Lissa Steele

I attribute so much of my success to my parents, who were my first mentors. Both of them came from South Central Los Angeles and worked incredibly hard to provide a better life for me and my brother. They showed me what perseverance, sacrifice, and hard work truly look like, and those values have shaped who I am both personally and professionally. I became the first in my family to graduate from college and built a life I dreamt of because of them.

I’ve also been fortunate throughout my career to have amazing mentors and leaders who have invested in my growth. I’ve worked with leaders who not only provided honest, critical feedback, but who also genuinely cared about my well-being. Having that kind of support pushes you to grow and reach new heights.

One mentor I especially want to recognize is Jim McGurl, who took a chance on me transitioning from retail into the corporate technology space. Because of his belief in me, I’ve been able to grow professionally in ways I never imagined. He believed in me during moments when I didn’t fully believe in myself and helped me build confidence in my abilities. A lot of the success I’ve had today is rooted in the opportunities and encouragement he and other mentors on my team gave me.

One of the best pieces of career advice I’ve received is to be intentional when building relationships and networking. If you’re not intentional, you’re not truly investing in yourself or in the person you’re connecting with.

I’ve learned that networking shouldn’t just be about finding your next opportunity or job. The most meaningful connections come from genuinely wanting to learn from someone, understand their experiences, and build authentic relationships. When you approach networking with curiosity and sincerity, it becomes much more valuable, both professionally and personally.

Don’t be afraid to use your voice. The tech industry can still be very male-dominated, but your perspective and ideas are just as valuable as anyone else’s. As a Latina in tech, I don’t often see people who look like me, but that’s exactly why representation and confidence matter.

Know the value you bring and allow yourself to shine. Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. At the end of the day, everyone is figuring things out as they go, and your talent, work ethic, and contributions will always speak for themselves.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve experienced is managing dependencies across a large organization. In a company of this scale, there are many teams you rely on to move work forward, and those teams, priorities, and structures are constantly evolving.

That means you’re continuously building new relationships, reestablishing alignment with partners, and ensuring your work is prioritized within their roadmaps as well. Success often depends not just on having a strong product vision, but on collaboration, communication, and the ability to navigate change effectively across multiple teams.

The first lesson I’ve learned is to truly enjoy life outside of work. Your job will always be there, but the moments and experiences you have in life are irreplaceable. Creating balance and making time for the people and experiences that matter most is incredibly important.

The second is that while there may always be people who are more talented, more experienced, or more knowledgeable, but no one should outwork you. Hard work is something completely within your control. At the end of the day, someone may have strengths I don’t, but I can always choose to bring my effort. I strongly believe that hard work sets people apart and that talent means very little if it isn’t matched with effort.