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WITI Women | Bren Norris
4. Who has been the most influential person in your life? Why?
My
father. He has shown tremendous courage and strength as he has gotten
older and faced serious health conditions. He has faith beyond words and
an incredible sense of unconditional love. My father has given me the
strength to continue in the face of adversity and failure. He never
said a cross word to me and all of his actions are based on love and
respect for all human beings. Even in our fast paced society he never
gets off the phone without saying "I love you." I wish I were more like
him.
5. What lessons have you learned that would be valuable to women beginning their
careers in technology?
Financially, set yourself up
as a WBE certified as soon as possible, get credit lines from banks
or the SBA or wherever available and strengthen those financial
relationships. Get credit, keep great credit. Keep asking for more
when you're financially stable to continue growing. Then when the
economy takes a plunge, you have excess resources already in place
for those times, and they will happen. Be prepared. Hire a mentor.
6. What strategies do you use to maintain balance in your life?
very first year that I
have been
able to maintain a balance. After 10 workaholic years and no real
social life I decided to take time for myself - my father's
deteriorating health has made me realize a lot of things. I don't use
a strategy as much as my understanding of my limitations in the
workplace. I started golf lessons this year and love the game. I am
at the range every morning by 8 a.m. to drive a bucket of balls. So
even in relaxing, I am driven, but I laugh more and I am not attached
as much to the outcomes as I used to be. It also helped quite a bit
when we moved our offices from the financial district in 1998 to
virtual offices and laptops.
7. What new technology do you believe will have the most positive impact on the
world in the next 20 years? The most negative impact?
One that has not been
discovered yet. With the ever changing Internet/Web and the way we
communicate, it is too early to see what will happen in the next 20
years...there are way too many good things coming that we have
not been able to see...
Bren Norris answers these questions:
1. What was your first job in technology?
2. Who has been your most significant mentor? Why?
3. What has been your greatest challenge and what strategies did you use to overcome obstacles?
4. Who has been the most influential person in your life? Why?
5. What lessons have you learned that would be valuable to
women beginning their careers in technology?
6. What strategies do you use to maintain balance in your life?
7. What new technology do you believe will have the most positive
impact on the world in the next 20 years? The most negative impact?
On the lighter side:
1. If you could have dinner with any 2 people (living or not),
who would they be?
2. If you could only subscribe to 3 magazines, what would
they be?
3. What was the last book you read?
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