Bay Area Women In Business | Tricia Dolkas

It is no secret our world continues to be in times of constant change, impacting the personal and professional lives of not only ourselves but also those around us. Career transitions and pivots have become the norm, whether it is for those who find themselves one year or 30 years into their career.

Tricia Dolkas, founder of KickStart Career, is more than familiar with the challenges that come with being a young professional navigating these kinds of changes during uncertain times. She not only graduated from Stanford University in the middle of a recession herself, but also has over 20 years experience as a corporate recruiter with various companies such as IBM, Google, Sears, Blue Jeans Network, and VMWare. Her extensive recruiting experience coupled with her passion for helping young professionals successfully transition into new career territory is what makes her an ideal coach. She also currently serves as President for the Women’s Networking Alliance, Chapter 122 in Los Altos.

It is my honor to highlight Tricia in this month’s “Bay Area Women In Business” profile!

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Can you share a little bit about you and your business? 

I am a career coach assisting people in determining the best next steps in their career and how to approach a career transition strategically and efficiently. I work mostly with 2 different groups of people. First, I love helping people starting or early in their career. In this case, I work with families as parents support their children in launching their careers. I also love working with mid-career professionals with a significant career pivot, ex: changing their career to a direction that is more aligned to their values and passions.

What has your journey looked like professionally to get to where you are now?

I was a corporate recruiter for 20 years. I have recruited for positions at all levels of a corporation and within all functions. My industry experience includes the Tech Industry, Pharmaceuticals, Aerospace, Professional Services, Telecom, Agriculture, Financial Services, Retail and Oil & Gas. I also am the poster child of career pivots. During my career I have worked as Data Analyst, Product Manager, IT Manager, Telco Project Manager and a Recruiter. 

What do you enjoy about what you do? What are some of the challenges?  

Currently in “The Great Resignation” I believe there is a fundamental shift happening in the relationship between professionals and corporations. Professionals are learning to speak their truth and seeing how that brings more personal and professional satisfaction.  What I REALLY enjoy about my work is being a catalyst for “The Great Resignation”. I LOVE teaching people techniques for increased confidence in their career direction, more effective job searches and to own their power as a capable candidate for a company. I am THRILLED when I see my clients more grounded in their self-worth and their ability to make meaningful changes in the world.  

One challenge is that my work is a partnership that depends on a willing client. My method is effective, but sometimes people aren’t willing to follow the guidance or to try new techniques. Ultimately, I can’t apply for job openings or initiate a professional networking relationship, only my client can take these actions. Success  depends on their commitment to action.  

Knowing what you know now about your career, what would you tell your 18 year old self?  

Don’t be afraid of career transitions that allow you to grow professionally and to contribute to society in ways that are meaningful to you. And don’t be afraid to ask anyone for support in reaching your goals. 

Who inspires you and why?  

My father. He was a business owner and restauranteur in Southern California. He believed that a business will succeed only if management takes care of the employees. So in the 1970s, he offered full benefits to all the staff, even the people bussing dishes. He also offered profit-sharing to the management team. Both of these actions were unprecedented in the restaurant business and resulted in a very successful business and a group of very loyal and hardworking employees. 

A fun or surprising fact about yourself?  

I started snow skiing when I was 4 years old and think I skied better then than I do now. 

If you could meet anyone in history (living or not), who would it be and why? 

Eleanor Roosevelt. She was a strong woman who took action on her principles and worked to change the role of women in business and society.

Bay Area Women In Business | Kelly Dunn

Over the years, as any small business owner I am sure will agree with, you realize how important it is to have a network of great connections. Truly, no (wo)man business owner is an island and I am fortunate to know some of the best out there.

My work with Heartbox Photography is centered on women and I think that while it’s important to obviously highlight the awesome women I have the privilege to work with as clients, it is equally important to highlight the women who are part of the business connections that have supported me along this journey. And one such organization I am proud to be part of is a phenomenal group called Women’s Networking Alliance.

Kelly Dunn is the owner of Kelly Dunn Insurance Agency. She also currently serves as the Education Chair for our WNA Chapter (Chapter 122 - Los Altos) and in the time I have gotten to know Kelly, it is obvious she not only has a passion for what she does in her work, but also being a contributing member to our networking group, always being among the first to suggest a contact or connection that would be a beneficial resource for our group to learn from. (Hence her role as our Education Chair!)

It is my honor to highlight Kelly in this month’s “Bay Area Women In Business” profile!

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Can you share a little bit about you and your business?  My mother passed away unexpectedly when I was 18 years old. Fortunately my godfather is an insurance agent and had my parents set up adequately. It was then that I truly learned the importance of insurance and having the right coverages. 

What has your journey looked like professionally to get to where you are now?  A lot of hard work and being able to hear the word no repeatedly. I just take comfort in knowing with every no I am that much closer to a yes!

