The CIO Mindset Behind Enterprise Transformation: From finance and risk to enterprise technology leadership

Careers don’t break because you take a different path.They break when you’re too afraid to take one at all.In this episode of Reddy2Grow, we sit down with Michele Rodgers, Chief Information Officer at Exeter Finance, instructor at SMU’s Tech CXO Leadership Excellence Program, and Vice Chair of the Dallas CIO Advisory Board, for a real, no-frills conversation on leadership, pivots, and learning to lead with confidence in spaces that feel unfamiliar.Michele didn’t follow a straight line to the C-suite. She started in accounting, moved through transformation, compliance, and risk, and eventually led enterprise technology, not because she had it all mapped out, but because she stayed curious, built strong relationships, and kept saying yes to opportunities that stretched her.Her story challenges one of tech’s most persistent myths: that leadership belongs only to the most technical.What actually matters is how you think, how you listen, and how you show up for people.From leading large-scale transformation during COVID while navigating personal loss, to building cultures rooted in trust and inclusion, Michele shares what leadership looks like when it’s grounded in resilience, humility, and intention.This episode is for anyone questioning their path, hesitating to take the next step, or feeling like they don’t quite “fit” the mold of leadership.Inside the episode:→ Why you don’t need to be the expert to lead→ How non-linear careers become your biggest advantage→ The leadership myth that holds women back from the C-suite→ Building trust and culture in times of disruption→ Why saying yes, even when unsure, changes everythingThere is no single path to leadership.But there is a choice: stay where it’s safe, or step into what’s possible.🎧 NEW EPISODE DROPAn honest conversation on career pivots, women in tech leadership, and building influence without fitting the mold.Follow and Connect with Reddy2GrowReddy2Grow Socials:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reddy2grow-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reddy2growpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/reddy2growMichele Rodgers Socials:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelehrodgers/Website: https://www.exeterfinance.com/Priya Reddy Socials:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyareddy-dataleader/Newsletter: https://thepriyareddy.substack.com/Website: https://www.priyareddyconsulting.com/Hansika Reddy Socials:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansika-reddy/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovecareandart/