Growth Through Grit: Jacci Robinson's HERstory
Growth Through Grit: How Jacci Robinson carved her own space in work and life
In the fast-paced world of tech, navigating your career can be daunting, especially for women aiming to break the glass ceiling. Jacci Robinson’s story is one of grit, perseverance, and ultimately, redefining leadership on her own terms. Her journey serves as an inspiration for women in tech who are determined to thrive in environments that are built for the majority.
From the beginning, Jacci’s career wasn’t the result of a carefully plotted plan. Instead, it was born out of a desire to break free from her childhood trauma and prove that she could be more than what her upbringing dictated. Her early success in sales helped her find a safe and positive space where she could excel. Working with Cutco during her college years, she developed a love for structured, result-driven processes and built invaluable skills in leadership and sales—skills that she would draw on throughout her career.
The power of process and perseverance
"I fell in love with the process," Jacci shared when recounting her first steps into the world of sales. "By the time I was 20, I had opened two offices with the company, hired and trained 150 people, and was a top producer." All this while at college, studying to be a theatre major.
Jacci foresaw a future in talent scouting, and after graduation, IT staffing turned out to be the quickest path forward. "I poured my heart, my life, and my soul into that industry as a recruiter. I was working 15-hour days, and every night I would attend some type of networking event to build my brand and find new business," recalled Jacci. "All I knew was the grinding mindset from my days at Cutco."
Jacci built up an extensive network and was thriving in Philadelphia; she pushed to attend TENG, an exclusive group of Technology Executives and because of her consistency, it wasn’t long before the executives were calling her to see if she was going. "I have fond memories of the monthly dinners. I was always the only female and easily 20 years their junior." Jacci recalls. Personal circumstances led her to relocate to Alabama. Six months later, Jacci got a call from a contact she knew from her networking efforts in Philadelphia. Hearing she was searching for a job, he connected her to the hiring manager at Software House International (SHI)’s Atlanta office, where she promptly landed a job.
After years of refining her selling approach at Cutco and as a recruiter, her tenacity and hard work paid off at SHI. She implemented her lead-generation strategy at SHI and watched the business skyrocket from $15 thousand to $830 thousand in gross profit within just three years. It was at SHI that Jacci fell in love with the pace of technology.
Recognizing cultural differences and finding allies
Jacci’s journey wasn’t without its challenges—especially as a "Yankee working in the deep south." Moving from the Northeast US to Birmingham, Alabama, Jacci faced cultural hurdles that challenged her identity as a professional woman. She remembers clients questioning why she was working at all. "I chalked it up to a cultural difference," she said, reflecting on the microaggressions she encountered. But instead of letting these moments discourage her, Jacci stood firm: "I’m a career woman, and that’s what I’m going to be."
There would be other experiences that opened her eyes to the fact that she was swimming against the current. One of the most jarring moments in Jacci’s career came during her time at a networking event hosted by a renowned data storage company, EMC. In a room full of her clients, the keynote speaker, a visiting senior executive, made a derogatory comment that implied she was there to "do yoga on the table" in front of her entire client base, not participate. Jacci’s clients were appalled at the comment. She recalls, "the VP lost the room that day."
For Jacci, this experience was pivotal. For one, it reinforced her belief that she didn’t need to fit into a toxic environment to succeed. She realized then that "if someone at the vice president level feels that it’s okay to say something like that, it’s embedded in the company culture."
Instead, she focused on building strong relationships with those who valued her unique worldview and respected her leadership. "I’ve had amazing male allies, mentors, and advocates throughout my career," Jacci said, acknowledging how these relationships helped her grow.
The experience also highlighted the role of culture, whether it’s defined by geographic, gender, or company norms. As the only woman, she found herself learning the business culture from men, and striving to fit in. "I tried to play golf, talk like a guy, and do the things men did," said Jacci, reflecting on her early efforts to fit in the industry, "but I am not a man, I’ll never fit in." So, instead of trying to fit into their club, she was determined to build her own.
Creating her own space: Women supporting women
Jacci took this to heart when she started a monthly women-in-tech luncheon group after returning to Connecticut. It began as a casual space for reps from different companies in the area to connect, support each other, and have fun. Jacci later expanded to New York and Boston. "It was rewarding to build a network of women in tech who could share their experiences, struggles, and successes."
As Jacci moved forward in her career, she noticed a shift in the way women in tech supported one another. Reflecting on the earlier generation of women leaders, she observed how they often had the social undercurrent of, "I went through it, so you’ve got to go through it too," referring to the emotional labor of trying to fit into a culture that wasn’t built for them in addition to doing the job, which sometimes resulted in a hardened, exclusionary attitude toward other women. Years later, working with all-women teams reinforced the power of what Jacci called "connective tissue" – the natural bond over shared interests and experiences. "In male-dominated teams, I was trying to build that connective tissue. Working with women, the connection felt more natural," she said. "I learned it wasn’t me – I wasn’t the problem. There was a fundamental difference in how men and women relate. Culturally, we’re different."
The importance of work-life integration
As a mother of three, including twins, Jacci’s priorities have shifted over time. Early in her career, she poured everything into her work (recall the 15-hour days and evenings spent networking). But today, Jacci champions the idea of proactive work-life integration.
"I have had to learn that my life isn’t my job," said Jacci. As an introvert, Jacci found that after a full day of high-energy client meetings and networking, she had nothing left for her family. "My entire social construct was tied to the demands of the organization I was with," so she shifted to roles that were just as impactful, but less draining.
"Obviously, upward trajectory is important," said Jacci, describing her near-term aspirations to join the C-suite, "but ultimately what I want is freedom – freedom to hire help when I need it, to spend more time with my family, and do the things that bring me joy."
To that end, Jacci looks for ways to outsource tasks like laundry and cooking, noting that the cost of the services is surprisingly reasonable and is far outweighed by the benefit to her and her family.
"The work and housework will always be there, but your family and personal life are more important," she said. "You have to find ways to simplify and make it work for your family."
Leadership and legacy: Building a path for others
One of the most compelling themes throughout Jacci’s journey is her tenacity to pursue the things she feels she lacks – whether it’s opportunity, community, or freedom, "If I don’t have what I need, I’m not going to wait for someone else to do it for me – I’ll go out and build it or learn it myself."
She encourages women in tech to "stop bending over backward trying to fit in with the wrong people" and to build their own networks of support. Jacci’s ability to grow from a challenging childhood to a thriving career in tech is a testament to her perseverance and self-awareness and an inspiration to woman navigating challenges in work and life.
Even so, Jacci doesn’t discount the power of good leadership. As she reflects on her journey, Jacci offers a powerful reminder: "You already are a leader, whether you have the title or not. People are watching you and looking to you for guidance, so embrace it and step into it."
HERstory is The WIT Network’s series where we share interesting and inspiring career journeys of women in our community. We welcome the opportunity to tell your story or someone you would like to nominate. Reach out to women@thewitnetwork.com if you have a great HERstory we should consider.