Episode 168: Shellye Archambeau on Being Unapologetically Ambitious
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Measured. Strategic. Bold. Visionary. Trailblazer. Planner. Shellye Archambeau is all of those things and more. In this episode of Beyond the Business Suit we are featuring corporate board member, former CEO and author, Shellye Archambeau. This episode is jam-packed with insights, inspiration and practical advice. Get your notebook out and get ready to take lots of notes!
Some of what makes Shellye so impressive: She was the first African American woman IBM sent on an executive assignment overseas to President of Blockbuster.com to the CEO responsible of the turnaround of MetricStream, she's currently serving on boards including Nordstrom and Verizon and she has proven time and time again that she is unapologetically ambitious (which is also the name of her new book!). In this episode Shellye shares some of her backstory including her upbringing and how she decided back in high school that she wanted to be a CEO.
Shellye's Bio
SHELLYE ARCHAMBEAU is one of high tech's first female African American CEOs. Formerly an executive at IBM and CEO of Blockbuster.com, Archambeau was recruited to be the CEO of a then-struggling Silicon Valley startup, which is now MetricStream, a recognized global leader in governance, risk, and compliance software solutions based in Palo Alto, California. She is credited with being responsible for its turnaround which has been referred to as “the most stunning Silicon Valley turnaround you’ve never heard of,” by Reid Hoffman.
She currently serves on the Boards of Verizon, Nordstrom [NYSE: JWN], Roper Technologies, Okta Inc and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a public policy organization. She is also an Advisor to RBC Capital Markets. She has held executive positions for numerous companies including IBM, Blockbuster and Loudcloud. She has been featured frequently in Forbes, the New York Times, Business Insider, Wall Street Journal, Fortune and more.
Her life told in stories amplified with inherent lessons – Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms will be available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook on October 6, 2020 and is available now for pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2uHpM5C and Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2whz6gI
Quotables
“It's important to make home wherever the pillow is.”
“I'm a big believer that homework does not stop at school.”
“I think the best first job for anyone is in sales.”
“When somebody tells you ‘no,' it doesn't mean no forever. No typically just means not now.”
“You can become a leader long before you become a manager.”
~Shellye Archambeau
The Final Five
- What was your first job? Cleaning stalls in a horse barn
- What is one book that has impacted your life? Trillion Dollar Coach by Bill Campbell
- What are three of your favorite things? I love performing arts, I like to entertain and I enjoy spending time with family (especially grandkids)
- What are some of the things you do that when you do them, you feel most yourself? I am in my element when I am planning things!
- What is one experience that has shaped who you are? Paraphrased: When I was at IBM, I was asked who I wanted my mentor to be. The person I asked told me “Shellye, you've got me, so go ask someone else!” That taught me that I could have more than one and I've had a bunch of mentors in my career.
How you can connect with Shellye Archambeau:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellye-archambeau-72115/
Instagram: @shelarchambeau
Website: https://shellyearchambeau.com/
Pre-Order or Purchase Shellye's New Book, Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms
Watch the video of our interview here:
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