Meet Shannon Willett, Front Desk Receptionist!

Shannon Willett quickly became a tremendous asset to the entire team at The 20. Read below to find out more about Shannon.

What do you do here at The 20?

My title is Receptionist, but I don’t think that really encompasses all that I do.

Describe The 20 in three words…

Collaborative, innovative, and fun.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a kid I hadn’t nailed down what I wanted to be, too many choices.

What’s the most challenging thing about your job?

The most challenging part of my job is snack fulfillment. No, remembering that we’re all wired differently and recognizing the best way to help everyone.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement to date is truly understanding the fact that you only have one life, so you better go live it!

What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success?

I believe the most important quality for success is perseverance with a heaping dose of positivity.

What do you like most about The 20?

What I like most about The 20 is the diversity of personalities and skills collaborating to make our company successful.

What do you like to do in your spare time? / What are your hobbies?

When she’s up for it, I love to laugh with my daughter, other than that cooking, listening to podcasts, and being outdoors.

Where are you going on your next vacation?

For my next vacation, I’ll be headed to Amelia Island, FL for the 14^th annual family vacay with my folks and brother’s family.

What is your top life hack?

My biggest life hack is to lead with kindness.

Interested in working with Shannon at The 20? We’re hiring! Check out our Careers page for more info.

Full Press Release Here

Leading MSP organization, The 20, today announced the appointment of Michael Bone to the position of Chief Revenue Officer. The hire comes as the company continues to enhance its corporate structure to sustain growth and expand into new markets.

Bone joins The 20 with 25 years of corporate leadership experience in IT and software industries, and his expertise spans both SaaS and on-premises environments. Throughout his career, Bone has consistently built out sales and marketing operations that fuel organic growth and drive client satisfaction. His previous roles include CRO at ESW Capital, CRO at CompassMSP, leading global sales at CyberLinkASP, and a senior consultant role at Huthwaite, the creators of “SPIN” solution selling.

In his role as CRO, Bone will seek to elevate The 20’s services, augment client-facing operations, and enable client success through innovative solutions and consultative selling.

“It’s exciting to think about what Michael’s leadership skills and passion for building strong partner relationships will do for our growing company,” said Tim Conkle, CEO of The 20. “Michael’s forward-looking sales and revenue operations methodologies dovetail perfectly with our growth strategy. His industry expertise will be a vital part of The 20’s ongoing mission to provide clients with exceptional services that ensure their long-term success.”

“I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity and excited about the future,” said Bone. “The 20 is a company on the rise, and I’m determined to help strengthen and expand our services so that the organization and our clients can continue to flourish in an ever-evolving MSP landscape.”

Michael Bone is the latest addition to The 20’s executive leadership team, which includes Tim Conkle (CEO), Ken Pecot (COO), Crystal McFerran (CMO), Ciera Cole (CXO), Ken Nix (CISO), and Donna Pebworth (CFO).

About The 20
The 20 is an exclusive business development group for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) aimed at dominating and revolutionizing the IT industry with its standardized all-in-one approach. The 20’s robust RMM, PSA, and documentation platform ensures superior service for MSP clients utilizing their completely US-based Help Desk and Network Operations Center. Extending beyond cutting-edge tools and processes, The 20 touts a proven sales model, a community of industry leaders, and ultimate scalability. For more information, visit https://www.the20.com

Follow The 20: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

Channel All-Stars

A “Can’t Miss” Virtual Event for MSPs!

The 20 is proud to announce that it’s one of thirteen companies sponsoring Channel All-Stars, a huge virtual event for MSPs that are hungry to not only survive, but THRIVE, during these uncertain times. The event is taking place on June 8th, at 11:30 am EDT. Mark your calendars, because this is not one to miss!

It’s no secret that we live in turbulent times. International conflict, cybercrime, a pandemic — challenges press in on us from all sides. But challenges are opportunities — well, they can be, if you see them from the right angle. Being a successful entrepreneur requires not only taking advantage of opportunities, but seeing them where others see only difficulty.

