- As the first female Apache community member in China, Trista Pan has navigated the unique challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, consistently proving her technical and leadership abilities.
- Trista Pan’s career progression from a senior engineer to a startup founder, and later to a senior AI advocate at ByteDance, showcases her adaptability and commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
Trista Pan, co-founder and CTO of SphereEx, is a distinguished figure in the tech industry. As a member of the Apache Software Foundation and an incubator mentor, she made history as China’s first female Apache member. Her contributions to open-source communities are significant, including her role as a PMC member of Apache ShardingSphere and her recognition as an AWS Data Hero. Trista Pan also serves as a mentor for China’s Mulan open-source community and is a Tencent Cloud TVP.
With a background in designing and developing intelligent database platforms at JD Digits, Trista Pan now focuses on distributed databases, middleware ecosystems, and the advancement of open-source initiatives. Her impact has been recognised with accolades such as “2020 China Open-Source Pioneer,” “2021 OSCAR Top Open-Source Figure,” and “2021 IT Leader of the Year” by CSDN. In 2022, she presented the paper “Apache ShardingSphere, A Holistic and Pluggable Platform for Data Sharding” at ICDE and was honoured with the “Chief Technology Officer of the Year” at the Globee Awards. Additionally, she authored the book “A Definitive Guide to Apache ShardingSphere,” which was published internationally, further cementing her status as an influential voice in the field of technology. Currently, Trista Pan is at ByteDance as AI product director, Volcano Engine, where she continues to advocate for AI and open-source development.
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Trista Pan, a pioneering figure in the tech industry, to discuss her remarkable journey from a software developer to a leader in AI innovation. Trista Pan shares her insights on overcoming challenges in a male-dominated industry, navigating career transitions, and her passion for driving change in artificial intelligence. Her story offers a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in tech while staying true to one’s vision and values.
Unique challenges faced by female tech leaders
“When people question me or challenge me, I just show them my achievements. It’s important to use each of these moments as exercises to strengthen your confidence and showcase your capabilities.”
Trista Pan, ByteDance AI product director, Volcano Engine
As the first female member of the Apache community in China, Trista Pan has garnered significant attention and praise. However, this role has not come without its challenges. Trista Pan shared that, as a female leader in the tech industry, she has often faced additional scrutiny and doubts about her capabilities. There is a common misconception that women excel in soft skills like communication but lack the technical prowess, such as programming. However, Trista Pan strongly disagrees with this stereotype.
She emphasised in the interview, “We cannot allow stereotypes to define us, especially in our careers. If you listen to others telling you what you should or shouldn’t do, your scope becomes very narrow, and you won’t be able to achieve significant breakthroughs in your career.” Trista Pan believes that the key is to listen to your own interests, explore your strengths and weaknesses, and trust yourself to overcome the challenges that come your way.
In her experience, Trista Pan found that each challenge she faced was an opportunity to grow. “When people question me or challenge me, I just show them my achievements. It’s important to use each of these moments as exercises to strengthen your confidence and showcase your capabilities,” she added. For Trista Pan, the journey is about proving to herself, and to others, that she is more than capable of succeeding in a male-dominated field.
Transitioning from developer to entrepreneur
“As a leader, you often don’t even know what the problem is, it’s your job to figure that out, find the direction for the solution, and effectively solve it.”
Trista Pan, ByteDance AI product director, Volcano Engine
Trista Pan’s journey from a senior engineer at JD.com to co-founding and leading her own startup, SphereEx, was marked by several turning points. She highlighted that the roles of a developer and a leader require different skill sets and mindsets. As a developer, her primary responsibility was to deliver high-quality code within a defined schedule and task list. However, as a leader, the scope of her work broadened significantly.
“As a leader, you often don’t even know what the problem is, it’s your job to figure that out, find the direction for the solution, and effectively solve it,” Trista Pan explained to us. This shift from a technical role to a leadership role required her to develop strategic decision-making skills and a broader perspective on the industry.
One of the key lessons she learned during this transition was the importance of tailoring communication for different audiences. “When I was a developer, I wanted to showcase how amazing my code was. But as a founder, I needed to sell my product to customers who didn’t care about the code—they just wanted to know how it could solve their problems,” she said. This shift in perspective helped her become more customer-centric, focusing on solving their pain points rather than just showcasing technical prowess.
