Marie Reece, VP, Customer Success and Revenue Operations at IPC Systems, won the Excellence in Operations Award at Markets Media Group’s 2023 Women in Finance (U.S.) Awards.

What was your reaction to winning the award?

Being recognized for this prestigious industry award has prompted me to reflect, with gratitude, on the events and opportunities that have shaped my career. While I firmly believe hard work and dedication are essential for success, none of this would have been possible without opportunity. I had a non-linear career path, and there was a moment of feeling proud for the young woman who started on this journey over 20 years ago without knowing where it might lead. I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me and for having the courage to try new things.

What have been the main drivers of my success?

For me, the primary driver of my success has been my openness to embracing opportunities as they have arisen. Since I was a child, I have struggled with a fear of failure, but instead of allowing it to put me off situations where I didn’t think I would be successful, it drove me instead to take risks and embrace them. I started saying yes to everything and anything I could, realizing that while saying no might protect me from failure, it was also the most efficient way to prevent me from being successful. Saying yes means allowing room for opportunity. It means giving yourself permission to try and to fail, while knowing you’ll be changed afterwards having learned something new. And by saying yes it opened the door to so many unexpected opportunities and led me to discover important lessons that ultimately made me more successful in my career and happier overall in my personal life as well.

The second main driver of my success is being process rather than destination focused. I learned this after having meaningful achievements in my life, without feeling fulfilled. Having goals is incredibly important because it keeps us focused and motivated, but they can become finite. By not focusing on the destination but the journey, I left myself open to new opportunities and took comfort from always learning something new. For me, being successful depended on learning new skills, building a network, and connecting with people as well as having the luck to be in the right place at the right time, and having the courage to step into the unknown. I think having a successful career is more about the knowledge you gain on your journey than the success of arriving at your destination because the goal post is always moving.

What’s your advice to the next generation of women in finance?

● Cultivate confidence in your abilities and stay curious about life-long learning; it will keep you adaptable and resilient in an industry that is ever changing.

● Build meaningful relationships through networking events, professional organizations, and peers. Be open to seeking out a mentor or group to offer insights and valuable perspectives.

● Have a voice and don’t be afraid to be an advocate for your ideas or promotions.

● And finally, enjoy the journey! Celebrate achievements and failures and realize all the big and small moments that contribute to your overall story.