Parallels Desktop

Hey, knowledge workers—ever feel like you’re walking a tightrope between productivity and security? You are not alone. You all have a challenging task in the current workplace environment. You’re probably being asked to achieve more, and work faster while also needing to be more vigilant than ever about cybersecurity concerns. Learn how Parallels Desktop can help.

Ransomware and phishing scams are rampant, and it only takes one risky click to cause major problems for your data, your device, and even your company. Yikes. No pressure, right?

There is some good news. (Okay, it’s great news.) Parallels Desktop can help you balance productivity and security like an absolute pro. Parallels Desktop is a favorite among knowledge workers who want to use their preferred applications and devices to tackle their to-do lists—without worrying that they’ll be vulnerable to extra risk.

The Magic of Parallels Desktop

With Parallels Desktop, you can power up your Mac to run Windows on a virtual desktop. It’s like having two computers in one so you can work, develop, study, test, and play with security and ease. Take Hillary Moralez, an IT Helpdesk Manager at Alludo who prefers to use a MacBook but needs access to Windows-based applications to do her job. Hillary uses Parallels Desktop to access Active Directory so she can easily manage headcount and security for her hybrid team, right from her MacBook. Hillary also uses Parallels Desktop to troubleshoot IT problems—even if the device that needs support is located on the other side of the world. Hillary spins up a Virtual Machine (VM) that replicates the troubled device so she can investigate and resolve problems as though the device were physically in front of her. (Honestly, it’s kind of magical.)

Venture out there—Parallels has your back

Hillary isn’t the only one flexing wizardry skills with Parallels Desktop.  Alludo Project Manager Ekaterina Zelenskaya is an intrepid tech explorer who loves running tests and trying new apps. She knows that this often means getting into apps from unreliable sources, and she has zero interest in threatening the security of her device or data. When she’s in exploration mode, Ekaterina hops into a VM, knowing that her native OS remains secure. It’s like having a safety net for tech experiments. Ekaterina can dive in, test, tinker, and make a virtual mess—and with Parallels Desktop, the reset button is just a click away.

This remarkable tool has become a game-changer for countless professionals, empowering them to navigate the complex world of cybersecurity with unparalleled confidence.

Alludo’s Director of Corporate Communications, Beatrice Vogel, shares Ekaterina’s penchant for bold tech exploration. She regularly tries and tests new apps and programs. She loves that she can build a VM for each one and then eliminate those that don’t suit her needs, without cluttering up her original machine or exposing it to unnecessary risk. Bea once downloaded an app with questionable security, but thanks to Parallels Desktop, she was within a VM as usual. She activated the highest security settings within that virtual machine, so her Mac remained untouchable. It’s like having a virtual bouncer, ensuring only safe and trusted entities get past the velvet rope.

Security features for work and play

To recap, Parallels Desktop offers a fantastic suite of security features that help you work, experiment, and explore confidently.

Virtual Machine Snapshots: Capture your virtual machine’s exact state, providing a quick and easy way to revert to a previous configuration should anything go awry.

Isolated Environments: Keep your native OS and data separate from your virtual machine, ensuring a secure barrier between the two.

Encrypted Virtual Machines: Protect sensitive data with robust encryption, ensuring it remains safe from prying eyes.

Parallels Desktop offers extensive procedures and mechanisms that protect a VM and host computer data from unintended or unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or disruption. Parallels Desktop ensures safe virtualization through a variety of mechanisms. It provides safe VM use and guarantees the protection of transferred data, helping to ensure error-free operations every step of the way.

These Alludo team members can attest that Parallels Desktop isn’t just for developers. It enables anyone in any profession to venture boldly into new apps, helping them find the tools and resources that let them do their best work and balance productivity and security. Elevate your security, embrace the virtual world, and let your Mac roam free without fear.

Psst: This post is part of our #MyParallelsStory series. We’ve been highlighting the different ways people have found to work better and live better using Parallels. We’d love to hear your #MyParallelsStory and learn how using Parallels Desktop to balance productivity and security makes your life easier.  Share your experience on social media today, using #MyParallelsStory.   Or try Parallels Desktop for free today.

Raise your hand if your company has software applications you’ve used for a zillion years. You know they’re outdated, but they’re so woven into the fabric of your operations that you can’t stop using them. You’d argue that they’re not just comfortable; they’re critical. 

