Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy

by Magdalena Yesil

With empowering insights to help women navigate the narrowest corridors of sexism, tech-industry pioneer Magdalena Yesil shares on-the-ground career advice that is as powerful as any MBA

Pioneering Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor Magdalena Yesil came to the United States in 1976 with two suitcases and $43, blind to the challenges she would face as a woman and immigrant in Silicon Valley. Today, she is best known as the first investor and a founding board member of Salesforce, the now-multibillion dollar company that ushered in the era of cloud-based computing.

In Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy, Yesil urges women to look beyond the alarming gender statistics of the workplace and feel confident entering tech or any field-but also to be prepared to deal with the challenges. She shares what she experienced as a woman in Silicon Valley with surprising candor and heart, relying not just on her insight but that of more than a dozen top women entrepreneurs to offer pragmatic takeaways on topics such as:

· Owning career choices while managing risk
· Getting credit for your work
· Managing sexual dynamics
· Recruiting allies in the movement toward a supportive workplace for everyone

Pragmatic, incisive, and full of highly actionable advice, Yesil prepares ambitious women to break glass ceilings and rise to the top in the New Silicon Valley -- and beyond.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Leadership

Audiobook

Published October 31, 2017

Reviews

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy" is as enjoyable to read as it is needed today. Amidst the horrific stories about sexism and worse in Hollywood and Silicon Valley, Magdalena Yesil provides hope, inspiration and pragmatic advice to women seeking to build careers in and around technology. Actually, Yesil's wisdom could be applied to any professional career.

By sharing her own career and personal stories, Yesil will help generations of women learn from her successes and her mistakes. Yesil also shares stories from other successful women, and they provide a wide perspective on everything from navigating difficult moments (should a woman risk being a bitch?) to addressing how to balance motherhood and a big career. "Power Up" encourages women to support each other and touches on the very current topic of harassment in technology in a pragmatic and thoughtful way. Yesil suggests we try to be like water - flowing easily past obstacles. It is a great metaphor I intend to internalize.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fast read, not a lot of revolutionary new information but it's great to have a very successful woman emphasize how gender equality in the workplace helps everyone, and that it's important to find a work culture that allows you to be yourself as a woman.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

the main theme: you have more power to protect yourself than you think.

while I think that's true I've also read enough about how our brains work in these situations to know having the wherewithal to protect yourself in an effective way is very difficult.

These were the same stories from Alpha Girls. - though this was published first.

"When you believe that your own opinion matters most you'll always feel comfortable hearing feedback, even when it's negative. I take what I need to improve and move on."

"when a 3 or 13 year old tells you 'you're ruining my life' it shouldn't be mistaken as actionable life or career advice."

"As a matter of practice I don't do regret because it's a waste of energy."

[Khurram Farooquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Buy for Men as well as Women and your Daughters as well as your Sons!

Magdalena Yesil, has an incredible story and Power-Up takes her experiences and summarizes them into an easy to read guide for women to succeed and grow in the corporate world. The only issue I have is in the title, because these are lessons not just for smart women to succeed and win, but how smart men succeed and win in the new economy. It is a must read to encourage your daughters to believe in themselves and to have the confidence they need to not hold themselves back. It is a must read for your sons to not only also win in the new economy, but grow in it with the respect of gender equality they must have in order to succeed!

I had the incredible pleasure to interview Magdalena on my show NextGen Ninja where she talks about her accomplishments and her book.

[Aurelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Power UP was a very enjoyable, practical, actionable book for women in technology management. I appreciated the conversational, action-oriented, motivating, and approachable tone. That made it a pleasure to read, and easy to pick up even after a long day at work. The nuggets of wisdom in there definitely resonated with me, and are different than the ones you might hear all the time. For example, I loved the discussion around finding a sponsor who you can do work with and for, rather than a mentor with some ambiguous role. That's definitely how I approach my work! Magdalena brings a unique perspective to advice giving that I think is missing from other books. 
I did find the sections of the book hard to follow. I wonder if there could have been a framework or organizing principle up front to help keep track of all the nuggets and advice, and have a mental map of where to put them? 
Additionally, as a woman who has only recently joined a tech-adjacent role, I did notice that many of the anecdotes and interviewees leaned tech-focused. I wonder how the book could expand it's reach and impact if it also focused on anecdotes and stories from other fields, including banking, management consulting, operations and logistics, and even nonprofits and government (which could lean to a bigger social impact!). 

