS: Instead of casting a wide net, focus on tailoring your resume to highlight your expertise for the roles you’re truly qualified for. It may sound simple, but few take this approach. Why? Fear. We worry that if we don’t list every detail, we’ll be overlooked. But cramming everything onto your resume often leaves hiring managers unsure of your core strengths or how you can contribute. When one moves into unity thinking and problem solving, suddenly the whole job search is a vastly different experience. Instead of a frustrating, irritating, confusing and scary time, the job search can become the opening for transformation and the full experience of what is. What is happening is just that - how we interface with what transpired is completely up to us.
DON'T QUIT: From a practical perspective, no one should give up a job search, especially in fourth quarter and I’ll you why. Because that’s what everyone does! You’ll be in the applicant pool when dozens of others tabled their search until the New Year. Furthermore, the last three years, I have personally extended offers the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas. Many offers in fact, went to people that applied in October or November who stayed the course and ended up with a start date in December or January.
NETWORK: For the past nine months, the clients I have worked with had the shortest time-to-hire when they networked. They didn’t apply to more jobs. They picked up the phone and leveraged their network for advice or getting their resume out of the ATS and into the hands of a hiring manager. These were high skilled, highly compensated clients who were only successful when they started a full blown networking campaign.

2024 has been a rough year with reports of low unemployment and a white collar recession that no one reported. Employees went back into the office three days a week. Layoffs were prevalent in high tech, and many skilled workers found themselves in a search for months. Clearly the data of how great the economy was didn’t match many people’s experiences.

It takes grit to start a job search if you are employed and the house is on fire or if you are unemployed and have to get an income quickly.

Never quit. Refocus. Get a plan. Stop reacting. Call a coach. Do whatever you need to do but keep going.

There is no promise that 2025 will be better. But you can always change your approach to whatever presents.

- Elizabeth Lions is one of the many PayTech Career Coaches that you can reach out to for support. Elizabeth’s expertise is in helping people find jobs that pay well and give them satisfaction.

Focus on YOUR Right Work

October 7, 2024 - By Camille McKinney, PTW Executive Coach and Principal Executive/Leadership Coach, Camille McKinney - Leadership Coach

“Making a decision is the first step toward change.”

– Prosper Masundire

In 2008, I made a decision to leave my corporate career and start my own coaching practice.

But the economy had other plans.

Fast forward to 2015… the time had finally come to make it happen.

I spent the first six months working ‘on’ my business. I joined a program to teach me everything I needed to know about running a business, like creating a website, developing a ‘lead magnet’ and building a funnel.

I had complete clarity about what I wanted to do (coach) and who I wanted to help (women leaders), so what could go wrong?

In January of 2016, I flipped the switch on my website. Then waited…

Crickets.

I made a common first-time entrepreneur mistake: believing that ‘if you build it, they will come.’

So, I doubled down…learned even MORE about how to create the perfect marketing message, the perfect website copy…

I hated it. And my inner perfectionist hated it too.

I believed that if I could just get better at the things I didn’t do well, things would turn around.

It took a while, but I FINALLY realized that I was so focused on turning my weaknesses into strengths, that my real strengths and gifts were being moved to the back burner.

So, I made ANOTHER decision…to get help. To partner with others for whom my weaknesses were THEIR strengths.

BEST. DECISION. EVER.

So, what does this have to do with leadership?

Being a leader doesn’t mean you’ve earned that position because you’re better than your team at everything they do.

That’s a nasty rumor that we need to stop in its tracks.

We can’t do it all ourselves. We can’t have all the answers.

We CAN create engagement and strong results when we leverage and celebrate our and our team’s expertise and strengths.

How?

Know your LEADERSHIP strengths. I emphasize ‘leadership’ here because as leaders, we need to reimagine how we use our strengths in a way that supports our team. It’s all about CONTEXT.

Some of my strengths include Action, Organizer, Persistence and Mission. As a leader, I can leverage these strengths to encourage my team to stay on task and keep us all pointed toward a common vision.

Without leadership context, use of these strengths can look very different. When I act too quickly because I believe I know the right course to take, I can leave others in the dust. Not the makings for great teamwork or collaboration.
Know your TEAM’S strengths. Where do your team members shine? What do they each do well and find energizing? There’s gold in those nuggets!

These are rich, empowering conversations to have with your team members. Imagine:
- Hearing about ways they already use their strengths every day.
- Finding opportunities to tap into under-used strengths that might create more engagement.
- Uncovering hidden leadership potential.
What a difference a conversation can make!

Identify the gaps. When everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are identified and how those strengths contribute to the success of the team, what’s missing?

How can team members leverage their strengths to overcome team weaknesses? Do we all need to agree that ‘good enough’ is good enough?

AND…when the opportunity arises, HIRE for those missing strengths! We want team members that COMPLIMENT our existing strengths.

Bottom line: We can’t do anything important alone. Each of us has our expertise, our gifts, our superpowers…and ‘doing it alone’ is a lonely place.

So, make a decision…

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

– African Proverb

If you’re looking to uplevel your communication skills, consider working with a PayTech Women Career Coach. A coach can help you assess the effectiveness of your current communication style and where there might be opportunities to grow and develop.

Choose to be a Difference Maker

September 24, 2024 - By Cynthia Knowles, PTW Executive Coach and former PTW Board Member

Welcome to Day 1 of the 2024 PayTech Women Leadership Summit! In leading up to this year’s Summit – “CHOOSE. TO. BE.,” I took the time to carefully study the agenda and review the upcoming presentation that my sister coaches will be presenting: “Elevate Your Impact: Actionable Strategies to Influence as A Leader” (Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10:30 am). Without a doubt, this year’s Summit is NOT TO BE MISSED! It is packed with thought-provoking topics, exceptional industry speakers and incredible networking opportunities available through workshops, breakout sessions and wine down times!! If you fully engage and participate this year – it will absolutely make a difference in your perspective, your performance and, no question, your career.

With that said, as you begin indulging in all the great information being presented, I challenge you to consider how you will leave Atlanta thinking, feeling and acting differently. Consider how you can make a difference in your company, how you can make a difference with your teams and how you can make a difference within your communities.

It is a fitting perspective given the commotion and divisiveness we are witnessing in today’s economic, political, corporate and community environments. I believe we all may be struggling with how to amplify our voices to contribute and make a difference. I found this simple description of a ‘difference maker’ – “A dedicated person who can make a big impact even with just a small action or a few words. Someone who improves the lives of others. One who rallies or encourages other to propel themselves forward and bring about change.” Read that again out loud – profound yet very simple.

When you contemplate the future of your career or other personal ambitions, how and where will you make a difference? Will it be how you lead? Will it be how you are a teammate or partner? Or will it be how you embrace and activate your voice and ideas? It comes down to a choice. Author John C. Maxwell has a ‘Difference Makers’ creed (or choice) that says it well:

“I want to make a difference … Doing something that makes a difference … At a time that makes a difference … With people that make a difference.”

So, when you step into Summit today, choose to be deliberate, intentional and conscientious with the time you are committing to. Write down one or two actionable takeaways from each activity you engage in that will make a difference in your objectives and goals for your future. Choose a conference partner or colleague to share your ideas and ask them to hold you accountable.

The journey towards being a difference maker is about embracing the courage and authenticity to transform your thoughts, ideas and strengths into action. Think about being a stronger, better leader, colleague or partner than you were previously. The choice to be a difference maker requires taking full responsibility for your actions and realizing the choice for change and transformation begins within each of us. Each actionable step you take – whether it be investing in your career through coaching, mentorship or other leadership development activities – will improve and transform your own life as well as make a difference in others’ lives. This is the ultimate ripple effect of being a ‘difference maker’ and paying it forward.

I hope you will take the time to make this an actionable and fruitful Summit. Have a fantastic conference and this year “Choose to be a Difference Maker."

During or after the Summit, if you want guidance on how to be a “Difference Maker,” click here and select the Book a Call for a complimentary session with one or more of our coaches. We look forward to chatting with you and mapping your next step!

How an Aspiring VP Freed Up 30% of Her Time & Got the Attention of Executives with 3 Steps

September 7, 2024 - By Valissa Pierrelouis, PTW Coach Committee Chair, Career + Leadership Success Coach, Founder & CEO, Standout Career Guide, A Coaching Practice

Mary (name changed for privacy), a client, shared these feelings with me.

"I believe there is a significant opportunity for me and my team to thrive and shine, but I’m overwhelmed and I’m not sure where to begin. How do I strategize?"

She was an aspiring VP at the time.

The answer? Focus.

The Value of Focus in Gaining the Right Attention

Mary was in my ELEVATED group coaching program (formerly Standout Career Accelerator). I walked her through my signature 3D framework (Ditch It, Delegate It, Do It) to help her shift from being weighed down in the weeds to showing up as a strategic leader in the company.

This guidance helped Mary free up 30% of her time in the first week alone. She gained the mental bandwidth to think strategically and align her efforts with company-wide objectives.

She realized that one of her top Gallup strengths, "Strategic," wasn't shining through because she was too bogged down with day-to-day tasks. Using the 3D framework, Mary created space to show up as the big-picture leader her organization needed. Her manager noticed.

When you're stuck in the weeds, chances are you're seen primarily as a committed and diligent "worker bee" leader rather than standing out as the strategic leader you aim to be. This brand perception (what you're known for) can limit your opportunities for advancement and recognition at higher levels.

3 Steps to Strengthen Your Leadership Brand

The 3D Framework in Action

Cultivating a strong leadership brand is simpler than you may think. Here are three small but powerful ways to evaluate and approach your priorities. You will see a significant shift from being seen as the person who only gets things done. Instead, you will be viewed as a leader who thinks and acts strategically, moving the organization toward innovation and long-term success. Here is the process:

Ditch It – Does it still need to be done? Identify and eliminate standard reports, routine tasks and meetings that no longer add value or require your expertise.
Delegate It – Who is this a growth opportunity for, or better suited for? Delegate tasks by considering the strengths and aspirations of your team members. Guide them clearly to ensure success.
Do It – Does this require my expertise, develop me or position me as a strategic leader in the organization? Focus on tasks that elevate your visibility and showcase your strategic thinking to influencers and senior leaders.

A Challenge: Put the 3D Framework to Work for You

When you speak with someone, prioritize sharing your excitement about a strategic outcome, lesson or project that highlights your focus on impactful work. You might say, "The data project is a good challenge, and I'm excited about its value for benchmarking and informing growth strategy for the organization."

Give yourself a point each time you share your focus on high-impact outcomes. Aim for 10 points in the first week. The exercise is about building a new habit and strategic lens that becomes natural for you.

Your Thoughts

Mary used the 3Ds and freed up 30% of her time to align her expertise with company objectives. That shift in behavior positioned her as a strategic leader poised for VP. Her team felt more valued, and so did she – her manager noticed the difference. And, yes, she was promoted to VP!

What's one area you will focus on today that would make your strategic value more visible to influencers and senior leaders?

Rooting for you,

Valissa

P.S. Meet four of our PTW Coaches at the Leadership Summit this month. We will be conducting 20-minute mini-coaching sessions and speaking in the Career Pathways Pavilion at 10:30 am, September 25: Elevate Your Impact: Actionable Strategies to Influence as a Leader. Come see us in person!

Out of Office: 5 Things To Think About As You Plan For Time Away From Work

July 7, 2024 - By Nikki Evans, Chief Thought Provoker, Ridgeline Coaching

It is that time of year, when out-of-office messages (OOO) are common in response to messages sent. I sincerely hope you are planning some time off from work. Whether you are taking an amazing vacation, or enjoying a stay-cation with some downtime at home, research continues to show the benefits of stepping away from work, including reduced stress, improved engagement on returning to work, better sleep on vacation and reduced burnout.

In a recent conversation I had with a leader, she asked, “Is it ok for me to tell my team to do what I say, not what I do? I’m really in the habit of staying late and answering emails after hours but I have no expectation that my team does that.” Spoiler: NO – your team is watching your actions too – and if they see your success tied to your time in your chair, they extrapolate to that being the rewarded activity for them as well – even if you “say” you want them to take time. The other professionals on the call concurred that the behavior speaks louder than the words.

So, what can you do? Here are 5 things to think about as you plan for some time away.

