Monterrey, Mexico - If you think the glass ceiling for women in tech is tough in the United States, take a look at the challenges they face in Mexico, Latin America and other developing countries. For many the obstacles may seem insurmountable, but not for Blanca Trevino, the co-founder, president and CEO of Softtek, a Mexican unicorn that is the largest IT vendor in Latin America.

Since founding Softtek in 1982, Trevino has helped build a far-flung global empire that offers application software development, security and other IT solutions to more than 300 corporations in more than 20 countries. And it generates more than $500 million in annual revenue. This she and her partners accomplished without venture capital, by bootstrapping and plowing all profits back into the company to foster growth.

At the same time, she has worked hard to elevate women in the IT workplace and has proved to be a role model for those looking for leadership roles in a male-dominated industry. A board member of Wal-Mart Mexico and the prominent Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), her success formula is simple: "Don't focus on the obstacles you face, but focus on the skills and talents you bring to the field. It's all about mind-set."