Gimme Three Steps: 3 Years In at Microsoft

Three has always been a special number to me. I’m one of three girls, Microsoft is the third company I’ve worked for, and of course as a child in the 80’s Lynyrd Skynyrd’s, "Gimme Three Steps" was on repeat in our family station wagon. ?So, as I round out my three-year mark at Microsoft I thought I'd look back to look forward.

Looking back, growing up as the daughter of a coffee brand owner, I guess it’s no surprise that I knew what a supermarket end cap was long before I could do a cartwheel or serve a tennis ball. I’m not sure if I was always willing, but my father never missed an opportunity to rearrange coffee cans on the shelf or teach me the power of "retail is detail." ?All joking aside though, being in and around the family’s coffee business as a young girl taught me a lot. A lot about getting "out of my bubble" and into the world. To be curious about people, what they say and what they do. And to understand the power of brands and storytelling.

Above: Me as a kid with my dad and sisters

I was always envious of my big sister Lisa. She knew from a young age that she wanted to be a reporter. As you can see from this article below in the 1997 Financial Times, she invested in a local company in 1984 called Apple Computer and bemoaned the decline of the company, turning sour and losing its “byte” to Microsoft. Me…I wasn’t really sure. I remember wanting to be a lawyer at one point and even studied for the LSAT (for the record I would’ve sucked at being a lawyer.)

As it was, I started out at Visa and then went on to spend 16+ years at The Gap?where I spent my formative years (yes, I started very young.) It’s here where I got to combine my passion for understanding the customer with technology. Granted database marketing wasn’t the coolest place to be back then but I always had a passion for understanding the customer. Quite frankly that’s where data can help tell stories, bring hypotheses to life and connect people more deeply to the consumers they serve.

Fast forward a few years and I joined Microsoft back in September 2018. I made my move here because of what was happening at the company. The third CEO embarking on an ambitious cultural change at a tech behemoth. And a story I thought quite relevant for retailers and brands: disrupt yourself or be disrupted. Open your ecosystem and become a learn-it-all vs. a know-it-all. Confront your fixed mindset every single day.

A lot has happened during the past 3 years but above all, I couldn’t be happier that I made the move over. So, as I celebrate my 3 year anniversary, here are 3 things I’m proud of, 3 lessons learned, 3 things I’m planning for my future at Microsoft.

Three things I’m proud of:

1. My day with Satya at NRF 2020 (where I ate him under the table. I had the full buffet and he asked me kindly, curiously, "Are you going to eat all of that?" :-))

Above: Satya and I hosting a LATAM customer together with Tito Arcienga at NRF 2020

2. The number of brands and retailers that are betting their future on Microsoft (here's just a few of them below)

3. The team we’ve built. Leaders I’ve recruited. The talent here and more coming in soon.?

Three lessons learned:

1. Be Yourself. Everyone Else is Taken. (Oscar Wilde). One of my favorite things is getting to know people as people. Outside of business – their kids, their parents, their pets. It keeps me entertained and makes me feel connected. Here’s Neela Montgomery, Executive Vice President,?CVS?Health and President,?CVS?Pharmacy, and I on a quick walk to the White House.?

2. When you lose or mess up, share it. I’m still feisty about some of the losses last year. I hate it when we lose deals (though we’ve won many more.) While some say, "don’t take it personally," I do. I look at myself and wonder what I could’ve done better?

3. Laughing actually releases dopamine. So it turns out you can have fun and deliver incredible numbers in the midst of a global pandemic. Between our holiday party virtual wine tasting and PowerPoint karaoke, my team and I have kept our sense of humor. I think that has helped us all.

Three for the future:

1. Stay optimistic – lead with digital optimism. It’s part of winning.
2. Stay with Microsoft. The grass can look greener on the other side but it isn’t necessarily the case. This company is special.
3. Take care of yourself and our planet. They are connected. Whether it’s a walk, a sustainability initiative, or a sunrise, we have certainly lived the power of nature in the last 18 months. I think when we do these things we better perform, we live longer, and the impact is enduring.

Finally, as I look forward to more special moments a BIG THANKS to everybody who has coached, supported, and helped me along the way - I wouldn't be here without you! ?