Success With a Sponsor: High-Tech Jordanian Woman CEO
Successful Jordanian High-Tech CEO Tamara Abdel-Jaber with her sponsor and mentor, Khaled Kilani, who helped her get to where she is today.
Read our interview with Tamara Abdel- Jaber, as published in Forbes, about her path to entrepreneurial success.
In the Middle East, IT is largely known as a male-dominated field. But that didn’t stop Tamara Abdel-Jaber. Ten years ago, she began her own Jordanian IT company, despite others wondering what she was thinking. In fact, she used this to her advantage to land meetings with curious high-profile companies.
Today, Tamara has 22 full-time employees and 150 contractors across the Middle East. In 2011, Arabian Business Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Powerful Arab Women, and her company, Palma, was recognized as one of the 30 fastest-growing companies in Jordan.
Tamara largely attributes her entrepreneurial confidence and boldness to the support and encouragement of her sponsor and mentor, Khaled Kilani.
We’ve talked a lot here about sponsors, such as Khaled’s role in Tamara’s life. Do you know why you, too, should Get a Sponsor, Get One Soon?
The difference between a Mentor & a Sponsor:
Mentors are those with whom you have good chemistry, those who help you gain insights about yourself and who hopefully give you good career advice.
In contrast, a Sponsor works with you to identify the next best career move and helps you to get it. A Sponsor is a senior manager with influence at your company who has the ability to get their sponsored employee considered for promising opportunities, challenging assignments, and promotions.
Please note, the critical distinguishing characteristics of a Sponsor are seniority, influence, and power.
Learn more about what a Sponsor can do for you and your career, starting today.