In today’s episode, host Lorie Jones sits down with Tara Beiser, global head of marketing for Wipro’s SAP practice and a shining example of women breaking barriers in tech. Tara details her unconventional journey from aspiring fashion buyer to executive leader, sharing how embracing her ambition—even when others called her too pushy—became her superpower.
Explore the pivotal moments and subtle challenges that shape the careers of women leaders as Tara discusses self-doubt, setting boundaries, and making professional shifts count. She has practical advice for building confidence to thrive in a male-dominated field, and she highlights the power of mentorship, authentic relationships, and early financial independence.
Tune in for a conversation that offers wisdom and inspiration for finding your voice, setting boundaries, and embracing the unique strengths that set you apart in any room!
Show Highlights:
- A deceptively short Patrick Lencioni book for leadership inspiration. [04:01]
- Types of early career exposure that build marketing leaders. [05:45]
- Why investing time in working with small companies helps you. [11:48]
- Discover a top exec network and a tech alliance for women. [12:52]
- Learning the mindset of work–life boundaries (not balance). [15:39]
- Does embracing your “too much” quality lead to burnout? [17:18]
- The importance of seeking out mentors and how to find one. [22:08]
- Early financial milestones and habits for lasting peace of mind. [27:01]
- Tips for navigating the fear associated with new professional roles. [30:04]
- Key advice on the need for preparation for women in male-dominated fields. [33:49]
Contact Tara Beiser on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarabeiser/. Remember to reference the Fearless Females Podcast in your note!
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review!
For more information about Lorie Jones, go to https://fearlessfinancialadvisors.com/fearless-females.
00:00.89
Lorie Jones
Good morning, fearless females. So today we are joined by Tara Beiser. She is the global head of marketing at Wipro, the SAP practice. And um that is a really long title, but I didn’t have to practice it. So I was so excited for myself. So Tara, we’re so excited to have you today. i love our conversation before the podcast, and I’m really excited to hear your story.
00:28.34
Tara Beiser
Appreciate it. Thank you for having me and very excited to talk to you today.
00:33.91
Lorie Jones
So my first question is always the same and it is, what is your favorite book?
00:39.99
Tara Beiser
Yes, absolutely. My favorite book is it’s a short book, too. It’s called The Motive by Patrick Lencioni. and This book is really about the drivers, as as in the motive, the the motivators for people who choose to be in leadership or if potentially that path of leadership chooses them.
00:49.14
Lorie Jones
Okay.
01:02.17
Tara Beiser
um And it’s it’s a quick read. And I found that it’s very interesting, filled with a lot of ah people insights, if you will. And it’s it tells the story across a number of different situations in a variety of different industries. So I feel like it’s very relatable for anyone who has tried to either be in leadership or that’s kind of brought upon them. And feel like it’s just a very compelling read.
01:35.51
Lorie Jones
I love that. I’ve read some of his other work, but I haven’t read that one. And that sounds so interesting. I like the idea of like being thrust into leadership. Like, you know, sometimes that does happen. Like sometimes we do not raise our hand and we’re like, oh, yeah, I want to lead for sure. It’s we find ourself in a position where we’re like, oh, we better dang well get better at this soon, huh?
01:55.67
Tara Beiser
Exactly, exactly.
01:57.85
Lorie Jones
So I love that. i’ll take the i’ll take ah I’ll take a look at that one. And his are usually pretty um interesting, engaging. And I love the idea that it’s short. I can probably put that on my list to knock it out this week.
02:11.80
Tara Beiser
Yes, exactly. it you you easily can.
02:15.93
Lorie Jones
So tell me a little bit about your journey, Tara. Like, how did you get started? Did you always know what you wanted to be? Did you ah take a a a windy route or were you like straight ahead? like tell me about you.
02:29.62
Tara Beiser
Absolutely, and appreciate the question. So overall, I have been in marketing and communications for my entire career. ah But with that said, I did not know what my end goal was or even when I was starting to go into school, what path that was going to really lead me. So I feel like my journey could be captured really by a series of either well-informed accidents or just an evolution of a series of pivots. And I really…
03:05.11
Tara Beiser
group it as three um throughout my journey overall. So first is I know that you have listeners across, ah you know, that might even still be in school and so forth.