We see you out there, raising your hands. And we totally get it. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could give those legacy applications a digital makeover? Well, dust off those floppy disks (or not, because who even has those anymore?) because you’re about to learn how Parallels Desktop can transform your enterprise’s software landscape. Get ready to embrace the past while propelling your business into the future! 

Meet your legacy software hero 

Let’s face it—legacy software has its charm. Who doesn’t still use Microsoft Money, QuickBooks Desktop, ProFile, Vuescan or even Quicken Rental Property Edition?  It’s like a vintage record player in a world of streaming services. But just like the nostalgic tunes you love, legacy software can sometimes feel a bit… well, outdated. You might find yourself stuck between the rock of old-school software and the hard place of modern needs. 

Maybe you are moving to a different machine or operating system. Perhaps a required upgrade will render your critical apps incompatible. Either way, you’re worried that you have to choose between moving forward or getting to keep using the apps you depend on. 

Enter Parallels Desktop, your knight in shining digital armor. Imagine a world where you can run those critical legacy applications alongside your modern software without breaking a sweat. It’s like pairing a classic car with a futuristic hoverboard—the best of both worlds. (Did we just steal a plot point from Back to the Future Part II? Speaking of nostalgia…) 

How does Parallels Desktop work its magic?  

Glad you asked! Parallels Desktop uses a virtualization technology to power up a virtual PC inside your Mac computer, making it super easy to work with. Here’s how it works: 

Step 1: Install Parallels Desktop. Installation and setup couldn’t be simpler. With quick implementation and a short, smooth learning curve, you’ll be ready to roll in no time. 

Step 2: Create a virtual machine. This is your digital time capsule. You can install the operating system your legacy software needs to run effectively. Maybe your office is switching to Macs, but your team can’t seem to break free of your trusty Windows apps.  With Parallels Desktop, you don’t need to pick one or the other. 

Step 3: Run your legacy software. With the click of a button, you’re whisked away to the good ol’ days of your beloved Windows software. No more “compatibility mode” struggles or worrying about system conflicts. 

Step 4: Work miracles. Whether it’s accounting software from the ’90s or a client management system from the early 2000s (we know some of those are still out there!), Parallels Desktop lets you make the most of your legacy applications without compromising your modern workflow. 

Why Parallels Desktop is the ultimate legacy software sidekick for your enterprise 

Now you know how to use Parallels Desktop. Are you still stuck on why? Understandable. We’ve got you covered. 

1. Compatibility and Integration. Parallels Desktop not just allows users to access critical legacy software without maintaining outdated hardware or operating systems, but also provides a deep integration with Mac systems, like keyboard, display, camera, microphone, sound, files, and more. However, note that some legacy software may not run on a Mac with Apple silicon. 

2. Resource optimization. You might love your legacy Windows applications, but are you willing to dedicate an entirely separate machine or partition if it requires specific configurations? That’s a big yikes for efficiency.  
   
   Parallels Desktop lets you run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single machine, optimizing hardware resources and reducing the need for separate devices. 

3. Seamless upgrades. Upgrading to new Mac software can be seriously disruptive and time-consuming for an enterprise. Parallels Desktop minimizes this disruption by keeping your work environment in a separate context of a virtual machine that is not affected by software updates on Mac. This smooth transition helps maintain business continuity and prevents sudden productivity drops due to software upgrades. 

4. Training and familiarity. If everyone in your office relies on that legacy software as much as you do, there might be an uproar if you force a transition to an entirely new application. Be a hero and let your team use the familiar interface they know and love. It’ll cut down on training time and shorten the learning curve. 
   
   Plus, Parallels Desktop means your team can use the devices they prefer—and run the required applications, whether a Mac fan or a PC diehard. It’s like offering coffee and tea at the meeting—everyone gets what they want. 

5. Security and maintenance. We have to mention this one—unsupported legacy software can become a major risk due to a lack of updates and patches. Parallels Desktop isolates VMs from the host operating system, reducing the risk of security breaches. Plus, it’s easier to maintain and update a virtualized environment rather than multiple physical systems. 

6. Futureproofing. By enabling legacy software to run on modern hardware and operating systems, Parallels Desktop future-proofs these applications. You can continue to utilize your critical legacy software as long as needed. And when you’re ready to transition to modern alternatives, you can do so at your own pace. 

Embrace the best of both worlds 

Load that hoverboard into the trunk of your classic car, because you’re about to have the best of both worlds. Parallels Desktop is your ticket to marrying the past with the present while keeping your business operations running like a well-oiled machine. Legacy software no longer needs to be a time capsule gathering dust; it can actively participate in your tech-driven journey. 

