Welcome back to Top5 brought to you by DefinedTalent a DefinedLogic service. We are a results driven service working with clients to connect them with quality talent as well as working to make an impact within the recruiting industry. We talk straight about today's professional world with real world professionals, experts in recruitment, job seekers and business owners alike. Have a question for us send it in and you might spur our next conversation. I'm Tara Thurber, Director of Talent
Innovation. And joining me today to discuss her top five tips for women in the technology industry is Alison Lamano, co founder of Jersey Shore Women in Tech and product management lead at DefinedLogic. So listen, before we dive into Jersey Shore Women in Tech, can you share a bit about your background with us?
Sure. So um, I've actually been working in technology for over 20 years now, which is crazy. When I say that. I started, I actually started out. I've always worked in male dominated industries. I actually started out working in waste management industry. I started working full time when I was 19. And then I realized that I needed to go to school and figure out what I wanted to do in my life. So I'm cut cut, cut to a few years later, I decided to go to school for computer
programming. And I got a diploma in computer programming. And during that time, I transitioned into a new role working for a home building company. And I got hired working as a team member that was implementing in new ERP systems. So they were standardizing all of their internal systems. So that's how I got my start in technology on the business side of the house. I wound up graduating with my diploma in computer programming in 2001, like the week before, 911.
Wow.
So yeah, so I never actually got a job as a developer, because the market was so bad at that time, I actually had a career coach, tell me, you're making good money. Now, I would just stay where you are. Like, if you get somebody at the school that was supposed to help you find a job tell me that?
And they're like, no, don't do it. Holy cow.
So um, so I never actually got into development for my career. But I did get a lot of experience on the business side of things working as a business systems analyst. So dealing with requirements, I also did training and development where I trained people on how to use those new systems that we were implementing. And I was there at that company for about nine years. And then I started working with DefinedLogic. So that was 11 years ago,
Huh? Congratulations on that. Holy
Yeah. So, um, you know, transitioning into cow. technology, honestly, was one of the best career moves I ever made.
Yeah.
It really enabled me to propel my career and my salary very, very quickly, you know, compared to some of these, these other jobs that I had had in the past and other people that I knew that were working in other industries.
Awesome. And then, you know, as you had mentioned earlier, being in more of a male dominated industry is what was it like for you as a woman in tech?
So, because I basically started my career working in these male dominated industries.
Yeah.
I mean, like looking back now, I do see some things that probably I could have done better myself, you know, to to you know, promote myself and certain things like that but and there's definitely you know, some of that old boys old school now it with a lot of a lot of these guys, you know, especially working in the home building industry, a lot of these guys came up from like working in the field, and our VPs and managers and that kind
of thing. So, you know, I want to say like, I'm kind of used to working in male dominated, like, I don't really have much to compare it to.
Yeah.
Um, but you know, I'm, I don't really personally think that my gender ever really affected my personal life. I was always, you know, promoted and people looked, I had a lot of mentors and managers and people that, you know, made sure that I excelled. And so no or they do that's amazing along the way. So I don't really have like any specific issues where I would say, oh, that happened to me because I was a female. But I
also like like that. And maybe this is the wrong thing to say, because I do feel that there are disadvantages to being a woman sometimes in male dominated industries. But I also feel like you can't just assume that things happen, because you're a woman.
I like that. I think that that's and it's the assuming aspect to you have to get rid of that. Because that you got to break that barrier down. You definitely have to break that barrier down. Wow, I didn't know that about you, your background with your professional life. That's amazing.
Yeah.
So as a founding member of Jersey Shore, Women in Tech, what are some of the reasons behind the creation of it?