Prepare Before You Go.
This sounds obvious, but it is more than just setting your out-of-office message with the dates you will be away. You will want to bring your colleagues up to speed with anything critical that you are working on and help them with planning how to prioritize requests that may come at them while you are gone. Help them understand the priorities for addressing requests in your absence and consider training them (or leaving detailed instructions) on processes that you regularly do that someone might need to pick up in your absence.
Pro Tip: I recently saw one person add to her signature line a notice of upcoming vacation with the dates she would be gone. I love this because it helped people understand that she would be out of the office soon and implied if they had something urgent, they better get it to her soon, or it would have to wait.
Set Expectations.
Like in the above Pro Tip, clear expectations go a long way to avoiding misunderstandings, disappointment and potential emergencies. Make sure you speak to the colleagues you plan to include as your contacts in your out-of-office message and that they are prepared to handle the load. In addition, your message itself can set expectations. Tell people that you will be without access to messages, who to contact in your absence, when to expect a response and who to contact for emergencies. (NOTE: YOU shouldn’t be the emergency contact – YOU are on VACATION.)
Pro Tip: I saw a leader in her out-of-office message tell people that upon her return, she was deleting all unread messages from her trip and if your request was important to please send it again on her return date. She found that very few things didn’t get handled while she was gone and this saved her having to spend a day reviewing old messages. If you aren’t sure you can be that bold, you can still ask to forward high-priority requests on your return date as you’ll review your inbox from the most recent messages.
Model Behavior.
Modelling behavior means not checking messages when you are away. In order to get the benefits of vacation, you actually have to take VACATION. This means – not working. If you tell your employees you value them and respect their time off, but you constantly stress over replying to messages every day and are on the chat for work, you are modeling that you expect the same from them. You are also modeling that you don’t think that the team can function without your constant involvement. In addition, those on vacation with you don’t feel your complete presence. You won’t get the restorative benefits of vacation if you are actually still working.
Replace the Checking Email/Text Habit.
I can hear people now saying, “but it just takes 5 minutes for me to check and it’s easier to stay connected than face the avalanche when I get back.” I get it. But now you aren’t really on vacation and you are feeding your habit of staying connected to work. That’s understandable. During a regular workday, you check messages often, now you have to stop “cold turkey” for vacation. Find something to replace that habit. When you find yourself wondering about work or wanting to check messages, maybe do a breathing exercise and focus on your breath. You could also run through a list of things you are grateful for. Maybe you use that as a moment to capture a photo of what you are doing right then – so you can look back at all the amazing things you did instead of checking email.
Pro Tip: You could replace that anxiety of needing to check in at work with some physical exercise. This both gives you a way to dispel that feeling and has some other health benefits. You could even make it a challenge – every time you want to check email, do 10 sit-ups instead. I know for me – I’d stop wanting to check messages after a couple of rounds of sit-ups.
Think About Your Career Growth.
I’m sure that some of you have read the above and said, well, those are nice ideas BUT… (fill in the blank with all the exceptions that pertain to you and your situation). You are right. I don’t know your particulars. Here’s something to think about though. If you are so critical that you can’t go on a vacation and completely disconnect from work, how will you ever be able to be promoted? You have potentially set up a situation where you are so critical to your role that you can’t even imagine being gone for a vacation, let alone the disaster that might occur if you were to never do that work. If you can’t imagine it, your team and leaders can’t either and you may have worked yourself into a position where you are stuck. As you move up ranks in the organization, your role becomes more about leading and inspiring people than physically doing the tasks. Think about empowering people around you to step up and learn about the work you do. How are you building a pipeline of potential successors for your role? How are they learning to do your work? A vacation is a great trial period for people to step up and take on additional responsibilities, temporarily.

If you are so critical that you can’t go on a vacation and completely disconnect from work, how will you ever be able to be promoted?

Pro Tip: If you truly feel like you can’t do this, go talk to someone who has experienced a layoff and had their position terminated. They may have felt like you prior to that decision, and yet, their whole job was eliminated just like that and the company found a way to carry on. Ask yourself if the things you are so anxious about right now will matter in three months, one year, three years? Will anyone remember the time you had to work through half of your vacation to finish a project, or will that project be long forgotten?

If you need some help with any of these perspectives or if you think you might have worked yourself into a “non-promotable” rut, contact one of the PayTech Women Coaches. We can help. Cheers to you all this summer. Enjoy your vacations!

Cleaning Up Your Mess: When Communication Goes Wrong

June 22, 2024 - By Camille McKinney, Leadership Coach and Consultant, Camille McKinney - Leadership Coach

“Oh no…that’s not what I meant!”

Are you human? Then odds are you’ve said this to someone at least once in your life.

For me, that was last week.

I sent an email that landed sideways for the recipient. While I’m still not 100% on what went wrong, I have moved past the horrified feeling that followed and moved on to learning from the experience.

Communicating with others can be tricky! It is often cited as the #1 challenge in relationships, and I’m no expert, but I’ve been reminded of a few things as a result of this uncomfortable encounter.

Intention vs. impact. Clearly in this case, they didn’t align. My intention was to share information with the goal of being helpful and transparent. Unfortunately, the reader interpreted my message differently.

Beyond words. You’ve heard it before: Words make up only 7% of communication, while tone of voice (38%) and body language (55%) make up the rest. While words make up 100% of written communication, without the benefit of my voice and body language, I’ve got a 93% chance of being misunderstood. I don’t like those odds.

Prioritize relationships. My relationship with this person is more important than being right. I apologized for the misunderstanding and clarified my meaning. Apology accepted…relationship intact.

So, what does this have to do with leadership?

Oh, I don’t know…everything?

With remote work more prominent these days, the odds of our communication being misinterpreted has increased.

I admit that I love to communicate via email. My mental processing isn’t always linear, and email gives me an opportunity to create that LFD, or ‘lousy first draft’ and edit as my processing becomes clearer.

That being said, it’s NOT the best way to communicate when it’s clear to one or both parties that you’re not on the same page. Gratefully, the recipient of my email picked up the phone.

As leaders, how we communicate has IMPACT; it’s how we express our brand…our values, our strengths and our priorities. Others define us through THEIR experience of us.

So clearly, there’s a lot at stake.

Here are a few tips to ensure you communicate effectively as a leader:

Listen. Maybe you’ve ‘heard’ this before: There’s a reason why we have two ears and one mouth; we should be listening twice as much as speaking.

And…NOT speaking doesn’t mean you’re listening.

I remember years ago I had a boss whose office desk was always cleared off when I entered her office. Whatever she had on her desk when I walked in seemed to magically disappear into a drawer and out came a small pad of paper and pen.

There was something about that clear space…no distractions…complete focus on me in that moment. I felt heard. What a great practice.

Here’s an article that speaks more to the importance of listening.

Pause. You’re having a conversation with someone, and that person says something that triggers you. You know the familiar feeling…your heart starts racing or your stomach clenches. It’s the physical response that tells us an emotion has been activated.

This is important: my emotional response is about ME. Other people, places and things can’t MAKE me feel anything. I am 100% responsible for my response.

My emotional response is about ME...I am 100% responsible for my response.

I’ve described it like this: As the words leave your mouth and before they reach my ears, they travel through the mud and sludge that represent MY life experience. This includes my beliefs, my stories, my fears…

My amygdala…the emotional center of my brain…is on FIRE. In a nano-second, the perfectly filed memory of that decades-old experience is suddenly front and center. And the story that I tell myself about that experience is running on a loop.

Of course, I don’t know this in the moment. All I’m feeling is physical response to what my brain tells me is a threat. To what? Still TBD.

So why pause? To give the experience time to travel to my frontal lobe…the RATIONAL center of my brain. It’s how we apply logic by giving ourselves time to manage our emotions and right-size the experience.

Then, we can…

Clarify. I’m all about giving others the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes we’re conveying a message and we’re just not skilled communicating it in the moment.

So, get curious. If something feels off (see Pause above), dig deeper.

For example: “I just read your email, and I’m not sure I’m clear on your point. Please tell me more about…”

Our relationships, both personally and professionally, are too important to allow misinterpretations or misunderstandings to erode them.

As leaders, it’s our responsibility to MODEL effective communication, and the vulnerability that comes with the clean-up when it goes wrong.

Unlocking ChatGPT: A Powerful Tool for Your Job Search

June 10, 2024 - By Elizabeth Lions, PHR, Executive Career Coach & President, Lionsology

Did you know that only 24% of Americans harness the power of ChatGPT? Surprisingly, this tool is most popular among the 18-24 age group. However, many users disengage within just seven minutes of interaction. In 2024, leveraging ChatGPT for your job search holds incredible potential. Here are some innovative strategies to maximize this tool’s effectiveness in your quest for employment.

Like many, I initially bounced off ChatGPT because it frustrated me. To truly understand the tool, you need to invest some time. Set aside an hour or more and experiment with it.

The biggest mistake people make is approaching AI like Google. ChatGPT is definitely not Google, and you’ll quickly find that the answers it provides aren’t what you expect. You might get weary of typing ‘show me more options.’

The best approach is to treat ChatGPT like a person – a real virtual assistant you know. For example, if you had a human assistant, you wouldn’t just say, “Book me an airline ticket.” The reason is that the assistant would fire back a bunch of questions like:

Where do you want to go?
What airline?
What time do you want to leave? Are you flexible?
What time do you want to arrive?
Do you need a car, or will you Uber to your destination?
How about a hotel?

Treat ChatGPT like a person – a real virtual assistant you know.

ChatGPT operates in a similar way. The prompt you would give should be detailed: “Find me a flight for under $500 going to Denver from Dallas. I’d like to leave July 1 and return July 7. Show me lots of options for times. Do not show me any flights on Frontier, but show me all other airlines.” This approach may seem like a lot of thought, but it will give you the responses you need.

Maximizing ChatGPT for Your Job Search

Crafting Resumes and Cover Letters: Use ChatGPT to draft and refine your resume and cover letters. Provide specifics about your experience and the job you’re applying for to get tailored content that stands out. An example of a prompt would be: Here is my resume and here is a job posting. Please re-write so that it trips the ATS and I get a call to interview.
Researching Companies: ChatGPT can help you gather detailed information about potential employers. Ask for insights on company culture, recent news and industry positioning to prepare for interviews. An example of a prompt would be: Tell me how large Global Payments is in size, revenue and something important about their company culture.
Mock Interviews: Practice with ChatGPT by simulating interview questions. Provide details about the job and industry to receive relevant and challenging questions, helping you prepare thoroughly. An example of a prompt would be: I have to interview with a Director of Accounting for a staff accountant role. What five interview questions are they likely to ask me?
Networking Strategies: Get tips on how to connect with industry professionals and craft personalized messages. ChatGPT can help you develop a networking plan that maximizes your chances of building valuable connections. An example of a prompt would be: Write a short email with three lines that I can send to cold contacts to network for a new job. I don't know them, but would like to ask for their advice and help with networking for my job search. Make the note respectful and motivating for them to write back and assist me.
Job Search Organization: Use ChatGPT to create a structured job search plan. Ask for advice on tracking applications, following up and managing your time effectively during the job hunt. An example of a prompt would be: What's the best way to follow up with a recruiter at Fiserv after I interviewed and it's been a week and I haven't heard back?

To make the most of ChatGPT, treat it like a knowledgeable assistant. Give it detailed, thoughtful prompts and dedicate time to explore its capabilities. By doing so, you can unlock a powerful ally in your job search, turning frustration into efficiency and success.

Chat GPT can never replace the value of a good coach. Because in the end – people hire people. People are what makes up an office and all the challenges that go with careers.

Consider exploring a career coach through PayTech Women. These coaches provide not only job-seeking guidance but also leadership development coaching.

Not all jobs are worth leaving. A coach can be a valuable investment in salvaging your current position. PayTech Coaches can help you with sensitive subjects such as job promotions, how to get along with a fickle boss and navigating office politics, along with leadership issues or development.

Navigating the “White Collar” Recession – Turning Vulnerability into Action

May 24, 2024 - By Cynthia Knowles, Certified Leadership/Executive Coach

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of
innovation, creativity and change.”

– René Brown

No doubt, we are in complicated economic, geo-political and societal challenged times. And despite what economic data may say on any given day, we are all feeling the impact of inflation, delays in raises and/or promotions and seeing layoffs – especially true for white collar workers. If you work for a regional, national or global company, you may be witnessing a parade of job-cuts or job eliminations and layoffs due to yet another ‘reorganization.’ With all this happening before your eyes – you have every right to feel ‘vulnerable.’

Turning Vulnerability into Action

After reading several articles regarding the newly labeled “white collar” recession, there are important steps that should be considered to prepare yourself should this happen to you. Don’t be blindsided or seduced by rhetoric with ‘it’s business as usual’ or ‘just keep your nose down.’ It is never too late to protect your career and safeguard your future. “Those who take positive action tend to see better outcomes and put themselves back in control of their career and financial outcomes,” says Brent Weiss, a financial planner at Facet.

“Those who take positive action tend to see better outcomes and put themselves back in control of their career and financial outcomes.”

– Brent Weiss

From my own firsthand experiences over the course of my career to now being on the other side coaching and observing former colleagues going through this – here are three areas to take into consideration:

You’ve been laid off or have been offered a package – KNOW YOUR OPTIONS. Whatever you do, do not sign the paperwork right away. Take several days to read it, digest it, talk to your financial advisor or even an attorney to ensure you are not short-changing yourself or limiting your opportunities for future employment. Find out if your employer will offer job placement or career counseling. And most importantly, understand your health insurance options – whether it be COBRA or private insurance; and research your 401(k) benefits and any outstanding employee stock that you may own. These are time sensitive stakes that you should address immediately.
KNOW YOUR OVERALL FINANCES. If you haven’t already, take a complete inventory of your finances and reach out to your financial advisor. If you don’t have a financial advisor, get one today – I know this can be intimidating, but it is something that I wished I had done in my early career years. Knowing your financial situation (assets and liabilities) will help you determine your job search timeline and how aggressive your search needs to be.
KNOW YOUR NETWORK. Lean into the variety of resources offered by PayTech Women through the Career Center. Look at the PTW Job Board, reach out to a mentor, secure a career/executive coach and let people know you are in the market. In addition, set up alerts through PTW Job Alerts or LinkedIn that will notify you when a role fits your criteria. And most importantly, network within the PTW community via Social Link. Strong relationships are a “very valuable currency in life and in the job market,” said Brent Weiss. “It might take some time, but you never know when a friend of a friend of a new acquaintance will become the connection you need to land your next job or career.”

