Penelope Delgadillo Valencia is a seasoned marketing and channel executive who, throughout her career, has accelerated market expansion of disruptive technologies across Fortune 10 companies and innovative start-ups. Currently serving as Global Head of Partner Marketing & Programs for Procore Technologies, Penelope has built her reputation at companies like Microsoft, PayPal, and SAP as she transformed and shaped their strategy through integrated marketing. From working with diverse groups and boards to having an eye for future trends, she lends her insights to growing SaaS and FinTech companies as an executive, board advisor, and board member.

Read more below about Penelope’s executive journey, the challenges facing SaaS and FinTech companies in 2021, and her tips for women leaders trying to develop their personal brands.

Tell us about your executive journey up to this point.

I was fortunate to get into different technologies early and be able to capitalize on that to grow exponentially in my career. I paved my path to Microsoft at the forefront of cloud transformation, and found a leadership team, mentors, and sponsors that really galvanized how I was going to make an impact. Moving onto SAP, being able to transform an organization and hone my skills in integrated marketing. I was leading a large team and understanding what it takes to be a strong leader at the highest level (in the boardroom), as well as empathetic leadership of an organization taking on a major change transformation. My executive journey has been one that allows me to follow my sixth sense to get into industries early, understand growth patterns, and apply my skills and exponential mindset to drive successful teams and business outcomes. 

What challenges do you predict SaaS businesses, FinTech businesses, and their boards will face in 2021?

We’re seeing companies evolving the talent skill sets they need and job scopes they have. The pandemic has completely accelerated the need for digitization across many companies. Second, specifically in SaaS companies, verticals that were hit hard have accelerated and brought to life new revenue models and business models for them to capture. How companies transform themselves for those fast-growing revenue opportunities is another area where we are going to see change in the next 3-5 years.

For a company that is going to market now, what advice do you have?

First, check-in with your go-to-market strategy. Pre-Covid and post-Covid, where are the bright spots? Where do you need to pivot? How do you need to be agile in terms of managing the business?

Second, check in with your talent and your long-term growth strategy to make sure you are appropriately planning for staffing. A lot of fast-growth companies have put things on hold, but you need to plan for the future. Talent plays a big part in this. Korn Ferry report finds that by 2030, more than 85 million jobs could go unfilled because there aren’t enough skilled people to take them.

Last, check in with your customers. Understanding what they need now, what they will need in the future, and how your customers are pivoting. Having that “customer-first” mindset feeds back into your go-to-market strategy and helps you prepare for what’s ahead. Organizations that leverage their customer behavior to generate insights outperform their peers by 85% in sales growth, according to Microsoft.

What is the unique value you bring to the boardroom?

Growing up as a non-traditional CMO/full-stack marketer, I have seen a lot of transformation in the industry. Having to break the glass ceiling in terms of creativity on these types of businesses that never existed before gives me a unique experience. I am a very passionate operator, and can really look at a problem set and find multiple ways to solve it. My ability to be flexible and agile is valuable for a board and I have spent most of my career transforming businesses and teams. I am a big fan of John Kotter.  His 8 step change model can apply in a boardroom to any company that needs advice or support to rapid growth and/or a turnaround.  The last value I can bring to any board is diversity. I have also worked on diverse teams, large and small, as well as diverse verticals. 

What has been your experience as an immigrant in business and how do you think that has changed your career trajectory? 

I am very proud of being an immigrant because it was the first lesson I learned on how to reinvent myself. As a leader, you have to take a step back, understand every moment, and figure out how you’re going to reinvent yourself for a new future. My “immigrant mentality” means I do not take much for granted; I find myself practicing and being mindful about gratitude, because I know I probably had a 1% chance to be on this trajectory. The concept of being humble, a servant leader, and not taking things for granted has served me well. 

Why are work-life balance and prioritizing your health and family important to you? 

Darrin Hardy is an author who talks about having a life scorecard. You look at your life and your career as one dimension, but you also have the interrelationship with your family, friends, and network. As you navigate your life, it’s the small decisions you make every minute of every day that can steer you off course. Having a comprehensive scorecard and a view of what matters to you (not just in your career, but every dimension that makes you you) is critically important and is how I keep myself on track. Your scorecard won’t be balanced all the time, but consciously knowing you’re trying to reach balance helps you get there. Eric M. Bailey, chief executive of Bailey Strategic Innovation Group and author of “The Cure for Stupidity: Using Brain Science to Explain Irrational Behavior at Work” states that instead of thinking of work and life as opposite weights on a scale, we should think of work as a part of life. 

Could you tell us a little bit more about the process you went through with your Branded Career Portfolio with Athena?

I was recommended to Athena by two women mentors who serve on multiple boards. I appreciate being taught and guided in terms of how to really present my platform as a board member versus an operator. Learning what’s my pitch and how to present myself has been instrumental in getting me to the point where I am actually interviewing for board opportunities and networking with some of the best and brightest venture firms. Having access to an amazing community and sharing ideas and learnings with other members, alongside executive education and training, make the Athena experience so unique.

What tips do you have for a women leader who is trying to develop and know her personal brand?

Do not short-change yourself. As women, we try to sell 80% of who we are whereas men sell 150% of who they are. Be honest with yourself about your skills and be proud of what you have accomplished. Understand where you want to point the arrow—have focused goals and remember the power of “no”. You know what’s right and wrong for you and it is okay to pass on an opportunity.

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