What does it actually take to become a transformational leader in the age of AI? Catherine Wong, Chief Product Officer at Entrata, joins Toni to share the career philosophy, leadership mindset, and honest hard-won lessons that took her from software engineer to CPO — via architecture, M&A, product, and operations.

Catherine built her career on range, not a straight line. She calls it the jungle gym — and she believes it's more relevant now than ever. In this episode she gets real about diversity as a product quality issue (not just a values issue), why AI adoption is the biggest change management challenge of our careers, and what authentic leadership actually means when the pressure is on.

If you're navigating a non-linear career, trying to lead your team through AI change, or wondering whether you need a perfect plan to reach the C-suite — this one is for you.

What we cover:

◾ Why range matters more than specialisation at the executive level

◾How empathy becomes your most powerful leadership tool across functions

◾Why diversity is a product quality issue — and what's at stake as that conversation disappears

◾AI adoption as a change management challenge at unprecedented speed

◾The "hit song" principle: why consistent messaging is the job

◾How to stop minimising yourself — and what to do if you don't have the right mentors

◾Authentic leadership: what it really means to bring the right energy to your team

About Catherine Wong

Catherine Wong is Chief Product Officer at Entrata, where she leads product and operations. She has held VP of Engineering and product leadership roles across multiple organisations and has spent her career building range across software engineering, architecture, M&A, and product management. She is a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and for leading teams through AI transformation with humanity and clarity.

Connect with Catherine Wong

◾LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/catherinewong

◾X: @catherinewong

◾Entrata: entrata.com

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Catherine Wong. Thank you Catherine for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!

When someone asks you how you're doing, what do you say?

If you answered "I'm fine" before you'd even finished reading that question — this episode is for you.

Burnout in high-performing women in tech leadership rarely looks like collapse. It looks like going through the motions. Like numbness. Like resentment that arrives out of nowhere and exhaustion that's become so normal you've stopped registering it as a warning sign.

In this episode, Toni breaks down why burnout hits women in tech leadership differently, the three patterns she sees most in her coaching work, and what burnout-proof leadership actually means — strategically, not just in a "take more baths" sense.

This isn't about slowing down. It's about building leadership that doesn't require you to run on empty to function.

What you'll hear in this episode:

◾ Why high-performing women are often the last to identify as burned out — and the specific compounding factors that make burnout in tech leadership different

◾ The three burnout patterns Toni sees most in coaching: the silent spiral, the conflict-avoidant overgiver, and the high-performer in denial

◾ What burnout-proof leadership actually requires — structural protection, a perceptual shift, and leadership identity recalibration

◾ The mistake that keeps women stuck in burnout cycles even when they're actively trying to recover

◾ Four practical first steps you can take this week, even if you're already running on empty

For a limited time, the Burnout to Balance Toolkit is completely free — self-paced audio training, workbook, and an optional four-week reset plan, designed for women in tech leadership who need something concrete right now. Available free for two weeks from release, or until the first 200 downloads. Get it at tonicollis.com/burnout-to-balance.

Links mentioned in this episode:

◾ Burnout to Balance Toolkit (free for limited time): tonicollis.com/burnout-to-balance/

◾ Episode 216 — Understanding and Overcoming Burnout with Lindsay, Jen, and Allison: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/216-understanding-and-overcoming-burnout-insights-from-leading-women-in-tech-with-lindsay-jen-and-allison/

You don't need a perfect career plan to succeed in tech.

In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, I sit down with Sarah Walker, Chief Executive of Cisco UK & Ireland, to talk about women in tech leadership, non-traditional career paths, AI in the workplace, and why backing yourself matters more than ticking every box.

Sarah didn't follow a traditional route into tech. She didn't leave school with perfect results. She didn't move to London (despite being told she should). And she certainly didn't have a 20-year career plan mapped out.

Yet today, she leads one of the most influential tech organisations in the UK and Ireland.

In this conversation, we explore:
◾ Women in tech leadership and representation
◾ Career advancement for women in tech without a rigid plan
◾ How to become a leader in tech without ticking every box
◾ Leadership mindset and backing yourself before you feel ready
◾ AI in the workplace and how it unlocks human potential
◾ Why social mobility and regional leadership matter
◾ Sustainable leadership and authenticity at the top

If you've ever questioned whether you "fit" the mould of a tech executive — this episode will change how you see your path.

🔗 Connect with Sarah Walker on LinkedIn
🔗 Learn more about Cisco UK & Ireland

👉 Ready to design your path to executive leadership?
Book a Strategy Call: https://tonicollis.com/lets-chat

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Sarah Walker at CISCO. Thank you Sarah for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!