A coach can be the perfect complement to turn vulnerability into action.

As I have stated in the past, it’s no coincident that over 70% of individuals who receive coaching benefited from improved work performance and relationships, along with more effective communication skills. Adding to this, my friend and colleague Valissa Pierrelouis just shared that only 41% of women, compared to 62% of men, have a network of coaches, sponsors and mentors! Ladies – we have some catching up to do!

70% of individuals who receive coaching benefited from improved work performance and relationships, along with more effective communication skills.

What are you waiting for?

It’s time to turn your vulnerability into action. True strength lies in the courage and perseverance to be vulnerable. When you ask for help from a coach, mentor or someone in your network, you will build trust, respect and uncover your authentic self. Embracing vulnerability is a powerful accelerant that will strengthen your connections and will open the door to creativity to reinvent the future you deserve.

So…What Are You Waiting For? What’s stopping you from reaching out and being available for a 20-minute conversation? Be vulnerable and make that appointment today. As part of your PTW membership, click here and select the Book A Call button for a complimentary session with one or more of the PTW Coaches. We look forward to chatting with you and mapping your next step!

How To Speak And Be Seen As A Strategic Leader

May 14, 2024 - By Valissa Pierrelouis, PTW Coach Committee Chair, Career + Leadership Success Coach, Founder & CEO, Standout Career Guide, A Coaching Practice

In this issue, we will explore recognizing and communicating your impact in a way that ties your contributions to the broader vision and goals of your organization. Being recognized for your contributions doesn’t mean doing more. It’s about making the strategic value of your contributions known (visible) so you are seen as an invaluable and strategic leader.

An AHA Story

I’ll start with a PTW member story. Anne (changed for privacy) is a mid-career leader and exceptional at getting things done. She said:

“I never thought of it (my work) that way. I didn't put any thought into the impact. Deliver results and move on to the next project.”

Can you relate to Anne’s sentiment? I believe you can—especially if you believe(d) that work speaks for itself.

Anne’s AHA moment emerged during a guided exploration into the project's deeper value to the organization. Initially, it seemed merely about correcting client account identifiers.

Value to the Organization

Taking a closer look, the project paved the way for further sales growth and robust risk management. The implementation would lead to enhanced revenue and minimized financial loss.

There are three main pillars that organizations center their strategy around:

Revenue growth – increasing customer acquisition/retention, upsells, market expansion
Cost reduction – reducing expenses; minimizing financial loss
Operational efficiency – leveraging technology, processes, and people to do more with less while still delivering an exceptional customer experience

Value to You

Anne’s story illustrates the strategic value of her project to the organization.

Let’s turn to you. Pursue and prioritize initiatives that set you and the organization up for mutual success.

Why is it critical to view your work or potential opportunities strategically?

If you don't recognize your contributions' strategic significance, you can't convey the value to others or expect others to see it.
Managers and higher must clearly articulate their business impact to make their contributions visible to senior leaders and their network.
Intentionally advancing your career hinges on selecting strategic initiatives that highlight your talent and align with your career and leadership goals.

Assessing Your Current Role

Like Anne, you are known for getting things done, a “doer”, a reliable executor who delivers results no matter what you’re up against. This reputation has earned you respect and confidence from your peers and leaders, which you appreciate. But…

Within you is a drive for something more meaningful. You aspire to sit in rooms and contribute ideas and perspectives influencing the organization’s strategic direction and affecting change. You see yourself earning recognition across the organization and industry. Let me ask you this.

How often do you pause to consider the broader impact of your work beyond the stated deliverable so you can tie it back to team and company-wide strategic outcomes?

It’s time to raise your strategic leadership presence.

Strategic Value Defined

Let’s uncover and articulate the strategic value of your contributions—changing the narrative from diligent executor to recognized strategic leader.

Strategic value means aligning your unique talents and expertise with the organization's most critical goals.

It’s about transforming your brand from a dependable executor to a forward-thinking leader whose contributions are invaluable to the organization's success.

Recognizing Strategic Value

To discover the strategic value in your work, consider a project you've recently completed. Delve into its impact:

What was the goal of the project or initiative? (Basic understanding)
Why was it important? (Deeper understanding)
Who is the goal important to? (Impact to multiple business lines/leaders)
What impact was created and aligned with top priorities of the organization? (Strategic alignment)
What business outcomes were achieved? (quantifiable revenue generation, cost reduction, operational efficiency)

For Anne, a project aimed at improving data accuracy enhanced sales growth strategies and risk management practices which aligned with her company’s strategic priorities. Recognizing that value enables her to convey the impact of her leadership at a higher level.

Conveying Strategic Value

How you articulate the strategic value of your work is crucial in elevating your career and leadership. Transform how you speak about your work. Instead of listing tasks, focus on your unique contributions to the organization's strategic goals. Shift from task-based descriptions to the strategic impact of your work. Instead of "I completed X project," consider:

"I led a project that transformed Y, driving us closer to our strategic goal of Z."
"Leading a project that enhanced our data accuracy to improve operations also positioned the company to capitalize on new market opportunities."

Honing Your Strategic Voice

Every interaction is a chance to highlight your strategic value. In daily conversations, team meetings, or formal presentations, share how your work contributes to the broader strategic objectives, positioning yourself as a forward-thinking leader.

Routine interactions are a perfect opportunity for you to develop your communication and express your excitement about the outcomes and insights that come from your work.

Example:

"I feel good about the project I led that refined our operational efficiency and aligned our processes with the company's long-term growth objectives, contributing to a 20% increase in productivity."
“I’m excited. I just pitched a game-changing product idea to senior leaders that will generate $500,000 in revenue over the next 12 months. They loved it.”

One of my favorite thought leaders is Carla Harris. I’ve learned that how you talk about yourself and your work shapes how others think and speak of you when you’re not in the room.

Your Strategic Leadership Journey

We have explored how to recognize, convey, and embrace the strategic value of your contributions. As you reflect on your career, consider the strategic value you bring to your organization.

Are you ready to elevate your career by showcasing this value?

Elevate Your Strategic Leadership Potential

It’s clear that making your strategic contributions known is pivotal for career advancement. Armed with these insights and steps, consider expert support from a PTW Coach to accelerate your time to greater visibility and influential strategic leadership. Start with a complimentary discovery session. Click here.

Rooting for you,

Valissa

Nobody Improves by Accident – Are You Being Intentional with Your Career Growth?

March 22, 2024 - By Cindy Knowles, Certified Leader/Executive Coach, PayTech Women

INTENTION – a word that is used quite a bit these days. Some choose it as ‘their word of the year’ and attempt to live by it – in life and at work …and others …well, it gets tossed around as a ‘buzz’ word, but does it stick? For me, it triggers the thought of “I will try to do my best” versus “I will do my best” – a big difference, don’t you agree?

Luck of the Irish or Hoping for the Best?

Ah – the ultimate pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – we all dream of it! With St. Patrick’s Day just a few days ago – are you feeling lucky and hoping for the best with your career? The truth is that it takes more than ‘luck and a hope and a prayer’ to seize the pot of gold. It takes intention and a plan. Are you being intentional about your career growth or are you hoping it will eventually transform for the better?

News Alert: Hope is NOT a strategy.

When you act with intention, you commit to do what it takes to get the outcome you desire. If you're hopeful, you may wait to see if it's going to happen by sheer luck or perhaps someone else will do it for you. To reach your growth goals, you need to be intentional about elevating and transforming your situation – whether it be professional or personal.

How to Take Charge of Your Intention

Professional and personal growth are the results of creating a plan of action – and then acting on that plan. Success does not "just happen."

For growth and transformation to take place, you must take control of your time, your effort and your commitment to invest and act. In parallel, it’s equally important to understand the boundaries or saboteurs that are holding you back from capitalizing on the highest yielding activities to experience growth and transformation.

Growth is No Accident

Learning to be patient, persevere and be resilient during slow periods of growth can be exasperating and humbling. A recipe for success is to recall that growth is an intentional conscious effort that demands your investment and commitment. Growth doesn’t always need to be fast. Slow growth is many times better than no growth at all.

A coach can be the perfect complement to focus your intention and facilitate your growth. It’s no coincidence that

Over 70% of individuals who receive coaching benefited from improved work performance and relationships, along with more effective communication skills.

Source: www.forbes.com/sites/carleysime/2019/03/28/how-does-coaching-actually-help-leaders

And,

The top five most common benefits of coaching are increased self-confidence (80%), improved relationships (73%), communication skills (72%), interpersonal skills (71%) and work performance (70%).

Source: https://upcoach.com/coaching-statistics-insightful-stats

Growth is a choice that you make! It's intentional. Willingness is the first step. Effort is the next. And discipline will see the journey through. By combining the power of intention with well-defined goals and partnering with a coach, you can create a harmonious and effective approach to achieving your career goals, dreams and aspirations.

What Are You Waiting For?

Now is the time to embrace this moment with true intention to unleash your potential for growth, learning and lasting transformation.

So…What Are You Waiting For? What’s stopping you from reaching out and making time for a complimentary 20-minute conversation? Make the appointment as your first intentional step towards growth. We look forward to chatting with you and charting your next step!

A Champion for Your Career Advancement: PayTech Women Coaching Services

January 22, 2024 - By Valissa Pierrelouis, Career + Leadership Success Coach, Founder & CEO, Standout Career Guide, A Coaching Practice

Historically leveraged by our male counterparts, professional career coaching is now gaining prominence among professional women.

As the chair of our vibrant PayTech Women Coach Committee, I've witnessed firsthand the profound impact our coaching services have on members. Coaching services being newer on the PayTech Women scene, I am pleased to share our emerging story with you.

2022: The Genesis of Greater Career Impact

It all started at the 2022 annual Leadership Summit, where the PayTech Women Coach Committee, initially a task force of five dedicated coaches, made its debut. We introduced our mission through mini-coaching sessions and an insightful 'Why I Hired A Coach' breakout session. This marked the beginning of our journey to support and elevate the careers of women in our field.

2023: A Year of Empowerment and Visibility

Fast forward to 2023, our career coaching group committed to a whirlwind of activity and impact. We are proud that we delivered eight speaking engagements, contributed to five newsletter issues, donated four coaching packages to the Silent Auction at our 2023 Leadership Summit and connected with 21 members benefiting from coaching discovery sessions with us. We even celebrated members’ birthdays with the unique gift of a complimentary coaching session!

Each step was a leap towards greater visibility and support for you – our members.

What Members Gained: A Glimpse into Transformation

The fruits of our labor in 2023 were not just in numbers. Members who engaged with our coaching services experienced tangible growth and clarity in their careers. To illustrate, let's hear from one of our members, Ursula:

“With coaching, I learned how to talk about myself and my contributions. I realized it wasn’t bragging, it was branding. Through coaching, I found my voice and understood my impact which gave me the power to advocate for myself. I’m loving my new role.”

2024: The Year of Breakout Success
Looking ahead, 2024 promises to be a breakout year for PayTech Women members.

We are excited to be an integral part of the strategic vision our remarkable PayTech Women Board & Leaders have. Our vision is to partner with chapters, champions, ERG groups and other committees to ensure coaching services are accessible to all members.

It matters to us that you are equipped with the tools, resources and support you need to enjoy the career and life you desire.

New Beginnings: Welcoming a New Coach

On our journey of growth and empowerment, we're also excited to welcome a new coach to our team: Blanca Blaney, PCC, CPCC, CMC, Principal at DesignIntelligence. Her expertise will add immense value to our members' experiences. Meet Blanca on the PTW Career Coaches page here.

Let’s Do It

On behalf of the PayTech Women Coach Committee, we wish you a breakout year where you rise, thrive and connect beyond your wildest dreams.

Here's to a groundbreaking 2024! 🙌

Taking the First Step

October 10, 2023 - By Cindy Knowles, Certified Leadership/Executive Coach, Retired from FIS

Last month, my dear friend and coaching colleague Valissa Pierrelouis shared her insights on self-evaluation and preparing yourself for your next step on the leadership ladder. And just last week, if you were one of the lucky 620⁺ women to attend the PayTech Women Leadership Summit, sponsored by FIS, in Atlanta, you spent valuable time learning, networking and uplifting your soul to reflect on where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow as a leader in payments and fintech. Valissa reiterated a very important message: “You are the CEO of your Career.”

Let that sink in and marinate for a few minutes.

What does that really mean and how can you influence it? First, it must begin with you, no one else. Second, are you tracking and making the progress that you expect of yourself? And third, are you investing in your career so that you understand your purpose and what drives you? If you don’t take the time to invest in your career, understand your purpose and amplify your voice, then how can you expect someone else to do it for you? My friend, it starts with YOU! As one of my former bosses would say, “Stop all the whining and blame game…it’s time to put your big girl panties on!”

But how do you take that first step?

It takes asking for help.
It takes tenacity.
It takes perseverance.
It takes planning.
And most of all, it takes commitment to invest in yourself.

The good news is if you are a member of PayTech Women (PTW), we have the resources, the talent and the community to help you achieve your dreams, goals and desires.

