The NextWomen is running a series of stories of  women in tech, explaining what inspired them to work in the industry. The baton was passed to Nilofer Merchant, CEO ?  Chief Strategist  ? of Rubicon Consulting inc. and author of The New How: Building Business Solutions through Collaborative Strategy, published by O'Reilly.

What inspired you to get into TECH?

Tech is a high-change, high growth market so if you like to thrive, reinvent and grow, tech lends itself to that. Because of this rate of change, they are also one of the least hierarchical types of business because they need to move fast to win. That gave me huge opportunities to raise my hand, take on new challenges and contribute without putting in years and years before my ideas would have merit.

What is the most fun thing in tech?

The quality of ideas matters. And the fast pace of doing business.

How were you educated in TECH?

I did a B.S. in Applied Economics at University of San Fransisco,  and then an MBA at Santa Clara University.

How is your experience in the TECH world?  Any advice to aspiring (non) techies?

There’s a time in each of our lives when you realize that the next company or invention is not created solo, it’s co-created. That’s when you put down your own arrogance to know everything and start working with really smart good people to invent the future.

Tech is amazingly good at rewarding that behavior and letting the best ideas thrive.

Which Roles do/did you have in Tech?

• Business Development, Americas at Autodesk
• VP  Sales and Channel Marketing at GoLive Systems Inc.
• Sr Manager Server Channel Development at Apple Computer

Right now at Rubicon, we offer strategic marketing services for high-tech software and solutions firms. I am an entrepreneur as well as the leader of Rubicon.

Connect with Nilofer on Twitter.