Career shift to AI: Embracing the future
“AI is a broad field with many niches. Find a part that interests you, focus on it, and give yourself time to grow in that area.”
Trista Pan, ByteDance AI product director, Volcano Engine
After establishing herself as a successful entrepreneur, Trista Pan made a significant career shift towards AI, a move she believes is aligned with the future of technology. Joining ByteDance as a Senior AI Open Source Advocate, she now focuses on promoting AI products, developing ecosystems, and building partnerships with startups and large companies alike. This role allows her to stay at the forefront of AI advancements while leveraging her technical background and startup experience.
When talking about this shift with us, Trista Pan described it as challenging but rewarding. “AI is the future, and I wanted to find opportunities to dive into it. Even though it meant leaving behind the reputation I had built as a founder, I felt it was important to explore my interests in AI,” she shared. She encouraged others who are interested in AI but hesitant due to a lack of background, to take the plunge. “AI is a broad field with many niches. Find a part that interests you, focus on it, and give yourself time to grow in that area.”
Working at a large company like ByteDance has also provided Trista Pan with a different perspective. She noted that while the transition from being a founder to an employee was a significant shift in mindset, it has offered her valuable insights into how large organisations operate, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Extra effort in a male-dominated industry
“The key is to find your direction, stay the course, and not be swayed by external voices.”
Trista Pan, ByteDance AI product director, Volcano Engine
In an industry still dominated by men, Trista Pan believes that women often need to put in extra effort to achieve the same level of recognition and success. However, she views the challenges that come with this as opportunities for growth. “While it’s true that women in tech face more scrutiny, these challenges also give us a chance to prove our capabilities,” she said. Trista Pan advocates for focusing on the positive aspects of these experiences rather than dwelling on the negative.
She emphasised the importance of resilience and perseverance. “You have to trust your feelings, explore yourself, and give yourself time and space to grow. It’s a process, and you won’t achieve success overnight. But if you stay focused and continue to push forward, you’ll find that you’re stronger and more capable than you initially thought,” she advised.
Trista Pan also highlighted the importance of mindset in navigating a male-dominated field. She believes that by trusting in their own abilities and making informed decisions, women can gradually achieve the same level of competence as their male counterparts. “The key is to find your direction, stay the course, and not be swayed by external voices,” she said.
Advice for aspiring female engineers
“AI is a field full of potential. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate—just give it a try. Even if it takes you longer to learn than someone with more experience, the important thing is that you start.”
Trista Pan, ByteDance AI product director, Volcano Engine
For aspiring female engineers, Trista Pan offers the advice to refresh their mindset and choose a path that aligns with their true interests and strengths. She believes that success in the tech industry is less about specific techniques and more about a person’s mindset and approach to challenges. “You need to explore yourself, trust your instincts, and give yourself time to develop. Don’t just follow the crowd—find what works for you,” she advised.
Trista Pan also encourages women to dive into emerging fields like AI, even if they don’t have a background in it. “AI is a field full of potential. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate—just give it a try. Even if it takes you longer to learn than someone with more experience, the important thing is that you start,” she said. She highlighted that AI is a vast field with many niches, and finding the right one can lead to a fulfilling and impactful career.
Reflecting on her own journey, Trista Pan shared that she has found working in AI both challenging and rewarding. She currently works on an AI agent platform called “HiAgent,” which has allowed her to stay engaged with cutting-edge technology. “Even as a newbie, I took the opportunity to learn and grow. If you find something that interests you, leverage that interest to explore further and develop your skills,” she concluded.
Trista Pan’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, self-belief, and continuous learning. As a trailblazer in the tech industry, she has not only broken barriers but also set an example for others to follow. Her insights into navigating challenges, embracing new opportunities, and maintaining a strong sense of self-direction are invaluable lessons for anyone aspiring to make a mark in the tech world. Whether it’s her transition from a developer to a leader, or her shift towards AI, Trista Pan’s story shows the importance of embracing change and trusting in one’s own capabilities. Her advice to future generations, particularly women in tech, underscores the need for self-exploration, confidence, and the courage to chart one’s own path. As she continues to contribute to the AI field, Trista Pan remains an inspiring figure, demonstrating that with passion and dedication, anything is possible.