At Channel All-Stars, you can join thousands of other MSPs from all over the world in a celebration of the power that drives us to grow, even in — especially in — difficult times. The 20 is thrilled to be involved in such a collaborative effort, as it speaks to our core values as a company. There’s nothing — and we do mean nothing — more powerful than a group of determined individuals getting together with a common purpose!

The event is hosted by Channel Program, a company dedicated to enabling communication, collaboration, and community-building in the Channel. Channel Program’s open and democratized platform seeks to foster unity across our $2.2 trillion industry, while embracing a diversity of voices and viewpoints.

Channel Program’s co-founders, Kevin Lancaster and Matt Solomon, are excited to interview the event’s headline guest, Gary Vaynerchuk (aka “Gary Vee”). Serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, prolific venture capitalist, NFT pioneer — you’d be hard-pressed to find someone more qualified than Gary to speak on the event’s central theme: turning business challenges into opportunities for growth.

Matt Solomon shared his excitement about getting to interview such a legend in the business world: “I’ve had the good fortune to interview Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson in past virtual events that attracted thousands of viewers. I am just as excited to have the opportunity to speak with Gary Vee about the obstacles he has overcome in his life, the keys to his success, and his thoughts on how to turn business challenges into growth.”

We’re excited, too! This is a golden opportunity for MSP owners to learn from one of the greats.

And, joining Gary is a truly “All-Star” lineup of speakers, including The 20’s CEO, Tim Conkle, who will participate in a panel discussion alongside Joe Alapat, founder and CEO of Liongard. Your MSP can, by attending this free virtual event, glean wisdom from some of the best and brightest minds in the MSP space. Expect actionable insights and practical steps you can take RIGHT NOW to achieve new growth.

If you’re struggling with sales at your MSP, or wondering how to capitalize on emerging opportunities, Channel All-Stars is sure to breathe new life into your business. Attendees will benefit immensely from a bevy of brilliant keynote speakers and panelists …

Introductory Speaker: Colin Knox (Gradient)
Keynote Speakers: Eric Torres (ScalePad), Danny Jenkins (ThreatLocker), and Ted Roller (Zomentum)
3 Panels moderated by Jay McBain, Kris Blackman, and Paul Green

Celebrating the power that drives growth is what Channel All-Stars is all about, and we cannot wait to see our awesome community come together on June 8th for an unforgettable event! The MSP industry is up against a lot, but together, we can figure out how to thrive in a volatile and unpredictable economic landscape. And we will.

You can register for this FREE virtual event . See you on June 8th!

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND/ Channel Program, which recently launched a rapidly growing social and media platform purpose-built to unify the IT Channel industry, announced its “can’t miss” virtual event on June 8, 2022, at 11:30 AM EDT.

Channel All-Stars will be a 3.5-hour virtual event hosted by Channel Program and premier sponsor Gradient. It will celebrate the energy that powers growth and the drive to thrive in uncertain times. Channel Program’s Co-Founders Kevin Lancaster and Matt Solomon will interview the event’s headline guest Gary Vaynerchuk (GaryVee) – a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, speaker, and internet personality.

Gary is one of the most sought-after public speakers alive today. His accolades include being a four-time New York Times bestselling author and an early investor in companies such as Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, and Uber. He is also an NFT pioneer, set to launch what will become New York City’s first NFT restaurant in “an iconic New York City location” this year. Co-host Matt Solomon relays his excitement about what Gary will share with event attendees, “I’ve had the good fortune to interview Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson in past virtual events that attracted thousands of viewers. I am just as excited to have the opportunity to speak with Gary Vee about the obstacles he has overcome in his life, the keys to his success, and his thoughts on how to turn business challenges into growth.”