On the subject of being part of a journey, this post is part of our #MyParallelsStory series.  

We’d love to hear your #MyParallelsStory and learn how using Parallels Desktop with legacy software makes your life easier.  Share your experience on social media today, using #MyParallelsStory.   

Get your gaming face on. Discover one of the easiest ways to play PC games on a Mac – it’s the best thing since getting unlimited lives or finally beating that level you’ve been working on since the dawn of time. 

Ah, the classic Mac vs. PC debate: it’s the ultimate showdown of tech titans, each with their own superpowers. But what if we said you could have the best of both worlds? Yep, you heard it right. Using Parallels Desktop for gaming, you can wield your Mac’s sleek sophistication and unleash the whole empire of PC games.

Why pick sides when you can have it all?

Listen up, Mac enthusiasts—we get it. You love the elegance of your Mac, the smooth interface, and maybe that feeling of belonging to an exclusive club. But let’s be real—PC gaming is on another level, with many exclusive games that are super popular for a good reason.

So, what’s a die-hard Mac lover to do? The answer: choose both.

Enter Parallels Desktop: The ultimate game changer

Picture this: you’ve finished work for the day, and you’re seriously hankering for some gaming. (We’ve been there!) Maybe it’s the call of an epic RPG, the adrenaline rush of a fast-paced head-to-head battle, or the allure of a strategy game. Your friends just told you about the newest game they love. But hold on—like so many other great games, this one is only available on PC. Cue the dramatic music.

Before you start splurging on a separate PC just for gaming (that’s like getting a whole new apartment for your shoe collection—a bit much), let us introduce you to Parallels Desktop—your new gaming BFF. Using Parallels Desktop for gaming, you can run Windows and Mac applications side by side, like the ultimate multitasking wizard you were always meant to be.

Get ready to game like never before

Here’s the scoop on how this magical tech potion works. Parallels Desktop creates a virtual Windows machine right on your Mac. This means you can install and run Windows applications, including games, on your Mac as if you were using a Windows PC.

It’s like having a secret door to the PC gaming realm; all you need to do is knock (well, click) to enter. No need for a separate machine. You don’t even need to reboot your system to switch from Mac to Windows and back again.

Alludo Engineering Manager Ivan Moroz says, “I like gaming, and after moving to another country with nothing but my Mac, I realized I could still use it to play games with my friends thanks to Parallels Desktop.” That’s what we like to hear, Ivan.

1-2-3 go!

Setting up Parallels Desktop is smoother than butter on a hot pancake. Once you’re inside your virtual Windows realm, you won’t even notice the borders. Parallels Desktop integrates Windows applications seamlessly into your Mac environment. Drag, drop, copy, paste—it’s even easier than beating the intro level.

Using Parallels Desktop for gaming is so intuitive that a child can use it. Seriously. When we started gathering stories for the #MyParallelsStory series, we heard from a parent whose 9-year-old son loves the challenge and excitement of PC games. Certain games are a great fit for him as a neurodivergent individual, and he thrives when he plays them. They’re a total Mac family, but that’s not a problem. With Parallels Desktop, this precocious kiddo can play his favorite PC games on the family Mac computer without a hitch.

Bonus: Parallels Desktop is so efficient that it’s designed to run Windows smoothly and efficiently on your Mac without negatively impacting performance. (Nobody wants their game to buffer when you’re at a critical moment!) The software uses advanced virtualization technology to optimize resource usage and ensure the Mac and Windows operating systems run seamlessly together.

Consider your gaming FOMO vanquished. Product Manager Dmitry Geynisman says, “With Parallels Desktop, I can play my favorite Windows games on my Mac. Half-Life, GTA V, Age of Empires II, Rocket League, and more!” Pure wizardry.

Gaming is just the beginning

Parallels Desktop has totally changed the game—and not just for gaming. It’s your all-access pass to a world of Windows (and Linux) applications, whether you need them for work, creativity, or just exploring new horizons.

💼 Need to run a Windows-only business app? Done.

🎨 Want to use that specialized design software? Easy peasy.

📚 Curious about what your PC-loving friends are raving about? Jump right in.

The wrap-up: your quest awaits

So, there you have it, fellow Mac fans and aspiring PC gamers.  One of the best ways to play PC games on a Mac is with Parallels Desktop. It’s like, well, a parallel universe where you don’t need to choose sides. Enjoy the elegance of your Mac, sprinkle in the magic of PC gaming, and conquer new realms of productivity and creativity, all within the comfort of your preferred machine.

