Diva Tech Talk interviewed Linda Daichendt, CEO and Founder of the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan (MTAM) (http://gomobilemichigan.org ), CEO of Strategic Growth Concepts Inc., executive producer for  Michigan  Mobile Musings audio cast, and Board Member for the Michigan STEM Partnership.  Linda was not an early technologist.   “I loved technology as a child but I was discouraged from going into it.” She started out as a marketing leader in the retail industry.  “I ran marketing departments for shopping malls and retail corporations for the most part” in her early career.

In 2002, she became CEO of Strategic Growth Concepts Inc.  (http://strategicgrowthconcepts.com), a Marketing and Operations consulting firm providing services such as: marketing and business plan development, and implementation as well as employee recruitment to a variety of clients.  Along the way, Linda found herself falling in love with mobile technology, which was dramatically changing the face of the U.S. economy in the early part of this century.   In 2006, she became the national director of marketing for a country-wide chain of wireless retailers (Wireless Toyz).  “I became fully entrenched and learned everything I could about what was going on in the industry.”   After Wireless Toyz was acquired, Linda focused solely on Strategic Growth Concepts Inc., and added her expertise in connected tech to her consulting practice. Finding no connected tech networking groups nor associations in the state to fill the mobility technology gap, Linda decided to start one!

To date, MTAM is unique:  it is the only statewide trade association, dedicated to ‘connected technologies.’ It started by gaining the Michigan rights to an international program called MOBILE MONDAYS, meetups for those interested in mobility and connected technologies.  Since “there was need for referrals, access to training, and all these other things,” the non-profit statewide trade association was then born. Moving beyond the cell phone, MTAM is “about everything that ‘connected technology’ means --- from IoT (Internet of Things) to autonomous vehicles to augmented (virtual) reality.”   Linda is passionate about connected technologies because “I think it can change people’s lives. I think it can change our economy, make it much more diversified. I think it can help Michigan attain a leadership role, nationally and internationally.”

Linda’s personal leadership traits include tenacity, dedication and focus. She stays current in her field of expertise by “constantly reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos, attending Webinars and attending events.”   She recommends both THE MOBILE MARKETING HANDBOOK, by Kim Dushinski, and MOBILE MARKETING FOR DUMMIES by John Arnold & Michael Becker, for anyone who would like to begin their immersion in connected tech by starting with Mobile Marketing.

She has frequently been asked “You’re a woman.  How did you get involved in leading this organization?” The good news to Linda is that “Today there’s a lot more attention to the fact that there needs to be more women and more minorities brought into technology.”  To help further the cause of diversity, Linda observed “We need to focus on bringing people along with us.”  She spreads the message to parents and educators to “encourage young women to pursue technology in their education and their careers.”   She is thrilled that she is in a technology-driven role now.  “Somedays it drives me crazy. But I have said to many people, this is what I was meant to be doing. I think girls, if they see the power of what technology can do, can become someone who can change the world.”

For the full blog write up, make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. Follow our show and tell us what you like with an online review.