Teams led by women often perform better, yet there are significantly fewer women in leadership roles. 

That’s why companies that prioritize empowering women through sponsorship, stretch projects and formal career growth programs are worth noting.

Built In spoke with three women tech leaders in Austin who shared a bit about their career journeys, as well as the resources and experiences that have brought them to where they are now.

 

Alejandra Garcia Buenaventura

Group Product Manager • Zello

Zello Inc. develops a highly rated walkie-talkie app, with 170 million users in industries such as transportation, retail, construction, hospitality, healthcare and more.

 

Describe your career journey so far. What skills or experiences have you acquired along the way that have helped you get to where you are now?

I started my career at Zello as a freshman in college. Joining a startup so young let me see the company evolve through multiple stages and wear many hats — working on marketing, data analysis, community management, research and eventually product management. Being open to every challenge helped me learn across different areas and think holistically when collaborating with my team.

I’ve also learned deeply from our users — both from B2C and B2B —which has been key to solving real problems and collaborating effectively. Watching Zello grow from startup to scale-up taught me the importance of ruthless prioritization as we balance growth with customer needs.

My experiences span from consumer products to PLG and enterprise, each with unique challenges and lessons. Above all, caring deeply for our users, the product and continuous learning has shaped how I lead today — by empowering my team and supporting their growth every step of the way.

 

What support did you receive from individuals or resources that helped you step into a leadership role?

My manager, Nayeli Cortina, has been instrumental in my growth since I joined Zello as a part-time college student. She’s consistently empowered me, encouraged me to take on challenges and given me the space to explore and even fail — something that’s been key to my development. Her trust and guidance helped me understand where I wanted to go and how to get there.

Beyond Zello, I’ve also had the chance to connect with mentors outside the organization who’ve helped me see things from new perspectives and bring fresh ideas into how I approach leadership and team processes.

A major resource that supported my transition into management was the book The Making of a Manager. It gave me a grounded, realistic view of what good management looks like and helped me build confidence as I stepped into leading others.

 

How do you encourage other women on your team to become leaders themselves? Are there any stories you can share that showcase how you’ve done this?

One key thing I focus on when supporting other women is doing what my manager once did for me — giving them the space to grow, explore and realize their potential. I try to create an environment where they can take ownership and feel confident stepping into new challenges.

I also make it a point to champion the women around me by giving them full credit for their amazing work and making sure their contributions are visible. I’ve seen talented women, especially those earlier in their careers, shy away from recognition or have their work overlooked. I’m now in a position to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Finally, I lead with transparency — sharing my own struggles, doubts and lessons learned. Too often, women let their perceived weaknesses hold them back. By being open about my own process, I hope to help them see that growth and leadership come from embracing, not hiding, those moments.

 

Closinglock is a platform for securing and streamlining real estate transactions.

 

Describe your career journey so far. What skills or experiences have you acquired along the way that have helped you get to where you are now?

My career has always been about building things. I started in sales at Olympia Media Group, where I was employee number 15 and developed sales (a must for everyone) and leadership skills as I was tasked with building out a sales team. From there, I became the first marketing hire at several other high-growth startups, including OwnLocal and Opcity, which was later acquired by Realtor.com.

At OwnLocal, I gained a crash course in startup marketing, producing a high volume of work, managing stress and juggling competing priorities, developing grit and a can-do mentality. At Opcity, I became more strategic, balancing immediate growth with building long-term infrastructure. Those experiences, combined with later work at Realtor.com, gave me a unique blend of agility and sophistication. Startups taught me to be scrappy, resourceful and results-focused, while a larger organization showed me the importance of cross-functional communication, process discipline and managing bigger budgets. It taught me that communicating the value of the work was just as important as the work itself. Together, they’ve shaped me into a leader who can both build from scratch and scale with impact.

 

What support did you receive from individuals or resources that helped you step into a leadership role?

I wouldn’t be where I am without the mentors and leaders who pushed me forward and asked too much of me before I was ready. Early in my career, I had a CEO who brought me onto the executive leadership team when I was still quite junior. That gave me exposure to decision-making early on and instilled confidence that I belonged at the table.

I’ve also benefited from peers who modeled strong leadership—especially women who showed me how to lead with both strength and empathy. At each company, I’ve sought out cross-functional partners who were willing to share knowledge and give me a seat at the table.

Beyond individuals, I’ve relied on continuous learning such as taking courses, attending conferences, reading a lot of leadership books and investing in professional development. I’ve learned that stepping into leadership isn’t just about being the expert in your domain, it’s about building influence, setting vision and explaining the what, why and results around what you do. Having supportive leaders and resources gave me the space to grow into that role.

Book recommendations: “Lean In,” “How Women Rise,” “Multipliers,” “Making of a Manager,” “Ride of a Lifetime,” “Obstacle is the Way.”

 

How do you encourage other women on your team to become leaders themselves? Are there any stories you can share that showcase how you’ve done this?

My leadership style is based on empowerment and transparency. I give my team autonomy to own their projects, while creating clear strategic direction and removing roadblocks so they can succeed. I’ve found that high performers want two things: to do important work and to be recognized for it. I set high standards, but I also make sure to provide thoughtful feedback and opportunities for growth.

One way I encourage women on my team to grow into leadership is by intentionally giving them visibility with executives and cross-functional partners. I’ve had team members who aspired to management, so I involved them in leading meetings, managing agencies and networking within the organization.

At Closinglock, we had an incredible content marketing manager who showed a natural talent and ability for larger storytelling, brand strategy, public relations and corporate comms. I was able to promote her to Senior Brand Manager and provide her with more responsibility. She’s thriving in this new role, gaining more executive exposure and driving real results for our company. It’s been a win-win and I’m lucky to be in the position now to provide others with opportunities I had along the way.

 

Realtor.com is an open real estate marketplace.

 

Describe your career journey so far. What skills or experiences have you acquired along the way that have helped you get to where you are now?

My career journey has not been linear — and I’ve learned that’s often where the best growth happens. I started in fast-paced, ambiguous environments where I had to quickly learn how to connect dots, make decisions with imperfect information and lead through change. Over time, I’ve built a skill set around adaptability, structured problem-solving and bringing clarity to complex challenges. Those experiences taught me to trust my instincts, communicate with transparency and find creative ways to move forward and overcome challenges or uncertainty – qualities that have been essential in leadership.

 

What support did you receive from individuals or resources that helped you step into a leadership role?

You don’t climb the ladder, you are pulled up by others. I’ve been fortunate to have mentors, managers and peers who championed me even when I wasn’t in the room and putting my name in the hat for key opportunities. Their trust and advocacy opened doors and gave me the confidence to take on bigger challenges and their example taught me the importance of genuine relationships and the responsibility to pay that forward by advocating for others.

 

How do you encourage other women on your team to become leaders themselves? Are there any stories you can share that showcase how you’ve done this?

Leadership isn’t defined by a title, it’s about influence, ownership and bringing others along. I encourage my team to look for everyday opportunities to lead by taking initiative and ownership beyond their role and model collaboration and accountability. Those moments of visible ownership and impact are often what signal to others that you’re already a leader, before a formal title follows. Creating space and encouragement for moments like that is how we help future leaders rise.