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<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="listen-to-the-full-episode-of-“the-critic's-corner”-podcast-&gt;"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-there-is-a-will-there-is-a-way-with-jasmin-guthmann/id1801794414?i=1000725953323">Listen to the full episode of “The Critic's Corner” Podcast &gt;</a></h4> <hr /> When <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jguthmann/">Jasmin Guthmann</a> joined me for a recording of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">“The Critic’s Corner” podcast,</a> I already knew about her impressive professional credentials. We’ve known each other for a few years through our board roles at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/agency-powered-ai-wpp-and-mach-alliance-partner-to-help-brands-win-in-the-age-of-ai">MACH Alliance,</a> and we shared the stage for the opening keynote at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">Boye &amp; Company CMS Summit in Frankfurt</a> earlier this year.What I didn’t know was just how accomplished an athlete she is. Over the years, I've seen periodic LinkedIn posts of her posing with medals at some festive finish lines. As I learned during our call, she’s completed two of the grueling <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ironman.com/races">IRONMAN full-distance triathlons</a> and 12 shorter IRONMAN 70.3 races (the latter are half the distance, but still a massive grind). If you don’t “run” in these circles, the IRONMAN is recognized around the globe as the pinnacle of all triathlons. It’s a punishing 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle ride, and 26.2-mile marathon rolled up in one race. Only elite athletes attempt this breathtaking competition – and many struggle to even complete it.  Get this: In 2023, she was a Championship finisher, meaning she successfully completed the challenging, long-distance IRONMAN World Championship race within the event's strict time cutoffs. For her next act, she's tackling mindboggling ultramarathons. <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:47.11%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/09/image-1758140217898.png" /></figure>A medal-moment after completing a 56KM ultramarathon. Source: LinkedIn As a long-distance runner myself with multiple half and full marathons under my belt (along with a bunch of other crazy training distances), I have mad respect for the mental and physical hurdles of such an endeavor. But admittedly, I find her IRONMAN accolades impressive – and even swoon-worthy. Competing at this level was more than a goal for Jasmin. It was a passion. It sparked joy. Still, getting there required a huge commitment. As she told me, it took 15 to 20 hours of training each week, to say nothing of the persistent fatigue, aches, and pains that accompanied it. But like she says: “If there is a will, there is a way.” That’s been a guiding principle for this inspiring trailblazer. Along with her athletic achievements, Jasmin is an accomplished digital leader with deep experience in the CMS space. She spent over three years at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack</a>, shaping corporate communications and supporting the marketing strategy as the headless player transformed into a composable DXP – one that’s now challenging the top of the market with its agentic vision. But she also worked on the other side of the partner fence. Her agency heritage includes global heavy hitters like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/valtech/posts/?feedView=all">Valtech,</a> and today she’s the Vice President of Composable Consulting at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/accenture-song/">Accenture Song</a> – the technology-powered creative arm of the mammoth professional services firm.As mentioned, I know Jasmin from our intersection within the MACH Alliance. She was a fixture all the way back in 2020, working with co-founder and former Alliance president <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjakeerl/">Sonja Keerl.</a> As she related to me, their conversations at the time revolved around a common phrase in Jasmin’s lexicon: We’re better together. <h3 id="navigating-change,-from-mach-to-ai">Navigating change, from MACH to AI</h3>But getting to that plateau of collaboration took more than just the planets aligning. There was serious effort involved – and the gut-feeling of knowing when to take a few risks to put things into action. “When we say, ‘Opportunity presents itself,’ it doesn’t just present itself,” she said. “Your hard work is what puts you where the good luck can find you.”During our recording, Jasmin talked about her journey to CMS, which is seldom a straight line. She got frank about the evolution of the MACH Alliance, particularly in the age of AI. We also discussed what’s at stake as vendors compete for the same RFPs and wallet share – and how the agentic race is reshaping the landscape. In the mounting chaos and complexity, the biggest challenge she sees for companies is finding uniformity.She also reflected on the pressures that agencies are under as AI casts the specter of job displacement and automation. There's a lot of uncertainty ahead, but this is a moment for change. Even revolution. “As agencies, we all need to rethink our revenue models,” she said. “Billing by the hour may not be very relevant moving forward. That’s the pink elephant in the room. Who goes first to challenge the market with new models? We're all seeing the same things, and we need to discuss them together.”Jasmin also reflected on her involvement with programs like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-empowers-gender-equality-with-new-women-in-mach-deib-scoring-tool">Women in MACH,</a> where she's helping to elevate her peers in the technology industry through mentorship and community. It's just another inspiring example of how she has turned passion and resolve into real impact.Here’s a few minutes of the podcast to whet your appetite:<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/YFr_1UfkTFQ"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YFr_1UfkTFQ" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure><h3 id="finding-your-‘true-north’">Finding your ‘True North’</h3>It’s not surprising that Jasmin has now added “author” to her illustrious resume. In fact, there might not be anything she can’t do if she's passionate enough – and that’s kind of the point of her new book. Finding your passion is the key to everything, but to take action, we might need a little help unblocking ourselves. In <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.amazon.com/If-There-Will-Way/dp/1035879395">If There Is a Will, There Is a Way,</a> Jasmine draws on her professional and life experiences, sharing big-picture mindsets and practical ideas for dreaming big, taking bold action, and mastering the behaviors that can lead to success. She gets real about her early challenges, eventually finding a passion that “lit her up like a Christmas Tree.”Jasmin’s story blossoms from the early trauma of losing her father and feeling, in her own words, that “Dreams were not for me. Dreams were for the more fortunate.” And while many labeled her perseverance as brave, she never saw it that way. Instead, she used her pain to build a relatable narrative – and help others.Borrowing from her personal and professional tribulations, Jasmin’s book offers a framework for navigating authentic and illusory goals and uncovering your “True North.” She shares strategies for planning, taking action, and (she says irreverently), “getting shit done.” As she relayed in our conversation, becoming an IRONMAN triathlete required diligence, commitment, and consistency – and she translated those lessons for readers who are eyeing big goals.“We often want to rush things, and we’re setting ourselves up for failure,” she said. “Instead of trying to do it all in a day, instead of running a full marathon, look at the reality and take incremental steps.”As Jasmin explained in the pod, we’re all trapped by the limitations of time. None of us has more than 24 hours in each day, so regardless of your goal – whether it’s business or personal – the real resistance is around making space, and saying “no” is your real superpower.<h3 id="the-finish-line">The finish line</h3>Jasmin Guthmann is a champion – and she keeps breaking through with her personal and professional accomplishments. Much like her IRONMAN training, she's always preparing for the next race, and we're lucky to have smart, motivated people like her helping to shape the trajectory of our industry. Regardless of your field or background, If There Is a Will, There Is a Way is a fantastic primer for inspiring bold action toward your dreams. This book is the real deal: it's honest, authentic, and truly written from the heart. Whether you’re considering a new personal goal (like running a marathon) or a big shift in your career, this quick read will give you practical tools, a relatable foundation, and a whole lot of hope that you can get what you want from life.You can run to your local bookseller and order a copy – <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.amazon.com/If-There-Will-Way/dp/1035879395">or buy it here. </a><h3 id="“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-with-jasmin-guthmann">“The Critic’s Corner” podcast with Jasmin Guthmann</h3> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-there-is-a-will-there-is-a-way-with-jasmin-guthmann/id1801794414?i=1000725953323">Listen to the full episode &gt;</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">Subscribe on Apple Podcasts &gt;</a> <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:50.07%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/09/critics-corner-apple-podcast-jasmin-guthmann.jpg" alt="" /></figure> <h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.61%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/storyblok-joyconf-2025-logo.jpg" /><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Storyblok JoyConf 2025</a></h4>October 14-15, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands November 4, 2025 – New York, NY November 6, 2025 – Los Angeles, CAJoin us at JoyConf 2025, where the future of content meets the people shaping it. Built for developers, marketers, and digital innovators, this free conference goes way beyond product updates or yet another strategy playbook. It’s where you’ll get inspired, get real, and get connected – to ideas, to the community, and to what’s possible when you build joyfully. Whether you're building lightning-fast frontends or launching cross-channel campaigns, this is where content becomes connection and collaboration becomes second nature. Come for the talks. Stay for the community. Leave with joy. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Save your spot.</a> <img style="width:28.9%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/sitecore-symposium-2025.jpg" /><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2025</a></h4>November 3-5, 2025 – Orlando, FLAt Sitecore Symposium, you’ll learn how to meet your customers where they are – across channels, moments, and touchpoints that didn’t exist a year ago. You’ll hear how the boldest brands in the world are transforming content into outcomes and creating experiences that are fast, relevant, and human. Join 1,500 marketers, digital leaders, and technologists in Orlando to see what’s possible when personalization scales, AI accelerates creativity, and trust becomes your competitive edge. This is the Third Wave of the Internet. And this is your moment to lead in it. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Get your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FLMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

