CompTIA Communities Leader Yvette Steele leads a fireside chat with three CompTIA 2019 ChannelChangers in this kick off episode of the Future Leaders Podcast. Listen for the unconventional paths that brought these three young women into technology, plus the valuable lessons and advice that helped them in their IT careers.

Lauren Beliveau of BarracudaMSP shouted out her mentor, Neal Bradbury, a leader in CompTIA’s MSP Community, as the one who helped her find her voice in technology. Tori Mannix of ConnectWise said it was Heather Ptak who mentored her into a leadership role and Miranda Ruane of vCom Solutions said mentor Hilary Gadda of TPX Communications helped her build the confidence to step up.

Throughout the podcast, the women discuss being influencers in the industry, how to be a strong woman in tech and the value of bringing youthful confidence to the modern multigenerational workforce. The ChannelChangers also outline their views of the industry, share their successes and talk through the challenges they’ve overcome as young technologists.

Tune in for their thoughts on building true diversity into the workplace, and how that responsibility falls to each of us. “I think it’s so important to continue to extend that ladder down to the people that haven’t had the same advantages as I have,” said Ruane, “and to use my position of privilege to make that climb as easy as possible for the people who come after me, or who are working alongside me.”

Listen for their personal IT stories and how mentors and influencers stepped along the way, and how self-awareness and generosity are prevalent among young leaders. Subscribe to the Future Leaders podcast from CompTIA’s Future Leaders Community to hear all the interviews with young leaders in tech and get advice on how to further your own career in technology.