Each year, International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8. It is a global celebration, recognizing women for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias. In line with this theme, associates at Blue Yonder were asked: “What advice would you give to your younger self?” Below is a compilation of responses.

  • Kavitha Tumuluri, Vice President, Cloud Services: “Be the change and break your personal biases to influence a change in the larger community around you.”
  • Carol Yang, Senior Business Development Representative: “One of my favorite quotes is ‘Girls should never be afraid to be smart,’ so that is the advice I would give my younger self. Based on the culture I was raised in, women are often taught not to show they are smarter than men. But hey Little Carol, you should be proud of who you are and not afraid to shine!”
  • Charlotte Diener, Marketing Director: “Be hungry but stay true to yourself and your values while keeping boundaries. You don’t have to agree to everything and anything in order to show ambition.”
  • Claudia Merino, Marketing Director: “Don’t be afraid to break gender stereotypes. As a woman in my culture, we are often put into ‘traditional’ roles; but you should not be afraid to be who you are and to do what makes you happy, even if it is not ‘traditional.’ I try to teach this to my two boys so the next generation will hopefully break those gender stereotypes and value equal opportunities.”
  • Mrudula Inukonda, Project Director: “Break out of your comfort zone. Be prepared, tell people what you want to do before they ask you. It is always first give and then take.”
  • Danielle Manning, Chief Operating Officer – North America: “The advice I would give myself (and my daughters) is to assume there are no boundaries, take it all in, give something new a try if it sounds interesting but always seek to learn and understand. The positive and negative experiences and learnings we encounter throughout our lives and careers help to shape us into our better future selves. Life is one big lesson, be a sponge, girls! 😊”
  • Holly Gibeaut, Corporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel: « Embrace diversity. Don’t shy away from it. As a woman, know that you bring a unique perspective that can be key to an organization’s success. »
  • Indumathi Srimushtam, Senior Enterprise Solution Architect, Cloud Services: “The choice you make for work life balance does not diminish your competence, don’t let anyone tell you anything different.”
  • Jennifer Bituka, Marketing Coordinator: “I would give my younger self advice about being confident, trusting the process and pursuing my passion. I think the challenges you face help you grow as a person and even sharpen your skills.”
  • Maddi Cook,Marketing Project Coordinator: “Don’t be afraid to say ‘no.’ As women, we are often taught not to go against the grain. What people won’t tell you, is that there is a power in ‘no.’ There is an honestly and a vulnerability to it. But setting boundaries and letting people know the very real limitations of you as a person is not only helpful but also necessary.”
  • Maya Sharma, Program Management Director: “Be a lifelong learner and try to be a better version of yourself.”
  • Magali Petit, Staff Accountant: “I think the advice I would give to my younger self would be: ‘Whatever you do in life, you won’t be able to please everyone, so do whatever makes you happy and be your number one.’”
  • Nathalie Carruthers, Chief HR Officer and Executive Vice President: “Focus on those few things that truly matter. You owe to you and those around you to create a balance that works for you. Life is busy and the list of things to do endless. Do those things that make you and those you love happy.”
  • Nicola Gould, Payroll Administrator: “Be yourself, don’t try to be someone you are not to fit in with the crowd. Be the best version of you and know your worth.”
  • Rachel Hinkes, Corporate Vice President, Product Development: “Take note of the things that interest you and pursue a deeper understanding. Learning opens up new doors, and how great if those doors are aligned with your interests.”
  • Soujanya Damera, Senior Product Development Project Director: “It’s not about what you have done it is always about what you can do! Aspire to be your next best as you already are excellent in what you do.”
  • Stephanie Liu, Marketing Director: “Go out to take a look as much as possible. If not outside of the country, out of the state; if not the state, out of the city; if not the city, out of the town…It will give you a different view of the world.”
  • Sue Savage, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President: “Sometimes it truly takes a village. Early in my journey managing career and family, I felt I had to do most things myself. Over time I learned balancing priorities meant that sometimes I needed help at home or work (and it was ok to ask), and sometimes I was the one giving help. We’re all better off when we work as a team. I would never have achieved what I have without the many family members, friends and co-workers who helped and supported me when I needed it.”

So, what advice would you give your younger self?