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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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