Debbie Qaqish on Why Stigmas Are Crushing Your Career Growth | EP. 61

#womenintechtrailblazerspodcast #womenempowerment #careerwomen #womenintech #women #storyofwomen #techworld #DebbieQaqish #womenintech #womenmentorship #PowerofMentorship #authenticity #leadership Hey Trailblazers! Buckle up, because this episode of "Women in Tech Trailblazers" goes somewhere most career talks avoid. Tiffany Benitez sits down with Dr. Debbie Qaqish, founder of The Growth Factor and the creator of revenue marketing, who has spent more than 30 years figuring out what really holds women back. Today she puts a name to it. Stigmas. The ones other people hand you, and the ones you quietly hand yourself. Debbie takes us back to her early career, where being a woman with a Southern accent meant getting underestimated before she even opened her mouth. Instead of shrinking, she leaned all the way in, closed a job interview like a pro, and walked away with a nickname that says everything. Her stories are funny; they sting a little, and they make one thing clear. The culture is powerful, and in tech it runs on overdrive. Here is where it gets personal. We dig into the internal stigmas, the perfectionism, and the constant proving, and Debbie calls it exactly what it is. "You need to stop proving yourself through performance and concentrate on the value that you know that you add." She walks us through how to catch the cycle, name it, and break it, and why you get to decide which feedback to keep and which to let go of. Debbie also gets honest about her own life, the ups and the downs, and the one question she asks herself every single morning that changes how her whole day goes. We will let her tell you what it is. We also talk about why your 40s might be your most freeing years, and why she thinks AI could open doors for women rather than close them. Here are the key takeaways: (00:00) Intro (2:35) Bringing purpose into how you show up (5:03) The most powerful tool women in tech have (7:09) Bias, a southern accent, and getting hired anyway (13:12) Asking what do I want and how do I get there (14:45) Why stigmas are crippling your next career step (16:34) Breaking the story cycling in your head (22:41) Writing down the story you tell yourself (27:09) Why the AI era is an opportunity for women By the end, you will be looking at your own career a little differently, and asking who actually owns it. Spoiler: it is you. Tune in, share this with someone who needs it, and subscribe to catch what is next. Until then, Trailblazers, go get your own horse. About Debbie Qaqish Debbie Qaqish is the founder of The Growth Factor and the creator of Revenue Marketing®. With more than 30 years of experience, her work focuses on helping marketing leaders and teams improve decision-making, resilience, and performance under pressure. Her books include Rise of the Revenue Marketer and From Back Room to Boardroom, and she also hosts Revenue Marketing Raw. For more than a decade, Debbie has taught revenue marketing at the College of William and Mary. Connect with Debbie: LinkedIn:   / debbieqaqish   About Tiffany Benitez Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host: Tiffany’s LinkedIn:   / tiffany-benitez-csm-safe-itil-65ba64126   Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.