03:13.69
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
03:19.72
Tara Beiser
So um even as I started, i did not even start in marketing and communications when I was in college. I actually was thinking I was going to be a fashion buyer.
03:32.84
Tara Beiser
And I think at that time that just sounded glamorous and exciting and to be on top of fashion trends and so forth. But once I was in school, i was joining a number of different organizations and I always ended up being the person who was doing the communications or helping market the events.
03:55.80
Tara Beiser
help organize those types of activities and be involved in that way. So it was one of my friends who pointed out that maybe I should kind of reconsider this.
04:08.38
Tara Beiser
And I looked into it and I looked into like what kinds of roles that would of eventually evolve for me. And that was really where I wanted to kind of ah evolve and and and drive my career, I thought, at that time.
04:28.25
Tara Beiser
um But within that, I was really drawn to more creative graphic type roles. So at an agency, it might be like an art director. um And so I started. so then that’s kind of then a first kept pivot there of focusing then on the graphics and telling the story more, more visually. And that was where I kind of started my roles um when I kicked off my career.
04:59.32
Tara Beiser
But then I realized that I really wanted two so I kind grouped that all together though, is looking at that one big kind of move there. Then As I was telling those stories kind of visually, I realized that I wanted to understand the rationale and the business case, the strategy behind what we were doing.
05:24.12
Tara Beiser
And this then brought me to the next pivot where I was then really interested in that business rationale. So i wanted to work more on the client facing or corporate side of the marketing roles so that I could then help to execute and deliver on that overall strategy. and But I was doing that in more of the agency world.
05:52.47
Tara Beiser
And my next pivot then was to business to business marketing. where I overall focused on technology marketing for the most part.
05:58.56
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
06:02.74
Tara Beiser
And ah that is where I have remained. And overall, so the last 15 plus years has been really centered in the technology marketing our solutions or services in that space.
06:18.45
Tara Beiser
And I really enjoy that because I think that it helps me stay on top of trends. It also lends itself to be able to talk about really interesting client stories about their situations and their successes and the big picture outcomes that we’ve been able to drive. So that is really something that I’ve really enjoyed. So those are kind of my big three kind of accidental pivots, if you will.
06:50.01
Lorie Jones
So I loved um that. That’s a ah different journey, right? Fashion designer to tech.
06:56.64
Tara Beiser
Well, certainly.
07:00.09
Lorie Jones
But I loved what you said when you’re when you were saying, hey, i i you know I was joining clubs and I was doing all these things that really kind of revolved around um communication. And I found out that i was that’s where I was good at. you know And that’s what i that’s what I was really finding myself drawn to. um i I like the idea of being able to dabble in those areas because you’re because you’re out there, because you’re joining clubs, because you’re working in those areas. um i I didn’t hear you say i went to their career development place and I took this little quiz and it told me, you know, you said I was out there like practicing, trying things.
07:40.22
Tara Beiser
Exactly. Yes.
07:43.06
Lorie Jones
So I think that’s really kind of, that’s a really underutilized way, I think, of of figuring out what you’re good at and what you’re drawn to. And you also had a girlfriend or a couple of friends, your, you know, advisory council, your prototype of of people who know you that, like mentioned, hey, you you might want to think of this. Maybe that’s something that we don’t see about ourselves, but other close people would.
08:10.71
Tara Beiser
Exactly, exactly. And I that really meant the most to me. And it really was that aha moment early on. And who knows if someone hadn’t if that person hadn’t said anything, had I gone in that path or or kept kept going? It’s very interesting how that evolved for me, I have to say.
08:35.41
Lorie Jones
So Tara, what is the best investment that you’ve made in yourself? If you look back like along your journey and your path and everything, is there something that you can say, oh my gosh, I’m just so glad I did that. It meant the difference in my life.
08:50.07
Tara Beiser
So again, I do have three ah areas of this, because and as an investment, it’s really about time and money. um And in my journey, it’s really been around, more around the leadership ah skills that I’ve been able to kind of move forward with and investing in myself in those different ways. So one, early on in my career, I was also consulting in addition to my day job.