Introductory speaker Colin Knox (Gradient) will be followed by 3 powerhouse panels moderated by Jay McBain, Kris Blackman, and Paul Green. The event will also include keynotes from Eric Torres (ScalePad), Danny Jenkins (ThreatLocker), and Ted Roller (Zomentum) as well as discussions with All-Star panelists. The event speakers will examine the state of the channel, share forward-looking insights, and outline practical steps that you can take RIGHT NOW to grow and thrive in challenging times. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the event.

Turn Challenge Into Growth

Significant international conflicts, the global pandemic, and the increasingly hostile cyber threat landscape have instigated a new wave of economic volatility and challenges to every industry, including that of Managed Service Providers. Yet the Channel continues to demonstrate incredible strength and resilience as MSPs have found ways to capitalize upon the opportunities offered by this massive amount of change. Tune in to hear how MSPs can continue to gain growth momentum and adjust their business initiatives and operations to thrive in a challenging economy and world.

Channel Program Founder Kevin Lancaster notes that events such as this are an important part of Channel Program’s mission, “At Channel Program, we develop and support initiatives that lead to the success and health of the Channel as a whole. That’s why we are excited to host this “can’t miss” event. We believe it is essential that Channel Program continuously provides the Channel access to expert resources and brainpower that will enable Channel community members not only to survive but also to thrive in one of the most volatile and hostile economic landscapes to date.”

Register for the event .

About Channel Program

Founded by veteran Channel technology leaders Kevin Lancaster and Matt Solomon, Channel Program is a truly open and democratized platform built to unify the entire IT Channel industry. It enables both IT Service Providers and Vendors to interact in one video-enabled social and collaboration platform that hosts a rapidly growing community of thousands of Channel and technology experts and influencers. Making space for a diversity of voices fuels Channel Program’s mission to revolutionize the $2.2 trillion IT Channel industry, by empowering and inspiring both IT Service Providers and Vendors to focus on community-building, collaboration, and respectful communication.

Channel Program’s website: https://channelprogram.com/

For more information, contact: Amy Roman
Chief Marketing Officer
Channel Program
[email protected]

Full Press Release Here

The 20 MSP, a leading business development group for managed service providers, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named three of The 20’s leaders to the esteemed Women of the Channel list for 2022: Ciera Cole, Chief Experience Officer; Crystal McFerran, Chief Marketing Officer; and Alexis Williams, Digital Marketing Coordinator. Those named on this annual list come from all corners of the IT channel — including vendors, distributors and solution providers whose vision, expertise and leadership help drive the industry forward.

By bringing innovative concepts, strategic business planning and comprehensive channel initiatives to life, these extraordinary women support partners and customers with exceptional leadership. CRN celebrates these women, who are so deserving of recognition, for their constant dedication to channel excellence.

Ciera Cole serves as Chief Experience Officer at The 20. In her role as CXO, Cole spearheads The 20’s efforts to provide its MSP members with one unified experience, securing retention, growth and satisfaction. Cole studied business at Baylor University and later received her MBA from Southern Methodist University while working full-time at The 20. This is her fourth time appearing on the Women of the Channel list.

Crystal McFerran is a proven marketing leader with nearly two decades of experience in B2B marketing, demand generation, marketing communications, lead nurturing, content strategy and multichannel marketing for the IT industry. In her current role as Chief Marketing Officer at The 20, McFerran draws on her marketing expertise and entrepreneurial experience to translate business objectives into marketing strategies, facilitating growth and scale for both The 20 and its MSP member network. McFerran holds a bachelor’s degree, MBA and M.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas. This is her fourth time appearing on the Women of the Channel list.

A rising talent in the IT space, Alexis Williams started out at The 20 as an intern, and now serves as Digital Marketing Coordinator. In this role, Williams is responsible for boosting the digital presence of The 20 and its MSP members through content creation and coordination, social media campaigns, and strategic marketing initiatives aimed at driving brand awareness. Williams holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Texas and, in 2021, was named to the inaugural Channel Futures DE&I 101 list.

