Pledge 1%'s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Deena Tearney
Founder & CEO, Pacific Point
Honolulu HI, USA
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
In my role, I lead the growth and strategy of Pacific Point, a Salesforce consulting firm.
This year's International Women's Day theme is "Embrace Equity." What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Embracing Equity in the workplace means listening to everyone, all ideas, every thought, and each perspective. It doesn't mean necessarily agreeing with everything that is heard, but by providing fair opportunities and platforms for your employees to be heard and included, companies are able to increase creativity and ultimately value. By creating platforms and avenues for all types of personalities to have a voice, workplaces can embrace equity and strengthen team respect.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
I'm inspired by athletes. I like to visualize myself as a player who is developing my skills through practice, playing my role on the team, and adjusting my game plan when needed, all while focusing on the end objective - winning.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
The only person in charge of your career is you.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it's important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
It is really important for companies to prioritize social impact, not just for the benefit of the community, but also to strengthen team bonds knowing that the work they do is meaningful on many levels. That's the real beauty of giving - it it doesn't just impact the direct recipient, it creates a cycle of giving for everyone involved. For Pacific Point, giving back to the communities in which we operate has certainly strengthened our connections.
We just hosted our 2nd annual Toy Drive in Denver last December in collaboration with Mile High United Way. This turned out to be something that not only the local Denver team could connect with, but our entire team around the globe (and even clients!) rallied behind through online toy orders and donations. This cause warmed our hearts knowing that we made children smile, parents happy, and those families shared their joy with others, and on, and on.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Driven. I'm not above rolling up my sleeves and doing whatever it takes to get the job done.
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Green tea after lunch!
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Salesforce all day, every day.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
Continuing to build upon our growth, particularly abroad in Sydney and Singapore, is something I'm really looking forward to this year. After extended country lock-downs, it's wonderful to plug back in with our team and these communities and I know this year will be amazing!
