THE EXCHANGE SPRING 2022 INTERVIEW WITH: INTERVIEW WITH: Shonnah Hughes Susan Thayer Salesforce MVP, Certified Salesforce Solution Global Product Evangelist, Salesforce MVP, Architect, Director at Sogeti/Capgemini and Founder of Teen Tech Titans Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day? How has AppExchange influenced/ We need to break the unconscious bias against women, and empowered you in your career? International Women’s Day is the perfect reminder to start the conversation. I also love that International Women’s Day showcases some of the amazing contributions made by How has AppExchange influenced/ What is the most important piece of Whenever I have a business need I am trying to solve and I women. You can’t be what you don’t see. think, “We can’t be the only one with this problem,” I go to empowered you in your career? advice you have been given? AppExchange. There I can find Lightning components, flows, and apps that I can install to quickly resolve my issue or to use The AppExchange marketplace is my all-purpose utility knife Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s perfectly okay, as a springboard if I need to build a custom solution. Have you faced any barriers in your and has helped me streamline solutions for organizations because your worth is not based on their opinion. Not with ease. Empowering me to build efficiently and with less everyone will understand your journey. That’s fine. It’s not career due to being a woman? If so, how technical debt by extending the Salesforce Platform with their journey to make sense of. It’s yours. You can’t pour from “Ask for what you did you overcome them? AppExchange, I am more agile, allowing me to advance and an empty cup. In order for you to help others, you need to excel my career with partners and their solutions that have first help yourself, but always remember giving does not only been verified by Salesforce. precede receiving; it is the reason for it. It is in giving that we want. As a female, I have had several job interviews where they outright asked if I receive. could do the job since I was a mom. I didn’t accept those jobs we often are afraid as I don’t want to work for a company or manager that has Have you faced any barriers in your those thoughts. Their loss. Life is too short to work for people to speak up, afraid who don’t respect you. “Not everyone is career due to being a woman? If so, how to stand out. But if going to like you, did you overcome them? What is the most important piece of I have faced and continue to face many barriers as a woman, you want something advice you have been given? and that’s perfectly and when you layer on all of my intersecting identities, the barriers at times seem insurmountable. However, I learned — whether a raise, Ask for what you want. As a female, we often are afraid to okay, because your some very important lessons early on: speak up, afraid to stand out. But if you want something — 1) Always be true to yourself. a mentor, more time whether a raise, a mentor, more time to do a task, or help with 2) Never dim your light. your kids, just ask for it. The worst that can happen is they say worth is not based 3) Be the person you need/needed while on this journey. to do a task, or help no. But if you don’t ask — you’ll never get it. on their opinion.” 4) Impact over intent. with your kids, just 5) Things don’t matter, people do. - SHONNAH HUGHES ask for it.” - SUSAN THAYER 23