The Marine Biologist turned Chief Product Strategy Officer at Kantata ft. Sarah Edwards

In this episode, I am joined by Sarah Edwards, Chief Product Strategy Officer at Kantata who shares how a psychology degree led to Oracle's graduate scheme, coding, consulting, living abroad twice, and ultimately landing in the C-suite. She opens up about navigating male-dominated boardrooms, the confidence gap holding women back, negotiating compensation, balancing motherhood with executive travel, and why AI is reshaping the entire industry.Key takeaways:→ You don't have to be the loudest in the room to lead→ Take the leap even when you only check 50% of the boxes→ Protect your "me time" — it's not selfish, it's survival→ Flexibility attracts the best talent — full stop→ AI is breaking the "grow headcount = grow revenue" modelTimestamps0:00 - Preview & Introduction0:43 - Meet Sarah Edwards, Chief Product Strategy Officer at Kantata2:10 - How AI is changing her job daily315 - The hardest part of AI innovation4:20 - Career aspiration growing up7:14 - Career switches, working abroad & pushing past the comfort zone13:05 - Which roles she loved most (and least)14:05 - Leading a global team of 2015:09 - Why vertical beats horizontal in the AI era16:40 - Navigating culture across orgs & countries18:51 - The compensation gap for women in tech21:52 - Retaining talent through remote work & flexibility26:04 - Proudest career moments30:29 - Breaking the "loudest in the room" stereotype33:15 - Balancing C-suite demands & family39:05 - The guilt every working mom feels41:23 - Staying sharp: networking & research44:00 - Have confidence & push yourselfConnect with the guest:Sarah Edwards : ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahedwards3/⁠Connect with Kristi Faltorusso:Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the PodcastYouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmKTIOWzy8e3kbzHr4f9VMr1oGfK5Qc_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0Pf1SZMvfwvSJTA6WnpNjP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shes-so-suite-podcast/id1730535499⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To learn more about Wednesday Women check out theirWebsite: ⁠⁠https://www.wednesdaywomen.org/⁠⁠LinkedIn page: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wednesday-women/⁠⁠Connect with the Show Producer:Manali: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/manalibhat/⁠_____________________About She's So Suite Podcast:Embark on a journey with Kristi in each podcast episode as she engages in insightful conversations with accomplished women in the C-suite. Explore their unique stories, triumphs, challenges, dreams, and valuable advice that will inspire and empower you. Tune in for an enriching experience as Kristi delves into the depth of their professional journeys and brings you closer to the dynamic world of female leaders at the top.