“Strong Women in IT” is an initiative that is aimed at improving representation of women in managerial positions in the tech industry. The goal is to promote the best market practices regarding the inclusion and roles of women in business.

“What do we mean by “strong women”? This is a metaphor for a contemporary entrepreneurial woman. Her perseverance and consistency in achieving her goals and dreams. Her creativity and breaking standards, primarily in creating and implementing innovations.” – said the authors of the report.

We are happy to announce that Katarzyna Bargielska, our CMO and Co-founder, has become one of the 200 leaders distinguished in the Strong Women in IT 2021 report!

“I am proud to be part of the community of women that create and contribute to new technologies. This gives me the opportunity to work with creative people and add value to our new business areas. I am glad that I could take part in a report that inspires others and shows how much women contribute to the IT industry.” – said Katarzyna Bargielska

Here is how Katarzyna answered the questions in the report:

How did you get into the tech industry?

My adventure with the industry started in 1999 when I joined the Wirtualna Polska team as a marketer. Back then it was a classic start-up. Friends of mine discouraged me from taking this upon myself and asked me: “What is this internet anyway?” However, I was excited to discover a completely unknown land in the field of marketing. Funnily enough, a similar story happened again 3 years ago regarding the AdTonos project. Friends of mine asked me: “What is this audio programmatic anyway?”

What are the most significant advantages and disadvantages of working in this industry?

Advantages

  • Working with creative and inspiring people – changing the status quo.
  • Constant learning of new skills, coming up with new solutions and keeping up with the development of technological innovations.
  • Co-creating a new area of business and new standards in it.

Disadvantages

  • The constant need to adapt to ever-changing circumstances.
  • Major information noise and the ever-narrower specialisation of the industry.
  • It’s hard to spend holidays or weekends entirely with family.

What do you consider to be your most outstanding professional achievement?

It is difficult to choose the most outstanding professional achievement when looking at over 20 years of marketing experience in the media and technology industry. What I am most proud of is building the brand awareness of Wirtualna Polska from scratch. Together with the marketing team, we have created a strong foundation for the further development of this brand. These were not the times of great marketing budgets and so creativity and a non-standard approach to marketing activities were crucial.

What advice would you give someone who’s beginning their professional career, and why?

I believe everyone has a unique talent. Therefore, I would advise people starting their professional careers to choose a job related to their personal passions. Then carry out your work with full commitment under the existing conditions. Be brave, listen to people and keep learning. Good communication skills and building relationships with colleagues are equally important. Why? Because only with the right people can you fearlessly step into the unknown. This way you will always achieve success.

Download the report and enjoy reading it!