Tonima Khan is passionate about the intersection of how technology helps people and organizations simplify their lives. She loves sales strategy, planning, and execution, and has been a leader in helping organizations transform how they work. She has spent the last dozen+ years helping the most forward-thinking global Fortune500 companies drive continuous growth, innovation, and employee engagement through the adoption of Cloud technologies.
Advocating for diversity and inclusion and helping to amplify all voices is something deeply personal and important to Tonima, especially since she works in a typically male-dominated field. She loves traveling, music, reading and spending time with family & friends.
Especially for the WomenTech Network, Tonima agreed to give an interview, share her story and experience.
Watch Tonima's talk "Women in Sales: Battling Adversity and Crushing Stereotypes", and other inspiring sessions on our website.
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⚡️ Save the date: Women in Tech Global Conference 2023 will take place on May 9-12!
Tell us about your experience as a Women in Tech Global Conference 2022 speaker.
I had a wonderful experience as a Women in Tech Global Conference 2022 speaker. I have been a part of WomenTech since 2020, first as a speaker, continued as a supporter, and had the pleasure of speaking again this June. WomenTech is a wonderful network of amazing, talented, kind, and inspiring women, and I am grateful for what you are doing to amplify and support women in tech.
Being amongst other women who have gone through or going through similar experiences to me where you’re the minority or only in the room, helped me to not feel alone and gave me a sense of community to connect and empathize with. I’m thankful for the opportunity to speak, share my story, and connect with the community all around the world.
What is your favorite thing about working in tech?
My favorite part of working in tech is seeing how the technology we sell helps improve the lives of our customers by making their work easier and more efficient. It is fulfilling, especially a few months or years after the sale, to speak with the customer and hear about the value and positive changes they’ve had from using the solution you sold.
And what comes out of that - those customer connections - is what I also especially enjoy about working in tech. The connections I make with my customers and my colleagues, learning about different businesses from them, and being surrounded by humble, smart people whom I can learn from every day are gratifying.
What advice (and tips) would you give to women who want to start a tech career?
There are tremendous opportunities to grow and thrive in a career in tech, and we need more women to join! Sales roles are one of those to work in tech without being in a technical role.
If you are interested or curious about a role, career, or company, do your due diligence to learn more about it. Reach out to people in your network, reach out to people in that role - people are usually welcoming and happy to chat even with blind reach outs - seek out a coach, take courses to learn more (several colleges/universities offer online courses), research and read about it (TechCrunch, Deloitte’s Tech trends, CIO Online, Wired, Mashable, LI groups, blogs, etc), join WomenTech and other tech-focused orgs so that you can network, learn more and make a decision that makes sense for you.
Irrespective of whatever role in tech you pursue, it is important to communicate and continually invest in yourself by learning, asking questions, showcasing your value, and advocating for yourself. There are plenty of great mentors, sponsors, and organizations out there that embrace and encourage diversity and inclusion in tech. Seek them out, don’t be shy and the sky’s the limit!
Who would you recommend to join the WomenTech Network?
Everyone and anyone - women and men - who are interested and passionate about technology and diversity in tech. We need people from all backgrounds to be involved and amplify the voices of everyone in the room, and we of course need more male allies to help amplify as well.
To recognise the achievements of our community and beyond we are hosting the annual Women in Tech Global Awards 2022. Nominate yourself or someone else:
