Forty Over 40

Forty Women to Watch Over 40

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 6Qs for Charlene Li, Founder and CEO of Altimeter Group

charleneliWelcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Charlene, Founder and CEO of Altimeter Group, a research and strategy consulting firm that focuses on disruptive technology trends. She is also an author of five books. She is a thought leader on leadership, social technologies, marketing, and strategy.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
Leaving Forrester was a pivotal moment. I didn’t have plans at the time to start a leading tech research firm — I just knew that I needed to do something different. I gave myself the time and space to figure out that starting a company was what I really wanted to do.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
My YPO (Young President’s Organization) forum group has been invaluable. We meet monthly and I know they will not only help me think through tough decisions, they will also hold me accountable. It’s great knowing there are a group of people who are unconditional in their support of me.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
I always struggle to find time to think and write. My biggest goal is to carve out time to write my next book — there’s an idea brewing, but it needs time and space to grow and develop.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
[I’m up at] 5:30AM and get into the shower. I’m usually in the kitchen by 6:15AM to make breakfast for kids and prep for dinner (I try to pre-cook as much as possible). This entire time, I’m usually listening to NPR on my iPhone because I can pick which stories I want to hear.

5. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?
Every evening, I try to connect with my family, especially after dinner. If I’m traveling, there’s always a call or texting marathons. On the weekends, I bake sourdough bread which has no yeast in it. There’s no better counterpoint to my digital, real-time life than waiting for bread to rise.

6. What cause do you most want to advance?
Diversity in tech. As a woman of color who has a substantial platform, I want to see the tech industry get more comfortable talking about gender and ethnic diversity. We’ve come a long way, but still have so far to go.

Check out Charlene Li’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Whitney Johnson

Whitney Johnson

Whitney is the author of the acclaimed Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream. She has been named on numerous Smart Thinkers and People to Follow lists by major media such as Inc. Magazine, Business Insider and Huffington Post and is quoted in Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fast Company, Forbes and more.
Whitney Johnson