Avani Desai is an EWF Ambassador, Champion, and President of Schellman & Company, LLC. Avani is a true pioneer, and we are thrilled to share her wisdom with our EWF Blog readers! Please welcome Avani Desai.
In 2018, you were named President of Schellman & Company, LLC, making you the only minority head of a “Top 100” CPA firm, and one of only a handful of female leaders. How would you describe the experience of being a pioneer in two such critical areas?
Reading that written out gives me somewhat of emotional whiplash—first I was proud, then discouraged. It’s almost hard to say why it’s “taken so long,” because, in our day and age, women have seemingly made large strides in terms of progress. The starkness of the actual reality—hearing that I’m the only one—just makes me want to get out there and start encouraging every woman and little girl I see. To create more female minority leaders, I do think we need to start earlier when it comes to helping all of our fellow women—we need to talk to girls beginning in elementary school and encourage them to tinker, explore, to build. The first step is lifting up the veil of past societal boundaries so they aren’t discouraged—we must open up the possibilities of what they can do from an early age so they chase more and more as they grow up.
But to those young women who are grown and just wetting their feet in the workforce, I’d encourage them to try and consider everything a learning experience. There are always going to be obstacles that get in your way, whether it’s health, family, a difficult boss, a difficult coworker, kids, relationships, or just life, but there’s something helpful and positive to be gleaned from every difficulty—you just have to look for it and remind yourself that, each time, you are growing personally and professionally. It is easy to quit during an uphill battle, but remember that for every obstacle you, yourself, overcome, you are putting a crack in the glass ceiling above us all–those who are working alongside you, as well as those women to follow.
How did you learn about the EWF? When did you become a member?
We learned of the EWF through multiple contacts from our clients. The first time was back in 2018, when I was looking for a way for our female leadership to get more involved in a community—now, having spoken with Joyce, I know to call it a sisterhood. Through our involvement, the EWF has allowed the women at our firm access to resources, webinars, and a conference to have discussions and learn from like-minded women. And of course, we have a lot of fun too!
What are some tools you’ve used to integrate your career with your personal life?
I am a naturally chaotic person who has learned the art of organization through the assistance of technology. Task lists are a must for me to manage both work and my personal life.
When did you first become interested in the “tech/privacy/infosec/cybersecurity” field?
Well, I come from an Indian family, and the stereotypes all say that I was probably predestined to be a doctor or engineer. And while it’s true that I have always enjoyed tinkering—even at a young age—when I got to college, I became more intrigued regarding how technology can intersect with business. After focusing on computer science, I decided my real love was information security, which I then somehow segued into working for an accounting firm. It wasn’t at all how I would have predicted things to go, but when I think back, everything that I consider exciting and attractive in a potential job – solving problems, data analysis, encouraging collaboration for decision-making – is what I’ve found. I’m so happy as to how it’s all worked out.
“From my perspective, asking for raises, promotions and assignments that are a stretch beyond your comfort zone demonstrates a willingness to be noticed, a keen interest in the company as a whole, and the ability to step up when needed.”
How did you overcome the “boys club” atmosphere in your career path? Did you feel supported when you first started out?
For anyone, standing out among peers requires bravado and projecting a sense of strength that does not always come naturally—and yes, that can be harder for those women in fields that are considered “boys clubs.” That said, courage can play a big part in finding success. From my perspective, asking for raises, promotions and assignments that are a stretch beyond your comfort zone demonstrates a willingness to be noticed, a keen interest in the company as a whole, and the ability to step up when needed.
But simply demonstrating that courage may not always be enough, which is where resilience and perseverance come into play. Roadblocks and detours are encountered at every turn, and navigating them well is an important trait of any potentially successful female leader. Those of us who are leading know that pushing on, adjusting and even halting projects despite costs are a few of the hard decisions that we have to be prepared to make. Fostering the characteristics necessary to do so, at every step of a career, will hone the skills needed to bounce back from unsuccessful endeavors and provide the backbone to press on when the going gets rough.
Those tough decisions can appear at any time, unfortunately, and managing the ambiguity of the timing, as well as the ambiguity of included context is very important as well. Working without a playbook is an essential element of operating within senior management in this industry, because you’re often pressed to be decisive despite having incomplete, imperfect information. Software companies would be completely stymied if they waited until all software bugs were known and rectified—it’s a matter of jumping off the dive board and being okay with a little splash. Be comfortable with releasing products knowing that everything will not go perfectly. Showing the ability to be nimble and navigate the unknown will help set the stage for a spot in the C-suite.
Not only that, but seek out the unknown. The dichotomy of risk and reward is very real in the business world, but taking a seemingly lateral, risky move that breaks an upward pattern may actually provide exposure to another industry or business unit and another avenue to success.
“We all must realize that the future of security demands diversity and well-rounded perspectives more than ever before.”
Did you have a mentor or sponsor who supported you early on in your career? If so, what did you find most helpful?
Yes, I have had several mentors and sponsors – both male and female. One thing I will say is we need more men sponsors in our field. Because the information security industry is undeniably male-dominated, the numbers themselves can appear bleak—the percentage of female employees in infosec is 10%. But no matter what the cause of such a gender gap is, we all must realize that the future of security demands diversity and well-rounded perspectives more than ever before. There is no superior sex when it comes to the ability to develop, design, research, innovate, and think critically, and anyway, women have already been proven capable of these abilities and more. We need men to advocate for us and clear the way even further so that the entire industry benefits.
My advice is that we veterans of the field need to continue working with women in technology and information security—mentor them into leadership positions. In our sector, there is a huge pool of latent female talent that has so far gone largely untapped, which is doubtlessly inhibiting not only the speed of commercial change, but the potential of all our businesses. And while we will of course need men to participate, we women have a mission-critical battle to fight against the gravitational pull of our own self-doubt as we strive to achieve 100% gender parity, because we know now that women can be incredibly successful leaders. Being able to help young women achieve that has been my mission for 2021, and it will continue beyond. It is time to enlighten and empower girls just as much as boys on the positive aspects of information security: a career that is extremely future-oriented, in high demand, highly compensated, empowering, and liberating.
How has the EWF helped you expand your network?
At the EWF conferences and meet-ups, we have been able to meet women who have become clients, joined us on panels, and helped write whitepapers—I personally can also say that some have also truly become best friends. We know a strong network is a powerful professional asset, and we often think about it in terms of new jobs, promotions, or sales, but I’m constantly amazed how EWF has provided us even more diverse returns due to our involvement together.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders in the “tech/privacy/infosec/cybersecurity” industry?
Don’t ever become stagnant, even if you remain in the same industry, company, or job. It’s easy to become complacent, but because everything changes so quickly, you must be capable of reinventing yourself every 10 years so you don’t become obsolete. Being proactive about your situation and constantly challenging yourself helps.
What are you most proud of?
My proudest moment is not professional but personal. I love being a mom. I am a mom of a 10-year-old, a 7-year-old, and when this publishes, I will also have a newborn at home. But, I don’t want to make it all sound rosy, because being a working mother is a constant challenge. To be honest, it isn’t easy—the famous saying that “you need a village to raise children” is true. My professional role comes with a lot of responsibility that requires me to be away, and so I am lucky to have family to help with overnights when I travel, friends to remind me that Friday is pajama day, a tribe of moms who lend an ear when the days get tough, a husband who is supportive of my goals, and a firm who supports women. With the support of my “village,” the firm, and our leadership team, I was—and still am—able to manage. I am passionate about my work, I want to leave a lasting impact, and now I don’t have to weigh the cost of balancing motherhood and my professional career. I am living both of my dreams, professionally and personally, to the fullest.