Women and Diversity in Channel Awards: Q&A with Iona Simaku, salesperson of the year 2023

In this Q&A, Simaku delves into some of the biggest milestones, challenges, and role models of her career so far

Iona Simaku, client director at Softcat Plc, was named Salesperson of the Year at the 2023 Women and Diversity in Channel Awards, recognising her exceptional work in the IT sector. With a focus on understanding client needs and delivering effective solutions, Iona has built a reputation for strong relationships and consistently driving successful outcomes.

In this Q&A, Iona discusses what it takes to thrive in sales, the challenges she’s overcome, and the significance of receiving this award in a year dedicated to championing diversity and inclusion in the industry.

CRN: Can you share the key milestones in your career at Softcat that led you to be recognised as Sales Employee of the Year at CRN's Women and Diversity in Channel Awards 2023?

IS: My career has been marked by numerous significant milestones. From overseeing and successfully wrapping up complex and substantial customer projects in the Retail and Legal sector, to becoming the first woman to be promoted to a managerial position in my region in 2018. Additionally, I have participated in several events, both within Softcat and externally with the wider channel network and also my customers. Having the opportunity to speak at these events have been so impactful to my career, as it allowed me to really emphasise just how important it is to have a diverse workforce, particularly in sales. When it comes to what has contributed the most to my winning in 2023, my guiding principle has always been consistent and influences all my actions in the role – putting our customers first in everything we do.

CRN: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career so far and how did you overcome them?

IS: Realistically speaking, this job is a challenging one in its entirety! All jobs in the tech industry are, in different ways. For Sales, there are a lot of moving parts, and there are a lot of factors that are outside your control that you have to manage and are still ultimately responsible for. It’s also an incredibly exciting role, allowing you to put your skills into practice and in real time situations very early on in your career. What is in your control is your resilience and also the ethos I mentioned earlier – putting customers first in everything that you do. I think as long as you get that right in sales, everything else should fall into place.

CRN: Who have been your biggest role models or mentors throughout your career, and how have they influenced your professional development?

IS: I’ve been lucky throughout my career at Softcat to have such a supportive and motivating manager since I started back in 2016. He’s always set the right example for me in excelling in sales and leadership, and has always encouraged me to take on new challenges and believe in myself. I think there’s a misconception sometimes that as a woman in tech, it’s vital you need a female mentor / manager – in my view, that just isn’t the case.

You need someone that supports and understands the importance of diversity in the workforce, is a champion for your success, and leads by example – that’s the most important thing.

Outside of my manager, I have also been surrounded by many peers within Softcat that are the same tenure as me and have worked up the ranks in the same way. We’ve supported each other through knowledge sharing and in our Networks within Softcat – that has continued to motivate me throughout my career, as I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by motivating and inspiring women since day one, who have all had the same goals as I have had.

CRN: What initially inspired you to pursue a career in sales within the tech industry?

IS: Honestly, I stumbled into this position. After studying English Language in university and graduating with uncertainty about my career path, the opportunity presented itself and I seized it – and that was that! I had an inclination for a dynamic workplace and a passion for interpersonal interaction, making tech sales an obvious choice. I’m so glad I started this journey with Softcat – you hear a lot about a company’s culture but it really has made such a difference for me to work for an employer that genuinely cares about my success.

CRN: How has the industry so far been similar or different to what you expected?

IS: In recent years, workforce diversity has become increasingly crucial, with initiatives like Supporting Women in Business playing a pivotal role. It's so important to be part of an organisation that is committed to the advancement of women across all areas, not just in sales.

I knew the industry would be fast paced (it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be a part of it), but I certainly underestimated how fast it is! In sales, we’re constantly having to adapt to shifts in our field, all whilst prioritising our customers throughout , ensuring we communicate changes effectively to assist them to the fullest.

CRN: How has winning the Sales Employee of the Year award impacted your professional life and your goals for the future?

IS: Winning the Sales Employee of the Year award has been a huge boost for my professional life and my goals for the future. It has given me more confidence in my abilities, more recognition from my peers (both internally and externally within the wider Channel network), and more opportunities to take on challenging and rewarding projects. It has also motivated me to keep learning and improving myself, and to aim for higher levels of excellence and impact. Sales is such a rewarding role but of course there are challenges along the way - the key thing is not to give up. I originally was shortlisted for this award in 2022 and wasn’t successful. Understandably, I wasn’t able to get direct feedback, so I reviewed my submission and had to be quite self-reflective and critical on where I fell short. I was fortunately shortlisted again in 2023, and that self reflection helped me put together an award-winning submission! It would have been quite easy for me to just give up after 2022’s awards, but I knew I had more to give and I’m so glad I did.

What advice would you give to other women aspiring to succeed in the tech sales industry, particularly those who are striving for recognition and visibility?

My advice is: do it! Tech sales is a fantastic career for both professional and personal development and it’s allowed me to ultimately be responsible for my own business with complete autonomy. On top of that, its refreshing to be part of an industry that genuinely champions women and takes active steps to advocate for their success.

CRN: What do you think senior leaders in the industry need to do more or less of to aid the development of women and those younger employees who come from underrepresented backgrounds?

IS: Firstly – coaching within leadership. As mentioned previously, whilst it would be fantastic for there to be an equal split between male/female in Leadership roles in Tech companies, as we are a in a male dominated industry, that sometimes may not be achievable. It’s not about hiring women in those roles so you can tick a box – it’s about educating that senior team (regardless of gender) about the importance of diversity within the workforce. Networks such as SWIB and SWIS are a great way to advocate this.

Secondly – attracting talent. It’s vital to ensure that job adverts go to the right audience and have the right language that attracts women to apply. Do you have enough success stories of women in your company so an applicant feels they have someone to relate to? Are you focussing on an audience that is likely to include a strong number of female applicants?

Thirdly – retaining that talent! Ensuring those women have the right support from mentorship all the way to leadership level and giving them exposure to role models both externally and internally I think are so important. Also, by creating an inclusive culture in the workforce, it creates female empowerment which will then encourage the next cohort of talent coming through.

A huge thank you to CRN for recognising me as CRN Sales Person of the Year 2023 – good luck to this year’s finalists!