Here at Broadsign, we are fortunate to have talented, passionate and driven women on our team, like our CFO, Dana Tunks.
After having spent nearly 25 years as a Senior Partner at Ernst & Young, Dana moved up the proverbial ladder to become Chief Financial Officer in many leading organizations, finally joining Broadsign in October 2015.
While she contributes to Broadsign’s daily financial success, Dana also plays an integral role in shaping the future of the DOOH industry. Dana was a key influencer in the development of Broadsign Serv SSP, the first DOOH specific programmatic solution, and continues to explore directions in which Broadsign and the entire DOOH industry can grow.
In honour of International Women’s Day, Dana shared some insight on how she became a successful business woman and how other women can follow in her footsteps.
International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women. Why is this important to you?
International Women’s Day is committed to helping women and girls achieve their ambitions. I have been fortunate to be part of companies whose leaders have embraced this throughout my career. I’ve also been fortunate to have leaders and mentors who inspired me to be the best I can be professionally. At this stage in my career, I look for opportunities to provide coaching and mentoring to young women professionals, as I know how important that can be to shape the future of their careers.
What barriers or challenges have you faced to become successful in your career? How did you overcome them?
I’ve been really fortunate throughout my career to have mentors that have taken me under their wing and provided coaching and advice. It is through these mentors that I was able to discuss difficult situations and receive invaluable guidance. Still today, I am in touch with my mentor from E&Y Kitchener-Waterloo and get together with him a few times a year. While he is retired, he is an active Board member of a number of Canadian public companies and I continue to value his guidance to this day.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
I was promoted to Partner at Ernst & Young LLP when my daughter was only 18 months old. At that time, less than 10% of partner promotions were female, let alone a female with a young family! In my small way, I believe I was able to inspire young female professionals and be a role model to show what is possible. Today, the female partner ranks, while not at 50%, have made tremendous increases.
What advice would you give women looking to pursue a career in a tech firm?
Passion and perseverance will take you a long way to achieving your professional goals. Without the passion, a career becomes a job. Without perseverance, the journey to your professional goals may seem unattainable. The combination is very powerful! Find a mentor who you trust and respect as they are a powerful enabler who will help you throughout your career.