Have you taken that first step to ask for help to seek out a mentor or coach through the PTW Career Resource Center? The best part – it’s just a conversation to understand how a coach or a mentor can accelerate your vision to become a leader, increase your earning potential and reach your goals, dreams and desires.

"Before you can become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others."

– Jack Welch

So…What Are You Waiting For? What’s stopping you from reaching out and making time for a 20-minute conversation? What’s the worst thing that could happen? If you are ready to become the leader you want to be and grow your career, the time is now. We look forward to chatting with you and charting your next step!

As part of your PTW membership, click here and select the Book A Call for a complimentary session with one or more of our coaches.

An Overlooked Promotional Tool for Career Advancement

September 25, 2023 - By Valissa Pierrelouis, Career + Leadership Success Coach, Founder & CEO, Standout Career Guide, A Coaching Practice

How well does your manager remember all that you’ve achieved and influenced this year? Chances are you have been slightly disappointed.

Since they also track their own contributions, yours and your peers, who would do the best job at capturing the value you bring?

Yep. I’m guessing you answered, you would! I agree. You are the CEO of your career. Take opportunities to tell your story the way you want it to be told.

Since your manager is one decision maker and presenter in your promotion success, help them recollect and see your impact and influence.

"You are the CEO of your career."

How do you do that?

Prepare a self-evaluation.

Your self-evaluation is a tool to tell your story and set a strong foundation for a compelling performance review and case for promotion.

As an executive leader who sat in many closed-door meetings about talent considered for promotions and other high-impact opportunities, here’s what I can tell you. We asked ourselves one overarching question.

Do we see this person as a leader who can effectively manage responsibilities and relationships to get things done at the next level?

When preparing your self-evaluation, view your contributions and growth through three lenses to answer that question: past, present and future.

Past

Past contributions speak to your track record in adding value and achieving results through people, processes and technology. Note contributions that align with your priorities and the priorities of your team, stakeholders and organization.

How have your ideas and leadership influenced productivity for the team and organization?
What activities have you, your team and/or colleagues performed that generated, retained, or recaptured revenue for the organization?
What activities have you, your team and/or colleagues performed that reduced costs for the organization?

Present

Leaders are expected to evolve and grow. Self-awareness, personal development and professional development demonstrate a growth mindset and even higher potential for yourself, your team, stakeholders and the organization.

What new skills are you developing?
What have you learned about yourself recently?

Future
Here is where you reveal strategic and forward-thinking capacity—signals of a next-level leader for the organization.

What challenges or opportunities do you anticipate for the organization?
How will you make an impact with the new skills and knowledge about yourself?
What are your career aspirations within the organization?
What are personal aspirations that will make you a better person and leader?

You may be tempted to put off your self-evaluation until the last minute or not do one at all. Even if your organization doesn’t encourage one through a formal performance management process, self-evaluation is a powerful tool for you. If you’re serious about positioning yourself for promotion this year or next, don’t put it off.

Your self-evaluation exercise will pay off immediately in two ways:

You will be prepared to have proactive and reactive career conversations with your manager, supporters, influencers and decision-makers that speak to your impact and aspirations.
Your self-evaluation will help your manager, supporters and influencers present a strong case for promotional opportunities on your behalf since you can’t be in the room presenting it yourself.

This is the season when decision-makers and influencers put names forth for opportunities.

Grab a pen, paper and calendar. Now, make some commitments to yourself. You're worth it.

What date will you set for yourself to complete your self-evaluation?
Who will you schedule career conversations with and when?
What advice or support do you need?

This may feel overwhelming to think through at first. It will be worth it so you’re not looking back with regret next year. Additionally, consider gaining input from others who support you and see you in action. Ask for specific examples where they observed your impact, growth, or influence.

Having trouble communicating your value or perspective in other work situations? Our vetted PayTech Women coaches are here to help.

As part of your membership, click here and select the Book A Call for a complimentary session with one or more of our coaches.

#selfadvocacy #voice #visibility #coaching

Is Your Career Where You Want It to Be?

August 22, 2023 - By Nikki Evans, CEO, Ridgeline Coaching

I've spoken to several smart, capable women who are a bit frustrated that they are not further in their career, aren’t seeing the same opportunities as they see peers getting, feel that they have much more potential and value than they are getting recognized for in their organizations. Is that you?

It is a frustrating place to be, especially in remote and hybrid work settings where you may not get face time or attention that you feel you need to help advance your career. No one wants to feel like they are wasting potential. If you feel that way for too long, you start to become demotivated and may start actually showing less potential because of your frustration and lowered morale.

It can be difficult to pull yourself out of a vicious cycle like this and find ways to be more strategic to influence others to see and reward your skills and potential. That is where working with a coach can help. Coaches can help you quickly identify talents and strengths, limits that you may be setting for yourself and strategies for you to get the visibility and recognition you are ready for in your company.

"Leaders that work with coaches are often promoted,
secure raises or find new opportunities that both
challenge and reward them."

I worked with a leader who was feeling stuck and we identified what she really wanted, what that would mean in her current environment and what challenges she faced. She was able to negotiate a new role in a different department that was a better fit to her skills, improved her work/life balance, sparked her interest and enthusiasm and came with a raise. As a coach, I didn’t create the new opportunity, but I did help my client get clarity around her wants, see something that she hadn’t seen before, build confidence to ask for something new and get started off on the right foot with the new team.

If you are feeling stuck, frustrated, or dissatisfied with your current career, talking with a coach may help you the way it has helped our clients. Each of the PayTech Women approved coaches have stories like this one and we are all excited to help you get the results you desire.

Are you ready to take action toward getting unstuck and ending the year with more confidence, clarity and strategy for your career? Great news! PayTech Women wants that for you as well. They have recruited a bench of professional coaches who are ready to help you achieve your goals.

Get a free consultation with any of us here, and move forward, with confidence, on your career journey.

August 7, 2023 - By Nikki Evans, CEO, Ridgeline Coaching

What is Coaching?

To me, it is a powerful conversation unlike others that we usually have. While I could never underestimate the power of working through an issue with a friend, the way those conversations go, involve a back and forth, give and take where the topic of conversation drifts from your issue to my issue and back. That’s how we learned to have conversations and they are great. What’s powerful about coaching is that the coach holds space to just talk about you and your issue without switching to the coach’s experience. Once you have experienced a full conversation focused on just you, you understand the power of feeling heard and having space to figure things out.

I recently spoke with a woman who was leaving a self-described “toxic” boss and work environment. She had been there a few years and things with her leader had not improved, despite her continuing efforts to understand his needs and directives. Working with me, she had a place to vent her frustration and sadness about having to leave and start another job hunt in a safe space. She said she felt better just getting a bit of release from some of what she was feeling.

I also uncovered for her that she and her boss had strong and opposite behavioral patterns that could have contributed to the friction and frustration. Why should she care about that now that she is out of the situation? Well, now she has some powerful things to look for in her next leader, she knows how to talk about her strengths and patterns and what she needs from others to get her best work. She also has some different ways of approaching someone very different to her and to honor their talents, and still get her needs met so she can be successful. All of this happened in one conversation. This is what working with a coach can do for you.

Sometimes the most valuable thing is the safe space to vent, sometimes it is creating a clear plan and identifying strategies to move forward with purpose, but always, if you are willing to bring your authentic self and participate fully, it is a valuable experience.

Do you want the experience of working with an experienced coach? Great news! Paytech Women wants that for you as well. They have recruited a bench of professional coaches who are ready to help you achieve your goals. Get a free 20-minute consultation with any of us with no commitment, except to yourself, to move forward!

Learn more about the PTW Career Coaching Services.

California Chapter Powers Innovation & Connection Through Two Dynamic Events

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 21:28:00 GMT

PayTech Women’s California Chapter has been making waves this summer, hosting two powerful events that brought together payments professionals to explore the future of technology and leadership while strengthening connections across the industry.

On July 23, the chapter hosted the webinar Unlocking Revenue and Operational Agility with the Android Terminal Base. Moderated by Jennifer Johnson, principal of Moreton Bay Advisory, and supported by Ashton Radican, SVP of business development at Encytro, the panel featured Heather Philpott, director of supplier services at ScanSource Inc, Anita Gibbs, chief operating officer at 360 Payments and Rick Blesovsky, chief operating officer at GOAT Payments. Panelists shared how Android terminals are enabling a strategic shift in merchant engagement, delivering faster onboarding, streamlined support and customized revenue opportunities. The discussion reinforced how flexibility in technology is transforming operations and growth, while also highlighting the importance of inclusive dialogue in shaping the payments industry.

Just days later, members gathered at Visa HQ in San Francisco for another Chapter LinkUp: Hit It Out of the Park for AI, led by chapter leader Wendy Wootton alongside members Brenna Ellis, account management operations at Visa and Raina Srivastava, head of marketing at KiwiQ.AI. The session explored how leaders can move from experimenting with AI to embedding it as a strategic partner, offering a framework for when to apply AI versus human decision-making, strategies for prompting professional-grade outputs, and real-world applications from product launches to smarter workflows. Attendees described the program as both practical and inspiring, leaving with tangible tools to apply immediately.

The event concluded with a community outing to a San Francisco Giants game, where 36 attendees continued networking while cheering on a Giants win.

Together, these programs showcase the vibrancy and leadership of PayTech Women’s California Chapter. Chapters like California are at the heart of our mission, creating opportunities for women in paytech to connect, thrive and lead.

Want to be part of a local PTW Chapter? See the list and join one here.

To learn more about becoming a chapter leader or getting more involved in PayTech Women, please reach out to info@paytechwomen.org.

Spring Momentum: PayTech Women Chapters Shine Across North America

Mon, 12 May 2025 13:22:00 GMT

Our PayTech Women (PTW) Chapters have been full of momentum this spring, hosting a vibrant mix of in-person and virtual events throughout the U.S. and Canada. With themes ranging from cutting-edge fintech innovations to personal brand development, our local communities are creating meaningful spaces for both PTW members – and non-members – to connect, learn and grow.

North Texas: Exploring AI in Fintech

Our North Texas Chapter partnered with Women in Product for a great panel discussion on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the fintech and payments landscape.

Industry experts from JPMorgan Chase, Citi, WhitegloveAl and Reprise Financial shared insights on the use of AI in fraud detection, risk management, personalized banking and regulatory compliance. The discussion also tackled critical issues like data privacy, cybersecurity and algorithmic bias. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of both the opportunities and ethical responsibilities tied to emerging AI applications in fintech.

Phoenix: Lessons from the Ladder

The Phoenix Chapter piloted a new roundtable series titled Lessons from the Ladder, where attendees shared reflections on the pivotal moments, challenges and milestones that have shaped their career paths.

These conversations fostered vulnerability, mentorship and new connections, giving attendees the chance to learn from one another’s experiences and walk away with renewed motivation and perspective. The format encouraged cross-sharing and built camaraderie through honest storytelling and peer support.

Atlanta: A Double Dose of Empowerment

The Atlanta Chapter hosted two impactful events last month, each offering attendees a chance to invest in themselves both professionally and personally.

First up was The Power of You: Personal Branding for Career Growth, featuring Sarah Tourville, CEO & Founder of Media Frenzy Global. Sponsored by Synovus and held at their Atlanta office, the event welcomed attendees ready to navigate rush hour for an evening of insight and inspiration.

Sarah challenged us to embrace our authentic selves rather than imitate others, reinforcing that visibility and self-awareness are the true differentiators in today’s market. Through thoughtful prompts and reflection exercises, attendees explored their leadership styles, personal values and how they want to be seen by others. What started as a quiet room of note-takers quickly became a lively community of sharers, with stories, questions and breakthroughs flowing freely.

Later in the month, the chapter turned its focus to intentional networking. This highly interactive event, held at Taco Mac in a suburb of Atlanta, was the opposite of speed networking. Instead attendees were offered table topics designed to create deeper, more meaningful connections. Attendees rotated from table to table, shared professional insights and offered each other advice and encouragement. Even the quietest voices in the room found a way to engage, supported by a warm and welcoming environment that encouraged openness and authenticity.

Toronto Chapter Gains Insights from Top Fraud Experts

Our Toronto Chapter delivered a highly informative virtual panel discussion on the latest fraud trends facing our industry. This valuable event was sponsorship by Interac. The panel featured top-tier fraud experts from Interac, Mastercard and Square. Attendees had the opportunity to hear real case studies on how fraud is impacting our industry.

Omaha: From Chaos to Clarity

The Omaha Chapter's recent event featuring Lynette Sorrentino of Chaos to Boss, sponsored by Talus Pay, delivered a powerful message: “Grinding is Only for Coffee Beans.” Lynette championed the importance of boundaries, balance and self-awareness as antidotes to hustle culture. Her engaging insights and personal stories resonated deeply with attendees, sparking meaningful conversations about achieving fulfillment in both work and life without sacrificing well-being. The session provided a valuable opportunity for connection and reflection, empowering participants to move forward with greater clarity and purpose.

Be Part of Your Local PTW Chapter

📍PayTech Women has chapters across the U.S. and Canada open to members and non-members. See the list and join one here.

📅Attend an upcoming event in your area – visit our Events Calendar to see what’s coming up next! Chapter LinkUp events are in-person and online and normally FREE to attend.

🎥PTW Members: Watch replays, get handouts and view photos of past events in the Thought Leadership Center (TLC).