Sure. So I'm, my co founder, Brittany Jacobs, we founded Jersey Shore Women in Tech in November of 2017, is when we actually came up with the idea and said, we're going to do this. So Brittany and I had known each other for a long time on there's kind of like a local tech scene and Asbury, that's been going on for a while, at least since like, 22,009 2010, somewhere around
that time. Brett Morgan, who's one of the founders of CO works, who I know, you know, did these Jersey Shore Tech events, to get people to come into his co working space and build this community and Brittany and I were like, the only women consistently, um, there was, there was a few others. But you know, every time I saw Brittany was there, I was like, Oh, good. Yeah, Brittany, you know, so he would just always, you know, see each other at these meetups, and
we became friends. And, you know, we get together at, you know, the local tech convention as very agile. And, you know, there was some other things going on, we did, like a boot camp, startup entrepreneur. Thing, class workshop together. So, you know, we've known each other for a while. So in October of 2017, iSims over at Bell orks, they had a women in echnology event. And I went to t and Brittany went to it. And here was, there were all these
omen there. Now, Bell works uge, but I was like, me and rittany are like, how do we not now, hardly any of these women, e've been going to these tech vents, 10 minutes away in our ark for the last eight to 10 ears. And I don't know, hardly ny of these women. So like, we ere like, This is crazy. We hould know these people, they ou know, like we should we hould do something so that we now these people, because this
s crazy. There's I mean, that he amount of people that were t this event, I mean, I know SIS is a large company, they ave like 500 people, but still was I was I was like, floored t the amount of people that ere there. So after that, you now, Brittany, and I were kind f like, well, I kind of want to o a meet up. And she was like, kind of want to do a meet up oo. And I was like, but I don't ant to do it by myself. A lot f work.
Yeah. Yeah.
So um, yeah. So we decided, let's just do it. Let's just put it out there and see who comes. And we had our first event in January of 2018. It was just like a networking event mixer. And we had a really great turnout. We met a lot of great people in the community. And today we have over 600 members in our meetup group.
That's amazing!
Yeah, we host our we hosted events monthly, and in 2019. We bought brought on an agenda Gaudio. She's CEO of Vidya. And she's our executive director. And she was also our first speaker for like our first event with a speaker. So it's really been amazing. It's so we're going on four years now.
That's pretty solid, Alison, and I think t's, I mean, I've attended a ouple of them. And I remember ack in the beginning, and I an't believe it's been four ears already. I feel like but I o feel like it's been longer ecause I feel like you guys ave such a following and you're ut there. So it's really it's, t's inspiring, and it's
otivating. Especially when I do alk to so many candidates in hile I'm in the recruiting ndustry, being able to send hese candidates and give them n outlet to meet other people. nd I've actually worked with a ot of the members that have one through Jersey Shore Women n Tech. So it's, it's been retty awesome.
Yeah.
So why the focus on the tech industry? Can you also and I'm going to stack a question here, because I think it'll go together. Can you explain some of the difficulties women face while working in the tech industry?
Yeah, sure. So obviously, we wanted to do the tech industry, because that's, that's our that's what we do.
Right.
I'm on the business side, Brittany is a software engineer developer. And like I said, you know, we saw this opportunity that there were women at a lot of local tech companies, and we didn't know any of them. Now, Monmouth County is pretty small.
Yeah.
With the you know, if you're, if you've worked for a company, or you you hang out in any of these towns, like you, you know, people, and we were, I was just like, how can this many people work in technology in some facet, and we don't know most of these women. So I mean, that's really, we just felt that there was a need for a tech community for women
in this in this area. And, you know, we cater to everyone, like we were, you know, it's any man who want to show up, like, we're always happy to have them show up and support our cause and advocate for women that they work with, you know, it's anyone from somebody that's just starting out in their career, someone who's been in their career for, you know, 50 years, maybe they're on their way to
retirement. Maybe you work for a tech company, but you're not like a tech person, your sales, your sales or business development, or your receptionist, or maybe your recruiter, like, you know, those kinds of people we wanted to build a community for, we didn't want to just be like dev and tech.
Right?
We wanted to support people that worked in technology in some form.
Overall, the technology industry, and I think that that's awesome, too, because it really opens up the doors for different people to meet and and see where that path takes them. I think that that's something and just having a place for women in technology in our area. You know, I It's, as a recruiter, I'm always trying to find local women, too, that are looking for work, or that wants some career advice or like that, I feel that in our area, there's
a lot of hidden gems. And it's just because, you know, maybe they're working in New York, and they're doing the commuting, I get that I understand a five hour a day commute. So it's really nice to have this opportunity for people of all different backgrounds and professional paths to really come together and learn. You know, I some of the speakers that you guys have had. I've learned so much from them. And it's also a huge networking
tool. So I just I find it just fascinating how much you guys have grown and how big you guys have grown as well. So Jersey Shore Women in Tech fundraises to send young girls to Plum Robotics. Why did you guys choose this organization to support and can you explain what the girls are taught?
