In its exclusive issue to feature some of the Best of the CEOs of 2023, The Inc Magazine presents its adored readers with the story of an amazing woman leader who is exquisite in so many ways: Mary Manzo, the brilliant brain behind Pathways Consulting Group, one of the leading delivery partners for ServiceNow Enterprise Service Management.
With over 35 years of professional expertise, Mary Manzo has worn multiple hats throughout her journey, from building internal business processes to running inside sales, building technology partnerships, and eventually sales. She is a proponent of innovation and change and combines her leadership abilities with the latest technologies to achieve outcomes that routinely exceed operational, financial, and sales targets.
Mary’s Unique Journey: From a Student to a Promising Leader
Her professional journey began earlier when she was a college student. She started creating document automation processes and found a previously unidentified talent. She had no idea how useful this experience would be in her future career. She frequently found herself in the technology realm, which helped her expand her horizons and stay abreast of new developments. She eventually found herself one of just a few women on a team of technology consultants. That experience deepened her understanding of the impact women have on company dynamics.
“Our varied perspectives and expertise lead to astonishing developments. In order to maximize the potential of women, I wanted to promote a more diverse industry. At some point, Jeff Giovinazzo and I decided to start Pathways Consulting Group. It was a huge learning experience and a leap of faith. The leading lady said, “I think about ServiceNow as one of the most reliable platforms I have ever used, and I’m glad that a chance encounter in college opened the door for a fruitful and satisfying career path.
I believe everyone would like to leave a lasting impact through our contributions. Personally, I hope to be known for having made a positive impact on the lives of those I have worked with. I want them to look back on me as a mentor and recall how I helped them achieve their aspirations. I want to improve people’s lives and help them along their paths, to put it briefly,” stated Mary Manzo.
Speeding up the Process of Digital Transformation
Pathways Consulting Group brings a distinctive strategy based on the capacity to fine-tune objectives and create solutions that are customized for the team and the clients. They are excellent at creating, putting into practice, and carrying out strategies that promote achievement, whether in mundane tasks or complex projects. By developing a team with this focus, they have created an environment where the methods continually evolve and improve.
Mary further said, “We focus on making processes more efficient, identifying areas for enhancement, and consistently delivering better outcomes. Our knowledge and creative approaches, which have given us an advantage over other consulting businesses, help our clients.
The Primary Hurdles Along the Way
The rapid progress of technology immediately springs to mind as a problem. There is a lot of potential for missed opportunities, and it occasionally feels like one poor decision may make you obsolete. The pace also implies that there are more opportunities than any one organization can seize. Organizations can position themselves to take advantage of the most promising prospects and maintain their competitive edge as long as they keep up with emerging technologies and trends.
The market for technology consulting services is very competitive. Making yourself stand out from the crowd is still one of the main challenges. Mary and her team have strived hard to keep themselves to the highest standards. They are highly focused on providing clients with a quicker return on investment which has gained them recognition as a high-quality ServiceNow partner.
Talent recruitment and retention represent the final significant hurdle. Finding top personnel is essential since they need a high level of specialized expertise and experience. They make every effort to ensure that they receive the opportunities for development, training, and advancement they deserve since they are keenly aware of what contributes to the contentment of the workers in their jobs.
Flourishing and Setting New Milestones
“I believe my efforts have paid off”, said the leading lady.
The Pathways team has been a Certified Woman-Owned ServiceNow Elite Partner thanks to their constant devotion, dedication, hard work, dynamic leadership, and support from friends and coworkers. They have established themselves as a dominant force in the market, which has enabled them to provide clients with cutting-edge solutions.
“We have continually created and provided our clients with exceptional results by utilizing the most recent tools, technologies, and techniques. It has helped us to stay relevant, nimble, and responsive to the ever-changing needs of our clients and the rising demands on technology”, Mary proudly shared, shining more light on their journey.
Embracing Innovation and Leveraging the Latest Technologies
The most challenging part of keeping up with technology is the speed at which things change. Innovation has to be part and parcel of the way Mary and her team work. Two of their newest solutions that exemplify their dedication are Co-Innovation and Certify.
Co-Innovation is a staff augmentation service. In contrast to conventional staffing agencies, they lend you professionals who seamlessly become part of your team. In this collaborative approach, the knowledge of their professionals is combined with the particular needs and objectives of the clients. Clients can modernize their auditing process with Certify. Costs are reduced, the access certification procedure is streamlined, and audit rules are complied with, all while everything is kept in one location. The group has been able to tackle significant business hurdles and establish itself in yet another market.
Although only the tip of the iceberg, these two services demonstrate how the business embraces innovation and uses cutting-edge technology to add value.
Unique Leadership Approach Aligned with Collaboration & Inclusivity
“As a leader, I firmly believe in the value of diversity and collaboration. Making judgments in a vacuum is just not feasible because everything is interconnected. I make an effort to take into account opposing viewpoints and am aware that different points of view result in better outcomes for all parties. “I’ve never forgotten my ambition of encouraging people to build a more diversified technology landscape”, the magnificent woman revealed.
Mary Manzo’s Take on the Gender Pay Gap
Mary has firsthand knowledge of the issues the gender pay gap brings as a woman working in this field. Pathways are adamant that salary should be determined exclusively by ability and merit. During the hiring process, candidates are given higher priority based on their skill sets, compatibility with their fundamental values, and capacity for teamwork.
Admittedly, it is disheartening to know that some organizations still adhere to old-fashioned mentalities about pay. Equity and fairness are fundamental principles that help drive their commitment to a more inclusive workplace.
A Stirring Message by the Inspiring Leader
Before wrapping up, Mary shared a piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: “One of the most important things people can do is learn to see opportunities as they arise and develop the courage to seize them. Hesitation can cost you valuable chances for growth and success. Embrace the unexpected, step out of your comfort zone, and give yourself the chance to explore uncharted territories.”