🚀Interested in launching a chapter in your area? Contact Jewel Hazelton, our VP of Membership Relations and Content Strategy, to learn more about serving as a chapter leader in your local area.

Fall Festivities: PTW Chapters Inspire, Connect and Grow

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 22:42:00 GMT

PayTech Women Chapters have been busy this fall, hosting a variety of engaging events. From networking opportunities to professional development workshops, these events have provided valuable insights and connections for members.

Salt Lake City kicked off the season with a networking event in October, sponsored by Chargezoom. The event brought together industry professionals to connect, share insights and learn about the latest trends in payments technology.

Toronto followed suit with an exclusive Rock Your Profile event in early November sponsored by Interac Corp. The session was led by LinkedIn talent acquisition experts and a recruiter from Interac Corp., who shared invaluable insights from building standout LinkedIn profiles and crafting compelling summaries to job search tips. Participants gained actionable strategies to enhance their personal brand and attract recruiters’ attention. To complement their session, Jeremiah Jekir Photography was on hand, taking professional headshots.

The event drew an engaged audience, including 20 first-time attendees, who left equipped with tools to elevate their professional presence and learn what recruiters look for when searching for top talent.

Omaha-Lincoln embraced the holiday spirit with a festive Jingle Mingle in mid-November. More than 30 industry professionals gathered at the Old Mill Lounge for a night of fun, food and networking. Sponsored by Fiserv, the event featured a taco bar, popcorn bar, cookies and a toast to round out the event.

Atlanta tapped into the latest trend of color analysis, hosting an event at The House of Colour in Canton, Georgia. Attendees learned how to leverage color analysis to enhance their personal brand and dress for their style archetype.

California expanded its reach to the northern part of the state by hosting an event in the Sacramento area. The event drew more than 45 attendees from 30 different companies and featured keynote speaker Jessica Winkelhausen Smith, who shared insights on the 7 Elements of Health and Wellness, helping attendees balance their professional and personal lives.

PayTech Women has chapters across the U.S. and Canada.
Want to be part of a local PTW Chapter? See the list and join one here.

Interested in launching a chapter in your area? Contact Jewel Hazelton, our VP of Membership Relations and Content Strategy, to learn more about serving as a chapter leader in your local area.

PTW Arizona and California Chapters Team Up for Top Golf Event in Las Vegas

Tue, 8 Oct 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Arizona and California Chapters of PayTech Women came together for a memorable event at Las Vegas Top Golf, held in conjunction with the Western States Acquirers Association (WSAA) conference. Each year, WSAA hosts a golf event in memory of Ken Elderts, raising funds for meaningful causes.

While the number of women golfers has steadily risen, they still make up only 20% of golfers. Interestingly, 50% of those female golfers are executives. Hosting our joint event at Top Golf provided a relaxed and fun environment for both women and men to sharpen their golfing skills — with the help of dedicated professionals — or simply enjoy friendly competition.

More than 100 professionals attended this over-capacity event, with participants from over 55 organizations, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to fintech startups. Attendees included interns, CEOs and everyone in between, creating a dynamic networking environment. This event not only highlighted the value of golf as a networking tool but also encouraged women to get comfortable with the game — breaking down barriers in an informal, pressure-free setting.

Aligned with one of PayTech Women’s key initiatives — promoting diversity and inclusion — the event saw strong male advocacy, with 40% of participants being male supporters, a record for any regional event.

The Top Golf event demonstrated the power of inclusivity and provided valuable opportunities for participants to connect with peers who share a passion for fintech and payments, all while enjoying a fun activity in the spirit of collaboration and support.

All PayTech Women events are made possible by our generous sponsors as we are a non-profit 501(c)(3). This particular event would not have been possible without our sponsors:

Valor PayTech ~ Chargezoom ~ Enroll & Pay ~ PayProTec ~ Arcum ~ CASHNet Solutions ~ YouLend ~ Verifone ~ ScanSource ~ POS Portal ~ Aces Payments ~ Mobile Payments Conference - Encytro ~ Maverick Payments - TCB Pay Financial Services ~ Ingenico ~ Bonita Payments ~The Side Hustle

The Arizona Chapter is led by Stephanee Smith from Nuvei while the California Chapter is led by Diane Driscoll, ETA CPP, from US Alliance Group, Ashton Radican from Encytro, Amanda Beam, ETA CPP, from Maverick Payments and Angela Summa from Summa Consulting.

Want to be part of a local PTW Chapter? See the list and join one here.

To learn more about becoming a chapter leader or getting more involved in PayTech Women, please reach out to info@paytechwomen.org.

PTW Chapters Build Connections and Community

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 22:05:00 GMT

Across the U.S. and beyond, PayTech Women Chapters are creating vibrant spaces for networking, learning and community involvement.

Phoenix Chapter Strikes Out for Fun

The PayTech Women Phoenix Chapter kicked off the summer with a successful networking and bowling event at Mavrix in Scottsdale, Arizona. Members enjoyed a relaxed evening filled with camaraderie, friendly competition and valuable connections.

Toronto Chapter Delves into Industry Insights

Across the border in Toronto, the newly formed PayTech Women Toronto Chapter hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring industry leaders. Attendees gained valuable insights into open banking, fintech innovations and other pressing topics shaping the payments landscape. Attendees also had the opportunity to openly have candid conversations about their experiences and perspectives on trends in the industry.

Omaha Chapter Elevates the Importance of Personal Branding and Style

The Omaha-Lincoln PayTech Women Chapter hosted a captivating event sponsored by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). Ellie Steinbrink, founder of Style Decoded, delivered a dynamic presentation on personal branding. Participants learned how to use style to create a magnetic impression and enhance their professional and personal brand. Following the presentation, attendees enjoyed a private reception with a view on the 19th floor of the FNBO tower, the tallest building in the city.

"Your wardrobe is a reflection of your personal brand, and it can significantly impact your confidence and success."

– Ellie Steinbrink, Omaha Chapter Speaker

Houston Chapter Goes Back to School with a Twist

The Houston PayTech Women Chapter demonstrated their commitment to giving back to the community by organizing a school supplies drive in conjunction with their networking mixer. Members generously donated 193 boxes crayons to local students ensuring that they were well-equipped for the new academic year.

PayTech Women: A Community of Professional Women

These events highlight the vibrant and engaging activities taking place within PayTech Women Chapters across the country. From networking and learning to community involvement, these gatherings provide valuable opportunities for members to connect, grow and contribute to the advancement of women in the payments industry.

Want to be part of a local PTW Chapter? See the list and join one here.

Maximizing Community Impact: Successfully Soliciting Donations for Non-Profit Auctions

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:01:00 GMT

By Donna Blum, PTW Omaha Chapter Co-Chair and Software Sales Director, BHMI

From 2014 to 2021, I transitioned from the payments industry to non-profit development and had the opportunity to organize several silent and virtual auctions. Recognizing the potential of the PayTech Women 2024 Virtual Auction to raise funds for local meetups, educational workshops and leadership development, I utilized my experience to solicit donations.

Soliciting donations from local businesses is often easier than expected. Many businesses have annual budgets for charitable donations, meaning they have funds earmarked for such purposes. The key is to ask early before these funds are depleted.

Doing Good is Good For Business

Statistics show that 85% of consumers view companies that donate more favorably. Charitable giving also boosts brand awareness. PayTech Women, with nearly 6,000 members, provides significant exposure for donors through its auction website, newsletter and direct emails to over 10,000 payment professionals.

The Role of Small Businesses

Small businesses play a crucial role in supporting local non-profits, donating 250% more than larger businesses and giving an average of 6% of their profits annually. Around 66% of small businesses donate to local charities, reflecting a strong community focus.

Streamlined Process for Soliciting Donations

Here’s a simplified process to solicit items without leaving your office:

Write a Donation Letter: Use the non-profit’s letterhead to detail the auction and its community benefits. For example, PayTech Women (PTW) is a 501(c)(3) organization supporting women in the payments space, aiming to create a stronger and more diverse industry. Include the non-profit’s EIN Tax ID number or IRS letter. Download PTW's Auction Donation letter here and customize it.
Identify Potential Donors: Choose donors that have products or services that will appeal to your audience.
Search for Online Forms: Look for local businesses with online donation request forms using search terms like “Donation Request [CITY].”
Reach Out Early: Businesses typically need 30+ days to respond.
Email Requests: Visit potential donors' websites for contact information and send a donation request via email.
Receive Donations Via Mail: Most businesses will mail gift certificates; occasionally, you may need to pick them up.
Enter Donors: Input donor details into the auction software, including their logo and donation value. PTW's Auction site for donor and items is here - it's easy to use!
Enter Items: Create more value by combining individual items into packages, such as a “Date Night For a Year” including 12 restaurant gift certificates.
Encourage Member Participation: Invite local members and your peers to donate or solicit donations. PTW's Auction is open to the public so share it with friends, family and colleagues!

I spent approximately six hours reaching out to local businesses and received over $2,800 in donations for the upcoming PayTech Women Auction! Simply asking can yield significant results. Proceeds will enrich the PTW Chapters’ educational initiatives and networking events.

The PayTech Women Auction is accepting donations now through Noon ET on September 24; bidding opens on August 13 and closes on September 24 at 1:45 PM ET during the PayTech Women Leadership Summit. Join the fun and check out the amazing items up for bid: bit.ly/PTW2024Auction

PayTech Women North Texas Chapter Celebrates 2nd Annual Backpack Drive

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 04:25:00 GMT

By Kim Mejia, Product Manager, Processor Tools, NCR

As another school year starts, a 2nd Annual Backpack Drive wraps up.

The PayTech Women (PTW) North Texas Chapter, the members of Women In NCR (WIN)Texas and the iNCRedible Employees from the Frisco, Addison, Plano and Trinity NCR offices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area delivered 175 backpacks filled with supplies to students at Mill Street Elementary School, a Title1 School in Lewisville ISD, where more than 85% of the student body is financially disadvantaged.

It was a special day at Mill Street, with lots of smiles and a few anxious faces as the students found friends missed all summer, hugged their favorite teacher's neck and met their teacher for the new school year.

It wasn't only the students sharing their excitement and nervousness that comes with returning to school; the teachers, parents and volunteers felt the love, appreciation and kindness that filled the halls when you have a little help from others.

I'm not sure who benefitted most from the 2nd Annual Backpack Drive because we all feel the joy and support knowing there is a community with caring people. PTW and NCR will forever bond with Mill Street Elementary and look forward to following the success of their students.

Bilingual Dyslexia Interventionist Cynthia Varela said, “Thank you to the PayTech Women North Texas Chapter and NCR Organization. We were so grateful to be chosen for such a generous donation. Being able to provide 175 students with a backpack and supplies was such a huge help for our families. Mill Street Mustangs appreciate the generosity!”

Thank you to all the volunteers who donated money, purchased supplies, stuffed backpacks, loaded, unloaded and delivered them to families during the Parent Orientation and Meet the Teacher night. Well wishes to the Mill Street Elementary school teachers, school administrators, PTA volunteers, the Community In Schools Counselor and more than 700 students – from PK to 5th grade – for a successful year filled with creative thinking and many lessons learned!

Want to be part of the PTW North Texas Chapter? Join here.

Empower Your Leadership Journey: Choose Your Own Adventure

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 02:15:00 GMT

Create Your Own Leadership Development Experience Webinar

July 12

Speakers: Julie Holunga, Founder, Chinook Executive Solutions and Stephanie Polen, Founder, Unshakeable Women & President, The Polen Group

In a world full of opportunities, empowerment and control over our destinies are essential for personal growth. Just like in the thrilling experience of choosing our own adventure in books, this concept can also be applied to leadership development. By taking charge of our paths and embracing exploration, we can foster our unique brand of leadership.

Choose Your Own Adventure in Leadership Development

Leadership development is a vast industry with numerous approaches, but it is essential to move beyond rigid checklists. By empowering individuals to create their own paths, we can unlock a world of possibilities and discover our true potential as leaders.

Three Pillars of Leadership Development

Gaining clarity about our goals and aspirations is the first step towards a transformative leadership journey. By reflecting on our desires and objectives, we can chart a course towards success without being confined to conventional questions about the future.

Building a supportive community is equally crucial in leadership growth. Surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals forms a strong foundation, providing the necessary encouragement and guidance to propel us towards our goals.

Confidence is the key that unlocks the doors to leadership success. With clarity and a supportive community, we can take those important steps, overcoming doubts and uncertainties as we progress towards our vision.

A Dynamic Leadership Journey

Leadership development is not a one-time event but a continuous, evolving process. By regularly assessing and refining our strategies, we can adapt and grow as leaders, staying true to our visions and goals.

Embark on Your Empowering Leadership Journey

If you're ready to take charge of your leadership development, it's time to embark on an empowering journey of exploration and self-discovery. Identify where you should begin by reflecting on your unique needs and objectives. Whether it's gaining clarity, building a supportive community, or boosting your confidence, your path to becoming an influential leader is within your reach.

The PayTech Women Executive Academy is your perfect platform. Our interactive quiz will help you identify where to begin based on your unique needs and goals. Whether you need clarity, a supportive community, or a confidence boost, our program is tailored to empower you.

