Breaking Barriers:
I'm Carolina Portela, a woman who thrives on juggling family and building a successful career in a male-dominated field. Growing up in Colombia, education was my ticket out. Though not wealthy, my parents made incredible sacrifices to send me to university. This instilled a deep belief: with passion and effort, anything is possible.
Climbing the Ladder:
My dedication propelled me forward. I landed a coveted internship at NCR, then a full-time position. Many classmates had joined the same company I did for an internship (6 in total), but I was the only one hired as a full-time employee. What made the difference? I put passion and effort into my job. That may sound cliche, but just doing your job will never be enough to stand out, regardless of gender. You have to give your best! Confidence, however, was a hurdle. Unlike many male colleagues, I hesitated to ask for more. But fueled by a supportive network and a "never give up" attitude, I pushed past my fears. By 23, I was a project manager, leading a team of 10 and managing 25 contractors – the only woman in a team of 5.
Breaking Biases:
My journey wasn't smooth. From Spain to Ireland to Silicon Valley, I encountered doubts about my capabilities due to my gender and origin. However, I silenced those doubts each time with hard work, knowledge, and results. At Oracle, I dominated a tech-heavy sales team by outperforming expectations. A had to sell in a heavily male-dominated space of IT Managers. 99% were male and felt that a woman couldn’t know enough about IT. They asked tricky questions and got uncomfortable when I responded with even more technical answers. I have done my homework: learning what I was selling hard and becoming the matter expert. I overachieved on my sales target every time. At Google, I led creating a successful EMEA Demand Management team.
When I joined Google, I was delighted to work in a highly inclusive company that appreciates diversity and gives equal opportunities. That was true until I internally moved to the Google Cloud Team. Due to my previous technical knowledge at Oracle and my performance in AdWords, I was promoted to lead the creation of the Demand Management team for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). I was surprised that this department quickly became a male-dominated team. Many colleagues came from Microsoft and Oracle, which is the usual trend in the sector. My biggest challenge was often being the only female manager in the room. That implies having a different point of view many times. The beginning was tough, but with courage (always speaking out my point of view) and the proven results of my team, the male managers started to take my point of view more into consideration, and most of the projects that I created and launched for EMEA where replicated later on in North America, Latam and Asia/Pacific. My team was my most important pillar, so I worked to ensure they all were engaged and happy, and I can proudly say that I continue in contact with many of them today.
When I was accepted to join What Clinic as VP of the Sales, Marketing and Customer Success team, it couldn´t believe I could do it, it felt impossible, but I gave it my best. My knowledge, experience, and team management skills made a difference. I helped to move the needle, defining a new strategy to achieve better customers with a better revenue impact. I repeated similar impact at Simplr, and Citibeats, assisting the business to expand and Growth in operations and revenue.
Empowering Women:
I often heard inappropriate comments from my male colleagues, managers or customers (shockingly, it came across all levels, especially managers and C-Level). I never got upset or uncomfortable. I decided to be polite and to educate, stopping the comment and highlighting what was not appropriate or correct. Once you raise your hand to point it out, the ones that will feel uncomfortable will be them.
Unfortunately, solo female leadership wasn't uncommon. This experience ignited a mission: advocate for women in the workplace. Ladies, don't wait for recognition – ask for it! Believe in yourself, and don't hesitate to step outside your comfort zone. The gentlemen "confidently ask" whatever they want deserved or not. Believe in you, I´m sure you deserve it too!
Did you know that men apply to a job fitting 40% or 50% of the requirements while women apply only when they see they comply with 95%-100% of the requirements? So don´t be scared, don´t wait, give the step, ask, MOVE!. All is possible when you want it, but you need to work for it. It will not come to you by itself.
Loof for an ally at your height:
An equal partnership is vital. Huge thanks to my loving husband, Alberto, for his unwavering support at home, allowing me to chase my dreams. I always take on more, accepted challenges, travelled, give my extra mile case I knew I would be well backed up at home with my husband. Ladies, find a partner who champions your growth, not just cheers it on.
Building a Better World:
Today, I feel proud of the different roles, places lived and people I had meet. Thanks to that journey, I'm a solid international leader, and my greatest joy is inspiring others. Let's shatter these glass ceilings together because anything is possible with passion, knowledge, and unwavering support. Let's celebrate International Women's Day by appreciating everyone's contribution and working towards a world of equal opportunity.
Together, we can make it possible.
Happy International Women's Day!
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Un abrazo,
Carolina
English 
Spain 
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