Meet Ivonne Yeste | Founder and CEO in the Channel

BlackHawk Data celebrates diversity and inclusion. This includes women in technology. Our hope is that by highlighting the stories of women in the technology industry we’ll inspire others to stay in tech, join the industry, or simply advocate for diversity and inclusion in our space.

With decades of experience in the IT channel working for companies like Dell and founding her own technology consulting company, Ivonne Yeste has a wealth of knowledge to share. Here’s what she had to say:

What is the most challenging part about being a woman in IT?

Continuously having to prove yourself and your capabilities is exhausting. In 1994, when I started in IT as a network engineer and manager, I had to undergo the "technical sparring" contest with literally every man on my team to prove I knew as much as they did and had earned a seat at the table. Here we are, almost 30 years later, and while the sparring has decreased, it still happens when I meet male senior executives.

What is the most rewarding part about being a woman in tech?

Breaking glass with every interaction is exhilarating! Every customer or partner meeting is an opportunity to develop meaningful relationships and mentoring partnerships with people. There are 5 generations in the workplace today, each with great contributions to make. As a woman, my greatest joy is in creating connections between these groups.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I've reinvented my career from secretary to office manager to network engineer to IT director to IT sales consultant to channel account manager and distribution sales leader. Each step has brought challenges and lessons. Knowledge is power, but it's useless unless you share it with others.

Keep IT Diverse

As a woman-owned business, BlackHawk Data values diversity and inclusion. See what we’re doing to ensure there continues to be female representation in the IT space.