On The Leaders' Lounge with Belinda Pervan
I’m innately competitive and results oriented, and very much driven by continually growing and learning – at work that comes through in the projects and roles i take on, but also my desire to grow my team members - seeing their success truly rewards me more than my own these days.
Belinda Pervan is Vice President, APJ Marketing at Veeam Software.
A successful technology marketing leader, Belinda describes her drive to succeed as well as offers some sage advice on ways to remain in a personal growth mindset during these disruptive times.
Tell us about Veeam Software. What products and/or services is it known for?
Veeam Software is a backup and data management platform for cloud, virtual and physical environments. We’re proudly a 100% channel company, and work with a vast network of distributers to deliver backup modernisation, hybrid cloud acceleration, data security and governance to over 400,000 customers across the globe.
As the VP for Marketing across APJ, what's an average day like for you? What’s your main focus?
My main focus shifts depending on the time of year. At the start of the quarter my efforts are focused on reporting, the middle on strategic projects, and the end on planning for the upcoming quarter, with coaching and team development a consistent.
No two days are the same at Veeam, but they structurally often have a pattern.
6:00am: Up and out of the house for some morning exercise to wake me up and get me ready for the day ahead. It isn’t something I plan for every morning, but I definitely try to fit it in as much as I can!
8.00am: Once my son & husband are out the door, I start work by addressing anything urgent that’s come up overnight. I have a few hours before my American colleagues log off for their day, so I try to get back to them where possible.
8.30am – 12.00pm: With a lot of my team across Asia, I find my mornings less meeting-intense, so if there are no meetings with the Aussies I try to put my head down and work on big-ticket items that need my full attention. I also block daily “work time” chunks in my calendar two weeks in advance – or else I think I’d sit in calls all day every day!
12:00pm – 12:30pm: Lunch. I do my best to step away from my laptop for 30 minutes a day – I know it should be a must, and I’m not great at lunch breaks, but working on it! Worst case, I try to switch one sit-down call for a walk-around-the-block meeting. It helps me break up the day and get some much-needed vitamin D.
12.30pm – 5:30pm: Time to connect with my team! Because my team are across APJ, a lot of my calls fall in the afternoon and evening. These meetings can focus on anything from business or project updates to coaching calls. I try to balance being in and on the business – but a lot of these hours I’m going where my team needs me.
5:30-7:30pm: This is my most precious time slot of the day, blocked in my calendar for “Mum time”.
7.30pm – TBD: I log back on most nights once my son is in bed – sometimes just for an hour in front of the TV, other nights for a series of calls or work. These on-off weeks come in waves depending on the time of the quarter, so I just ride the wave.
What excites you most about your current role?
My current role gives me the opportunity to develop a range of people in different roles, and that excites me every day. I was fortunate enough to have leaders in my life that took the time to guide and mentor me and I recognise that I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. I see my role as a chance to pay it forward and I am confident that those I lead today will make an even greater impact on those who come after them as they move up the ladder themselves.
My role allows me to work with such a vast range of people from different cultures and experiences. I like to feel challenged and mix up my thought process so this really helps with my development.
I’m also really excited to be part of a global company that keeps innovating and evolving every year. We’re a family of 4,000 globally and with Veeam’s commitment to investing in its people and technology, I can’t wait to see where we are this time next year!
You’ve spent your career in software and the IT services industry. What are perhaps some of the challenges unique to this industry from a marketing perspective, that wouldn’t be found in other industry verticals?
The nature of tech is that you can always count on it to change. This is part of the reason why I love it so much, but it also brings with it complexity and the need to be agile. Product innovations and company acquisitions are so prevalent in tech, which can be a turbulent time for employees, customers and partners as we review our value proposition and go to market. Overcoming these challenges time and time again doesn’t always make them easier, but it does help you to embrace change for the opportunities it provides, rather than think of it with a negative perspective.
In your opinion, how important are CSR initiatives for organisations and their staff? How do they help improve marketing outcomes?
CSR is definitely a passion of mine, and I’m hopeful that we’re working towards a world where, regardless of size, organisations will include CSR initiatives into their business strategies as standard. I’m lucky enough to work for a company that does just that. Every year, each Veeam employee is given 24 hours of ‘Veeam Cares’ time. We use this time to give back to an organization of our choice, and it gives us the opportunity to connect with the community and each other in a way that we would never be able to from within the confines of the office walls.
I don’t, however, think CSR directly aligns to marketing outcomes. In my position, I actively avoid aligning marketing and CSR to ensure it come from a place of sincerity as opposed to becoming a branding exercise.
Define ‘media’:
To me, media is the lifeline of the community. It allows us to connect with everyone and everything from the biggest business to your average Joe in a way no other medium allows.
On a personal level, what’s driven you to succeed?
It might sound like a bit of a cliché but my Mum has always been an inspiration to me. Her work ethic drove her to succeed in what was a very heavily male-dominated industry, but that didn’t make her hard. She perfectly balances the strong with the kind and she’s taught me that life doesn’t make you choose between the two – to be truly successful at work and home, you can embrace both. Much like my Mum, part of my drive to succeed comes from a place of providing for my family and giving them the best life I can.
I’m innately competitive and results oriented, and very much driven by continually growing and learning – at work that comes through in the projects and roles I take on, but also my desire to grow my team members - seeing their success truly rewards me more than my own these days.
How do you promote the drive to succeed amongst those around you?
People excel most when they’re happy. Not only is looking after my team’s happiness beneficial for their mental health, but it also ultimately impacts the business’ bottom line too. I try to make sure that the team feel connected to each other and celebrate each other’s successes as much as possible. A team with common goals that drives each other to achieve those goals is the dream for me, and it’s my job to provide them a clear path so they can motivate each other to the finish line.
This year has been disruptive for many individuals on their career journey. For those who are just starting out, what advice do you have to help guide them over the next 1-2 years?
Make a conscious effort to make connections & relationships. It’s harder now than it was when we were all in the office, but make time for 15-min virtual coffees or quick catch-up with team mates until you can get face to face in the diary.
Be mindful that the transition back to ‘normal’ will be a slow one, so set some boundaries for your personal life now before you get into bad habits. Block time in your calendar for fitness or family time to ensure you’re allowing time for the most important things to you.
Lastly, ask questions and actively listen. There’s so much to learn from everyone!
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