09:18.90
Tara Beiser
And that kept me thinking of just different different approaches and different types of businesses. And I think that that then really helped me evolve yeah with all of the kind of changes later on.
09:35.18
Tara Beiser
So i it wasn’t marketing consulting, but i was helping other like small businesses in lots of different ways. um so that was an investment really of my time because yes maybe they might pay me a little bit but it was more about my learning at that time uh so it really it was really more of an investment of my own time to do that uh then second was both time and money when i in when i joined um
10:02.82
Lorie Jones
Thank
10:06.96
Tara Beiser
what’s called the Chief Network. Not sure if you’ve heard of this, but I funded my own membership. And this is a network of female executives. And I was really able to engage and learned a lot from a lot of great women that are part of that network. It was really interesting to hear their journeys as well. They have different sessions that you can listen to or be a part of if you’re part of the network. They also have in-person events, depending on where you’re at. So that was an investment of both time um and my money. And then right now is the the third, I would say, that’s been the most important as I just joined and took on the role of a board role for the marketing chair for what’s called the DFW Alliance and Technology. And this is a volunteer effort. So it is an investment of my time. It’s a great organization. And it will, um I’m really looking forward to the fact that it will continue to help me connect with other individuals, especially in this, ah where I’m at in the DFW area, ah and learn from other individuals, as well as being able to provide them the support from my expertise from marketing. So I really am looking forward to that, though it did just kick off. So um but that will be a big investment in my overall time.
11:42.24
Lorie Jones
I like that. I think that you’re continuing to that story or that like narrative of being involved um in different organizations and learning what you can about them that maybe informs better who you are in your role or um gives you access to lots of different thoughts and ideas and and ways of doing things and leadership opportunities too, it sounds like.
12:11.58
Tara Beiser
Absolutely. Especially because this is in the i’m in the technology area, just learning other people’s pain points, hearing how they’ve done different things, connecting, expanding the network within that, I think is going to be so helpful. So really looking forward to that.
12:28.25
Lorie Jones
Yeah, yeah, that’s a, but it is a, it is a big um bite of your time and energy. That’s it. It’s, it’s hard to balance that. And, and I’ve had so many guests that say there is no such thing as balance work-life balance. And I, I don’t have any, so I just have to believe them. But, but do you, do you worry about that? Like taking too much time in, in one area or how do you, how do you navigate that challenge?
12:57.16
Tara Beiser
I do. It’s a great question. ah Yes, there really is no balance these days. so ah you just have to kind of come to terms with that. But you have to just understand and make sure really you have your boundaries for what you’re doing. And of course, I have my full time role.
13:14.01
Tara Beiser
within Wipro and within that, I need to ensure that I am doing everything within that role as well as this is a this is a commitment. I’ve made that this commitment. So making sure that I can balance that as well as from my own you know family and friends and not go off the radar with them for you know two years or something like that. So I think it’s about you know looking at kind of your time as much as you can and just different kind of chunks of time and making sure that if you’re really going too much, like working you know seven days a week across all of these efforts, that you’re going to out and you’re not going to help anyone. So just making sure that you set those boundaries of what’s important and what other things that you’re doing in your life.
14:06.37
Lorie Jones
I like that idea of like boundaries, not balance. Like you you kind of put the the boundaries in place to find the the sweet spot in in how you’re allocating your time. Because it is, time is the only thing we can get more of. Yeah.
14:24.47
Tara Beiser
Very true. Exactly.
14:27.16
Lorie Jones
What is the worst advice someone gave you? Can you think of a time when you got some really bad advice? And did you take the advice or did you not take it? Tell me about that.
14:38.49
Tara Beiser
Yeah, so I would say that kind of early on in my career, i was always trying to yeah learn as well as take on a lot of other you know initiatives and so forth. And I really wanted to continue to ah grow my career.
14:58.42
Tara Beiser
so What I would have to say is what was maybe the worst for me was that someone told me that I did not need to be so ambitious.
15:07.52
Lorie Jones
Thank
15:12.28
Tara Beiser
And i think that their their their intent was certainly good. i think that maybe they thought I’d get burnt out that too quickly and that I’d regret um putting myself and into too much too much, too much work, taking on too many things.