“It’s incredibly exciting and heartening to see three women from our company recognized on this year’s Women of the Channel list,” said Tim Conkle, CEO of The 20. “Alexis, Ciera and Crystal possess unique and invaluable skill sets, but one thing they all share is a hunger for innovation, and their relentless pursuit of excellence has been instrumental to our nationwide growth.”

“We are proud to once again recognize the remarkable leaders on this year’s Women of the Channel list. Their influence, confidence, and diligence continue to accelerate channel success significantly,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “Their accomplishments will inspire others, and we look forward to witnessing their future contributions to the channel.”

CRN’s 2022 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at https://www.CRN.com/WOTC.

Follow The 20: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

About The Channel Company
The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. https://www.thechannelcompany.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Meet Sunny Golani, IT Support Desk Specialist!

Sunny Golani quickly became a tremendous asset to the entire team at The 20. Read below to find out more about Sunny.

What do you do here at The 20?

Try to be better than yesterday!

Describe The 20 in three words…

Teamwork, Learning and Fun!

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an airline pilot.

What’s the most challenging thing about your job?

I would say trying to change the landscape of IT and process, but while being hard it is still fun to learn new things as it changes.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

If I have to name one, it would have to be, obtaining my Private Pilot License.

What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success?

The ability to learn and being able to accept and learn from failures.

What do you like most about The 20?

The teamwork!

What do you like to do in your spare time? / What are your hobbies?

Spending time with my kids and playing cricket.

Where are you going on your next vacation?

My next vacation will be a trip to Greece.

Interested in working with Sunny at The 20? We’re hiring! Check out our Careers page for more info.

Full Press Release Here

Leading MSP organization, The 20, proudly announces the appointment of Ken Nix as the company’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

With more than two decades of experience in compliance and cybersecurity, Nix brings a breadth and depth of knowledge to the position and a firm commitment to the digital safety of The 20 and its clients.

As CISO, Nix will spearhead the evolution of The 20’s multi-layered approach to cybersecurity in accordance with both industry and regulatory requirements, as well as leading-edge research and innovation.

Nix has a proven track record of helping businesses and organizations develop cybersecurity frameworks to repel threats and ensure compliance with GDPR, NIST, CMMC, ISO, and other common regulatory standards. His work in the education sector has also been transformative; in 2019, Nix helped secure approval from the Texas State Education Board for a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity. He currently serves on the Advisory Technology Board for Collin County Community College.

Prior to joining The 20, Nix spent 8 years at The 20’s sister company, Roland Technology Group, where he served as Chief Information Officer (CIO).

“There is no one in our industry with more integrity than Ken, or a stronger passion for safeguarding data in this dangerous digital era,” said Ken Pecot, COO of The 20. “I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him exhibit unmatched leadership as Chief Information Officer at Roland Technology, and I couldn’t be more excited to announce his appointment as our new Chief Information Security Officer. With Ken at the helm of The 20’s information security strategy, our future is looking bright — and secure.”

Ken Nix rounds out The 20’s executive leadership team, which includes Tim Conkle (CEO), Ken Pecot (COO), Crystal McFerran (CMO), Mark Elliott (CRO), Ciera Cole (CXO), and Donna Pebworth (CFO).

“I am tremendously honored to be joining a company as forward-thinking as The 20,” said Nix. “Cybersecurity and compliance are mission-critical, as they affect everything within a business, and my focus going forward will be on further strengthening The 20’s security posture and maintaining compliance to foster growth and protect our clients.”

About The 20
The 20 is an exclusive business development group for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) aimed at dominating and revolutionizing the IT industry with its standardized all-in-one approach. The 20’s robust RMM, PSA, and documentation platform ensures superior service for MSP clients utilizing their completely US-based Help Desk and Network Operations Center. Extending beyond cutting-edge tools and processes, The 20 touts a proven sales model, a community of industry leaders, and ultimate scalability. For more information, visit https://www.the20.com

Future-Proof Your MSP in 2022

The 20 is excited to introduce Taking Over in 2022: Tips and Trends for Managed Service Providers, a free guide for growth-minded MSPs with big plans for the future.