‘If There Is a Will, There Is a Way’: Jasmin Guthmann talks MACH, AI, triathlons, and her new book on living your best life

matt-garrepy

<hr /> “I don’t like being bored.”That was one of the first things <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-king-author/">Christine King</a> said to me during our recent chat. Take a quick gander at her resume and you’ll see it’s true. This powerhouse of a woman hasn’t stopped since 1973 – and that’s just the way she likes it. Before her breakthrough role as the first female CEO at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.onsemi.com/">AMI Semiconductor</a>, Christine spent over 25 years at the venerated <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ibm.com/us-en">IBM</a>, eventually becoming the VP of Semiconductor Solutions. How could you be bored when you own P&amp;L for a $6 billion business unit with 12,000 people to manage?As it turns out, that wasn’t quite enough. Christine wanted to try her hand in the captain’s chair, and did so in a spectacular way. After taking the helm at AMI, she made a series of shrewd business moves that resulted in significant growth, leading to a nearly $1 billion acquisition by <a target="_blank" href="https://eepower.com/news/on-semi-to-acquire-amis-holdings-in-all-stock-transaction-valued-at-approximately-915-million/">ON Semiconductor in 2008</a>. That was followed by another CEO gig at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/SMSC:US">Standard Microsystems</a> and an executive chairmanship at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marvell.com/">QLogic</a> (now part of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marvell.com/">Marvell</a>). Since then, she’s been filling her dance card with numerous board duties, restlessly searching for the next big challenge. That came in 2017, when she accepted her first software leadership role as Co-Chairman at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.henryschein.com/">Henry Schein</a>, a dental practice management platform. A bit out of her comfort zone, sure, but status quo for a trailblazer. Without question, these gigs established Christine as a preeminent CEO across the hardware and software fields. And within the tight cabal of the semiconductor industry, she’s the cream of the crop – what you might call “tech royalty.”But being bored also sent Christine to the farm. And I mean that literally: she became a dairy farmer.“I have to say that dairy farming is way harder than being a CEO,” she exclaimed delightedly. “The results are in the milk pail. You get measured every day for whatever you do, whether it's strategy or execution. It just makes you honest all day long.”And so Christine milked cows every morning for 12 years, taking up the chore before logging in at Big Blue. As she noted, it was a great learning experience, balancing out the intense rigors of being a technology leader.At CMS Critic, our core focus is on content management. But I’ve spent my career in tech, consulting with IBM, Microsoft, Verizon, and even semiconductor companies like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.micross.com/">Micross</a> (I'm deficient in dairy farming, but hay, the day is young).When Christine’s team approached me for an interview, I jumped at the opportunity. She’s now a content creator, promoting her new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.christineking.com/">Breaking Through The Silicon Ceiling</a> – which is due out June 28th. We talked about it at length (the video is below) and what convinced her to tell this story.  I thought this would be a fascinating complement to what we typically cover, but it's also downright inspiring. We can all do more to support the advancement of women in tech, and Christine is the template. The shining example of what’s possible. For me, sharing her story is part of the charter.     <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HZmKkySH6k&amp;t=306s"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9HZmKkySH6k?start=306" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> In her forthcoming tome, Christine chronicles her incredible journey. Like something out of a movie, she details how a 20-year-old single mom in the early 1970s climbed a shifting ladder out of a trailer park – and into an intimidating, male-dominated world of technology.Along with the plight of being a solo parent at a time when social stigmas were far more severe, the story is filled with unexpected twists and turns that will have your heart cheering. Throughout the book, Christine relays the lessons learned from a life spent fighting through emotional turmoil, eventually finding respect and equality as an engineer turned business leader. Her big message: the seeds of success are within you. And she’s evidence of that. <h3 id="breaking-through-the-silicon-ceiling">Breaking through the silicon ceiling</h3>To suggest that Christine’s story has a humble beginning would be to sell it short. As you’ll hear in our interview, she overcame significant obstacles before rising into her role as a chief executive of a semiconductor company.As she detailed the genesis, I was struck by how large the mountain must have loomed. And yet, despite her many challenges, she