Anitha Kapu

I attribute my success to resilience and grit, for sure, because I failed most of the times, then I succeeded. Every single time I failed, I focused on what I've learned and where I went wrong, and then day by day improving. This goes back to the fact that I haven't received advice from anyone else - I take advice from my own experiences. Every single time, failure is inevitable these days, but the only thing is how do you handle the failures and setbacks and challenges. That's what defines a person. This is the character-building process, right? The resilience is what I can attribute to myself for the last 17 years in my field.

I don't think I have received the best advice in my career so far. I'm not open to receive any advices from anyone - I would like to take advisors from myself. I have that independency, and I prefer not to be influenced by someone else. Yesterday's reference of myself is a benchmark for me to beat it.

Dream big! Dream high. Never think that in a male-dominated industry, especially for women, there is that notion out there, which is true. I don't say it is impossible. As long as you keep working, keep failing, keep succeeding, as long as you're in the game, I think you will make it. Oftentimes, what I see is women are taking a step back, and I don't see a need for that. A small setback or multiple setbacks in a row should not deject you. You have to keep going. So, set the bar high, and dream high, and then keep walking, keep scrolling, running, whatever that you can at your own pace. But never stop learning and never stop dreaming.

I think we need to give more opportunities to women. We need to put them in leadership roles. I still don't know the root cause, but I see less presence of women in leadership roles, like high levels, like C-suites and VPs and SVPs and EVPs and that kind of roles. I think we need to put more women in those roles. This requires a collaboration and cooperation between both women and men. I'm not speaking as a feminist or anything, but we're here to recognize more women, elevate them, give them a chance, give them an opportunity. Oftentimes women are getting filtered out when there is no opportunity. At least if there is an opportunity and recognize them and then give them a chance, I think they will prove it, or maybe they will learn from it. Broader participation of women in leadership roles is important. That has been a challenge.

Authenticity and being bold and courageous are most important to me. Oftentimes, people are too much influenced by others and trying to replicate someone and trying to fit in, and I feel like that originality and authenticity is distinguished these days. So that is something I highly respect and value. As a woman, and especially women in tech field, it demands a lot of courage and boldness. I like people who are representing themselves, and it requires bold and courageous attitude to take those risks in our field and contribute to the best to the field.