Choose to embark on a transformative leadership journey that encourages exploration and empowerment. Apply by August 31 to the PayTech Women Executive Academy and discover your unique path to becoming an influential leader. The journey is dynamic, and our supportive community will guide you every step of the way. Don't miss this opportunity to shape your destiny and make a positive impact. Apply now and embrace the adventure that awaits you!

PayTech Women Salt Lake City Chapter Launches with Successful In-Person Gathering

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 16:48:00 GMT

By Brandy West, Executive Director, Relationship Management, JPMorgan Chase

The PayTech Women Salt Lake City Chapter recently marked a significant milestone with their inaugural in-person networking event held at Slackwater, a restaurant in Sandy, Utah, on June 12.

Attendees enjoyed a delightful time together during the intimate gathering. Despite its relative youth, the chapter boasts a wealth of collective experience spanning several decades.

Brandy West, the leader of the PayTech Women Salt Lake City Chapter, expressed enthusiasm about the chapter's future plans for growth and expansion, including upcoming meetings, volunteer events and professional sessions.

The SLC Chapter's mission centers around empowering, elevating and advancing women's careers in the payments and fintech industries through volunteerism, networking and professional development.

If you are a woman or a male advocate dedicated to supporting women in the expansive realms of payments and fintech, the PayTech Women Salt Lake City Chapter invites you to join them for future meetings to foster valuable industry connections and relationships within the SLC area.

Brandy West leads the SLC Chapter with support from various other members. The next meeting is scheduled via Zoom at 11:30 AM Mountain Time on Friday, July 14. To participate, please contact Brandy West at brandy.l.west@jpmorgan.com.

Want to be part of the PTW Houston Chapter? Join here.

Navigate Your Career Path: Claim Your Complimentary Coaching Conversation

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 12:44:00 GMT

By PTW Coaching Committee Chair Valissa Pierrelouis, Founder and CEO, Standout Career Guide, A Coaching Practice

Greetings from the PayTech Women Coaching Committee!

Are you ready to take your career to new heights? PayTech Women (PTW) is thrilled to provide our transformative coaching services designed exclusively for our members. As a forward-thinking organization committed to empowering women in the industry, we continuously strive to raise the bar for ourselves and our members.

Besides launching a magnificent rebrand at the 2022 Leadership Summit, PTW also launched coaching services for its members with mini-coaching sessions from PTW coaches and coaching packages as part of the Silent Auction.

When you’re trying to figure out your career path, you might find yourself struggling with questions about what you want to achieve, what impact you want to make on the world, where to start and how you’ll get there.

This is where career coaches can be helpful. A career coach is someone who is specializes in listening to the questions, doubts and ideas you have about your current role or your future career path. Coaching services are one more way PTW adds value and positions you to RISE, THRIVE and CONNECT as leaders and women in our industry.

Meet our coaches.

I invite you to review bios here and then schedule your complimentary discovery call.

What have we been up to since the last Leadership Summit?

Coaching clients
Hosting PTW webinars
Presenting at PTW Chapter LinkUp events
Scouting and recruiting more coaches
Strategizing on how to best meet your career development needs

Expect to hear more from your PTW coaches leading up to the Leadership Summit this fall. Don’t worry. You don't have to wait until the Summit to get the career support you need. Just visit our PTW coaching services page and book your free 20-minute session with our coaches.

In the meantime, look out for our first poll being delivered via email by PTW soon.

You are the best person to share what type of support will best serve you in your career today. PTW coaches want to address your needs in upcoming newsletter issues, webinars, chapter events and coaching sessions.

What might you speak with a coach about? Below are examples our coaches are helping clients with right now:

Seeking clarity on role and goals
Building confidence
Identifying networking opportunities
Succeeding in a new stretch role
Standing out in a competitive environment
Advocating for yourself (i.e., salary/title negotiation, workload, professional development)

Get to know our PTW coaches. Click here.

As Chair of the Coaching Committee, I am extending a big thank you to the PTW team, its leaders and our PTW coaches for their commitment and compassion in the work they do.

Rooting for you,

Valissa

Empowering Black Women in PayTech

Fri, 19 May 2023 21:09:00 GMT

The Journey of the Black/African American Inclusion Group

By Leslie Williams, E2E Program Manager, FIS

HISTORY

The PayTech Women Black/African American Inclusion Group (BAAIG) was created in 2021 as one of four groups in the inaugural program of the Wnet Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council. The goal for inclusions groups is to offer a safe, informal place for members, interested parties and allies to network and share career experiences. Suggestions from members helped create the initial groups, with additional groups to follow based on member interest.

2023 UPDATES

In 2023, FIS teammates Leslie Williams, E2E Program Manager, and Rhonda Davis, Program Manager – Technology, were the first-ever appointed co-chairs for the inclusion group. Their 2023 goals for the group are to increase member engagement, showcase member achievements and stimulate membership growth.

Kickoff Meeting: 2023 Goals, Themes and CTAs

At the March 28 kickoff meeting, they introduced their purpose and mission statement to the members of the BAAIG.

Purpose: To have a forum that shares a common identity to meet and support one another in building community and a sense of belonging.

Mission: To empower by offering organizational support, access to decision-makers, fintech professionals, career development and growth opportunities.

Their theme this year is Making It Worth Your Time with the Five Be’s of 2023: Be Counted, Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Engaged and Belong.

Be counted by volunteering for one of many PTW Priority Teams.

Be seen by updating your PTW Social Link profile and LinkedIn photos. You become reality. Show them who you are!

Be heard by becoming a Mentor for a Minute.

Be engaged by becoming a PTW Ambassador to buddy up and welcome new members.

Belong by creating or joining a local chapter for in-person support and leadership opportunities.

The kickoff meeting ended with several important Calls to Action:

To commit to reaching out to others even when it is uncomfortable.
To think about what you can bring to the table.
To spend time in the PTW Social Link community portal.
To submit topics of interest to the chairs of your groups and committees.
And to Volunteer, Volunteer, Volunteer!!

Spring Meeting: Building Financial Resilience and Resources

Their second meeting, in May, featured Anthony James, a new PTW Advocate Member and an ally of the Black/African American Inclusion Group. He is currently a Solution Consultant Manager at FIS and a leading expert in the field of technical, strategic business payments and financial technologies. With more than 15 years of industry experience, Anthony has vast knowledge in Ground Transportation, Retail, Restaurant, Grocery, Petroleum, eCommerce and Hospitality sectors. As an influential thought leader, Anthony is also known for his emotional intelligence and professional approach which allows him to stay ahead of the curve in the world of fintech payment technologies.

The theme of this informative meeting was Building Financial Resilience and Resources. Takeaway topics included Managing Personal Finances During Economic Shifts, Accessing Financial Literacy Resources and Support and Fostering a Community of Financially Literate Black Women.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

The BAAIG is focused on navigating around Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) obstacles through education, self-empowerment and advocacy. “Knowledge is power and is also the Great Equalizer!” says Co-Chair Leslie Williams. The Black/African American Inclusion Group is cultivating a community where women can be their authentic selves, bring their talents and experiences, speak about complex topics and challenges and how to solve them.

“Knowledge is power and is also
the Great Equalizer!”

Increased creativity, higher innovation, a wider talent pool, a deeply diverse board membership, improved decision making, stronger brand imaging, diverse strengths and abilities is what diversity and inclusion looks like in action. This is what the Black/African American Inclusion Group is striving to model.

The future of Black/African American Inclusion Group looks bright and full of purpose, intention and positive influence. Leslie and Rhonda are committed to bringing relevant content, diverse perspectives and a spirit of excellence.

Join the Black/African American Inclusion Group.

PayTech Women Houston: Spring Happy Hour Brightens Chapter LinkUp

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 17:48:00 GMT

By Nancy Decker Lent, Vice President and Co-Founder, Park Place Payments

The PayTech Women Houston Chapter had their second happy hour on Wednesday, April 12, at Kirby's Ice House in The Woodlands, TX.

Meeting and networking with other Houston-area women and advocates in Payments and Fintech was energizing. The engaging event, hosted and sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, was spearheaded and moderated by Liza Tillinghast, JPMC Vice President, Sr. Relationship Manager, and PayTech NYC Chapter leadership team member.

The Houston Chapter’s mission is to empower, elevate and advance women’s careers in payments and fintech industries through four foundational pillars: Volunteerism, Networking, Growth Initiatives and Professional Development.

We are energized to build the Houston Chapter into a powerful force for women and the journey to help our members achieve greater personal success, influence and professional parity.
We are better and stronger together!

Thank you to Hemline The Woodlands and RND Designs for sponsoring the raffle!

The Houston Chapter is led by Tiffany Mattio, Nataline Oelkers, Amanda Hottel and Nancy Lent Decker.

Want to be part of the PTW Houston Chapter? Join here.

Expanding access to financial services and technology for women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 17:37:00 GMT

By PayTech Women Member Lori Griboski, VP Sales, PCS, Paysafe Payment Processing Solutions LLC

Originally posted on March 16, 2023

The number of female entrepreneurs is increasing around the world, yet many women continue to face significant obstacles when starting their own businesses. Fintech providers that champion broader representation within the global SMB community are providing solutions to help level the playing field.

Micro and small businesses are the backbone of most economies worldwide. They provide products and services tailored to locals, generate new jobs, and stimulate an inflow of community resources. They also offer role models to society by integrating women into the economic mainstream.

But in many countries, women still face a wide range of challenges when starting a business, and these are often quite different from those experienced by their male counterparts. Cultural norms and societal barriers set the pace at which women become self-employed business owners. Defying social expectations, building a support network, and balancing a business with family life are some challenges they must overcome. On top of that, access to financial services and funding from investors remains a significant hurdle.

Throughout this article, we’ll assess how players in the fintech industry can help close the gender gap while shedding light on the disparities that limit entrepreneurial-minded women from gaining access to the resources needed to build a legacy of their own.

Rise of female entrepreneurship

The pandemic changed how women participate in the economy. Remote working empowered women by giving them the flexibility to juggle work and family-related responsibilities. It also allowed them the space and freedom for creativity and innovation.

8 Insights to Drive Success

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 05:05:00 GMT

By PayTech Women Board Director Genevieve Dozier, Director, Business Development at Finova Capital, Founder & CEO of Warpaint Consulting

Originally posted Feb. 22, 2023 on LinkedIn

In recent years it has been refreshing when in attendance of a speaker to hear their advice and it's already things I’m doing. It’s that feeling of “great, I’m on the right track.” Where previously it was “great, that’s good advice, I’m going to start doing that.” Today I met Elizabeth Krear via her PayTech Women, formerly Wnet, fireside chat with Linda Perry. While she is in a different industry, she and I have made similar decisions and share similar outlooks.

1. “Make the decision and never look back” –

Elizabeth advises when you get an opportunity really think about it and decide. If it is one of those once in a lifetime opportunities take it and figure out how to make it work, but whether you decide to take it or not make the decision and never look back. I say reflection is key to learning, but don’t dwell on “what if” or “if I could go back” type statements. The belonging you seek is ahead of you, not behind.

2. “If you want something, say it out loud” –

Elizabeth shared this gives you confidence and someone may be listening that can help you get what you want. I would add that it makes your want real and people can start helping to hold you accountable.

3. “Diversity makes a difference” –

Linda shared this after discussing Elizabeth’s role as Chief Engineer on a project where she launched the Jeep Gladiator in Austria (the once in a lifetime opportunity previously referenced)! Elizabeth created a team that had 30% women and the team beat their deadlines, met all quality assurances and came under budget by millions of dollars. There are countless studies that show revenue is higher, etc. so why are we still trying to convince leaders to hire outside of people that look like them.

4. “Don’t shut your family out” –

I have recently been doing this unconsciously by sitting at the kitchen table at night working on writing my book. While my kids (10 and 12) typically stick to their room in the evenings they occasionally come by and check in on me and give me feedback. Elizabeth mentioned her experience going back to get her Masters in Business while her kids were in middle school and sitting at the kitchen table and her kids would sit with her and study/do homework together.

5. “Apply at 80” –

Apply for the role if you meet 80% of the criteria. If you meet 100% of the criteria, you are probably not learning.

6. “Write it down” –

Maintain a single notebook that includes advice from other that inspire you or things other people tell you that you want to remember. I do this and I have it with me for any conference I attend. I write down the event, date, speaker, people I meet and anecdotes to be able to refer back to for reflection, help and networking. Often, I share insights like I am now with others who could not be in attendance.

7. “Smile” –

Smiling can help you feel good, be accepted when you walk into the room, and feel more confident.

8. “Embrace the Leather Jacket” –

Or whatever it is you want to wear. We discussed the General Motors CEO, Mary Barra, who is their first female CEO and how more women are becoming leaders within large organizations particularly in male dominated industries. Linda commented on how you often see her wearing a leather jacket instead of a traditional blazer or suit jacket. I recently embraced my leather jacket and wore it last October to Money 20/20. Confident people can wear what they want and when they do, they feel more comfortable and more confident instead of wearing what they think people want them to wear and feeling uncomfortable and less confident. Try it out at your next in person event!

Log in to PTW Social Link, our member community, to watch the replay of PayTech Women Live with J.D. Power VP Elizabeth Krear and PTW, formerly Wnet, Co-Founder Linda Perry.

