January 6, 2025

Elevating Women in Tech: Insights from OpsGuru's Mency Woo

In the tech industry, where women often face significant barriers and remain underrepresented in leadership roles, OpsGuru is proud to be an organization that challenges this norm, embracing the principles of equality, equity, and inclusion. We’re excited to spotlight Mency Woo, OpsGuru’s co-founder and VP of Enterprise Transformation, who provides invaluable guidance for women aspiring to excel in the cloud sector.

Mency is a visionary leader, dedicated to guiding companies through technological adoption and harnessing the cloud’s limitless potential to foster business growth. In this short interview with Mency, we explore her journey in tech, the obstacles she’s navigated as a woman in the field, and the wisdom she imparts to those just starting out.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the tech industry?

Growing up, one of my favourite toys was Lego. The ability to assemble the pieces together for different purposes fascinated me. My interest in combining things to build solutions naturally steered me toward a career in technology.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in tech, and how have you overcome them?

In the early stages of my career, I was overly concerned about avoiding mistakes, leading to hesitation and missed opportunities. Although I can’t claim to have overcome these fears entirely, my awareness has significantly improved. Nowadays, I concentrate on interpreting signals and adjusting my approach as needed, essentially embracing an agile methodology in my work.

What advice would you give to women just starting out in tech?

My advice to women embarking on their tech careers is not to aim for perfection. You were hired for the value you bring, not because you are flawless. Many of us experience imposter syndrome to varying degrees, yet it’s crucial not to undervalue our capacity to learn and adapt. Become your most formidable advocate and relentlessly push forward!

What skills do you believe are crucial for success in the tech industry?

In the tech world, two big skills stand out for anyone looking to do well: understanding how different parts of a system work together and always being ready to learn new things. During my time working in professional services, I’ve met lots of smart people who are great at solving specific problems. But when you’re dealing with bigger, more complex issues—like figuring out how to adopt cloud technology or keeping up with fast changes in tech—it’s really important to see how everything connects. That’s what makes the difference in solving tough problems and coming up with new ideas.

On the other hand, always learning new stuff is super important too, especially in tech where things change all the time. Just think, a couple of years ago, artificial intelligence (AI) was just a small topic for most people. Now, it’s a huge deal, and we’re even talking about artificial general intelligence. That shows just how fast things move and why we need to keep up by learning all the time.

Are there any specific qualifications or certifications that have significantly helped your career?

It goes without saying that, in my field of cloud computing, certifications are crucial. They serve as gateways to opportunities, but true expertise and mastery are honed through tackling real-world challenges.

How important has mentorship been in your career?

As for mentorship, it has been invaluable to my career. Without a doubt, the trajectory of my professional life would have been markedly different without the guidance and examples set by my mentors. They’ve played a pivotal role in showing me the importance of continual learning and development and have steered me through several critical decisions.