Mums in Tech - feat. Soumya Gorrepati

As part of our ‘Mums in Tech’ series, we caught up with Soumya Gorrepati, Market Data Analyst at Arenko.

The purpose of our 'MotherBoard’ content series is to highlight incredible working mums within tech & data, as well as individuals and businesses that are supportive and progressive within their approach to creating more inclusive tech & data teams for women.

Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?

My name is Soumya Gorrepati. I’m a Market Data Analyst at Arenko. As a Market Data Analyst, I work closely with the internal trading team and the finance team to monitor performance of assets, follow-up on trades and strategies employed, monitor, and manage Arenko’s collateral positions, report on performance to Customers on a Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly basis.

If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?

A working mum in tech is someone who is not only always on the go to keep delivering on work priorities but also has to keep nurturing and guiding her children.

How do you find a balance between your career and motherhood?

Finding a balance between a career and motherhood is an ongoing process and requires continuous effort and flexibility.

I do this by setting priorities at work and at home. When I’m at work, I focus on work tasks and when I’m at home I prioritise family time. I achieve this by dividing my day into timebound schedules/windows so that I have dedicated time blocks for work and family activities. It is not easy and sometimes things can become very challenging but communicating openly at work and at home, delegating tasks, seeking help and lastly the hybrid work model / flexibility provided by Arenko which allows me to choose when to work from office/home has helped me in finding the right balance between my career and motherhood.

What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?

I had to take a career break and had to resume work after a gap. Convincing Employers that I’m still very competent and securing a job after a career break was one of the greatest challenges that I came across in my career. Needless to say, I’ve had a fantastic run at Arenko and I’m very thankful to my Manager and Arenko SLT for giving me the opportunity to work at Arenko.

What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?

Time management – When I took a career break, as a mother I was constantly juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities in a timebound manner. This helped me immensely when I resumed my professional career to manage deadline and prioritize tasks effectively.

Empathy, patience, and adaptability needed for dealing with children have also helped me significantly in dealing with challenging and difficult situations in my work life.

When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?

Openness to new ideas and an attitude of ‘learn it all’ instead of ‘know it all’ helped me the most. I didn’t know much about the energy / battery sector, but I was keen to learn and improve. Also, my supportive managers and mentors who understood my situation provided me flexibility and guided me as I transitioned back into the workplace. It has been a journey full of ups and downs, but I’ve learnt so much and continue to learn every day.

The priority should be creating a culture of flexibility and inclusivity, so that working mothers not only manage their professional and personal responsibilities better but also feel valued, respected, and supported.

What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?

Creating a culture of flexibility and inclusivity, so that working mothers not only manage their professional and personal responsibilities better but also feel valued, respected, and supported will in turn promote employee retention and productivity.

Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?

Believe in yourself and your abilities. Plan and organise, embrace flexibility, prioritize self-care, advocate for yourself, seek out opportunities for professional development and never stop learning.

Remember, finding the right balance between work and family is an ongoing process, and it’s ok to seek help and make adjustments along the way.

MotherBoard is a Business Charter, Community & Event Series, driving tangible change for mums working in the tech industry.

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