As working from home becomes the norm, all types of companies have expressed the importance of keeping their customers’ data safe and secure. Cathy Miron’s vision of providing IT expertise and data backup for small-scale companies is what pushed her to take over a company named eSilo. As the head of growth and partnerships, Cathy is the driving force behind the company’s product strategies, operations and expansive client reach through her skills in sales and marketing. In a field largely dominated by men, Cathy has carved her own path to success and sets a great example for other young girls looking to emerge into the field of STEM.
Her Campus (HC): Hi Cathy! Can you tell the readers a little more about your educational background?
Cathy Miron (CM): I studied finance, information systems and operations at Boston College. Right out of college, I joined GE in one of their prestigious leadership programs where you spend two years rotating between the different types of jobs in technology before you decide on which one to specialize in. I then joined the GE corporate audit staff and got the chance to travel all around the world and practically live out of a suitcase for almost five years. These two opportunities are what helped me lay the foundation for my career and garner the skills to work with such diverse clients at eSilo.
HC: What was the most difficult part about starting your own company? What has been the most rewarding?
CM: I purchased eSilo because there was a proven business model, a batch of existing customers and services that worked and provided value. When I took it over, it was challenging because when someone sets something up, they do it a certain way. I saw so many opportunities to change things around and modernize what we were doing as far as internal processes, so that was certainly a learning curve. The most rewarding aspect has been getting all the employees on board with my vision for the company. This has always been something tricky to do well enough in a way that everyone feels valued as a part of the solution without throwing out everything that’s old but rather continuing to evolve and be more competitive for the future.
HC: How important is it for eSilo to prioritize smaller companies?
CM: It’s important to specialize in small businesses especially in the field of data protection and cybersecurity because these businesses usually don’t have access to the same kind of resources that larger companies do. They either don’t have the budget or they don’t have in-house IT staff and even if they do, that IT staff is busy being the jack of all trades. This is where eSilo fills a key gap. It feels really good that we’re able to prevent small businesses from making silly mistakes by sharing our knowledge and providing the same tools and services that some of the largest companies in the world are using.
CM: My family and I try to get as much fresh air as possible by riding our bikes, going to the beach and spending time on our boat. I’ve started listening to podcasts that teach me how to fine-tune my sales and marketing mindset. My business upbringing started within a Fortune 500 company so the shift to being a business owner requires new skills that need developing. Staying positive amidst a pandemic has been important to me and I want to make sure that I’m approaching all my difficult situations with confidence and finding creative ways to stay productive.
HC: Any advice for other young girls looking to join the field of STEM?
CM: I’m a huge proponent of women in STEM, technology in particular. I’m on the board of a non-profit in South Florida called “Palm Beach Tech.” Our biggest initiative surrounds talent and encouraging more young people to study technology and we have made sure to focus on kids ranging from grades K-12. The best advice I tell to young girls is to never feel that they’re undeserving of their positions in technology even though it’s a field commonly dominated by men. Some of the smartest and most impressive people I’ve worked alongside have been women!
HC: Anything else you’d like to tell readers?
CM: I’ve done a lot of mentoring with women and the major thing that I notice we all deal with is “impostor syndrome.” Especially with my time in a male-dominated field, it reigns especially true for me. I want other women to know that impostor syndrome is real and it’s okay! As I climbed the corporate ladder, the more uncomfortable I felt and dreaded going to work even though I had what everyone considered a “dream job.” It took me a while to realize that a certain job wasn’t meant for me and that I would be better off doing something I love and enjoy.
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