Angela Nadeau’s father started CompuData in 1971, giving her insight from childhood into the company she would one day lead.
As a youth, her summer jobs included reviewing printouts, driving payroll to clients and even coding for the company. In college, Nadeau focused on econometric forecasting and modeling consumer buying behavior, and her connection with CompuData was solely as a board member and shareholder.
In 1988, she joined the company full-time, just as PCs were replacing mainframes and minicomputers. Nadeau recognized an opportunity for reselling software, and she headed up the company’s new micro division. She worked her way to vice president of sales and marketing and then to executive vice president. In 2010, Nadeau took over as president and CEO. In that role, she has moved the company to a recurring revenue model, built a data center for cloud hosting and chosen the Software-as-a-Service products to market and represent.
Today, CompuData is a woman-owned technology company that has created solutions for midsize organizations for more than 50 years. The company provides clients with technology solutions to help them scale and streamline their organizations. Company revenue has grown by 230% under Nadeau’s leadership.
“I tend to be a risk-taker,” Nadeau said. “I know this about myself, so I try to seek the advice and input of more cautious trusted advisors. There are always pros and cons to every direction change. I believe a good leader needs to prepare and weigh the costs and benefits of major decisions. That said, I have to say that my primary lesson is that sometimes it’s important to ignore the naysayers or those that are cautious. Just follow your gut.
“Being bold (and fast) — especially in technology — can be the key to staying ahead of the pack.”
Nadeau is an advocate for both female entrepreneurs and women in tech. She sits on the board and is the current president of the Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs. She is also a member of the Birthing of Giants Fellowship Program, the Forbes Technology Council, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the Inc Business Owners Council.
A University of Delaware graduate, Nadeau has supported young entrepreneurs at her alma mater by mentoring entrepreneurship students as they develop their pitches.
“I will work to help the next generation of women leaders as best as I can,” she said. “Luckily, it has become easier for women to finance and grow their businesses than in past decades, but there is still a long way to go. I am not alone. I have witnessed firsthand as many successful women have been eager to share their experiences and their network to me. I aim to continue this trend and pay it forward.”