Women Building A Business
Celebrating Women’s History Month with the Women Who Lead Tribal Tech and Cowan & Associates
Written by Lyndsey Kerr
What does it take to be a leader?
What does it take to be a leader? What comes to mind when asked that question is generally admirable, hard-working traits. Leaders are people who are not afraid to take risks. They are motivated by their passions and for selfless reasons. They are confident in what their business has to offer. They have trust in their company and their employees. Now, what does it take to be a female leader? The answers to this question are all stated above. There is no difference. Women in the workplace have come a long way thanks to those who paved the way before us. They gave us a voice. They gave us hope. They inspired us. Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to acknowledge the accomplishments of women who made an impact in history. We no longer live in a society where men and women’s work are viewed as separate. You may be wondering, how does this correlate to Tribal Tech? Tribal Tech is a Native American, woman-owned management and technical services company. It is only fitting to highlight our company and the two women leaders who make it all happen.
Getting started
The most challenging part of building a business is taking the first steps. Vicki Vasques founded Tribal Tech 12 years ago. Starting her career with a passion for education, Vicki was a high school teacher in Southern California. She never imagined that she would start her own government contracting company in Alexandria, VA, now home to over 100 employees. Vicki’s inspiration for starting Tribal Tech sparked once she ran for a local government position in Alexandria. Although she did not get elected, Vicki knew one thing: She not only wanted to give back to her local community, but also to Native American communities across the nation. Fast-forward to 2021, Vicki appoints Neill Sciarrone as the CEO (now CEO & President) of Tribal Tech and its new subsidiary, Cowan & Associates, Inc. Vicki and Neill both share the same goals of wanting to give back to their communities, and to be a part of something larger than themselves.
“It’s a unique position to be in, says Neill, “It’s a new experience for me, being able to work with an owner who is also a woman. I’m used to being in environments where I am the only woman. This experience really showed me the power of relationships. The network of women and the way we pull each other up has been great.”
Neill, like Vicki, comes from a strong government background, but she offers a great deal of knowledge specifically in cybersecurity and technology, which will only ensure a future of growth for the companies Tribal Tech and Cowan & Associates.
Barriers and mindsets of a leader
The big question is this: What is your plan if you face a bump in the road? Are you willing to give up your goals due to a detour? Depending on your answer, that will likely determine if you hold the mindset of a true leader. The barriers faced as a female in a leadership position differ from 20 to 30 years ago to present day - which is a good thing. When interviewing Vicki, she stated that the most significant barrier she experienced starting out was the financial aspect. She needed to find a financial institution that would support her and her future plans. She was turned down by the first local bank she went to; she wasn’t sure if it was because she was a woman and a minority looking to start her own business, but she didn’t give up after one setback. She went on to find a local bank that did embrace her for being a woman and a minority who was starting a government contracting business. Vicki also talked about how while growing up, society tried to instill that boys were smarter, stronger and could do things girls couldn’t. As a young girl, it was basically taught that you had limits. To women looking to grow or visualize themselves as their own boss, take the risk; believing in your abilities and showing up as the best version of yourself will get you where you want to go.
“With a history of big voices that stood up and fought our fight, we are definitely getting there…It wasn’t as easy for women entering the business world as it was for men, but we are more respected and we are right there,” Vicki states.
When asking Neill that same question, she observed another barrier that she experienced throughout her career. “Having the confidence to take on new challenges is the number one barrier I witness in women; it limits them from taking on leadership roles,” Neill states. Women tend to shy away from applying for positions unless they are one-hundred percent confident they can do it, whereas men apply when they have about half that confidence. “Generally speaking, women need to insert themselves into organizations that are capital raising organizations and women need to be willing to take that risk,” Neill adds.
What sets Vicki and Neill apart from women who are content with where they are in the workplace is their leadership mindsets. As a woman just starting my career journey, I found a lot of the advice and wisdom from the two interviewees truly inspiring. Even if you’ve held the same position in your career for five, ten, twenty years, you too can find inspiration from both Vicki and Neill’s journey. Tribal Tech and Cowan & Associates were neither of the two ladies’ first careers. It’s never too late. March is all about empowering women; the two shared their wisdom for the future of women and want them to know that they can do anything.
Leadership mindset and advice - quotes from Vicki and Neill
“Have a mentor and a sponsor and know the difference. Mentors shouldn’t look like you; meaning, having someone different from you can give you a lot of new perspectives and I find that they challenge you. A sponsor is a different structure that is a commitment to you. It is a more formal mentoring process where their commitment to you is to help give you opportunities.” -Neill
Neill shares advice she received early on in her career that sticks with her today, “Always be a little afraid of the next job you are taking; if you’re not a little afraid that you can do it, it probably isn’t challenging enough for you.”
“The number one advice I have to offer is to trust. However, it is attributed to Ronald Reagan but be sure to trust and then verify. Things can happen if you put your trust in someone without finding out who they are. That’s why it’s always important to verify.” -Vicki
Inspire
This quote by Wilma Mankiller, woman Chief of the Cherokee nation, sums up the steps needed to take to make a difference as a woman, and it’s easier than you think:
“I think the most important issue we have as people are what we started, and that is to begin to trust our own thinking again and believe in ourselves enough to think that we can articulate our own vision of the future and then work to make sure that vision becomes a reality.”
To all women and young girls: Don’t limit yourself; have confidence and take risks. If you have a passion, go after it. The women before us made sacrifices that contributed to the achievements of women over the years and opened the door to amazing opportunities. A woman-owned and woman-led company is something to acknowledge because there was a time when it was unheard of. When celebrating Women’s History Month, remember to celebrate Tribal Tech and Cowan & Associates; a business and subsidiary led by intelligent and influential women.
About the Author
Lyndsey Kerr, Marketing Coordinator for Tribal Tech.