Her Story
About Ashleigh
I lead a team of sales professionals at Avanade, a joint venture between Microsoft and Accenture, where we help clients implement technology solutions. My typical day involves mentoring my team members, working directly with clients, and collaborating with partners across the ecosystem, including Microsoft, Accenture, and other strategic partners. I work at the forefront of AI technology, which means I'm constantly balancing the challenge of keeping up with rapidly evolving technology while managing a day job. What I'm most proud of in my career is helping individuals reach their full potential - that's really what drives me every day. I focus on understanding the perspective of the person sitting across from me, listening to their point of view so I can meet them where they are. My approach is rooted in authenticity and transparency, which I believe are essential to building trust in every interaction. I also cover nonprofits in my current work, so I have the opportunity to work with and volunteer for nonprofit clients as well as healthcare providers.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ashleigh
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being authentic and transparent in everything I do. I really focus on trying to understand the perspective of the person sitting across from me, rather than just coming in with my own agenda. I mean, I have a point of view, but I make it a priority to really listen to what theirs is, so that I can meet them where they are. That approach of building trust through genuine understanding and authentic connection has been the foundation of my success throughout my career.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would really start with making sure you master the fundamentals early. Listen more than you talk. Qualify ruthlessly. Show up with confidence, and remember that follow-up is a superpower, because not everyone does it. Treat every interaction as a chance to build trust. And I would say ask for help early and often - that's really important. You need to find someone and seek them out as a mentor, because a lot of times they won't seek you out, you have to seek them out. That's how it goes, and mentors are definitely instrumental in helping you achieve things.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge I see right now is how do you keep up with technology while you have a day job? I work at the front of AI with Microsoft, and it's really about being able to learn it yourself. It's important for us to learn it because we're selling it, but the clients we're selling it to face the same challenge. It's all about change management, mindset, and adoption - handling the human side of it, which is the most important part. The challenge is balancing how to learn AI so that people don't become irrelevant as it takes hold, and learning how to use it responsibly. Right now, what I'm seeing is balancing risk and reward when it comes to adopting AI and keeping the human in the loop. We're trained heavily on it through resources like Accenture's Udacity platform, but it's really that balance of time to take the time to learn it. For me, what I'm learning is more the leadership side of it - how do I understand how people will consume it and really adopt it before we just start pushing it, because if you push it, there'll be resistance.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Colorado
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.