Are you still reading this? Go try it out!

And if you’re already loving Parallels Desktop, we’d love to hear your story. Share your experience today using #MyParallelsStory on social media.

Game on, my friends!

Calling all Mac fans and fellow tech explorers! We bet you’ve noticed a bit of a rivalry between Mac and Windows. Remember those “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” ads from the mid-2000s?” We’ve settled the rivalry once and for all. 

Today, we’re venturing into a world where the two operating systems coexist in perfect harmony, and you can run Windows applications on your Mac. Picture this: Your Mac becomes a portal to endless possibilities, where you seamlessly switch between work and play, and from one OS to another, with just a few clicks. And no rebooting. Yep, you guessed it—we’re talking about the wondrous wizardry of Parallels Desktop. 

Work hard, Mac hard 

Let’s kick things off in the business realm. Let’s say you’re a Mac enthusiast, but your work requires you to dabble in the Windows world. No sweat! With Parallels Desktop, you can run Windows applications right on your Mac without breaking a sweat (or a Mac). No need for two computers. Whip up a Windows-native application faster than you can whip up an at-home latte for that coffee break you just earned with all the time you saved. 

Need to use industry-specific software that’s only available on Windows? Parallels Desktop to the rescue. Want to test your web design masterpiece across different browsers? Parallels Desktop has you covered. You won’t need to switch devices or boot up another computer just for that one app. 

“It’s so easy and fast to set up a Windows VM,” says Alludo Solutions Architect Carlos Lapao. “It just takes pressing a button, and in a few minutes, you have a fresh VM to use and play with.” 

It’s all about working smarter, not harder. The new world of work (we call it Work3) is about outcomes, not inputs. So, take that coffee break. Or two. Solutions like Parallels Desktop let you work where, when, and how you want—and work more efficiently than ever. 

Play it cool, Mac gamers 

You were so productive at work that it’s time to sign off for the day. Maybe you’re a dedicated Mac user, but sometimes you yearn for that epic PC game everyone raves about. Free yourself from FOMO! Parallels Desktop lets your favorite PC games come alive right on your Mac. No second device or whole new gaming rig required. Battle those mythical creatures, explore distant galaxies, or take on brain-twisting puzzles—and then click right back over to your Mac to iMessage your friends about your new high score. 

You can work on that big presentation in the morning and take on virtual foes in the evening (or, ahem, on that coffee break). Parallels Desktop seamlessly transforms your Mac into a versatile multitasking machine, where you can save time by switching between tasks without missing a beat. 

Home sweet (virtual) home 

Not much of a gamer? Your Mac isn’t just a workspace or a gaming hub; it’s your customized corner of the universe. No compromise needed, when you can easily run Windows applications on your Mac.  

Plenty of Windows-specific applications might fit your exact needs—but not your operating system. Unless, of course, you have Parallels Desktop. With Parallels Desktop, you can revive a favorite software program that you haven’t been able to use since you switched to a Mac. You can explore new software, test web development environments, and develop a hybrid virtual world tailored just to you. 

Alludo Support Manager Mikhail Ushakov loves that he can use Parallels Desktop to compartmentalize his work and home life, even if both activities take place in the same location. “I can keep all my work-related projects in a VM. When my day is over, I can use the Mac side for personal use.” It’s a great way to “shut down” your workday without relocating! 

Whether you’re an IT helpdesk worker spinning up virtual machines, a digital nomad balancing work and travel, a creative spirit crafting masterpiece, or a curious tech aficionado trying to master every realm, Parallels Desktop is the magic portal you need. 

In a nutshell 

We know a bit of Mac/PC rivalry will linger around. And we haven’t even talked about other operating systems. (Parallels Desktop can help with those, too!) But we’ve bridged the gap, creating more space and time for ideas. 

For the record, we acknowledge that not everyone is a Mac fan who uses Parallels for Windows. Sometimes it’s the other way around! Alludo Customer Success Manager Imad Aalouache is accustomed to using Windows, but decided to explore Mac. With Parallels Desktop, Imad can rely on favorite Windows apps and still launch specialized Mac apps for specific use cases. 

This is how to liberate the way you work and play. 

We’d love to hear your #MyParallelsStory and learn how Parallels Desktop gives you the best of both worlds. We want to know where your digital adventures take you, and we appreciate you bringing us along for the ride. Share your experience on social media today, using #MyParallelsStory. 