15:32.63
Tara Beiser
um But with this direction, I then started to kind of have a little bit of self-doubt. And I thought, well, maybe I’m being too pushy. And maybe i maybe this, that’s that’s aggravating people or something to to that effect.
15:45.84
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
15:49.26
Tara Beiser
So I then started to kind of lean back in my career. And I think that if I really hadn’t heard that and just continued on that I might have just pushed myself, continued forward.
16:09.38
Tara Beiser
Hopefully I wouldn’t have burned out. ah But I think that ah maybe might’ve caused some self doubt at that time um that I then just didn’t, I maybe could have done a little little more and gotten a propelled a little bit differently.
16:18.21
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
16:27.16
Tara Beiser
had I not taken to that into too much account.
16:32.89
Lorie Jones
Yeah, it is it is hard. And especially um as women, a lot of times we do get that message, like, don’t don’t be too much.
16:43.29
Lorie Jones
like you know and
16:43.50
Tara Beiser
Mm-hmm.
16:46.26
Lorie Jones
And sometimes that’s uniquely who we are. That’s why we find the roles that we find is because we we bring a lot of enthusiasm and, um you know,
16:57.72
Lorie Jones
a lot of ourselves, a lot of our authenticity to those roles. Is there a way that you would, that you have changed to maybe do things differently with those that you’re leading now or, um a way that you’ve, you found to kind of lean in, um like when did you start like leaning in again and taking ownership of that?
17:20.89
Tara Beiser
I think I really started to lean back in more when I went into the technology side of the marketing and was part of kind of bigger teams and then also had the opportunity to just collaborate more and then see…
17:27.80
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
17:37.75
Tara Beiser
just different sets of how other individuals kind of taken also their marketing careers and so forth. I think that then when I reflected on it, it did motivate me to want to mentor or help coach my team members more so. So I really do take that kind of coaching mentorship approach.
18:00.89
Tara Beiser
approach across my team to make sure that they’re growing and that they’re ready for their next big endeavor themselves and to help motivate them for whatever is the right fit as is to let them grow.
18:12.06
Lorie Jones
Yeah.
18:15.86
Lorie Jones
who And so, and, and through the, through the coaching or the leadership, like that’s allowed you also to, to show up as yourself.
18:28.25
Tara Beiser
Absolutely. 100%. agree.
18:30.94
Lorie Jones
Yeah, that I think that that’s something that we we don’t realize as we’re giving back and we’re doing it. It just feels sometimes like one more thing to do on your plate. One more hit of your time. But I think that’s something that we don’t realize is that we get just as much out of those coaching and mentoringship mentorships and and um leadership opportunities is that a lot of times…
18:57.56
Lorie Jones
I do the same thing with my kids. When I tell them what they should be doing, a lot of times I’m like, but Lori, in my brain, I never say it out loud, so they don’t know. but in my brain, I’m like, Lori, are you doing the things you’re encouraging them to do? Because if it’s good advice for them, it’s probably good advice for you. And I think that we maybe forget that sometimes.
19:18.74
Tara Beiser
Yeah, absolutely. But it’s easy to do. It’s, yeah as they say, easier easier said than done.
19:23.70
Lorie Jones
Yeah, yeah, for sure. So I love that. I love that you took that experience and you kind of grew from it and you’re helping others grow from it as well. I think that’s neat. What about um a do-over? If you look back kind of along your journey and your path, is there a time where you’re like, oh my gosh, I wish I could go back and do that again. And I would do it so differently because I know so much more now. Is there is there a time like that that you can think of?
19:51.39
Tara Beiser
Well, I would say, and it kind of really dives back to that last point, is that I wish I had sought purposely out a mentor myself.
20:02.46
Tara Beiser
So I never did. I’ve had some supervisors. I had some bosses who did help certainly help me along the way and those that I kept in touch with, but never did.
20:13.07
Lorie Jones
so
20:16.47
Tara Beiser
really sought out that mentorship. And so there’s not like a big situation overall or a mistake. I mean, I think we learn from different situations, but I think that had I really sought out a mentor, I think that that would have helped me just throughout my career. And that’s also, I think, why I really want to help others. And I kind of put myself out there for others. um because still to this day, I now at this point, I’m like, well, I guess what’s the point if I have a mentor maybe?
