Spotlight on BWBW Success: In conversation with Verena Konul

Today we introduce Verena Konul and chart her journey from traditional management consultant to Senior Salesforce Consultant with Merkle in Germany.?

Verena’s story is one of adaptability and persistence. Read on to find out more.

BWBW:? Verena, tell us a little about your background and your life in Germany.

Verena Konul: I grew up in a very sheltered and grounded environment in a small town in Bavaria, Germany. I am lucky to have always had, and still have, a very close relationship with my brother and my parents.

I am married, a mother of two children aged 5 and 8, and have a deep love for animals and nature.?

Unfortunately, our old dog, Shila, passed away two years ago and now the whole family is eagerly waiting for the right time to finally have another furry family member.?

Besides reading, nature is always a source of happiness and relaxation for me. After a few years abroad and in big cities, we now live in the countryside near Munich, which helps me foster a healthy work-life balance.

BWBW: You career started in traditional management consulting. Can you tell us a little bit about your studies and your career prior to joining the Bring Women Back to Work (BWBW) program.

VK: I studied business administration, although on reflection, this choice probably met my parents' expectations more than my own. I have always been a person with very diverse interests and wrote my bachelor's and master's theses on issues of sustainability, even though in those days, sustainability was really only a topic discussed in the "marketing" department.

I started my career in management consulting where I built on my analytical skills and? had the opportunity to gain insight into many different business areas. However, some of the most impactful experiences from that time were the interpersonal ones as they still inform me today.?

In a very male-dominated environment, I experienced a lot of implicit and explicit discrimination. This only became apparent to me a few years later through exchanges with other people and a greater understanding of these issues in scientific literature. When I read about discrimination in McKinsey reports and the Harvard Business Review, I knew I hadn't imagined it all those years!

For me, like for so many women who re-enter the workforce, and for those who have pursued their professional careers without interruption, my greatest challenge in my career was to learn that I can be proud of myself.

The lessons I have learnt through my career were hard won and so I say with a swollen chest, and in spite of what others may think:

·? I am proud that I persevere through things with persistence and do not let setbacks stop me from continuing with what I want to do.

·? I am proud that I am not afraid to start new things and pursue new areas again and again.

·? I am proud that I have learned that my sensitive side, and the side that goes hard to pursue its goals, do not have to exclude each other but rather can strengthen each other.

·? I am proud that I am no longer ashamed of being a mother in a business environment and I now don’t apologize for it.

·? I am proud that I have learned to defend my values and stand up for them, not only in my private life but also in my professional life.

·? All in all, I am proud to be more authentically myself with each day and thus a better person for others.

BWBW:? Verena, tell us how you came to apply for the Bring Women Back to Work program in Germany?

VK: As a management consultant, I realized after the birth of my first child that balancing a family and a career in that environment was difficult and that I needed to make a change.?

After much deliberation, and with the understanding that I needed to take matters in my own hands, I founded a small business which grew to four employees. However, after three years and with two young children, I reached a point where I couldn't consistently give 100% in all areas of life. The decision to dissolve the company was difficult, but it was the right one, allowing me the time I needed to refocus.

During this period, I became interested in entering the tech industry. The Bring Women Back to Work program provided the perfect opportunity for me to return to the workforce. Despite no prior technical experience, Trailhead's low barrier to entry excited me and allowed me to acquire knowledge within the Salesforce ecosystem. With the help of BWBW I received my first Salesforce certification after just three months.

BWBW: What can you tell us about your journey with BWBW? What were the challenges you faced during your time with the program and what are you most proud of?

VK: The biggest challenge for me during the program was to start a career from scratch having not worked in tech before. I had to push away doubts again and again and stay convinced that this was the right path.?

The amount of new knowledge that I acquired, and still develop on the job today,? is sometimes scary and quite overwhelming.

Above all, I am proud of the 500% learning curve I conquered in the last two years and I am proud that I NEVER give up. I can do much harder things than I initially thought I could. This has led me to clearly see the hidden potential of other women and makes me a better advocate and mentor in helping others to set stretch goals and push their boundaries as well.

BWBW: At BWBW we support our participants with both mentors and coaches. What impact has mentoring and coaching had on your career?

VK: Without doubt, mentoring and coaching has a very big, positive impact. I had, and still have, several mentors and coaches who help me find the right track in my personal and professional development. They still help me answer any new questions that come up in my career journey. ?

Each one of us has her own doubts and mental saboteurs and we don’t need to fight them alone. I am convinced that every successful person needs a team of people to support them by asking the right questions and by pushing away doubts at any given time. Having (or finding) the right people to support you is one of the key elements to success and you will absolutely find those people in the BWBW community.?

To give back to the program, and support other women, I am also mentoring a BWBW participant. In doing so I realize that the challenges, fears and doubts we encounter are very similar but I realize they can be overcome.

BWBW: Verena, you now work at Merkle, a Hiring Partner of the Bring Women Back to Work program. Can you tell us about your new role?

VK: I work as a Salesforce Consultant with Merkle DACH, currently introducing Sales Cloud to a multinational professional services company. BWBW was critical in helping me to ramp up my technical skills and Salesforce knowledge, in boosting my confidence and in rekindling my belief in my abilities. It is important to mention that Merkle is giving me stretch assignments where I can apply my existing skills and significantly grow my Salesforce and technical knowledge at a very fast pace. Every day brings new and exciting challenges that I love to tackle. I love getting outside my comfort zone and surprising myself by accomplishing things I didn’t think I could do. This is what makes my job very interesting to me.

One of the great challenges during my first year, and one which I will never forget, was the opportunity to speak on the keynote stage at the Salesforce World Tour Düsseldorf. It was a pleasure for me to share my experiences and receive feedback from the women, and the men, in the audience on how my story inspired them and gave them renewed courage to take action for a career change.

BWBW: Verena, do you have any final words for women who are hoping to return to work after an extended break and are working towards becoming a better version of themselves?

VK: I would really like to motivate other female career changers and returners to NEVER. GIVE. UP. even when things seem hopeless. Pursue your path with persistence and a positive mindset.?

The Bring Women Back to Work community is definitely the best opportunity to achieve this in the Salesforce ecosystem.?

You can achieve your dream job!

Congratulations, Verena on your phenomenal success with the Bring Women Back to Work program.? Your focus, determination and self awareness led you to a fantastic role with our Hiring Partner, Merkle DACH in Germany.

Want to learn more about the Bring Women Back to Work community?

Interested in becoming a #BWBW Participant, Hiring Partner or Sponsor?

Find out more at https://lnkd.in/dEPXBQAk or email us directly at [email protected]