There has been no shortage of conversations about women at mid-career and the challenges they face.
Offering some clarity are 10 rising stars in the field of communications, who are the winners of the inaugural New York Women in Communications' WiCi Awards. As a champion of communications innovation, Mashable is a proud partner of the awards.
Drawing on their careers in advertising, journalism, marketing and social good, the WiCi Award winners shared words of wisdom, including the best advice imparted upon them by the people they look up to most.
Lesley Jane Seymour, editor-in-chief of More magazine, asked the honorees on Sept. 18 about the turning points in their careers and their biggest influencers, which ranged from encouragement from Steve Jobs to sage advice from their parents.
New York Times technology reporter Jenna Wortham admits she was timid watching Steve Jobs demo a product when she was new to the Times.
That is, until she approached the Apple founder and he told her, "I've read your stuff."
"There's this moment of knowing you have the influence and the power to affect change," Wortham said.
Abbey Klaassen, editor of Ad Age, was "hand-shaking nervous" before taking on her current role, even though she knew that she could do it.
IBM chairwoman and CEO Ginni Rometty's words stuck with her, "Growth and comfort do not coexist."
When Maria Cristina Marrero was named editor-in-chief of Siempre Mujer Magazine, her mother advised her to keep her cool.
"'Honey, you have a master's in journalism, now you're going to get a PhD in ego,'" Marrero said, quoting her mother. "She told me to always stay grounded."
Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, co-founder and chief operations officer of Digital Brand Architects, recalls leaving her dream job to build a company from scratch.
"I stepped out in a leap of faith," she said, noting that she couldn't have made the jump without the support of her mother, husband and friends.
After being inspired by women vintners, Deborah Brenner, founder and president of Women of the Vine, was ready to step out of her comfort zone.
"We did something that had never been done before," Brenner said of her decision to start her company and write her book, Women of the Vine.
Before Rachel Haot became the City of New York's first-ever chief digital officer, she built the news platform GroundReport from the bottom up.
"I knew what I was passionate about," Haot said.
If she hadn't known that, she says she wouldn't have been handed her dream job working for Mayor Bloomberg.
On her first date with her now-husband, Lauren Bush Lauren expressed her dream of designing a bag that would help fight hunger around the world.
"I literally had the 'Aha' moment," she said of her realization that led to the creation of FEED Projects.
Bush Lauren says that to this day, her husband remains her project's biggest supporter.
Dustee Tucker Jenkins, Target’s VP of public relations, is thankful for the standards set by one of her early bosses, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
"There’s nothing better than someone having incredibly high expectations," Jenkins said. "Kay Bailey Hutchison showed me what I was capable of, a lesson I’ve carried with me throughout my career."
When Kass Lazerow was 24, her first mentor, marketing expert Diane Hartley, advised her to believe she was the leader she wanted to become.
"'If you pretend you're the leader and act like the leader, then you are the leader,'" said Lazerow, co-founder and former COO of Buddy Media.
ABC News correspondent Sara Haines says that her parents taught her to set her own bar for what qualifies as success.
"I'd rather finish 52nd in a race and be proud of what I did when I go to bed at night," Haines said.
Circles tech composite. Images: Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Abbey Klaassen, Rachel Haot and Kass Lazerow
Offering some clarity are 10 rising stars in the field of communications, who are the winners of the inaugural New York Women in Communications' WiCi Awards. As a champion of communications innovation, Mashable is a proud partner of the awards.
Drawing on their careers in advertising, journalism, marketing and social good, the WiCi Award winners shared words of wisdom, including the best advice imparted upon them by the people they look up to most.
Lesley Jane Seymour, editor-in-chief of More magazine, asked the honorees on Sept. 18 about the turning points in their careers and their biggest influencers, which ranged from encouragement from Steve Jobs to sage advice from their parents.
1. Remember you earned your seat at the table.
New York Times technology reporter Jenna Wortham admits she was timid watching Steve Jobs demo a product when she was new to the Times.
That is, until she approached the Apple founder and he told her, "I've read your stuff."
"There's this moment of knowing you have the influence and the power to affect change," Wortham said.
2. Either you're comfortable or you're growing.
Abbey Klaassen, editor of Ad Age, was "hand-shaking nervous" before taking on her current role, even though she knew that she could do it.
IBM chairwoman and CEO Ginni Rometty's words stuck with her, "Growth and comfort do not coexist."
3. Stay grounded.
When Maria Cristina Marrero was named editor-in-chief of Siempre Mujer Magazine, her mother advised her to keep her cool.
"'Honey, you have a master's in journalism, now you're going to get a PhD in ego,'" Marrero said, quoting her mother. "She told me to always stay grounded."
4. Make the leap forward.
Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, co-founder and chief operations officer of Digital Brand Architects, recalls leaving her dream job to build a company from scratch.
"I stepped out in a leap of faith," she said, noting that she couldn't have made the jump without the support of her mother, husband and friends.
5. Be the first.
After being inspired by women vintners, Deborah Brenner, founder and president of Women of the Vine, was ready to step out of her comfort zone.
"We did something that had never been done before," Brenner said of her decision to start her company and write her book, Women of the Vine.
6. Identify your passions.
Before Rachel Haot became the City of New York's first-ever chief digital officer, she built the news platform GroundReport from the bottom up.
"I knew what I was passionate about," Haot said.
If she hadn't known that, she says she wouldn't have been handed her dream job working for Mayor Bloomberg.
7. 'Aha!' moments are very real.
On her first date with her now-husband, Lauren Bush Lauren expressed her dream of designing a bag that would help fight hunger around the world.
"I literally had the 'Aha' moment," she said of her realization that led to the creation of FEED Projects.
Bush Lauren says that to this day, her husband remains her project's biggest supporter.
8. Live up to others' expectations.
Dustee Tucker Jenkins, Target’s VP of public relations, is thankful for the standards set by one of her early bosses, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
"There’s nothing better than someone having incredibly high expectations," Jenkins said. "Kay Bailey Hutchison showed me what I was capable of, a lesson I’ve carried with me throughout my career."
9. Perception is reality.
When Kass Lazerow was 24, her first mentor, marketing expert Diane Hartley, advised her to believe she was the leader she wanted to become.
"'If you pretend you're the leader and act like the leader, then you are the leader,'" said Lazerow, co-founder and former COO of Buddy Media.
10. Establish your own definition of success.
ABC News correspondent Sara Haines says that her parents taught her to set her own bar for what qualifies as success.
"I'd rather finish 52nd in a race and be proud of what I did when I go to bed at night," Haines said.
Circles tech composite. Images: Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Abbey Klaassen, Rachel Haot and Kass Lazerow
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