There’s a neurodivergent nine-year-old in the San Francisco Bay Area who uses Parallels Desktop to play his favorite game on the operating system he’s most comfortable with.

There’s a small but mighty travel agency that runs exclusively on Apple computers, except two of the most essential solutions for planning booking and travel are not Mac-compatible. Parallels Desktop bridges the gap and lets them run Windows apps on a Mac.

An IT helpdesk specialist for Alludo who builds replicas of her remote team’s computers using a virtual machine in Parallels so she can troubleshoot complex IT problems without needing the physical device—or the employee—in the room with her. “Nothing is harder than helpdesk support in a remote setting,” she says. Unless, of course, you have Parallels Desktop.

These are just a few of thousands of stories that showcase the powerful role Parallels Desktop plays in the lives of individuals, teams, and businesses.

It’s story time

To celebrate these stories, we’re launching #MyParallelsStory, a multi-platform series that will harness and amplify the voices of people who use Parallels Desktop to run Windows apps on a Mac.

We’ll hear from Alludo employees and end users around the world. They’ll be invited to submit videos, blogs, social media posts, or whatever captures the moment.

We know not everyone uses Parallels Desktop (yet?), and we also want to hear from those folks. We’re pretty biased, but we think experiencing Parallels Desktop for the first time is pretty magical. You can run the apps you want on the devices you want, with easy installation, a simple learning curve, and no reboots needed. As part of the #MyParallelsStory series, we’re also inviting people to download and try Parallels Desktop for the first time, and then share their experiences.

Could we share your story?

We’d love to hear how Parallels Desktop fits into your life. Your story can help others maximize the benefit of Parallels Desktop, perhaps giving them ideas they’d never have thought of.

Using Parallels Desktop in a cool way? We’d love to hear about it! Share your experience using #MyParallelsStory on social media.

Stay tuned for more on #MyParallelsStory! We’re so excited to kick things off.

In celebration of the 17th year milestone of Parallels® Desktop for Mac, we’re looking back at an incredible journey that has seen us empower Mac users & developers to smoothly operate & build over 200,000 Windows applications on their chosen Mac device. Our dedicated Parallels team continually marvels at the inventive ways our strong base of 7 million customers utilize Parallels Desktop for Mac to cater to their specific virtualization needs daily.

Whether it’s employing a Windows-only application that Mac doesn’t support, leveraging exclusive Windows features, designing, developing, or testing software across diverse operating systems, enjoying gaming, running demanding CAD apps, or collaborating cross-platform with peers or students, our users have accomplished remarkable milestones with Parallels Desktop for Mac.

Join us as we delve into some standout moments of our astounding 17-year journey!

June 15, 2006, marked the genesis of Parallels Desktop for Mac, pioneering the world’s first virtualization software for Intel-based Mac. This innovation revolutionized the industry, granting Mac users the convenience of running Windows and Mac OS X simultaneously, a feat previously unattainable without rebooting through Boot Camp.

February 27, 2007, was the unveiling of the Coherence Mode feature, allowing customers to conceal Windows Desktop and operate Windows apps side-by-side with Mac applications within the Mac OS X environment. This mode remains a fan-favorite among Parallels Desktop users today.

On November 4, 2009, we added support for Apple trackpad gestures and keyboard actions such as drag-and-drop and copy-and-paste, further smoothing the operation between systems.

Fast forward to September 14, 2010, when Parallels Desktop introduced 64-bit mode support.

June 2011 brought the introduction of Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition, equipped with a volume license key to activate Parallels Desktop on a large scale.

November 6, 2011, we saw NASA use Parallels Desktop on MacBook laptops to land the Curiosity Rover on Mars!

We didn’t stop there; on September 4, 2012, we added support for DirectX 10 and Bluetooth devices on both Windows and macOS.

Fast forward to August 28, 2013, the birth of Parallels Access — the quickest, simplest, and most reliable remote access solution to a Windows or Mac system from iOS, Android, or an HTML browser.

By August 19, 2015, we had released Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition — an enhanced version for power users and developers. This edition introduced the world’s first voice-assisted personal assistant on the Mac: Windows 10 Cortana, working with both Mac OS X and Windows!

On August 18, 2016, the Parallels Toolbox for Mac made its entry, offering 25 single-purpose tools to simplify common Mac tasks with just one click.

Following its success, on June 29, 2017, Parallels Toolbox for Windows was launched to streamline common Windows computing tasks.