Sure. So um, my, my co founder, Brittany, Brittany, Jacob. She is, like I said, she's a software engineering manager. She works at Vidya as well. This was like, really her, her her little passion project. You know, she's she's very, I mean, we all are, but she's very passionate about, you know, teaching girls about coding and how, you know, it's a really great job opportunity for a lot of a lot of people to
learn how to code. So, I believe that the plum robotics, coding camp in Marlboro, they were selected because they, they had the best program, and they were able to, like work with us. And it was, you know, we even had to like provide transportation for these girls that they picked in the first round because a lot of them didn't have the transportation. So Brittany did, she did so much work on this. She worked with, you know, the Asbury Park schools. And you know, the girls just loved it.
So our first fundraiser, we raised $5,000, and we sent eight girls to camp for eight weeks.
That's amazing.
Yeah. So and they learned the you know, they got their own equipment, I think they were learning like, raspberry, I'm not really sure of all the technology. But, you know, you can go to our GoFundMe page and read all about, like, what the girls learned and get an update on it. Um, we did try to do it again for 2019 and then COVID hit.
Yeah.
So we were able to work with Plum Crazy Robotics to do a virtual session for the girls is for a select group of middle school girls this past year. So that was really, really great that we were still able to do that, admist COVID and everthing.
Yeah.
You know?
And then, what would How would you say, doing the Plum Robotics for these young girls? You know, what, in regards to okay, they're taught the different technologies, but how does it increase opportunities for them in the tech industry at such a young age? Yeah.
I think, you know, just giving them that You know, this is this could be a career choice awareness. for you. And slowly, you know, like, if they learn and they get to apply hands on training, you know, they get hands on training, they're working with, you know, different technologies. Like, I think it's just, you know, I mean, like I said, I went, I learned to program and it's just amazing to know that you can create something, and, and it does, even if it's like a Hello World.
Yeah.
Wow, that actually works like so I think it's just, I personally think that every young girl should learn a little bit of programming, you know, in before they get to college.
I agree to and I mean, I've even purchased, like, robotics games and stuff like that for my kids. Because I think it's it's another area for there for them to challenge themselves. And it opens up so many more doors. I love that you guys are going as like middle school. And do you guys do high school too, was high school, your first one?
High school girls were the first group of girls that we sent. Yeah, so there's like an application process and everything. And you know, Brittany worked very hard with the schools for the selection. And
That's, that's fantastic. And it's so important, because maybe a middle school or high school female doesn't really know what coding is. I mean, I remember years ago when I was in college, just learning Dreamweaver, but then they were teaching us the HTML side of it. So it wasn't just the visual graphics part of it. But it was the backend tech part of it. And I was fascinated, I'm like, I could type in some of these characters. And this pops up to look like this. I mean, really
cool stuff. And I think it's great to start it at a younger age. Because, you know, especially with our world today, I mean, we're in a tech world, this is where we're at. So it really is opening up the doors for these girls minds to find a path maybe different than what they know. And it opens up so many more opportunities. Wow. As a networking organization, talking about COVID, and the pandemic, how did you reprioritize through the pandemic, what did you guys struggle with?
Yeah, so we were meeting in person up until February 2020. And then like that second week, in March, we meet the third week of the month, every night. So we had a speaker lined up to be there in person. So you know, we had to pivot very quickly. And you know, you know, see, can could she do it virtually, and we had to figure out, like, what technology is going to meet our needs. And, you know, just, you know, we had to scramble, because we didn't want to disappoint our community.
Yeah.
Or it's like everyone, we're like, Oh, I'd only be like this month probably. And here we are, October 2020 2021. And we're still doing virtual events. So, I mean, the great thing about doing virtual events is it has allowed us to have speakers from outside or our local area, which rate we've had like Justin Azhari, who's out of California who runs next Tech sash, and she
was awesome. And you know, we've had, you know, some people from other areas and it's just allowed us to expand who we can bring to our community to speak. So that's been a plus. We are missing that. You know, the connection of like seeing people once a month and catching up. And, you know, we are missing that a lot. And you know, also we've been, you know, it's been a challenge, like people are getting zoom fatigue, like their tool meetings, most of most of the people in our community work
in tech. So a lot of them are still remote, and they're going virtual meetings all day. So a lot of people are burnt out. And you know, sometimes attendance is a little low, because you know, people they're looking to get back in person. We also need to find a new home, because we were meeting at co works in Asbury Park, and they've actually decided to give up that lease space and their other locations. They don't really have like a big common area
anymore. It's more just office space that they're renting out at the co working space. So we are looking for somebody to sponsor us with a new space. So okay, and once we have that, you know, hopefully, people will feel comfortable coming out and we can be together in person again.
