My CRN Women in Channel Awards experience

Cisilion's Hannah Cunningham gives a shortlisted finalist's view of last week's Women in Channel Awards

What a night.

Anyone connected with me on LinkedIn and Twitter will know that few things inspire me as much as seeing powerful women smashing their roles, and last week's CRN Women In Channel Awards was an incredible demonstration of this.

Over the last few years, I've had the privilege of accepting awards on behalf of the incredible work done by #TeamCisilion - but this was different. I had the honour of being shortlisted alongside countless inspiring professionals at the top of their game.

This came as a shock as I had no idea that my team was applying on my behalf. I feel so lucky to work with a team that includes guys who understand the importance of celebrating the work of women in the IT industry and how much an accolade like this would mean to me.

The awards evening could not have started any better, with a touch of networking at the reception. We then took our seats for a stirring talk from Antarctic explorer Paula Reid who reminded us all to "choose Your attitude". The speech was a great reminder of how everyone in the room has had to persevere throughout their career to get here, and importantly, why a celebration was on the cards.

With the awards in full swing, I felt the nervous energy at my table skyrocket as my category had arrived - Marketing Employee of the Year. I'm glad it was captured on video so I know it was real! The next few minutes was a blur - hearing my name, collecting the award and getting back to my team to share the celebration.

I had the honour of sharing the night with members of #TeamCisilion who are crucial to taking care of our valued customers and introducing us to potential new logos. These are the people who have championed innovative working practices and kept us driving forward as the company grows.

I didn't see it as simply taking a table of women to the awards, instead, I felt like I was joined by vital members of the team who have driven Cisilion to a standard where we are recognised as leaders in the industry - mostly notably the 2017 CRN Channel Awards VAR of the Year!

For me, this is what the CRN Women in Channel Awards is all about. It's not recognising that women exist in the industry, but celebrating the amazing people who continue to transform it.

Diversity will always have a positive effect on business. By making sure the Cisilion problem-solving table is diverse, we are able to bring a broad range of perspectives to every project across the company. At every level, we work hard to mix up the personnel to make sure we get the right answers to create a positive work environment for everyone.

But for now, I can't wait for the CRN Channel Awards where once again we'll be bringing the team along to toast a successful year and hopefully defend our Corporate Reseller of the Year of the Year title. Win or lose - keep an eye out for #TeamCisilion at the after party!

Hannah Cunningham is marketing director at Cisilion