Broadvoice has announced that it is a sponsor for the 11th Women in the Channel (WiC) Networking and Enrichment Event.
“This event showcases an important pivot in the industry,” said Tricia Cable, director of channel development at Broadvoice, who has been in telecom for 20+ years, 15 years of them in the channel. “When I started out, it was completely male-dominated, and there were certainly no C-level women. We used to be entry-level sales reps and admins, and now we’re executives, directors and vice presidents. It’s also important to note that organizations didn’t used to lend themselves to working mothers—there was no flexibility. Now, that’s not the case, because the value of female leadership is increasingly recognized. A young working woman that chooses to have a family has the freedom to climb the corporate ladder as well. This event showcases the fact that women no longer have to make those kinds of choices, and can be leaders in all aspects of our lives.”
Broadvoice has a strong diversity focus; more than half of its channel team is female, as are a good portion of its provisioning, engineering and back-office employees.
“Broadvoice has about 170 employees,” Cable said. “When I started here, I was curious about the average tenure for women. I spoke to Darlene, our VAR coordinator—she’s been here five years. Maggie, VP of operations—she’s been here 20. There are women at all levels in the company who feel valued and appreciated, and in charge of true career opportunities.”
She added that the company culture is at its fundamental heart an inclusive one, built on the strength that diversity provides.
“The thing that Broadvoice has always done is treat everyone equally, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman,” Cable said. “The determination here is based on what you say and the talents you have, not how you look. As a result, it’s an incredibly diverse environment, and I find it very exciting that it happened organically. They set out hire people who are talented–and smart, serious, organized and dynamic–regardless of gender.”
The WiC event will be held from 5-8 p.m., March 15, 2016, in Galileo 1001 at the Venetian Sands Expo & Convention Center. The event will draw approximately 200 attendees and will include peer networking and a progress report on WiC’s many initiatives. The event’s theme “Go Big with Gender Diversity” will feature a gender-diverse panel discussion on the benefits of fostering female leadership. In addition, WiC will open this event to men in the channel on an invitation-only basis in order to foster greater understanding and collaboration.
“Women in the Channel events would not be possible without the generosity of sponsors like Broadvoice,” said WiC President Hilary Gadda, director of the partner program at TelePacific Communications. “We sincerely appreciate the efforts of companies like Broadvoice that help to shine on a spotlight on our industry’s hard-working women.”
“As an entirely volunteer-led organization, our sponsors are the lifeblood to our event’s longevity,” added WiC Sponsorship Chair and Board Member Rebecca Rosen, president of Sales Enabled. “Thanks to companies like Broadvoice, we not only provide these bi-annual networking events, but also ongoing education and mentoring programs. We are thrilled to see so many generous companies support Women in the Channel.”