So a little shout out to the audience that's listening. If everybody if anybody's interested in sponsoring a space for Jersey Shore Women in Tech, make sure you guys reach out through the pandemic two and COVID. Did you guys have any notable successes over the past 18 months? 20 months?
Well, I would say notable successes, the fact that we haven't given up.
Right. That's huge, Alison, that's huge.
Because I've heard that a lot there was you know, New Jersey had a pretty a pretty robust tech meetup community, you would think the Princeton meetup there was a New Jersey Tech meetup in Stevens out of Hoboken, there was another New Jersey Women Tech meetup. No one is meeting anymore, because they just couldn't transition to virtual. So I'm just happy that we were able to keep going and keep finding speakers and providing our community with, you know,
Something.
Yeah, excatly.
Keep going and keep that connection going. And that's, I mean, that's so important, because a lot of those people that would have attended those other meetups in person, you know, that was their monthly networking, that was their monthly livelihood for networking. So that's, you know, unfortunate on one end, but fortunate that you guys, I mean,
you guys have kept going. And it's amazing that I'm opening up to being virtual, being able to kind of open the playing field a little bit more for different speakers. So you kind of get a little bit of a one up on that. But still, the struggle is real of people wanting to get back together and having that camaraderie and that energy sharing while being in a big room together. Yep. Yep. So as of right now for Jersey Shore, women in tech, what does the future hold?
Well, we will be continuing to hold our monthly events. Like I said, we typically meet on the third Tuesday of every month 30 pm Eastern, virtually, you know, I we've also we also love to scale our organization and provide additional services, workshops, training events, you know, mentorship matching, that there's, there's just so much that I would like to do and provide for our community. So we just have to figure out what's the best, best path to take?
Yeah, that's awesome. Well DefinedTalent supports you guys. 1,000,000%. And you know, if there's anything that we can ever do to help or even partner on
Yeah absolutely. And as you know, we're also 100% something. Bootstrap. So he's looking for sponsors that can help us to continue support the growth of the community so we always keep our events free to the public so we just you know, our sponsorship allows us to pay for zoo
Be virtual all together
On our website, all of those little little things that that that cost money to provide this for the community. But yeah, so if you're interested, just visit us at jerseyshore.womenintech.com. And you can also find us on meetup.com Just search for Jersey Shore Women in Tech, and we're also on all the socials. So you find us on there as well. But if you want to be notified of events or learn about sponsorship opportunities on our website, and the meetup site all will have it all. Yeah.
Okay, awesome. And we'll make sure to share that up too when we posted as podcasts, you know, advice for women in the industry or considering a professional tech career, Jersey Shore Women in Tech has has really built such an amazing foundation. And just people listening out there, join us join a meetup at their phenomenal and they've got some really awesome speakers that come through. Alison, so to wrap us up here, can you share your top five tips for women in the technology industry?
Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself. Love advocate for yourself, definitely. Get join, join a networking group, get a mentor, or be a mentor mentee or, you know, the mentee be a mentor. You might not even realize that you're mentoring somebody, you know, just having a conversation. Um, I would say, you know, for me myself, networking is really key. And you know, also if you're one of these people, that's a connector, connect to those people that you think should
meet. Because you never know, you never know like, what synergies can happen. And you know what to take from there? Yeah, I would just say, you know, and if you're not in technology, and you're interested in it, learn about it. There's so many free resources out there. I just heard the other day that some libraries even give memberships to like Udemy for training, I know that. I know, some do it for like lynda.com. You know, there's lots of free trainings
on YouTube. If you're interested in something, just learn about it. Because the tech tech industry moves fast. And you have to, you have to...
To keep going.
You don't need to be an expert, but you have to have an understanding. So I would say that's probably more than five. Definitely, you know, read and learn as much as you can.
Thank you so much, Alison, for joining us today. Such a pleasure. And again, Jersey Shore Women in Tech. I'm a huge supporter, huge fan of all of you ladies and I can't wait to get my butt to your next meet up.
It will be great to see you on one.
Thanks Alison, awesome. Thanks for joining us. We are DefinedTalent a DefinedLogic service coming to you at Top5. Make it a great day.