dared to climb. “I didn't have any money, and I didn't have an education,” she remarked. “I had a high school [diploma], but that was it. And so my journey began in that trailer park, then going to college first, of course, to be a teacher – which is what women did in those days. Then I [went] into electrical engineering and got my degree, and that led me to my first job at IBM. And then I spent 40 years pretty much being the only female in the room.”Even with the odds stacked against her, Christine persevered and thrived in dual roles as a technologist and a business leader. In the interview, we talk about how much she enjoys both sides of the ledger and how she unlocks the value of people – without whom there would be no business. I asked Christine what motivated her to become an author and turn her life's story into a book. “I really felt that I learned so many lessons along the way, including those I learned in dairy farming,” she said. “You don't necessarily have to have an Ivy League education, or privilege or connections. You can be successful at what you do, even if it's being the first female CEO of a semiconductor company. I wanted to share that story and those lessons.”The book explores the myriad of setbacks along Christine’s path to the CEO’s seat. In her own words, she frames the adversity as “getting kicked in the gut quite a few times,” but she hung on – and wants everyone to know there's a way to get it done.In our conversation, we also delve into the many challenges faced by women like herself, and what it took to scale the walled garden around high-level leadership roles – and how there’s still work to be done. “There was certainly a ‘boys club,’ if you will,” Christine explained. “Although there were opportunities, it got harder and harder as you went up the ladder. And I would say even in the 2000s, when I started participating in public boards, it was quite a while [before] women were even part of the community and becoming directors. It certainly has been a journey, but sometimes, it's still a rough road. So I think we still have a ways to go.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>I won’t wax philosophically here. Instead, I’ll urge you to watch the interview and hear this amazing woman talk about her journey. It’s less than 30 minutes, but the story is a lifetime of gold. I usually draw big conclusions at this point in the prose, but Christine really nails it in our interview. She could easily retire from the whole shootin’ match, but she stays in the game because her passion is immeasurable. Henry Schein is now her fourth leadership rodeo; maybe she's still getting warmed up?Never one to rest, Christine has now put pen to paper and written a book, intimately sharing the struggles of growing up poor and battling limiting beliefs – all with the intention of helping others. As a technologist and business leader, she is unrivaled. As a messenger, she is revelatory. And as a human, she is the motherlode of potential and possibility. And yes, she is an iconic female CEO, but above all, she's an amazing person. One more note: in our conversation, I shared some of the incredible work being done by the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-expands-certification-scope-to-include-offerings-within-larger-vendors">MACH Alliance</a> – the industry organization advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems – and its fervent commitment to DEI. For several years, they have championed what it calls the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-launches-women-in-mach-mentorship-program">Women in MACH</a> movement, elevating awareness and promoting women in tech and STEM fields. Despite the progress we’ve made, the gaps persist. As I told Christine, we saw a lack of female representation on stage at last year’s <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">MACH Two event in Amsterdam</a>. Given the clear efforts made to celebrate and promote diversity, this was disappointing – and a reminder that tech is still very much an industry dominated by men.Should we be surprised? We have pundits and talking heads who continue to challenge equitable pay for women (just one dimension of the inequity). On average, they still earn 16% less than their male counterparts. In recent weeks, we saw the dichotomy of <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caitlin_Clark">Caitlin Clark</a>, the college basketball phenom who single-handedly generated millions of dollars for the state of Idaho, but is being <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/caitlin-clark-gender-pay-gap-womens-sports/">paid a salary of $76,000</a> to play in the WNBA – far less than star rookies in the NBA.We’re making progress, yes. But as my guest observed, we still have more work to do. Christine’s book, Breaking Through The Silicon Ceiling, will be released on June 28th, but you can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Through-Silicon-Ceiling-Semiconductor/dp/1803415053/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DTFMT2UJCF82&amp;keywords=breaking+through+the+silicon+ceiling&amp;qid=1698151298&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=breaking+through+the+sili%2Cstripbooks%2C447&amp;sr=1-1">pre-order it now on Amazon</a>. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

From Trailer Park to First Female CEO of a Semiconductor Company: A Conversation with Christine King

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‘If There Is a Will, There Is a Way’: Jasmin Guthmann talks MACH, AI, triathlons, and her new book on living your best life

From Trailer Park to First Female CEO of a Semiconductor Company: A Conversation with Christine King