20:46.97
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
20:53.80
Tara Beiser
um But on my end, after, you know, 25 years experience and whatnot, but um I kind of say that joking aside, but ah yeah, I wish I would have really sought out a mentor.
21:08.93
Tara Beiser
I’ve seen others that, have really, that’s really served them very well. And I think that that could have helped me to at least talk through different situations throughout my career um and just maybe have more confidence in how I was tackling those.
21:30.90
Lorie Jones
Yeah, that’s that’s a that’s a good point too, is that is that sometimes mentors may just go ahead and um ratify what you’re already doing. They’re like, yep, that’s a good idea. You should do that. And, and, so and sometimes they’ll tell you you, know, they’ll come at you and they’ll be like, yeah, you need to rethink that maybe a little bit, at least good mentors do. But, but sometimes all we need is to say, to bounce an idea off of someone and have them say, yeah, I would go that direction too. That sounds, that sounds right. You know, so
22:05.45
Tara Beiser
Exactly.
22:06.49
Lorie Jones
And I wonder if that the the chief um role that you said you invested in, that probably serves as ah as a bit of a mentorship
22:15.59
Tara Beiser
It did. It did give me a lot of an opportunity to kind of collaborate across others. And we were mentoring each other, if you will, in a way. But um so that at that time when I was doing that was probably really the closest to to having that benefit, if you will.
22:35.06
Lorie Jones
How would you go about finding a mentor? Like, I’ve always wondered that. And I know that it’s like on you, but like, do you just go up to people? I’m so bad at going up to people and say, please, can you help?
22:48.31
Tara Beiser
I know. um So so and since I don’t have one, but ah but the what I have seen is a few different individuals. Like, I mean, I think it’s always great when you, um if you find someone within your organization that has a leadership role that you’re like, well, that might be where I want to kind of grow my career or at least they have a different perspective like within their business and they they have a lot of great ah experience to to reference.
23:19.96
Tara Beiser
um So I think that if you have that kind of door opener from your organization um and inquire and and ask if they would spend some time and give that um give you that opportunity.
23:36.30
Tara Beiser
and and And try to pack also kind of package it of I’m just looking for this in this timeframe, maybe like once a month or something like that.
23:48.26
Tara Beiser
And then I think that that could be great.
23:48.38
Lorie Jones
yeah
23:52.88
Tara Beiser
um I think that if, I mean, I’ve also actually heard that if, I mean, if you’re also someone who really is maybe outgoing and you go to like networking events and you meet someone that you’re just,
24:11.54
Tara Beiser
so engaged with that has also again that kind of leadership role or something that where you think you might want to grow um you know following up with them trying to keep in touch and seeing if they’d be willing to do that um i do think it’s a more ah a bigger opportunity if you are able to do it you know within your organization of course at least start somewhere
24:32.38
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah. Those are, yeah, those are some good ideas. And I think that, um, the idea of taking out for coffee, you’re going out, and you know, pay just, I found that so many women too are willing to listen and share ideas and share, um what helped them be successful.
24:56.02
Tara Beiser
Exactly. Absolutely.
24:59.10
Lorie Jones
If you could, tara if you could go back and high five yourself for a really great past financial decision, what would that be?
25:07.79
Tara Beiser
I would have to say that ah I purchased my first home, a townhome, when I was 24. And so when I got out of school, out of college, I just continued to really save. And I didn’t want to be throwing money out as a… rent, um or I wanted to do that as for as short a timeframe as possible. And I think that that was a really great investment. And it helped me to make sure that I was really focused on my own budget so that it this was all I could spend in order to meet these goals, these financial goals to save at that time. And then once I did purchase it, ah so then
25:59.06
Tara Beiser
to ensure that I was, of course, making my my mortgage. So that i I’m proud that I was able to do that. I know a lot of people are are not able to.
26:10.25
Tara Beiser
i think it also helped me that I was able to work through college years so that I did not have financial like aid or I did not have to take out additional loans at that time to and didn’t have to pay those off.
