Tech Beyond Gender Talks

What does it really mean to be a mentor?

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Meena Satishkumar sits down with Sid Kumar to explore the art, craft, and joy of mentoring beyond buzzwords and frameworks.With over 25 years of experience across technology, finance, and leadership, Sid shares a refreshing and deeply human perspective on mentorship.In this conversation, we explore:-

- Why mentoring is a craft before it becomes an art

- The difference between mentoring, coaching, and training

- How real mentoring is like a dance not a script

- The importance of listening (and why it’s so hard)

- How mentoring helps break self-limiting beliefs and invisible barriers

- The role of mentoring in creating more inclusive workplaces

- Why you should never create a “mini version of yourself”

- And the powerful moments where true growth actually happens

“It is in that moment… when something clicks… that’s where the joy comes.”

International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world every year — but what actually changes once the events are over?In this special Tech Beyond Gender panel conversation, host Meena Satishkumar is joined by returning podcast guests Camy Bhandari, Noor-Un-Nissa Syed, and Amanda Watson to explore the reality behind diversity conversations in the workplace.Together, they discuss the gap between awareness and action, the challenges women continue to face in leadership and technical roles, and what organisations need to do to move beyond symbolic gestures toward meaningful change.

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Meena Satishkumar sits down with John Bessey to explore what success really looks like beyond titles, beyond linear career paths, and beyond the highlight reel.

In this honest and deeply reflective conversation, we explore:

• The reality of starting from scratch and building a career without a clear path
• The role of resilience, mindset, and inner work in shaping success
• Navigating mental health challenges alongside leadership responsibilities

and many more topics!

This is not just a story about success, it’s a story about reinvention, self-awareness, and doing the work to become who you are meant to be.

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Meena Satishkumar sits down with Jeevan James, a strategic technology leader with over 20 years of experience across banking, insurance, and FinTech.

Together, they explore how software engineering has evolved from small, agile teams and generalist roles to highly specialised functions and why the industry may now be coming full circle in an AI-driven world.

This is not just a conversation about technology.
It’s about how the role of engineers is shifting, what skills truly matter, and how to stay relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.

#TechBeyondGender #MeenaSatishkumar #SoftwareEngineering #AI #FutureOfWork #CareersInTech #WomenInTech #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #TechCareers #EngineeringCulture #Innovation #LearningMindset

In this powerful episode of the Tech Beyond Gender Podcast, Meena Satishkumar is joined by John Bessey, Katy Sweetman, and Noor Syed for a deeply insightful conversation on leadership, focus, and creating meaningful impact.At a time when professionals are stretched thin, juggling priorities and navigating invisible workloads, this conversation explores a powerful idea:Leadership is not about doing more — it’s about focusing on what truly matters.John and Katy share the thinking behind their book Rituals of Impact — introducing simple, repeatable “rituals” (or systems) that help leaders and professionals:Cut through complexityPrioritise what actually drives resultsBuild high-performing teamsLead with clarity, purpose, and energyNoor brings a deeply personal perspective on how rituals shape resilience and grounding, while Meena connects these insights to real workplace challenges — especially for women and gender-diverse professionals in tech.

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Meena Satishkumar is joined by Enneagram specialist Yuliya Schamrel for a powerful conversation on self-awareness, limiting beliefs, and the patterns that quietly shape our lives.The Enneagram is a framework that describes nine different ways we think, feel and act, helping us understand the deeper motivations behind our behaviour. More than a personality tool, it offers a way to recognise unconscious patterns and create more choice in how we respond to the world around us.#TechBeyondGender #enneagram #selfawareness #personalgrowth #womenintech #leadershipdevelopment #emotionalintelligence #mindsetshift #knowyourself

In this episode of the Tech Beyond Gender Podcast, host Meena Satishkumar is joined by co-host Pip Klenner for a thoughtful and engaging conversation with Helen Cuddy, Engineering Manager at Unleash (part of the Access Group).Helen shares her journey from studying engineering as one of the few women in her class to leading engineering teams in the technology industry today. The discussion explores how mentorship shaped her career, the importance of challenging self-limiting beliefs, and how leaders can support people in recognising their potential.Together, Meena, Pip and Helen explore the realities of working in technology, the importance of creating supportive environments for women in technical roles, and how leadership, coaching and community can help build confidence and growth.This episode offers valuable insights for professionals navigating careers in technology, leaders developing high-performing teams, and anyone interested in the future of women in tech.

International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world every year — but what actually changes once the events are over?In this special Tech Beyond Gender panel conversation, host Meena Satishkumar is joined by returning podcast guests Camy Bhandari, Noor-Un-Nissa Syed, and Amanda Watson to explore the reality behind diversity conversations in the workplace.Together, they discuss the gap between awareness and action, the challenges women continue to face in leadership and technical roles, and what organisations need to do to move beyond symbolic gestures toward meaningful change.Website: https://www.techbeyondgender.orgYouTube: Tech Beyond GenderSpotify: Tech Beyond Gender Podcast

In this episode of the Tech Beyond Gender podcast, Meena Satishkumar speaks with Amanda Watson from Tech Women New Zealand about the evolving reality of women in the tech industry.Amanda shares insights from nearly 25 years in IT, highlighting the progress made and the challenges that still remain for women navigating technical careers, leadership pathways, and workplace bias.The conversation explores:• Why women still face barriers in technical roles and leadership• The impact of career breaks and fast-moving tech environments• Bias in hiring, progression, and workplace culture• The role of initiatives like ShadowTech and mentoring circles• How organisations can better support women returning to work• Generational shifts shaping the future of tech careersThis is an honest, grounded discussion on what it really takes to create inclusive, supportive environments for women in technology — and what needs to change next.If you're working in tech, leading teams, or passionate about gender equity in the industry, this episode will resonate deeply.

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, host Meena Satishkumar speaks with Victoria Vaughan, a global tech leader who has shaped some of the most influential narratives in the crypto and technology space.Born and educated in Russia, Victoria began her journey in a deeply technical environment before stepping into leadership roles at an unusually young age. At just 24, she became the CEO of Cointelegraph, helping grow it from a small startup into the world’s largest crypto media platform with over 18 million monthly readers. After leaving Cointelegraph, Victoria went on to build her own ventures, including a blockchain wallet startup and later founding B612 PR, a boutique tech PR agency now working with AI, biotech, and deep-tech founders across the US.A powerful, honest episode about confidence, courage, storytelling, and rewriting your own narrative in technology and life.