Bonnie Kordasiewicz

I've had some great people in my career who have helped me along the way and saw something in me and shared with me what they saw in me when I didn't, so great leadership has been crucial. I've also had a wonderful, supporting family that has been there for me throughout my journey. When I first started at Ingram Micro, I came in with an open mind and a huge willingness to learn, which I think set the foundation for everything that followed. The company gave me opportunities to try out different positions and sit in various departments, and I took advantage of every chance I got to learn and grow.

The best career advice I've received is to always be networking and always be willing to learn. I was also told to never, ever, ever think you are always right. These principles have guided me throughout my career and helped me stay open to new opportunities and perspectives. I've learned that recognizing what you don't know is extremely important, and being willing to continuously learn and adapt has been key to my success in this ever-changing industry.

If I was talking to young me getting into this industry, I would say that networking is huge. Recognizing that you don't know everything, that there's so much that you don't know, is extremely important, and always being willing to learn is critical. This industry is ever-changing - it's a lot like our Buffalo weather, if you don't like it, wait a minute - but it's constantly changing at a really, really fast pace, and you're not going to know the answers to everything. Get to know who your resources are, know who your experts are in various areas, and make friends. Know where you're an expert and share your information. I really believe that networking is just one of the best things that you can do. Don't be afraid to talk to your leaders and ask questions. When I started, I told them right out in my interview that I didn't have all the answers, but I would come in with a big open mind and a huge willingness to learn, and that's exactly what they were looking for.

Being a woman in this industry is getting better. I feel like there's been a lot of steps in helping women move forward in this industry, and I've been really happy to see so many people advance their careers to roles that I previously only saw available to men. There have been so many times I have been at conferences and events where I felt very isolated as far as being one of the only women there, but at the same time, I was pretty proud over the fact that I was there and I was amongst some pretty great people. From a personal challenge perspective, I sometimes get a little too detail-oriented, so I have to pull myself out of the weeds at times and remember to sit back and look at the big picture. That's always helpful - it relaxes the shoulders and helps you get a little more perspective of what's happening, and I think that comes through to our customers more effectively too than just being in the moment. As far as opportunities, I do believe there's great opportunity for growth, and I do think there's still so much that I can offer to this industry.

I think a work-life balance is extremely important, along with some self-care and keeping everything into perspective. Everyone needs to remember that we're all people, and we should approach everything with empathy, understanding, an open mind, and positive communication. I get punched in the head a lot during my work days, and usually I have to sit back and say, wow, this person's having a pretty bad day, how can I make it better? Leading with compassion is so important because you just never know what kind of day someone's having or what struggles they're experiencing that would put them in a position where they're feeling a little short-fused. If everybody would operate on these values, I think the whole world would be a lot better of a place.