It was the need for a company healthcare plan that first prompted US-based Ann Schlemmer to apply for an admin job at a database company after an eight-year career break raising her family.
Little did she know that 15 years later she would be heading up a tech company with almost 400 employees.
“My career journey is not typical – I’m finding that out!” says Schlemmer, who had previously worked in banking.
Although based in Oregon, we meet in person at a central London venue during the recent State of Open Conference event. It’s late in the day, yet Schlemmer’s energy is still palpable as she recalls her story.
“Our youngest was going to school full-time, my husband was going self-employed, and I’m an American, so we had to have health care and it’s expensive to buy into a plan.At the time, my next-door neighbour worked for MySQL, an open-source database company, and I went in as an admin/business analyst. At the time, I viewed it as an admin job to get healthcare.”
As Schlemmer learned the ropes about the open-source database ecosystem, her division was acquired by Sun Microsystems, which was later bought by Oracle. This period of mergers and acquisitions created new opportunities.
“As various people left, I started taking over more responsibilities and running the business. Then, one of my colleagues moved to Percona and invited me to manage their team of consultants.”
The secret life of databases
Percona helps businesses manage their databases more effectively and affordably. Many rely on open-source systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB because they’re powerful and free to use. However, these databases can be tricky to manage, especially when things go wrong or performance needs improvement.
That’s where Percona steps in, providing expert support, consulting, and software tools to keep databases running smoothly, securely, and efficiently. Companies such as the BBC, Groupon, and Alcatel-Lucent have used Percona’s expertise.
Although her role was managerial, Schlemmer admits her lack of technical knowledge initially put her off.
“My first response was, ‘But I’m not technical!’ But they said, ‘We don’t need technical. We need a manager!’ Which was essentially what I’d been doing for the last 12 years.”
Learning to speak tech
Schlemmer describes learning tech as a gradual process that happened “by osmosis”.
“Sometimes it was about approaching the right people who could explain technology and open source in simple terms,” she says.
“I’d learn on the job and have my go-to people to check my understanding. I’d repeat back what I thought I knew and ask, ‘Am I understanding this correctly?’ People would either correct me or fill in the gaps.”
She adds that her background in retail banking and commercial lending, the career she had before she took a break, also helped her grasp the complex business structures that underpin open source.
“Getting into the licensing and legal aspects, it’s fascinating,” she says.
She adds that the world of open-source data bases is a particularly interesting one right now because of the impact that generative AI is having on all businesses
“Particularly because of Gen AI and LLMs like ChatGPT there’s been an AI explosion, and it’s all underpinned with data. Data is everything and people need to be accessing that data, and so there’s a lot of attention on it.
“So it becomes all about that, and how you manage it. How you maintain ownership. How you secure. How do you scale it and make it performant and all of that. So definitely has a spotlight on it,” she says.
Girls on top
Two years ago, Schlemmer was chosen to take over from Percona founder Peter Zaitsev as CEO. She’s proud of the journey she went on to get there, which included asking to join the board as part of the executive team.
“I demanded a seat at the table. A lot of stuff was coming down to me, so I felt I needed to be part of the conversation. I thought a certain perspective was being missed.
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“I was quite forceful. I said, ‘I’m coming. You’re inviting me. You need to invite me!’”
Although open source remains male-dominated, and two thirds of its employees are male, she notes that Percona’s executive team of five includes three women: herself, the CTO, and the CFO.
Leadership lessons
As CEO, Schlemmer takes inspiration from open-source values such as openness, collaboration, and ensuring all ideas are heard.
“Some people have worked in open source before and get that. Others need to learn it,” she says.
New joiners are encouraged to read The Culture Map by Erin Meyer to help them collaborate effectively with global, distributed teams.
“Working with a distributed team presents challenges. When we do an ‘all hands’ call, it’s never an ideal time for everyone. We aim for a balance of synchronous and asynchronous work.”
Schlemmer recommends The Culture Map to help new recruits integrate with their distributed team
Schlemmer says improving her communication skills has been vital in her leadership journey.
“It might be that I’ve had the same conversation with three different people, but it’s the first time the next person is hearing it. Clear communication is key.”
Another lesson has been accepting that she can’t know everything. “It’s important to bring in people I trust, rely on them, and delegate.”
Lastly, Schlemmer values gratitude. “I carry thank you notes and hand them out at events. People make sacrifices to attend these gatherings, and I want them to know that’s appreciated. I can’t do what I do without the support of my family, and I appreciate what families do for our employees too.”
Women in open source
Schlemmer’s advice for women interested in open source is simple:
“Don’t believe the narrative that you don’t belong. The community is welcoming and supportive. If you’re unsure where to start, connect with acquaintances or ask someone in your network for guidance; conversations can open unexpected doors.”
She adds that while tech isn’t just for engineers, technical jobs too can be creatively fulfilling.
“Over time, I’ve come to think of software engineers as creatives. People think engineers are very linear, but they can also be super creative. There are all kinds of opportunities — you just have to follow your passion.”
TechInspired’s key takeaways:
- Embrace opportunities:Even non-technical roles in tech can lead to leadership positions.
- Learn by doing:Understanding tech can come from engaging with experts and asking questions.
- Communication is crucial:Repeating key messages and ensuring people understand in context is vital.
- Show gratitude:Recognising employees’ efforts helps build strong, motivated teams.
