My love for technology is my natural next step towards problem-solving
When asked her to share a little about what it is that she does and what a typical day for her is like, Renuka Sajjan, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Increasingly, in an exclusive interview with CIO News, said, “I am a start-up enthusiast.” I have scaled multiple start-ups in digital marketing and ecommerce over the past 14 years. I am passionate about technology; I embrace the power of technology to create and innovate products to solve challenging tasks and problems. I love to build motivated and high-performing engineering teams.
My typical day involves solving problems by connecting with our highly motivated teams. I oversee all aspects of product development, software architecture, digital products, design, technical trends, and research and development, leveraging innovative technologies to transform the business model, products, and services for my company’s customers, vendors, and clients to help improve and increase business.
When asked if she always knew that working in technology was what she wanted to do, she said, “Yes, I always wanted to be a technologist.” I love challenges and solving problems and like to build products that can make this world a better place—a fair world for everyone. My love for technology is my natural next step towards problem-solving. I am blessed to have a family that was pretty supportive of letting me explore my interests and provided me with the tools to do so. I am lucky that my hobby of creating and building products is my career too. Being in tech has given me challenging opportunities to learn from health care, to digital advertising, and to build AI bundling products.
When asked if she has ever been in a situation where gender has affected the way she was perceived or treated in the technology industry and how she handled the situation, she said, “I consider myself fortunate enough that being in the technology industry has been a very positive and rewarding experience.” My parents never made me feel like I could or couldn’t do something because I was a woman. I started my career as a software developer, and currently I am the “Chief Technology Officer” at Increasingly, which explains everything. I love building companies and consider myself a start-up person. I am grateful that I have been well-supported by my coach, mentor, and leadership team, who have been my real inspiration and have always believed in my ability to excel in my role. I am privileged to have had so many inspiring people champion me and support me along the way.
When asked her about the best part of being a woman in the tech industry, she said, “Investing in women is investing in people who invest in everyone else.” Being a woman in technology lets you up-lift and build a culture where every other woman can succeed. Women in tech can leverage their experience to provide direction and guidance. To me, the best part of being a woman in the tech industry is that a woman can amplify other women and set everyone on a successful journey, and the tradition continues.
When asked if she notices a lack of women in technology and, if so, why does she think that’s the case, she said, “Yes, it pains my heart to know that there is a lack of women in technology.” Women are not entering tech at the same rate as men. The lack of role models for women in tech is the major setback to not having women in tech in my opinion.
When asked about her advice for a woman considering a career in the tech industry and what she wishes she had known before starting her career in the technology industry, she said, “Woman, you are a powerhouse. Once you learn to stand for yourself, there is no looking back.” You are built to overcome and fight all challenges and gender discrimination, and to carve your path as high as you would like to. ‘Keep believing in yourself, not once, but every time’.
I was well aware of the challenges in the tech industry for women before starting my career in tech, and nothing came as a surprise to me in my journey of being a woman in the technology industry.
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