Women have come a long way in overcoming barriers and transforming the world for better. They are creating a hallmark of their persona in all aspects of mind, thoughts, rights and decisions by tramping beyond the limitations of social and family life. Such females are making strong moves in all business sectors including the most intricate and challenging world of entrepreneurship.
One such epitome of women empowerment is Cindy Jutras, who is an acclaimed expert in analyzing the impact of enterprise applications on business performance.
After completing her Masters in Applied Science from Boston University and BA from Merrimack College in mathematics, Cindy started her career as a programmer/analyst in 1975. After working in a midsize manufacturing company for over two years, she decided to work with the software companies themselves.
Spending a brief stint of almost thirty years, at companies that produced and sold enterprise applications, Cindy explored everything from designing and writing code, product management, marketing, pre-sales and consulting, to pricing, licensing and alliance management. She then reinvented herself as an industry analyst, covering the software she once designed, wrote, marketed and managed. Being a seasoned software and business professional with over forty years of corporate experience, Cindy founded the technology research and advisory firm- Mint Jutras in 2011.
About the Vibrant Veteran
Having deep domain experience in manufacturing, supply chain, enterprise performance and financial management, Cindy is the President at Mint Jutras. She has been instrumental in creating a niche by enhancing the business outcomes 3x and driving the company beyond success horizons. Under her leadership, Mint Jutras specializes in analyzing the business impact of enterprise applications. Having years of technology experience and fresh primary research, Cindy states, “We offer actionable insights on how to make software investments pay dividends. We deliver this insight through content such as published reports, blog posts, speaking engagements and advisory services.”Further she added, “We write and speak to business decision-makers, but our customers are the solution providers of enterprise applications.”
Cindy’s support has assisted the company in developing signature products which have unlocked the doors to its success. She is the driving force in continuously evolving these products and services, acknowledging the growth and changes in its clients’ businesses.
Being the backbone of the company, Cindy believes her prime achievement is in building a reputation as an expert in her field, a trusted advisor, and source of positive influence. She is an articulate and compelling speaker with an ability to convey potentially complex concepts with brevity and clarity. She has also authored numerous magazine articles, hundreds of research documents, and a book on ERP Optimization.
President’s Take on the Changing Industry Scenario
Driven by her passion to produce something tangible, Cindy asserts, “I live in the world of technology, and that world is experiencing change at a pace we never could have imagined when I first started out. Keeping abreast of that change is a challenge, but it is also exciting.” She believes that technology impacts every business leader. Currently, there is a fundamental need for educating business leaders about the developing technology in order to encourage their aptitude and inclination to leverage it to improve their businesses.
The Framework of Inspiration
Cindy’s source of inspiration and role model was her father. Acknowledging him as the fuel for igniting the flames of motivation in her, Cindy states, “He infused in me the belief that I could be anything I wanted to be.” She adds “He was, and I am, what most people today would call a maker.” Watching her father planting a garden, building their home, some of the furniture in it, stirred Cindy with enthusiasm and inspired in her the desire to produce something tangible, as a gardener, a crafter, a writer or an artist. This philosophy perfectly highlights her professional life, whether she is developing her surveys, writings, and communications or mentoring the emerging professionals.
Some Speedbreakers on the Way
Every analyst and analyst firm operates under a different business model. Cindy faced several challenges on her way to achieve milestones. While serving the vendor community, her biggest challenge was to meet the changing needs of the community and withstand the complexities of the industry. Cindy is on a mission to establish Mint Jutras as a unique brand with her sheer determination, unique writing and speaking style, and the insights derived from quantifiable data.
Advice to the Budding Entrepreneurs
Cindy’s advice to young entrepreneurs: look to start a business you are going to enjoy building. Don’t sentence yourself to a life of drudgery. Be clear in defining the business, developing a business model. Hold true to that foundation, but also evolve with it. “Be willing and able to take risks and be willing to have a new idea or product offering fail. Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” she emphasized.
Aiming for a Much Brighter Future
Currently, being the President at Mint Jutras, Cindy believes that she is in the twilight of her career. She is evolving with the changing times with a mission to continuously learn, grow, and transform the world into a better place in the near future. Cindy assures that the company has a bright future and is consistently growing its influence in the market through products and services that continue to improve and advance.
Source: The 10 Most Admired CEOs To Watch 2018