26:17.44
Lorie Jones
Yeah. Yeah.
26:28.18
Tara Beiser
So it was a I was very fortunate within that. um It was a lot of hard work, but that I think really did just help pay off and then kept me motivated in in budgeting ah for.
26:46.65
Tara Beiser
For for, you know, till till this day.
26:49.88
Lorie Jones
Yeah, yeah, that’s cool. And and it sounds like um part of that too was making, not only making the good financial decisions, but um like making those good financial decisions that young so that as you carried them over, you know, in life, I find that really interesting.
27:09.76
Lorie Jones
I, I i joke that as soon as my kids get a job, I’ll take them out to dinner and congratulate them and talk to them a really lot about setting up an investment account until they just give up and say, mom, whatever, if that sounds like great, let’s do that.
27:24.40
Lorie Jones
And so they, they,
27:24.83
Tara Beiser
Yes. Starting early. Absolutely.
27:26.56
Lorie Jones
Yes. So at 15, 16 years old, when they get their first job, they are already learning the skill of putting money away into an investment account.
27:34.71
Tara Beiser
right.
27:36.98
Lorie Jones
And that and that I’ve watched it um follow them through like college and young adulthood. And even when they don’t have a whole lot, they are still putting money away because that was something they learned really young.
27:49.90
Lorie Jones
It sounds like that’s kind of the same sort of thing is you like learn that budgeting skill really young and you carry that through. And it’s been just a just a ah really great thing for you throughout your life.
28:03.48
Tara Beiser
Exactly. Absolutely. It was.
28:05.56
Lorie Jones
Yeah, that’s so smart. That’s such a good idea. So what scared you the most, Tara, when you kind of started down this journey? Was there anything that you were like, oh, I’m terrified? and Are you still today or did you kind of grow with that?
28:21.40
Tara Beiser
Sorry for my career or from like more from the financial standpoint.
28:24.84
Lorie Jones
From your career.
28:26.07
Tara Beiser
Okay. um Yeah, I think that, you know, each time I made those pivots, um that was always very scary, ah making sure, you know, was I going to be able to ah meet those new goals and, you know, what that job entailed and so forth.
28:48.11
Tara Beiser
So I think that that was very ah scary.
28:50.09
Lorie Jones
Thank
28:51.47
Tara Beiser
And, you know, anytime when you have like a big endeavor project and maybe leading a lot of other individuals that you make sure that, you know,
29:06.65
Tara Beiser
is is our approach on this, the sound approach, making sure that you then have the buy-in from your key stakeholders so that you have that that alignment and that um that’s support so that… um you can all be accountable to together. And then that also that maybe then those of individuals, if if there become any barriers that they can help you along the way. So I think that, you know, tackling some of those big things, just, it can be daunting. ah But yeah,
29:44.76
Tara Beiser
Ensuring that you try to also have them the right individuals from that you’re looking out for those right leadership to guide you and the right building up your team.
29:56.09
Tara Beiser
So that as you take things on that you’re, you can be fully confident that we’ve we’ve got this.
30:04.44
Lorie Jones
So do you still, when you take on those new roles, is it still is it still scary?
30:10.24
Tara Beiser
Oh, sure. um i think it’s still a little scary. um I mean, even me stepping into the the board position, it’s a kind of volunteer initiative. I know that that’s taking up some more taking on some additional time. a lot more individuals to to interface with, to um engage with, making sure that I’m doing you know what’s needed for their overall goals and and learning all the odds and ends of their organization. So you just, I think,
30:43.26
Tara Beiser
I try to just take things, you know, one one bit at a time so that it also is not so overwhelming.
30:47.72
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
30:49.74
Tara Beiser
So making sure, okay, this, as we take something on, especially if it’s something big, just looking at it in little increments or pieces sometimes also to make sure that, you know, you’re not kicking off some big robust event and campaign and with all of this, these the ah ROI and metrics and so forth without, you know, it’s it’s all about all those stages, all those increments. So making sure that you can kind of break it apart and um that helps you to to get to your end goal.
