What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job was a media estimator/broadcast buyer at a medium sized advertising agency in Philadelphia. What I learned was that the action, and opportunity for advancement, and financial rewards were all on the sales side of the process. Furthermore, women held some of these jobs. I knew early on that I wanted to be on the sales/marketing side.

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?

Actually my hero, mentor and person I most admire are all the same person. When I was a newly divorced, single mom in the early 80's, I went to a family friend who had been extremely successful in his career. He enjoyed a good challenge and loved to take risks. I had no job, no money, and I was pretty desperate. He encouraged me to get into the personal computer business, as that was where decades of growth would start. What began as a friendship eventually became my new life - we were married many years later.

What is your favorite book?

Hemingway's A Moveable Feast is one that I've loved and reread periodically. I'm currently reading An Education for our Time by General Josiah Bunting, Superintendent of VMI.

What advances in your field do you envision over the next 10 years?

We're already on the verge of a truly seamless digital workplace. As I look at the business opportunities that the Internet will drive over the next 10 years, I think about the explosive growth that will result in Third World countries, especially in Asia and Africa. Telephone penetration is less than 15% in many of those countries! Once the communications capability exists, with some infrastructure advancement, the explosive growth will begin. People worldwide will be able to get a robust education online, via distance learning. And there should be limitless opportunities for women in the new, digital workplace.

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?

The mentoring and career development work I do with younger men and women has always been the most satisfying part of any management role that I've had. There's hardly a young person that doesn't want some "how to" advice. I don't mean that they're looking for shortcuts. They just want to gain perspective on their strengths and weaknesses, and get sound guidance on building a career plan. In our industry, I've seen a lot of people that are far more motivated by achievement than by money. Nothing is more satisfying than to see a young person that you've mentored move along successfully in his/her career.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

Starting and driving the growth of Dell's corporate business over the last seven years has resulted in outstanding results for customers, shareholders and employees. I draw a lot of satisfaction and pride from the fact that many - from Wall Street to the press to customers - said that it couldn't be done, that the Direct Model wouldn't work. It took a lot of courage by a team of people with vision. I'm proud to have been part of that team. Even my children thought I was crazy to go to work for Michael when he was 26!

What was your greatest challenge and what did you learn from it?

There have been many, many challenges. I once worked for a company that held conference calls with all the VP's every morning. We would review collections from the previous day, and debate whether to declare or postpone bankruptcy for another day. This went on for more than 6 months. I worked for another company where I had to close down 37 locations and lay people off one at a time, since we had already done away with Human Resources. Yet, I kept my organization together and we always took care of the customer.

All this taught me the power of leadership and tenacity. There were plenty of times at Dell that these lessons served me well, both in the US and on my overseas assignment with Dell UK last year.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?

Develop your leadership skills, find a mentor, don't take no for an answer, and keep your sense of humor in tact - always.