Meet Yonelly Gutierrez | IT Project Manager & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yonelly Gutierrez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yonelly, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
One thing that outsiders are probably unaware of is that everyone has project management experience and you do not need a technical background to get into IT project management. This is why I am passionate about helping women and especially women of color get into the technology industry. There are still these mythological barriers that exist to gatekeep the space. Currently, the technology industry is still a male-dominated industry but that is slowly changing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am most proud of helping other women land 6-figure project management roles. As someone who pivoted from education into the technology industry myself, I know how challenging this transition can be. But with the right tools, mentorship, and mindset, you can also land a project management role that pays you what you are worth. Of course, it is not all about the money, but let’s face it: getting compensated well allows us to live a life of comfort and ease, especially during these difficult times. Women are getting college degrees now more than men, and that wasn’t always the case. More women are also earning higher wages thanks to their degrees. I went from making $40k per year in education to over $100k in less than a year. I did this by investing in myself and working with two career coaches (Anna Anderson and Madeline Mann). I now share the advice they gave me by working with other women and helping them successfully career pivot. The best part is seeing how lives change. These women can now pay off their student loans, save to purchase their first home, invest in the stock market, and have more to pamper themselves. It makes me happy to see other women succeed.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many places in Houston to check out! Especially with our diverse food scene. Let’s say we both had the week off. During the week, we would go visit Hermann park and Discovery Green. We would go during the week so it wouldn’t be as busy. Both parks are beautiful and have plenty to see. As far as bars/breweries to check out at night: Truck Yard, 8th Wonder Brewery, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company, Saint Arnold’s Brewery and Karbach Brewing Co. are great places to check out (can you tell I like breweries?). If my friend was feeling a more intimate and less touristy scene, I would take them to Boheme or Clarkwood. Boheme is a Montrose bar with artsy vibe that offers wine, cocktails, thin-crust pizzas & has plenty of outdoor seating. Clarkwood is an elegant wine and cocktail bar nestled in a historic theater with a chic feel, and they have the best espresso martinis. Top food places we would visit: The Breakfast Klub for brunch, True Food Kitchen for lunch, Traveler’s Table, and Xochi for dinner.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes, there are quite a few women that I want to dedicate my shoutout to. They include Anna Anderson, Madeline Mann, Dr. Cathy Horn, and Larissa Semeraro. All of these women guided me along my career journey and had faith in me before I saw what I was capable of. Anna Anderson and Madeline Mann are both career coaches, Dr. Cathy Horn was my supervisor at my first white-collar office job, and Larissa Semeraro is my most recent supervisor who is an amazing and inspiring tech leader. If it weren’t for these women, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Website: www.pmbffs.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonellyg/

Image Credits
Tiffany Nicole