PayTech Women NYC: Fintech & Payments: The Big Questions

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 17:29:00 GMT

PayTech Women New York (NYC) Chapter hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion on January 26: Fintech & Payments: The Big Questions. This discussion was highly topical and drew a large turnout of members, prospective members and male advocates.

The engaging event was spearheaded and moderated by Liza Tillinghast, JPMC Sr. Relationship Manager and PayTech NYC Chapter leadership team member, and it was hosted and sponsored by JPMorgan Chase.

Speakers (l to r): Sasha Pilch, Sara Elinson, Rina Bakhtiani, Michael Little and Liza Tillinghast

The thought leaders who spoke on the panel included:

Michael Little, Global Head of Strategic Trends at JPMorgan Chase
Sasha Pilch, Principal, FinCapital and the founder of NYC Fintech Women
Sara Elinson, Partner & Principal EY-Parthenon
Rina Bakhtiani, Head of Cross Vertical Payments Bank of America

The dialogue focused on trends in fintech and payments, new vertical solutions, embedded payments, fraud, synergies between payments and FinTechs, blockchain, cryptocurrencies and CBDCs.

Everyone enjoyed speaking with prospective new members and reconnecting with existing friends. We always have a lot to share and learn from one another. We are looking forward to great events to come in 2023…we have only just begun!

NYC Chapter Leaders (l to r): Liza Tillinghast, Sonal Desai, Michele Fischthal, Berica Askew-Breier, Kathy Kmiotek and Carmen Paraschiv

Thank you to the amazing NYC Chapter Leaders for everything they do: Chair Michele Fischthal and members: Berica Askew-Breier, Sonal Desai, Kathy Kmiotek, Julia Leavitt, Carmen Paraschiv, Aleksandra Teichman and Liza Tillinghast.

Want to be part of the PTW New York Chapter? Join here.

Houston Re-Launches

Thu, 8 Dec 2022 15:25:00 GMT

Blog By Tiffany Mattio, Executive Relationship Manager, U.S. and Canada Acceptance, Discover

November 9 was the first event for the resurrected PTW Houston Chapter, with a special event held at Houston’s City Centre!

Attendees started the evening with a pre-shopping event at Kendra Scott with sales helping to fund the re-launched Houston Chapter. Kendra Scott also provided an online code to distribute to the whole PTW organization (and beyond) for 2 days with 20% of all proceeds going back to the chapter.

Post Kendra Scott shopping, a dinner/happy hour was held at Brio Italian Grille, a local restaurant. Participation from various local companies brought hopes of building additional partnerships for future events.

“We are energized to build the Houston Chapter into a powerful force for women and the journey to help our members achieve greater personal success, influence and professional parity. We are better and stronger together! ”

The successful LinkUp was hosted by Houston Chapter co-leads Amanda Hottel of JPMorgan Chase; Nancy Decker Lent, Account Executive; and Nataline Oelkers and Tiffany Mattio of Discover. The chapter’s mission is to empower, elevate and advance women’s careers in payments and fintech industries through four foundational pillars: Volunteerism, Networking, Growth Initiatives and Professional Development.

Want to be part of the Wnet Houston Chapter? Join here.

Get Unstuck With Your Why

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 17:49:00 GMT

By Wendy L. Sherrock, PayTech Women Book Club Tri-Chair, Business Transformation Executive

The PayTech Women Book Club hosted a discussion regarding inspirational speaker and author Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why. The discussion was eye-opening, and the group shared their respective thoughts on what resonated. Here’s a recap of the top takeaways:

Define your personal Why
Compete with Yourself, Not Others
There are two ways to influence: manipulate or inspire

Define Your Why

Our personal Why is our essence, something we’re born to do. Have you tuned into your WHY? One way to find your why is by asking others to share feedback on why they come to you for help.

Compete with Yourself, Not Others

When you compete with yourself, others rally around you to help you. The best companies, like Apple, don’t compete with other companies; they stay true to their purpose. If you find yourself jealous of someone else, lean into it. Try and understand why. Do you need to distance yourself or connect with them because they’re doing something you have the desire to do? What can you let go of or learn?

There are two ways to influence: manipulate or inspire.

The leaders who inspire do so because their inspiration comes from a place where they’re striving for the good of the whole, not for self-gratification or to make money.

The book club discussions help synthesize the knowledge and integrate the learnings. If you’re interested in joining the Book Club, sign up here. You must be logged into your PTW Social Link account to request to join.

Leading with Influence: You Can Lead No Matter What Seat You Are In

Tue, 4 Oct 2022 23:08:00 GMT

By Brenna Ellis of Visa, Inc.

“How many of you are leaders?”. That was the opening question from Polly Van Duser, in response to which a few modest hands were raised. During this powerful panel discussion, Polly encouraged us to reflect on how we are all leaders, and the panelists shared their valuable experiences and insights with the (standing-room-only) audience. This panel is a living example of what makes the PayTech Women’s (formerly Wnet) Leadership Summit so valuable and why I make the investment to attend year after year.

One truth I have witnessed throughout the course of my career is people want leadership. People are looking for someone to guide them and steer them along their career path. Everyone has a different idea of what leadership looks like, but in my experience, people want to be led. The mission of PayTech Women is to help all women in paytech rise, thrive and connect. With that mission in mind, it is incumbent on all PayTech Women members to be leaders and help advance women in paytech regardless of where they might be in their career, which made this panel the perfect opportunity to reflect on how we can all be leaders, no matter what seat we are in.

So how do you lead if you’re not a “people” leader? It is so easy to get hung up on titles and think it is the title that makes you a leader. Erin Davis, Shannon McCann and Edie Kirkman shared some concrete examples of how we can all be leaders, no matter what seat we are in. Despite their diverse levels of experience and backgrounds, all the panelists had valuable insights to share. There were two messages that really resonated with me.

The first was simple but profound: You are there for a reason. As women, we have a tendency to minimize ourselves and our accomplishments. We tell ourselves we can’t do certain things because we don’t have the right title, or we minimize the unique perspective we bring to the table because we don’t think we have enough experience. We are the number one factor holding ourselves back!

Minimizing our accomplishments erodes confidence which can lead to a variety of other negative consequences: not raising your hand for new projects, not going after a promotion or new position, not speaking up in meetings, not giving yourself credit during annual reviews, and the list goes on. If you are guilty of this, take a step back and remind yourself you are there for a reason. You are in your role because of your talents and experiences. Don’t be afraid to use your voice and contribute.

The second takeaway for me was around building a coalition of the willing. The idea is to find people in your organization you can support and who will support you. You don’t have to be a leader to demonstrate leadership. Having a group of individuals at your organization you can work with to test new ideas and problem solve doesn’t require a leadership title. Building an internal network like this provides you the opportunity to increase your sphere of influence and build a trusted rolodex of individuals you can lean on.

Of the many stories and insights shared, those were the two that resonated most with me, however, there is one other insight I’d like to share around leading regardless of where you sit: as members of PayTech Women, we have a platform that provides a golden opportunity to lead with influence. PayTech Women offers the opportunity to be a leader not only within your individual organization but within the broader industry, no matter what seat you are in.

See the full Summit agenda for other sessions presented at the 2022 Leadership Summit, EmPowered by FIS.

How Can YOU Shine as Panelist?

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 16:10:00 GMT

By Jill Mack, Principal, Internal Communications, Discover Financial Services

When we focus on developing our personal brand, evolving our speaking skills, and increasing our visibility, we rely mostly on ourselves for the advancements we make (or don’t make). Luck, timing, and personal motivation can contribute to how we move forward in those areas of our careers but knowing who we are and the perspectives we offer are important factors to consider when deciding how we can position ourselves to participate in a group or panel conversation. Because panelists are guided by a moderator and interact with other subject matter experts, panels are a great speaking forum to explore since they are a low-risk way to build confidence, share expertise, raise our profile and develop public speaking skills.

The July 20 PayTechWomenLead event, presented by Michele Weber, MSC, Executive Communications at Discover Financial Services, gave us insight into How to Shine as a Panelist. Attendees received tips and advice from Michele, contributed to a Q&A session and participated in virtual breakout conversations.

Below are highlights from Michele’s presentation, including how to find panel opportunities, the essential information you need to know once you’ve secured an invite, and the “Dos” that will help you succeed as a panelist.

I want to speak on a panel but where do I start?
Once you decide you want to share your knowledge as a panelist, begin looking for opportunities. To help focus your search, think about the current trends, hot topics and challenges in your industry or field and what expertise and unique points of view you can share on those topics. The more naturally aligned your experiences and insights are to a topic, the more value you can offer. Below are some ways to find panels.

Leverage your external networks: Start posting more on your LinkedIn page, share or repost articles of interest to you and comment on others’ posts. Show your network you are out there and active. Take note of any industry conferences soliciting requests for speakers and send them an idea. Private message an industry contact you trust and ask them if they know of any panelist speaking opportunities. Build relationships with event planners, conference producers or even past panelists.
Spread the word in your internal networks: Let your boss know you want to share your expertise more broadly and connect with the communicators in your organization. Companies often have multiple layers of communicators (corporate level, regional level, business unit level) and they are always looking for news and information to share. Circulating ideas like this can take time so be both persistent and patient; what could start as a small blurb about a project you are working on in a business unit newsletter could evolve into a companywide intranet news article, which could be picked up for a companywide town hall meeting that might later be delivered in the form of a panel.

I just got invited to speak on a panel! What do I need to know?
Congratulations! There are several things you need to know ahead of time; preplanning is key to ensure you show up prepared and confident. Don’t be afraid to ask any of these questions.

Event/Meeting Details

Is there an agenda for the meeting or conference?
What is the focus or topic of the panel?
What is the panel length and format?

People

Who is the audience, what level are they at in their careers and how much do they know about the topic?
Who are the other panelists, what organizations or business units are they from and what level are they at in their careers?
Who will be moderating the panel and what is their background and moderating style?

Content

What perspective do they want you to offer in the conversation?
What are the questions being asked and when will I receive them? Will there be additional questions from the audience?
Will there be a rehearsal?
- Rehearsals give you an opportunity to connect with the other panelists and moderator before the day of the event so the conversation feels more natural when you are on stage, virtually or in person. If there isn’t a formal rehearsal planned by the event producers, ask the panelists and moderator if they want to connect via email or phone for an informal rehearsal to talk through the questions.

Logistics

Is the session in-person or virtual?
- If in person, what is the stage setting (high top chairs, fireside chat, desk level conversation)? Are there COVID restrictions that I need to follow?
- If virtual, what is the meeting platform? Will there be a tech test (internet, audio, video, lighting)? What features in the meeting platform will be enabled (can I see people, is Q&A visible to the panel)?

Miscellaneous

Who are my contacts (tech contact, event producer and moderator)? If possible, get phone numbers.
How and where will this event be promoted? Can I share this information with my network on my personal social media channels?
How will I be introduced? Make sure you provide a bio because this is part of your personal branding.

Today is the day I will be speaking on my panel – any last tips?

Remember, panels are all about sharing your expertise and raising your visibility ̶ in your company and in your field. But don’t fool yourself into thinking you can wing it. If you prepare, panels will help you build your confidence and hone your public speaking skills so you can set yourself up for future panels or a presentation, inside or outside of your organization.

About Michele Weber
Michele Weber is Senior Principal, Executive Communications at Discover, responsible for planning and managing communications strategy and execution for the Chief Executive Officer and other C-suite leaders to help translate the business strategy, objectives and results, while also driving and reinforcing company culture with employees. In addition to writing, editing and planning company-wide meetings, she has spent a good deal of time coaching leaders on how to prepare and present to all types of audiences.

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PayTechWomenLead is a three-part virtual series designed to help you gain insights and develop foundational leadership skills to move into the C-Suite and chart your own career path.

Our stellar lineup of speakers will share their personal journeys to top executive roles while sharing actionable tips to help you rise to the next level in your career.

Supporting other women in their leadership journeys has been identified as a top priority by C-Suite leaders. To that end, PayTechWomenLead is designed to facilitate this important process by exploring the challenges and opportunities facing women in the payments and fintech industries, and providing a curriculum that drives success.

LEAD Certificate

Learn. Engage. Advance. Drive.
Attendance at all three events grants you a registration discount and an educational certificate that shows you've learned important techniques to become a more impactful leader in the paytech environment.

Allyship Advice Offered at Wnet Chicago Chapter & MWAA Event

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 01:56:00 GMT

By Patti Katzban, Director, CrossCheck Compliance LLC

On Wednesday, July 27, the Chicago Chapter of Wnet sponsored a two-hour session at the annual Midwest Acquirers Association (MWAA) conference in Chicago called: A Guide to Allyship: A discussion on the importance of allyship in the workplace.

The three-person panel consisted of Matt Austin, COO of Payroc, Kim Holmes, Strategy Consultant at Inclusion Nation and Kelly Tufts, Vice President of Field Talent at Discover and current Wnet Board President. Stephanie Zirkle-Puerto, Vice President of Payroc brought everyone and everything together as the moderator.

The diverse panel discussed what they consider allyship to be and how important it is to people, particularly to women. Finding a good ally in their organization or professional group(s) to partner with definitely helps in gaining recognition and advancement in the workplace. And just as importantly – how do we become a good ally to those around us and be able to recognize when and how we can be a positive influence on others' careers.