31:25.09
Lorie Jones
Yeah. I like that idea. It’s like the, how do you eat an elephant? Like one bite at a time, like looking at the, yeah, looking at that huge overall big overwhelming picture.
31:29.86
Tara Beiser
I see.
31:35.78
Lorie Jones
and I can imagine, you know, as a young adult kind of coming out of college, looking at, oh my gosh, can I even do this? Like I, I i felt, I felt coming out of college, like I wasn’t trained for anything.
31:48.29
Lorie Jones
Like I don’t know anything. What in the heck did I spend four years doing? But as you break it down into little pieces that are more manageable, you’re like, well, I’ve done this before. I’ve done this little piece. I can do this. I can do a good job of this again. And I’ve done most of this second little piece. So maybe i can, you know, find a few people that know how to do the rest of this and I can do this again. And pretty soon you’ve got the, you’ve got, you know, the building blocks built in those small manageable pieces.
32:18.65
Lorie Jones
i like I like the way you you look at that.
32:23.45
Tara Beiser
Great, thank you.
32:25.85
Lorie Jones
So did you face any unique challenges because you were a woman throughout your journey?
32:33.94
Tara Beiser
i mean her I think everyone faces just different different challenges. But um I mean, especially I am in technology. And additionally, and certain points, I was also aligned to within the technology that we were targeting automotive or industrial and engineering and so forth.
32:49.71
Lorie Jones
Thank you.
32:57.49
Tara Beiser
So i would be at i our team meetings, travel in for that. and 40, 45 people in the room and I was the only female.
33:11.38
Tara Beiser
um And it actually, there was a couple of it times where I was like, okay, I know how to do this. they They’d have the servers and they’d be, if we went to a restaurant afterwards and they’d be like, ladies and gentlemen or lady and gentlemen, I’m just, Tara and gentlemen, just do that. Like, just, it’s just me. It’s okay. And I’d make like the joke of it and whatnot.
33:33.21
Tara Beiser
um But it, I mean, it happened enough times where I was, I knew how to, you know, just make that joke. It it it happened quite a bit. um
33:43.39
Lorie Jones
Thank
33:44.92
Tara Beiser
And I think sometimes it can be daunting to have the confidence to speak up, especially earlier when I was just younger in my career. um But I guess especially now, I feel like, well, I’ve i’ve earned this seat at the table and I then make sure I’m always, I guess, make sure that I’ve been prepped for, you know, what are the conversations going to be like within these these meetings and so forth. It was really when it’s like in a big in-person environment um where i had to kind of think through that. But then on a day-to-day basis, I’m on…
34:26.87
Tara Beiser
video calls and um with with our leadership and that that can still often happen. So it’s about having that confidence due to your own preparation.
34:38.04
Tara Beiser
And I think that that’s a good lesson for anyone, regardless of, you you know, male, female, you know, in their career to ensure that you’re, you know, you’re working towards the role you want to be, not even just where you’re at. Making sure that you have that preparation and that you’re providing value in each of those meetings or in everything that you can do um so that, you know, nobody can take that away from you and nobody can question it.
35:12.76
Lorie Jones
Oh, I love that. Being prepared and then finding that confidence. um I’ve been reading it or listening to different things that just talk about like that confidence. How do you build that confidence? And it sounds like you’re talking about like you do it.
35:28.60
Lorie Jones
You, you, you, even though you might be a little bit scared, right? you, um you You prepare yourself well and then you speak up in the meeting. You actually have to do it before you get the confidence that you’re good at it.
35:45.34
Tara Beiser
Exactly. Yep.
35:47.73
Lorie Jones
So that’s, that’s interesting, because yeah I always, I always think there should be a book that tells you how to do it
35:47.83
Tara Beiser
agree.
35:54.44
Lorie Jones
but And that you should always like, they’re, like, you go in and you’re like, okay, if I follow these steps, or these rules, or this checklist, that everything will be just fine. And that, and it isn’t actually the way that works in the real world.
36:08.82
Tara Beiser
Well, because every situation is different and everybody has their different personalities and experiences. So, yeah, to be prepared for all of those, it’s it can be difficult. But yes, I think just as much kind of preparation, lean in and um you know do do do the best that you can.