What do you enjoy about what you do? What are some of the challenges?  I enjoy protecting my clients, knowing that in one of their worst moments, car accident, home fire, etc. that they will be ok because I provided them with the correct coverages. My biggest challenge is no one likes to talk about insurance so I try to find ways to make it interesting and fun when I can.

Knowing what you know now about your career, what would you tell your 18 year old self?  Other people’s opinions are a reflection of their own limitations and boundaries. I had so many people tell me having your own business is too hard/too much work and that I should just get a “real” job.

Who inspires you and why?  My grandmother was my biggest inspiration because she was a strong, independent woman who always took care of herself.

A fun or surprising fact about yourself?  I was tetherball champion in 5th grade at my school’s field and track day. Lol

If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?  I would love to meet Audrey Hepburn, I think she was a very classy lady and I love her sense of style.

Jennifer | A Celebration of Phenomenal Women

“You don't manage people; you manage things. You lead people.”

-Grace Hopper

American computer scientist & United States Navy rear admiral

Meeting boss women leaders in fields like technology is simply whole new level of cool.

Jennifer is a Director of User Experience Design at Glassdoor as well as mentor, speaker, and leader with TechWomen. I had the privilege of hearing her speak in San Francisco at an event that TechWomen was hosting to share about the work being done in mentoring other young women in the areas of techpreneurship in Sierra Leone.

Jennifer is one of the many leaders representing women in technology and I am excited to share with you all these final images (and her insight!) from her photoshoot with Heartbox Photography.

Happy Wednesday!

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Images by Heartbox Photography

Hair & makeup by Daisy Gonzalez-Duarte of Beautiful One Makeup Artistry

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Can you tell me a bit about you as a person and what you find most rewarding about your work?

I work in user experience design for the software industry. I’ve been doing this for at least 15 years - I’ve kind of lost track at this point. It’s a career I sort of stumbled into - I’d never heard of user experience design when I was in school.

My first job out of college was at a software consulting company, and to be honest, I didn’t love it. When I joined a project with a guy in this new role of user experience design, I realized why. Despite our best intentions, we weren’t delivering a good product because we weren’t thinking about how people actually use software, just what the programs needed to do. So I made the switch and never looked back. 

Today, I lead a team of 6 designers at Glassdoor, with the goal of creating tools for job seekers and employers that are as intuitive and enjoyable to use as possible. The hiring process is stressful enough for everyone already, so we feel really good when we can deliver a product that in some way helps. But what I find most rewarding these days is the chance I have to mentor my team and help my organization strive for the best experience possible.

What are some things that you would want women to know with regards to any of the following topics: self-confidence, beauty, education, women in the tech and science fields?

Beauty is very personal. It’s more than a cliche when they say “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, because it’s not just about what one personally think is beautiful, it’s also what you focus on. So when you feel ugly and your inner critic is stomping on your self confidence, try changing your focus. No matter how much of a mess you think you are, there is always something beautiful about you. 

Bad hair day?

Focus on how your eyes sparkle. 

Puffy eyes from lack of sleep?

Think about how engaging your smile is. 

Focus on the things you like about yourself, not the things you hate. And remind yourself that just because you couldn’t stop thinking about that pimple, other people are just as likely to have missed it because your eyes were sparkling or smile was so engaging.

When it comes to women in tech and science, especially here in Silicon Valley, I think it’s important to know that the first computer programmers were women.

In fact, programming languages as we know them today were first invented by a woman, Grace Hopper. Women can absolutely be successful in a field that was started in large part by women.

Best advice you ever received?

Whenever you’re upset with someone in your life, a coworker that you think is working against you or a family member you think has been thoughtless, remember to stop and ask yourself what you really, truly know about the situation.

Our brains love stories, and they are hard wired to fill in gaps and create those stories. But the story your mind creates might be wrong. So hold off on judging someone else’s motivations. Tell them what you see and ask them to fill in the gaps for you.

What do you appreciate most about your life now?

I am fortunate to have the opportunity and ability to travel. Not just because I get to take great vacations, but also because I get to meet and connect with new people and different cultures.

Sometimes you see better ways of doing something. Sometimes you realize how much worse things could be than the life you were granted.

And sometimes it’s just a different lens on the same situation that makes you see something in a new light. 

Seeing first hand the variety of experience others have of the world has made me both grateful for what I have and mindful of what I might be able to do better.

Glamour Photo Session, Bay Area. Hollman, 2013.

Enthusiasm and smiles. A girl-power kind of ambition. 

Meet the lovely Hollman Wong. 

I initially met Hollman at a women's business networking event and later sat down to chat at a local coffee shop to learn about her and her businesses.  One of the things I appreciate about Hollman is that while she is a driven businesswoman and entrepreneur, she's also the type of person who makes you feel like you just spent the afternoon chatting it up with your best girlfriends - complete with the laughter over the things women struggle with and the understanding that we gals, at the end of the day, just want to do something great in this world.  

