Heather's path in tech

Geertjan Wielenga: What's your background and how did you get into the software industry in the first place?

Heather VanCura: I was interested in software development in college, but I was swayed away from it by my guidance counselor. I majored in business and focused on marketing administration, but I took modules in statistics and quantitative methods. I thought I would get into market research or even something to do with human behavior and observing how people interact.

When I got out of college, though, I knew I wanted to focus on tech. I did my internship at a company called Triad Systems. After that, I got jobs working on high tech accounts in advertising agencies, including Microsoft accounts. Eventually, I decided that I didn't like being in advertising. I wanted to get into the customer side, which is where the more interesting work happens at tech companies.

I found a job at Santa Cruz Operation, in market development...