Over the past few years, a host of businesses turned to MSPs for help with rapid digital transformations. This sudden demand for managed IT services allowed MSPs of all sizes to maintain or even increase revenue in 2021.

But what can MSPs expect in 2022 and beyond?

Introducing Taking Over in 2022

MSPs are at a critical juncture. Although the MSP market is predicted to continue growing over the next several years, competition is also on the rise, and a widespread consolidation and culling of MSPs is imminent.

Is your MSP ready for what’s coming? Having the right gameplan can help your MSP — whatever its size — ride the wave of growth to the very top of the industry.

Here at The 20, we’re all about giving MSPs the tools and resources they need to succeed. That’s why we created Taking Over in 2022 — to help your MSP put together a powerful growth plan and take on the future with confidence.

This FREE GUIDE gives you answers to vital questions such as …

What trends are currently shaping the MSP space?
What does ‘prioritizing cybersecurity’ actually look like in 2022?
Remote work is here to stay. How should your MSP be approaching the task of helping companies manage their remote workforce?
What do most smaller MSPs lack when it comes to capitalizing on cloud migrations?
Competition is stiffer than ever before in the MSP space — what should smaller MSPs be focusing on to avoid getting left behind in the next several years?

Taking Over in 2022 is the definitive guide for ‘future-proofing’ your MSP business. Fill out one simple form and get your free download today!

Women in Technology

Looking Back, Looking Around, and Looking Ahead

Why This Isn’t Another Listicle

As March — and Women’s History Month — comes to a close, we want to look back at the history of women in tech. We’re not going to talk about individual women — the ‘Top Ten Women in IT History’ — so if you’re looking for a listicle, sorry to disappoint. It’s not that there aren’t plenty of brilliant and influential women in the history of IT, because there are! Here’s a good list of some. Here’s another.

No, the reason we’re not listing individual women is because we don’t want to reinforce a particular way of thinking about women in technology. The role that women have played in IT is much larger than people tend to imagine. These days, it’s easy to think that the history of women in technology is the history of the occasional genius or trailblazer who was able to overcome gender bias and make an impact in a male-dominated field.

But the truth is far more interesting and complicated.

So we’re not going to list individuals. We’re going to look at real history of women in tech, focusing on the emergence of the computing industry in the US. It might surprise you.

The Real History of Women in Tech: Where We’re Coming From

Let’s be honest — the IT world has not, traditionally, been considered a bastion of gender equality. In fact, gender bias has been so prevalent in tech, many people just assume that the computing industry has always been male-dominated, and that the significant contributions women are making in tech today are unprecedented — a testament to ‘how far we’ve come.’

But you know what they say about assumptions …

The truth is, women got the IT industry off the ground in the United States — and did so for the good of the nation. During World War II, with men off to war, it fell to women to learn how to operate the room-sized supercomputers that the U.S. used to crack codes, make ballistic calculations, and work out military logistics — important jobs, to say the least. What few people realize is that during the war and up through the mid-sixties, women made up the majority of the tech workforce.

Computing was, for multiple decades, work done by women. But that was the problem; in society’s eyes, it was women’s work in a derogatory sense of those words. The operation of computers was, prior to the 70s, viewed as unskilled labor, and the women who performed this work were not given adequate respect and recognition for their efforts. Case in point: six women programmed the first electronic computer — the ENIAC — in 1946, but they weren’t even invited to the dinner celebrating the machine’s unveiling and successful demonstration!

What happened next should hardly come as a surprise. To quote Faruk Ateş’ concise summary of the sea change that occurred in the computing industry, “Women invented the field. Then men pushed them out of it.”