36:36.18
Lorie Jones
Yeah, I like that. terra what is the thing you are most proud of?
36:42.39
Tara Beiser
Well, I have listened to your podcasts and I know that many people ah tell them stories about their children um on that question. um But I do not have any children.
36:53.79
Tara Beiser
um i mean, I could talk about me being a dog mom. Yeah.
36:57.30
Lorie Jones
I love that.
36:59.96
Tara Beiser
which Which I do love my little dog, but it’s super, super important. But I would say what I’m most proud of would be some of the longstanding relationships that I’ve had with the people that I’ve worked with, um from team members that have reported into me, from…
37:13.31
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
37:20.25
Tara Beiser
team members that I’ve collaborated with to other leadership and where I’ve just been able to just maintain those relationships and,
37:31.29
Tara Beiser
where they where they are friends, but where, you know, maybe I do want to pick their brain on on something else or and just or just catch up with them. So I’m really proud of having those just longstanding relationships. And because it’s, you know, at at the end of the day, it it isn’t about…
37:51.42
Tara Beiser
ah just the the ah ROI on that that campaign, but it’s what you’re doing for other people and the the mark you can make there.
38:00.48
Lorie Jones
Mm-hmm.
38:03.34
Tara Beiser
So and so I’m very’re very proud to call many of my former either leadership colleagues and or clients even to call them my friends.
38:16.10
Lorie Jones
I love that. I love that. And I think that’s what what the answer boils down to um with it with most of this question is the relationships, the people.
38:27.51
Lorie Jones
That’s why we do what we do every day. And it’s so, so important to look back and say, you know what, I’ve got good people in my life and I’m so proud of those relationships. I love that, Tara. That was a great answer. Thank you.
38:42.46
Tara Beiser
Again, thank you.
38:43.90
Lorie Jones
Um, any advice for a young lady who’s kind of just starting down the path you’re already so far down and so successful at? Is there anything you would tell her so that she could be successful like you?
38:56.15
Tara Beiser
I think it it really harkens on some of the things that I’ve already said um is one, um find a mentor that can help guide you, um find somebody that you look up to and reach out. And i think you’ll be surprised. Yeah. Buy them a book cup of coffee and see if they’ll, you know, just, and just talk and build on that relationship there. And I think that,
39:26.84
Tara Beiser
Ensure that you continue to prepare yourself every day for what, um, what’s kind of around the corner, what you can make sure that you’re best delivering on, uh, prepare to be well-spoken on your, on your delivery of what’s when you’re talking to leadership or your key stakeholders. And that’s going to give you the confidence to, you know, be able to kind of battle anything. so I think that those are kind of all kind of boils down to some of the things that I, that I had said. So i think that at least those are things that had I stepped back,
40:10.97
Tara Beiser
25 years ago, and um maybe those are the things that I would have made sure, you know, put this on your bulletin board and make sure that you do these things and reinforce. um That probably would have been would have been my message to myself. So that that’s where I think would certainly would have helped me. So hope maybe that that helps others.
40:33.88
Lorie Jones
Yeah, I love that. And, and I like the idea of like deliberately looking for those opportunities to find people who are doing what you want to do, or maybe a little bit further down the path and taking the time to, that’s another way of investing in yourself. And I i love how you kind of brought that full circle. Um,
40:52.79
Lorie Jones
So thank you. Thank you so much for your time today, Tara, and taking the and effort and the time to just share your journey with us. If I have a young lady who wants to reach out and ask questions, how does she get a hold of you?
41:07.06
Tara Beiser
Yes. um Well, she can reach out to my, I guess, um I’d say probably best to just send me a note um to reference this on LinkedIn. So Tara Beiser You can look me up, B-E-I-S-E-R, on LinkedIn. And send me a note that way is probably the the best way, maybe reference that you saw it here. And I’m always really quick to respond to those, um to any messages there.
41:40.15
Lorie Jones
Perfect. So just put you that you heard you on the fearless females podcast. So thank you so much, Tara.
41:44.44
Tara Beiser
Exactly.
41:46.55
Lorie Jones
I appreciate your time today. Thank you.
41:49.34
Tara Beiser
Absolutely. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it I love this conversation.