[Nuné · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 'Power Up,' Silicon Valley pioneer Magdalena Yesil delivers a practical, inspirational guidebook for women navigating the still-uneven playing field of the tech industry and corporate America at large. 'Power Up' excels by addressing the realities women face without dwelling in victimhood or gender inequalities. She doesn't sugarcoat the challenges women face but instead equips readers with tools to succeed despite systemic obstacles while working to change them.
In her book, Magdalena organizes her insights around key themes that particularly resonate:
- Embracing resilience and ambiguity with grace
- Empathy in leadership and teamwork
- Relationship and trust building through excellence in work and work ethics
- Advocating for your own values and success
- Thinking strategically about a career after parenthood

For women looking to advance their careers while maintaining authenticity, this book provides a valuable roadmap from someone who has successfully blazed the trail. There is no one path to success in a career, but what the book does is expertly balance personal anecdotes with actionable advice, making complex concepts accessible without oversimplification. I would definitely recommend this book, especially for new graduates and young professionals who are just entering the workforce.

[Wulan Suci Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though there is no revolutionary idea, but I find the book is very helpful in giving insight for working mother to balance between professional and personal life. I also personally find the book is more relevant compare to lean in by Sheryl, thus giving this book 4 stars. I like the pragmatic approach that the author provide in each of the segment. I also agree with her, that by having kids doesn’t mean woman should stop to be a high achiever in professional life, instead should be more ambitious and efficient. Writing one of best tips for my future reference here on questions to ask when assessing whether a new job is fit with me during interview in the future
- politics. Who are the most influential decision makers? Which functions have the most pull? How does your team engage with others in the organization
- promotions. Is there a formal system for assessing performance, and if not, who and what drives advancement
- culture. What value drive decision making and working relationships? How have top people in the organization modeled those behaviors?

[Ju Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with a strong foreword from the author herself, with one specific part that sets the tone for the rest of the book - “Gender still matters, but we can’t let it matter too much. In doing so, we risk shifting too much of our focus (and others’) from our achievements to our gender”. Throughout the book, Magdalena has maintained a neutral stance in her telling of personal success stories, while not failing to acknowledge the issue of gender inequality where it is due. The chapters feel like raw conversations with a senior/mentor, with insights that is only possible from an insider. In very simple words she boils it down to its essence - that true gender equality comes from appreciating each other’s value to the organization’s success, rather than being hyper-sensitive about gender issues to the point where it becomes a distraction, if not outright destruction. She also rightfully points out a couple of issues that women inevitably face (like careers taking a hit when working women become mothers), what organizations should do to make progress in the particular aspects where stereotypical gender roles are concerned, and what these working women could do to keep the career hit to the bare minimum.

[Myra Nawabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Delicious F You Attitude”

A must read for professional women everywhere! One of the most enjoyable parts in the book was learning about “A Delicious F You Attitude”. I find Magdalena’s book a total delight and would be recommending it to everyone!

[Chujun Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pragmatic advises and opinions answering questions emerged while I work in a male-dominated field. Magdalena's approach is centering around your goals, something I didn't realize before. I wish I could have encountered this book earlier.

[Amene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading the truthful recount of her experience in the tech industry. It was helpful and inspiring to read her recount.

[Neelima · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is unique about this book is that she talks a lot from her own experience!

[Hale Yaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Vanessa Princessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book thanks to Blinkist.

The key message in these blinks:

Breaking glass ceilings in the tech industry, or the New Economy at large, comes with its own set of challenges for women. But you should never look at these challenges as roadblocks that limit your potential. Powering UP is about staying confident during adversity, making sure your voice is heard and creating space for yourself where none is given. Since the New Economy doesn’t play by traditional rules, it’s filled with opportunities for you to embrace your individuality and find your own success.

Suggested further reading:

Brotopia by Emily Chang

Brotopia (2018) explores the male-dominated culture permeating the technology industry and looks at why and how women are excluded from it. Looking especially at Silicon Valley and the companies based there, the book argues that the tech world is anything but progressive.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part memoir, part business book. I liked it. Magdalena Yesil blazed trails in Tech. It’s an inspiring story of her experiences. She clearly succeeded because she is so positive and could focus on the big picture as she sailed along in her career. She gives great advice to anyone seeking to work in Tech, especially to women. And she managed to balance it all and raise a family.

[Lucy Mazalon | Shelf of Maz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great match, as a woman 3 years into my Tech (Salesforce) career. Magdalena has packed this book full of nice quips that can be used as little mantras to navigate our work worlds in such a fast-paced industry.

[Nadiya Shaikh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure trove of wisdom. I'd highly recommend this book to all working women. (Men should read it too though)

Unlike other books written by C-suite leaders, this one is authentic- she has given real-life examples and scenarios in every chapter. It's truly a helpful book!

[Jung]

Breaking glass ceilings in the tech industry, or the New Economy at large, comes with its own set of challenges for women. But you should never look at these challenges as roadblocks that limit your potential. Powering UP is about staying confident during adversity, making sure your voice is heard and creating space for yourself where none is given. Since the New Economy doesn’t play by traditional rules, it’s filled with opportunities for you to embrace your individuality and find your own success.