By the 1970s, government and industry were starting to catch on to just how powerful the computing revolution was. In her illuminating book, Programmed Inequality, tech historian Mar Hicks discusses how men in power, once they realized that computers were the way of the future, “weren’t going to put women workers – seen as low level drones – in charge of computers.” Maria Aspan also writes about this shift in how computer work was conceptualized: “The advent of the personal computer, paired with the emergence of “geek” culture in the late 1970s, starts to shift perceptions, propagating prejudices that females aren’t good at math and science.”

In short, once the industry that women built became undeniably lucrative, men decided that computers weren’t ‘women’s work’ after all. What a convenient shift in thinking …

So, how should this history lesson inflect our perspective on the present day? Well, for one thing, we shouldn’t perpetuate the narrative that women’s current presence in tech is the start of something great. Because it’s not. It’s the continuation — after an unfortunate interruption — of a rich legacy.

But where do we find ourselves at this juncture in history? Are women truly being empowered to make a triumphant return to the IT world?

How We’re Doing

Like any project that seeks to erase prejudice and systemic discrimination, the pursuit of gender equality in IT is important from a purely ethical perspective: women deserve to be treated equally, and that means whichever field they wish to enter.

But in addition to the glaring moral necessity of eradicating sexism from the tech world, there’s the fact that the entire industry benefits from greater inclusivity and diversity. Consider these research-backed findings:

Companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to achieve financial returns that exceed their industry’s median
Firms with at least 30% female leadership enjoy a 15% increase in profitability over similar firms with no female leaders

Women’s voices matter — along with minority voices, LGBTQ voices, and the numerous other voices that make up the human choir — and when they’re left out, we all suffer.

Tracey Welson-Rossman, founder of TechGirlz, sums things up nicely: “Bringing more women into the technology workforce produces a more competitive business environment that can fire on all cylinders and at full capacity.” We cannot emphasize this enough: businesses and industries that respect and welcome women — along with racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ community — benefit from the addition of different voices and perspectives. It’s not that including women won’t hurt technology; it will accelerate its evolution and take it to new heights.

So how are we doing on that front? Statistics paint a complicated picture:

The percentage of women in senior IT leadership positions increased from 21% in 2018 to 24% in 2019 (IDC)
Women make up 28.8% of the tech workforce, up from 25.9% in 2018 and 26.2% in 2019 (AnitaB.org)
74% of young girls express interest in a STEM field (Girls Who Code)

These numbers, though from reflecting gender equality in tech, are somewhat heartening. However, other statistics suggest that there’s work to be done — and lots of it:

In the mid-1980s, 37% of computer science majors were women, but now it’s only 18% (ComputerScience.org)
Women working in computer and mathematical occupations earn 82 cents for every dollar made by men (Narrow the Gap)
Code written by women was accepted 4% more often than code written by men, but only when the programmer’s gender wasn’t disclosed (GitHub)
Women in tech have a significantly higher turnover rate than women in other fields
Women-operated VC-backed tech startups generate annual revenues 12% higher than male-operated ones, yet women-led companies received only 2.8% of total capital invested in 2019

To be sure, women are making huge strides in tech, and we are seeing more and more women in prominent leadership roles. But these victories shouldn’t distract us from statistics such as the above, nor the reality to which they point. While certain societal obstacles to women’s involvement in IT have diminished, participation continues to lag and gender biases persist. Things are moving in the right direction, but too slowly, which is why we want to conclude this blog post with suggestions that we can all take to heart in our collective effort to break the bias!

How We Can Do Better

We are at a moment in history where social justice is on everyone’s mind. If we can harness the momentum that the past decade has generated, and keep pushing for change, we can, in this lifetime, see a truly equitable society start to emerge — one in which people are free to be who they are and pursue what they love. But what are some specific ways in which we can break the bias in the technology community?

Mentorship

The power of mentorship is hard to overestimate. Having even just one person in your professional life who has your best interests at heart, and who’s willing to invest time and resources in your growth, can make a tremendous difference to your future success. This holds true of all people, but research suggests that women pursuing careers in tech are in particular need of more mentorship; one survey found that 40% of women consider a “lack of mentorship” to be one of the biggest obstacles to their equal representation in the workplace.