By March 2019, Parallels Desktop for Mac had garnered a DEVIE award for “BEST in Operating System Development.”

Later, on August 13, 2019, our users could run more demanding Windows programs like CAD apps and games on a Mac, thanks to the support we added for DirectX 11, 10, and 9 on Apple Metal.

By October 20, 2020, we had released Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS, the first software to run Windows directly on enterprise Chromebooks!

The following year, on April 14, 2021, Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac launched with complete native support for Mac computers with Apple M1 chips.

Fast forward to February 16, 2023.  Microsoft authorized the use of ARM  versions of Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise installed in a virtual machine with Parallels Desktop for Mac for customers on Mac with Apple silicon.

Finally on May 16, 2023, Parallels Desktop attained ARM SystemReady VE Certification, to meet the highest industry standards and solidify its position as a leader in virtualization technology.   

Here’s to 17 years of Parallels!

A look at her career in parallel with Parallels

Quite literally no one has more experience with Parallels than Elena Koryakina. She was there from the very beginning, as a pioneer in virtualization and a woman in tech, while still a graduate student at Bauman Moscow State Technical University. She was the first person to run Windows solutions in the virtualization engine that was the foundation of what is today Parallels Desktop, which means that every employee and every customer since then are walking in her footsteps.

Over more than two decades, Elena rose through the ranks as a woman in tech in roles such including software engineer to senior vice president of Engineering, leading the research and development team at Parallels under the Alludo umbrella. Along the way, she served as a technical advisor, unit manager, project manager, director of cloud infrastructure, and vice president of engineering.

“It’s very important to note that it has been a long career path,” says Elena. Even before officially joining Parallels, Elena worked as a software developer at the Moscow Central Depository in the late 1990s. Elena is at once humble about her achievements (she holds multiple patents based on her work) and extremely practical. She feels strongly that others looking to emulate her success understand that it comes as a result of two elements: constant curiosity, and constant investment in your education and profession.

Celebrating women in tech

As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, it’s critical to address an obvious point: Elena is a pioneer in tech by any demographic standards, and the fact that she’s a woman who played such a central, early role in modern tech is even more exceptional. Still, Elena insists that her gender isn’t as much of a factor as people might make it out to be. “Maybe I was lucky, but my professors didn’t treat men and women any differently,” she says. “While my university was mostly men, there were lots of talented women too, and I’ve been surrounded by talented women for my whole career. I believe that we shouldn’t think about whether you’re a woman or a man, but whether you love your work, and what ideas you bring to the table.” She’s inspired by people from different backgrounds, with different experiences and interests.

Sources of inspiration

One source of inspiration has been her grandmother, who played a significant role in Elena’s childhood. Her grandmother wanted Elena to become a doctor, which seemed like a great fit because Elena was always interested in physics, math, and biology. She initially planned to pursue education in biological medicine and technology, but fellow students noticed her talents and encouraged her to focus on IT. “It was a group of men, actually,” Elena says. “They said, ‘Come with us, we’re IT technologists, and it’s really interesting.’” Elena shifted courses and immersed herself in mathematical modeling, and had the chance to build software tools to perform that modeling. She loved it. And she’s grateful to those students, who truly saw her for her ability.

As for her grandmother, Elena says she was extremely proud of her after Elena shifted away from biological medicine. As it turns out, her grandmother only wanted Elena to become a doctor because she wanted Elena to be useful to people. “A doctor obviously helps people,” Elena says, “But we do, too. I’m absolutely sure that my profession and the products we provide for our customers make peoples’ lives better and their work easier. We simplify life for them and allow them to work from anywhere. What we do is so similar to the goals my grandmother set for me.”

Managing priorities

In addition to staying curious and continuing to invest in your education and yourself (Elena pursued an advanced, fast-track course at the Harvard Business School on Leading with Impact in 2014.) , she also advises other women in tech to prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. “There are only 24 hours in a day,” she says. “And your prioritization should be flexible and change throughout your life.” When Elena was a student, she would go to school all day and when she completed her labs she would go to work on what would become Parallels, and put in a 10-12 hour shift—working very late into the night before starting everything again the next day. She thrived on that demanding schedule, because it worked for her at that time. School and work were her only priorities.

After she became a mother, Elena shifted her priorities. They’re now “My son, and virtualization.” Elena notes that pregnancy is, in itself, a virtualization project. And shifting priorities doesn’t need to happen only if one chooses motherhood, Elena points out. “It could be travel or anything else that is important to you. Pursue what you love. Continue your dreams.”