Sam La Belle Women in TechnologyThis blog is part of our on-going Women in Technology series.

Sam La-Belle has been with Consilio for seven years and is a Manager for Business Operations based in London. Sam earned her Bachelor of Art in European Studies and French from the University of East Anglia. The most exciting part of being with Consilio, to Sam, is being able to witness the rapid rates of change and integration made through six acquisitions in the time that she has been with the company.

How did you get into this industry?

By complete accident! Actually, I came to work in Review Solutions in London.  I was on board to cover a maternity contract and had the opportunity to become a permanent employee as a result of that.

Have there been any pivotal moments in your career that helped get you to where you are today?

One of the pivotal moments for me was in 2015 just before the acquisition of Huron Legal.  At that time, I was a part of a small Review Solutions team. In the span of a year, Review Solutions had quintupled its revenue year on year, and it ended up putting our department on the map. We were led by someone who was a great sponsor and helped build out the entire department. Working hard with the team that year made me much more invested in the Company as a whole, and gave me a lot of confidence. We ended up making a ton of changes operationally and introduced a lot of automation, which sparked my interest in Business Operations.

What has been your experience with mentors throughout your career?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I have had a specific mentor during my career, but I have worked with a couple of people who have influenced me.

My first manager was a really strong woman who saw the importance of building great teams. She believed that you’re only as good as the people you work with. I thought that was a great motto to have. She was super smart and definitely questioned the status quo – which is an important theme to keep in mind in the Business Operations and Strategy team here at Consilio.

The other influential person was a manager here at Consilio, and he was more of a sponsor than a mentor (which I also think is very important to have).  He is someone who always had your back and went out of his way to promote and push you onward and upward.  He reminds me constantly about the power of small and how incremental initiatives can lead to big change – and to focus on the bigger picture – which you can lose sight of when you are trying to make changes at a large company like Consilio.

Have you ever noticed your gender playing a role in your career?

It has varied, I started my career in Media – which was probably more advanced in terms of their initiatives through networking, professional development, and advocacy for women.

On joining Consilio, which at the time was predominantly a male-dominated environment in 2013 – it was slightly different, but in the last seven years, significant steps have been taken in the industry as a whole to set up initiatives for Women in Tech, such as ‘Women in eDiscovery’ and the Diversity and Inclusion initiative that Consilio has introduced.

It can sometimes be daunting speaking up in a male-dominated environment, and you have to continuously remind yourself that your voice matters just as much as anyone else’s. It is essential to find the inner confidence and believe in yourself – but most importantly, support other women.

What can companies do to motivate more women to pursue careers in technology?

I watch what Amy Hinzmann is doing with the D&I Board and those kinds of initiatives are fantastic. I am also on the D&I Board, and I can see that we have made significant strides as a part of that.  These initiatives will help us continue to grow while spreading awareness of environments of inclusion to women that are looking to get into this industry.

Because the industry can be inherently chaotic, what are your techniques for stress relief and work-life balance?

For me, the key is making time to be out with friends. One of the fantastic things about Consilio is that I have probably made some of my best friends here. If you’re having a bad day, there is always someone in the office you can lean on to ask for advice, seek assistance, or chew their ear off!

When you are not working, how do you spend your free time?

I love spending time with friends and family. For hobbies, I am actually a bit of a wildlife geek – I really like birdwatching in the countryside.  I am also a big fan of Flamenco dancing.