As with every glamour photo shoot I do, it is my hope that the photographs along with the story behind each beautiful woman, help to influence other women in a meaningful way. Complete with a "girl power" fist bump to the air, of course. 

And now, over to Hollman...

Give us your “elevator speech” – a snapshot of who you are, what you do for a living, and how we should “know” you.

I am an Event Planner at heart.  I've been planning events since I was a kid.  I fell into the event marketing world in High Tech and toggled between that and planning weddings and celebratory events.    

I have always believed that, there is always something to celebrate.  Small touches can turn the most ordinary gathering into something very special and memorable.  I'm in a career transition at the moment.   I just finished my studies at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and am a Certified Holistic Health Coach.  My mission is to help people figure out the right mix of whole and real foods to eat for their body so they can feel great in their favorite jeans!

Towards the end of my studies, I was working on creating a wellness Meetup group to share my knowledge and wouldn't you know it I came up with a whole new idea which incorporates wellness and getting things done.  I'm currently incubating the two ideas but the gist is that I'm creating a community where I connect action-challenged go getters with what they say they want to do!  

Who or what 3 things have helped shape you to be the woman you are today? Tell us about the path you took to get where you are today.

• Making mistakes and learning from them
• Speaking up over injustices and or crummy work that can affect the integrity of a project or the company
• When I started my first, "real" job out of college, a manager in my department told me to "take this time to learn - really learn.”  I have always remembered and followed this sage advice.

If you knew then what you know now, what would you tell your 18-year-old self? What advice would you give to other women in today’s world? 

• Ask more questions.  If you feel sick to your stomach about asking the question, all the more reason to ask the question. 
• Have the audacity to be who you really are regardless of what anyone tells you, what your family thinks or what you think society thinks. What matters the most is what you think of you.We can all mold ourselves into something else but  your authentic self is going to kick her way out for one reason or another very soon. 

There was a philosophy at a company I worked at. It made me laugh and frightened me at the same time but I loved the sentiment behind it: "It's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

When things get tough, how do you keep yourself going?

After wallowing in self pity for a good 10 minutes, I write out everything that is bugging me and figure out a plan of attack.  I also have a Blue Me folder which is a collection of compliments written by friends, former managers, and clients that I read to cheer me up when my confidence has dropped.  

What leadership qualities do you most admire?

The ability to acknowledge a really messed up situation, then inspire the troops to keep going in spite of this.  Former NYC Mayor Giuliani is a beautiful example of this.  I was out of the country for six months when 9/11 happened but when I returned, I read and watched so much about him and his leadership for the people of NYC and frankly, for the whole country and found it incredibly inspiring. 

How do you get balance in your life?

What I have learned is that what I do on a daily basis matters much more than what I do once in a while. Hence, I have worked hard to create healthy habits that feeds any schedule I have.  I know what I need physically and mentally to feel my best so I protect these habits to the nth degree.   

If I can't make it to a 90 minute yoga class then I walk for 30 minutes. If I can't walk for 30 minutes, I have a 10 minute crunch and push up routine so I can get some kind of exercise that makes me feel powerful.  I also stay away from bad food which to me means processed and fast food.  If I'm not eating a sit down meal I whip up a black smoothie and eat a handful of nuts to fuel me up.  When I have these basics managed, I know I'm balanced.   

For a woman (or anyone starting their own business), what three things are most critical for them to be aware of?

• Understand why you're going into business. 
• Have a plan so you can gauge your progress.   
• Don't be all things to all people or you will drive yourself nuts and waste your time.

Why did you choose your career?

My career chose me.  I actually did not know event planning was a career.  I have a natural ability to organize details and it's very easy for me to meet and talk with people; put the two together and voila - event planner! Now I'm taking the very best pieces of me and creating a new career.  Watch out world!  

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

·       A note book and a blue medium point ball point pen because I must jot down thoughts and ideas.  (These are two things but they go together ;D )  

·       Neutrogena lip balm in fresh plum.  I am lip balm freak and must have one with me at all times!

·       My iPhone

What is your personal motto or mission statement?

Honor self, have fun, connect to spirit, make it cute, keep it real, no drama, and play fair. Don't preach, judge, or hurt any one's feelings. Take power naps, share your sweet treats, be in the moment, and enjoy it.

Besides your daily work, what are you passionate about? 

Nutrition from the inside out.  This not only means good quality whole and real food but good quality relationships and activities because these things feed our soul. What is the point of eating an organic diet if your personal relationships drain you and junk TV deadens your mind?

A special thanks to Portia Spencer  for her beautiful work on 

hair and make up!

Happy Thursday!