Priority With Clarity: Meet Ashwini Siddhi
Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your current role.
My name is Ashwini Siddhi, and I am based out of India. I hold a degree in Electronics Engineering, but my passion and expertise lie in the realm of cybersecurity. With years of hands-on experience in the industry, I've honed my skills in various specialized areas such as Security Architecture, Supply Chain Security Strategy, Privacy By-Design, Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), Ransomware Recovery, Threat Modelling, and Security Development Lifecycle (SDL), focusing on both cloud and application security.
Beyond my professional endeavors, I'm deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within the cybersecurity community. Actively engaging in various security forums, I serve as a mentor, particularly for women, championing their growth and advancement in the field.
As a Director for Product Security Engineering at the world’s largest and trusted domain registrar, GoDaddy, I lead efforts to embed robust security measures from inception to deployment, fostering a culture of resilience and innovation. Additionally, as a trusted advisor to the organization, I provide strategic guidance to align our initiatives with a security-first approach.
What real-life problems does your team solve?
GoDaddy’s mission is to “empower our worldwide community of twenty plus million customers — and entrepreneurs everywhere — by giving them all the help and tools they need to grow online."
Information security (Infosec) plays a crucial role in advancing GoDaddy’s mission by focusing on a key aspect: ensuring the security and resilience of the tools offered to customers and entrepreneurs worldwide. This entails meticulously integrating essential security measures into the development process of these tools, thereby fortifying their robustness against potential cyber threats and attacks. In essence, Infosec contributes significantly to GoDaddy’s overarching objective by safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the technology solutions provided, thereby empowering our users to navigate their digital endeavors with confidence and peace of mind.
What has been one of your proudest moments at GoDaddy?
Just being a part of GoDaddy has been an incredibly rewarding experience, filled with moments of pride and admiration. Observing the remarkable engineering culture permeating across teams, witnessing the widespread adoption of cloud technologies, and witnessing the continuous advancements in AI/ML have all been truly inspiring. Additionally, the ability to empower users to create a fully functional website within a matter of seconds is a testament to GoDaddy's commitment to simplicity and accessibility in the digital landscape. Overall, these experiences serve as a testament to GoDaddy's innovative spirit and unwavering dedication to empowering individuals and businesses on their online journey.
How do you cope with any stress in the work environment?
My go to mantra is ‘Priority with Clarity’. Urgency demands attention, but importance defines direction. It's crucial to find the balance of immediate needs as well as the long-term vision, while navigating purposefully through the chaos of priorities. I do this by breaking down daunting projects into bite-sized tasks, setting realistic deadlines, avoiding multi-tasking, asking for help when needed and taking well-deserved breaks from work at regular intervals. These breaks bring clarity, a sense of direction and control, and the confidence to conquer even the loftiest of goals.
If you had to describe GoDaddy's culture in one word, what would it be and why?
Fun!
Imagine a vibrant playground where your inner geek meets boundless creativity! Picture yourself diving into a dynamic world where you can tinker with the latest tech alongside fellow enthusiasts. Together, you'll craft ingenious tools and solutions that ignite the digital realm with innovation. It's like a geeky carnival where every idea is a thrill ride and every collaboration sparks magic in shaping the future, empowering creative minds, and having a blast while doing it! Isn’t that the epitome of coolness!
What advice would you give to an individual who is interested in a career in Security Engineering?
Here are my trusty tips to kickstart your career transition and make it a blast:
Seize the moment: Don't procrastinate! Start right where you are, no need to wait for fancy certifications or degrees. Dive in headfirst and let your curiosity be your guide.
Arm yourself with knowledge: Stay in the loop by devouring security news daily and delving into topics that pique your interest. The more you know, the more power you wield!
Don't be afraid to ask for help: Everyone needs a guiding hand now and then. Seek out a mentor who can steer you through the twists and turns of the cybersecurity landscape.
Embrace the thrill of the unknown: Take calculated risks and explore different facets of security. Don't limit yourself to just one area—try on different hats until you find the perfect fit.
Beware of shiny distractions: Sure, the allure of glamour in security is undeniable, but remember, it's the sweat equity that truly pays off. Stay focused on the grind and don't get blinded by the glitz!
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Quoting the words of Insta-poet Atticus: "I want to be with someone who dreams of doing everything in life, and nothing on a rainy Sunday afternoon."
That someone is me! I'm all about embracing life to the fullest, whether it's embarking on spontaneous adventures to new travel destinations, catching up with old pals, checking out the newest hotspots of Bangalore, or hiking through nature's wonders. I find joy in the simple pleasures too, like losing myself in poetry, giggling at silly reels, and sharing hilarious memes with friends. Oh, and not to forget the sheer bliss of lounging around with kids, binge watching fav series, cruising on leisurely drives, and having heart-to-heart conversations with the one cooking in the kitchen. Some of us were born to keep the one cooking, entertained! And when the mood strikes, dance like nobody's watching, clean like we are still in the pandemic and paint hoping someday to be a Picasso. The bottom line? I love and thrive on variety and spontaneity.
But amidst all the excitement, I also love to do nothing. Absolutely Nothing!
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