If you’re a woman looking to break into tech or advance your existing IT career, seek mentorship. And if you’re in a position to mentor a female colleague or associate, reach out and see if your guidance would be welcome.

Break Bad Habits

Overt displays of workplace sexism have diminished considerably, largely due to movements such as #MeToo, but gender bias persists in myriad ways, many of which are subtle and fly under the radar. It falls on all of us — men and women alike — to be on the lookout for sexist behaviors at the office. This means not only monitoring others’ behaviors, but your own (yes, even if you are a woman; sexist attitudes and beliefs can be internalized by women as well as men).

If you notice that there’s an issue with women getting interrupted during meetings, say something (there likely is, as research shows that women are interrupted twice as often as men!). If there’s an issue with women not getting full credit for their ideas and contributions, say something. Speaking up isn’t easy, but it’s vital. And remember, calling out sexist behaviors isn’t about shaming or punishing people, but educating them to be better. Accountability is a powerful tool, when used with good intentions and a spirit of compassion.

Show Her the Money!

We mentioned earlier how women-led tech startups attract less investment from venture capitalists than do men-led startups. This is unacceptable, as there is no evidence to suggest that companies with women at the helm are less likely to succeed. So, if you’re in a position to invest in female entrepreneurs, make a conscious effort to do so. And if you aren’t able to invest serious capital, you can show your support by being more intentional in your personal spending; buy from women-led and minority-led companies, because moral support isn’t always enough. Put your money where your beliefs are!

Nurture Early Interest in IT

We learned that 74% of girls express interest in a STEM career, although a much smaller portion go on to achieve degrees in STEM fields. How can we sustain early interest, instead of letting it fade? By nurturing it! We must, as a society, start to actively foster young girls’ and young women’s interest in technology and computing. Research shows that women who took AP computer science in high school were 10x more likely to choose computer science as a major. So let’s make sure female youth feel encouraged and empowered to explore any interest they have in IT, because active involvement in childhood and adolescence translates to participation as an adult. Here’s a list of some great programs devoted to helping female coders develop their talents and break into the tech industry.

A Rallying Call to IT Business Owners

Our readership for this blog consists largely of business owners and decision makers at IT companies. So we want to speak directly to you about the power that lies in your hands to effect social change. Your organization is like a miniature world that you’ve created. So let your ‘world’ be a microcosm of justice and equality — a place where people feel supported and lifted up, and never discriminated against or judged according to stale stereotypes that belong in the dustbin of history.

You might not be able to change society as a whole, but you can carve out your own space that exemplifies our better instincts, and prohibits our worst impulses. In the IT world, which is supposed to be all about forward thinking and reaching new heights, we can’t imagine a more fitting project.

Meet Sean Coker, Support Desk Technician!

Sean Coker quickly became a tremendous asset to the entire team at The 20. Read below to find out more about Sean.

What do you do here at The 20?

I am a support desk tech here at The 20, which means that I spend most of my day handling email-tickets.

Describe The 20 in three words…

Growth, Co-operation, Security

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an archeologist growing up.

What’s the most challenging thing about your job?

Trying to make each user feel heard and taken care of when it is busy.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement would probably be getting my B.S. in Economics as a first generation student.

What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success?

In my experience, perseverance has been the quality most important for success.

What do you like most about The 20?

This is my first real IT job, so I have really appreciated how kind and eager to help all my coworkers are.

What do you like to do in your spare time? / What are your hobbies?

In my off hours, I generally spend time playing video games with my GF and exploring new restaurants throughout DFW.

Where are you going on your next vacation?

DC for all the monuments and museums, might even take a quick trip over to Baltimore to pay my respect to Edgar Allen Poe.

What’s your top life hack?

Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys. Learn them, use them, love them.

Interested in working with Sean at The 20? We’re hiring! Check out our Careers page for more info.