Finding a good ally in their organization or professional group(s) to partner with definitely helps in gaining recognition and advancement in the workplace.

The session was attended by 100⁺ people, including participants of the MWAA conference event along with several of the local Chicago Wnet members. The audience was also diverse and had a large number of men attending who were very interested in the topic and how they could help others as well as move their own goals forward.

The group was strongly engaged throughout, offering their own anecdotes of what allyship means to them and how they have benefitted from the collaboration it affords to all who partake.

All in all, it was another successful Wnet experience for all attendees!

Want to be part of the Wnet Chicago Chapter? Join here.

Wnet Takes Over Milwaukee!

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 04:02:00 GMT

By Erin Barbeau, Head of Business Administration, FIS

July 18 was a monumental day for payments and fintech women across the Milwaukee area as the Wnet Milwaukee Chapter was officially launched! Plans for this Chapter Kick-Off Party were in the works for almost four months before this event took place and the local women really showed up for it!

Hosted at the Milwaukee Athletic Club in downtown Milwaukee and sponsored by Fiserv, co-chairs Erin Barbeau, Erika Smith and Kassie Fox-Delaney wanted to give women and men in Milwaukee the opportunity to reconnect in person and learn more about Wnet. 30 women came out from various companies in the area including FIS, Fiserv, Rectangle Health, Associated Bank, JPMorgan Chase and the MKE Tech Hub Coalition. It was an evening full of lively conversation, LinkedIn connections and pure joy due to being back in person together and rallying around a cause that everyone at the event strongly believes in and supports.

The Wnet Milwaukee Chapter knows this is just the beginning of the impact they will make in the Milwaukee market and in the Payments industry. The enthusiastic team looks forward to hosting many more events in the future to keep strengthening this chapter and providing its members with unique networking, development and giving-back opportunities.

Thank you again to everyone who came out – it was a great event and the team is proud to have officially kicked of the Wnet Milwaukee Chapter!

Want to be part of the Milwaukee Chapter? Join here.

PayTechWomenLead Series #2: How to be a Great Individual Speaker

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 03:24:00 GMT

By Sara Ruffell, Marketing Manager, TSYS Solutions, Global Payments

Shelonda Darling was an inspirational speaker wowing her virtual audience in the recent PayTechWomenLead Series Part 2 session on ‘How to be a Great Individual Speaker.’

The session (recorded and now available on the WNET Thought Leadership Center) was geared to motivate WNET members to break out of their comfort zones, and project their voice confidently while sharing their story and embracing — and being prepared for — those moments when you step into the spotlight to talk.

Starting with a recap of PayTechWomenLead Part 1: Intentional Branding to lay the foundation of the session, Shelonda walked WNET members through the process of professional branding; finding your uniqueness, building a reputation on the things you ‘want to be known for’ and then, more importantly, allowing yourself to be known for them. Cue: Step into the spotlight and let your growth journey begin!

And so PayTechWomenLead Part 2 began…

Engaging WNET members by sharing her personal college graduation speech story — and drawing the audience in — Shelonda artfully introduced the 3 C’s of Professional Speaking (Competence, Character & Charisma) and demonstrated that Charisma without Competence (or preparation) does not make for a great speaker experience!

While Shelonda’s natural charisma was undoubtedly off the scale, the audience was not to be disheartened by the high benchmark she set, as Shelonda proceeded to share insights on how to increase charisma in speaking engagements by building a personal connection with the audience through credibility, storytelling and authenticity.

From knowing your niche to the building blocks of the 3 Cs of Professional Speaking, it became clear that the art of great speaking doesn’t just stop there. Reading the room and personalizing both story and delivery to the audience is key to audience engagement, and Shelonda unpacked the different DISC^® behavioral styles (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness) and learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic), that a great speaker needs to take into consideration to ensure their messages are delivered — and received — effectively around any room, or in any corridor.

Having identified storytelling as the perfect communication tool to help build a human connection and elevate their voice, WNET members broke into virtual discussion groups to start crafting their power statements on what they wanted to be known for; highlighting their unique story in a simple words, and planning their next steps to move into new spaces and get talking.

So if you’re looking for an energized session to motivate you to start singing your own story, to desire to inspire with your insights and voice, take Shelonda’s storytelling toolkit, practice like a master — and step forward.

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PayTechWomenLead is a three-part virtual series designed to help you gain insights and develop foundational leadership skills to move into the C-Suite and chart your own career path.

Our stellar lineup of speakers will share their personal journeys to top executive roles while sharing actionable tips to help you rise to the next level in your career.

LEAD Certificate

Wnet New York City Chapter Wrap-Up: Networking and RiseUp Panel

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 16:48:00 GMT

By Jean Crawford, Vice President, Marketing, Operations and Chief of Staff, Mastercard

A little spritz of rain didn’t stop the Wnet New York City Chapter from gathering on the evening of June 7 for a networking and panel event at Mastercard’s NYC Tech Hub. What was scheduled as a rooftop event was quickly relocated, but even the rainy wind could not blow aside the energy and excitement in the room from the group of more than 40 women who came together to connect and learn more about RiseUp.

With appetizers and drinks kicking it off, the ladies of Wnet quickly caught up before attending a panel hosted by Wnet Board Member and Wnet RiseUp Committee lead Jess Turner, who is responsible for Global Open Banking and API at Mastercard.

Jess was joined by RiseUp alumni Chilli Chilwan and Amber Dawkins, and Wnet Member Kathy Kmiotek of FortisPay, who was also part of the most recent RiseUp Cohort. RiseUp is a global program focused on helping women unlock the next steps in their careers, no matter what stage they are at, by providing the network, tools and techniques needed to help them strategically advance and level-up in the industry. More than 60% of RiseUp participants are women of color.

As Chilli shared, RiseUp allowed her to “find her tribe” of women who still keep in touch regularly; a sisterly cohort where individuals set career goals and are held accountable by those who have also been through the program. Amber spoke about how RiseUp helped her get a promotion and instill confidence in herself resulting in her becoming a mentor and a leader. And Kathy tied it all together, talking about the benefits of being both a RiseUp alum and part of the Wnet network. She shared the importance of not only having a seat at the table, but working hard to stay there, and knowing she deserves to be there.

The conversation continued around the importance of networking, sharing and receiving constructive feedback, speaking up for those who are not in the room, and continuous learning – and just how essential all of these pieces are as you move throughout your career.

A discussion that could have gone on for hours wrapped-up with numerous questions from the audience as well as a shout out to some special RiseUp alumni guests who came to the event to support the panelists. We’re looking forward to more Wnet NYC Chapter in-person events to continue important dialogues around women advancing in the workplace while supporting and empowering each other to rise up and succeed.

Join your local Wnet Chapter.

Wnet N. Texas Chapter Wrap-Up: D&I – The Hot Topic Words People Want to Implement and Live at Work

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 14:15:00 GMT

By North Texas Chapter Co-Chair Maribel Davis, Vice President of Sales, NEXGO, Inc.

WNET North Texas Chapter’s hybrid event last month was generously hosted by SignaPay at their headquarters in Irving, Texas. The well-attended LinkUp featured a conversation about diversity with Talent Advisor, Coach and Author Elizabeth Lions, President, Lionsology.

Elizabeth never disappoints, and this talk was no different. She walked us through common diversity terms that made us all think more broadly. Attendees from a variety of payments organizations reflected on how each of us could make a difference as individuals working at large companies and how to make the concept of diversity and inclusion a reality.

“Watching Elizabeth Lions speak about diversity and inclusion was truly inspiring,” said Kim Mejia, Product Management, NCR. “It’s hard to approach those uncomfortable conversations in the workplace, but having them broken down differently was empowering. You could feel Elizabeth’s passion in the room for giving different perspectives and thought-provoking vantage points. What a powerful speech!”

What made this diversity session different was that it wasn't about just diversity. It was really a talk about unity and “finding the place where we are all the same.” I won't spoil the ending – in case Elizabeth presents this powerful session to another WNET Chapter – but she revealed something about her own personal life that made us all see we are more the same than we are different.

Elizabeth gave us the space to explore diversity and inclusion by allowing us to understand the importance of it and how to have those difficult conversations in a positive space. I was truly inspired and driven by her words and knowledge.

News & Press

PTW Coaches Corner

Welcome to the PTW Coaches Corner – where we share ideas, tips, stories and information about coaching.

The Cost of Doing It All Yourself

One Story. One Breakthrough.

One Metric.

“Organizations that push decision-making to the right level (meaning direct reports own the right calls) are 6.8× more likely to outperform in decision quality, speed and financial returns.”

One Move.

Keep Growing with PayTech Women

10 Ways Women Can Thrive Through M&A Transitions

“Mergers are like marriages. They are the bringing together of two individuals. If you wouldn't marry someone for the 'operational efficiencies' they offer in the running of a household, then why would you combine two companies with unique cultures and identities for that reason?”

Here are 10 ways to survive and thrive during mergers and acquisitions:

Let’s LEAD: Taking a stand…for YOU!

"What's your angle?"

When Drive Becomes a Trap: A Lesson in Rest

Not everything has to be a milestone.

Not every moment has to be optimized.

Are You Still Waiting for a Seat at the Table?

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

“Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.”

Start Now: Leaving Your Leadership Legacy

“Happy birthday to me!”

“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

Understanding the Recent Executive Order on DEI and Its Effects on Women in the Private Sector

When Should I Give Up and Stop My Job Search?

Focus on YOUR Right Work

“Making a decision is the first step toward change.”

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Choose to be a Difference Maker

“I want to make a difference … Doing something that makes a difference … At a time that makes a difference … With people that make a difference.”

How an Aspiring VP Freed Up 30% of Her Time & Got the Attention of Executives with 3 Steps

The Value of Focus in Gaining the Right Attention

3 Steps to Strengthen Your Leadership Brand

A Challenge: Put the 3D Framework to Work for You

Out of Office: 5 Things To Think About As You Plan For Time Away From Work

If you are so critical that you can’t go on a vacation and completely disconnect from work, how will you ever be able to be promoted?

Cleaning Up Your Mess: When Communication Goes Wrong

My emotional response is about ME...I am 100% responsible for my response.

Unlocking ChatGPT: A Powerful Tool for Your Job Search

Treat ChatGPT like a person – a real virtual assistant you know.

Navigating the “White Collar” Recession – Turning Vulnerability into Action

"Vulnerability is the birthplace ofinnovation, creativity and change.”

“Those who take positive action tend to see better outcomes and put themselves back in control of their career and financial outcomes.”

70% of individuals who receive coaching benefited from improved work performance and relationships, along with more effective communication skills.

How To Speak And Be Seen As A Strategic Leader

Nobody Improves by Accident – Are You Being Intentional with Your Career Growth?

News Alert: Hope is NOT a strategy.

Over 70% of individuals who receive coaching benefited from improved work performance and relationships, along with more effective communication skills.

The top five most common benefits of coaching are increased self-confidence (80%), improved relationships (73%), communication skills (72%), interpersonal skills (71%) and work performance (70%).

A Champion for Your Career Advancement: PayTech Women Coaching Services

“With coaching, I learned how to talk about myself and my contributions. I realized it wasn’t bragging, it was branding. Through coaching, I found my voice and understood my impact which gave me the power to advocate for myself. I’m loving my new role.”

Taking the First Step

"Before you can become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others."

An Overlooked Promotional Tool for Career Advancement

"You are the CEO of your career."

Is Your Career Where You Want It to Be?

"Leaders that work with coaches are often promoted, secure raises or find new opportunities that both challenge and reward them."

What is Coaching?

Sometimes the most valuable thing is the safe space to vent, sometimes it is creating a clear plan and identifying strategies to move forward with purpose, but always, if you are willing to bring your authentic self and participate fully, it is a valuable experience.

California Chapter Powers Innovation & Connection Through Two Dynamic Events

Spring Momentum: PayTech Women Chapters Shine Across North America

Be Part of Your Local PTW Chapter

Fall Festivities: PTW Chapters Inspire, Connect and Grow

PTW Arizona and California Chapters Team Up for Top Golf Event in Las Vegas

PTW Chapters Build Connections and Community

Phoenix Chapter Strikes Out for Fun

Toronto Chapter Delves into Industry Insights

Omaha Chapter Elevates the Importance of Personal Branding and Style

"Your wardrobe is a reflection of your personal brand, and it can significantly impact your confidence and success."

Houston Chapter Goes Back to School with a Twist

PayTech Women: A Community of Professional Women

Maximizing Community Impact: Successfully Soliciting Donations for Non-Profit Auctions

PayTech Women North Texas Chapter Celebrates 2nd Annual Backpack Drive

Empower Your Leadership Journey: Choose Your Own Adventure

PayTech Women Salt Lake City Chapter Launches with Successful In-Person Gathering

Navigate Your Career Path: Claim Your Complimentary Coaching Conversation

Greetings from the PayTech Women Coaching Committee!

Meet our coaches.

Get to know our PTW coaches. Click here.

Empowering Black Women in PayTech

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of
innovation, creativity and change.”

"Leaders that work with coaches are often promoted,
secure raises or find new opportunities that both
challenge and reward them."

“Knowledge is power and is also
the Great Equalizer!”

We are energized to build the Houston Chapter into a powerful force for women and the journey to help our members achieve greater personal success, influence and professional parity.
We are better and stronger together!