Network like a pro!

 

Networking through your own personal connections is the easiest and most efficient way to maintain contacts who already know you and can vouch for you.  However, it’s important to extend your reach outside of your own network and there are simple ways to do this using social media and Slack.

 

Here is a round-up of some basic ways to connect with like minded professional women through simple on-line networking groups.

 

LinkedIn: https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-linkedin-groups

 

Facebook: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanienewman/2018/07/26/why-you-should-join-these-7-facebook-groups-for-women-entrepreneurs/#2ce20e7314a0

 

Slack: https://fortune.com/2016/02/09/women-network-slack-group/

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Featured Member: Marie Thomasson

We will never tire of reading our Featured Member Q+As. Each one is packed full of wisdom and one-of-a-kind insights for navigating a meaningful life, professionally and personally. Marie Thomasson’s is no different. A self-described “mom, practitioner of risk, facilitator of dreams and ambitions,” Thomasson certainly knows a thing or two about setting your own star and charting your own journey. Here, she shares what she’s learned along the way … so far.
Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
Today, my focus is to bring the world of money, investing, and business into the female dialogue. I am passionate about the idea that, as a gender, we need to grab the reins in our own way, utilizing our strength as women to look at money and our relationship with it in a positive, empowering way. When we stop looking for someone to save us—or realize we are smart enough, capable enough—to do and achieve whatever we desire and dream of, we take action towards more than just our goals.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
My proudest professional moment has been the ability to step away from full-time corporate work and create a life that aligns with my values, with so much of that due to the Second Shift. I did what I thought was impossible as a single mother of twins.
 
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
I’ve found that it’s far easier to work for someone else, on their timelines and deliverables, than self-imposed ones. Even today, it requires a great deal of discipline to ensure that tasks are completed that are “important but not urgent” when the only accountability is to myself.
 
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be and why?
I believe financial services lacks integrity and authenticity, and I feel that more inclusion of women would help change that. As a woman and a mother, it’s very difficult to find work in financial that enables you to have a balanced home/work life without feeling guilty.
 
What advice do you have for other women looking to make a career change but who are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side? 
I don’t know that our journey is ever finished. For instance, I kept waiting for my personal situation to change (i.e. be in a romantic partnership) to finally step forward on my goals and ambitions. At a certain point, I decided to stop waiting and take a risk on myself. There is no failure because I never stop moving forward. I believe the simple act of doing will give you the confidence you’re seeking, so what are you waiting for?
 
Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
Yes! Don’t repeat your resume! We’re all human and these pitches aren’t getting reviewed by bots, so ditch the key words and focus of delivering your pitch in a warm, engaging tone.
 
What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?
The moment I recognized my strength as my interpersonal skills and not my number crunching, everything shifted. I am gratified by each and every client I work with to find the narrative behind their numbers. For me, moving from working with institutions to individual, the people in the pension funds, I’ve created a career that I see no longer as a paycheck, but as a calling. To me that’s the ultimate accomplishment, and I am simply grateful for each day I continue along that path.
 
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 
Outsource!
 
Who has been your biggest cheerleader / supporter / mentor?
My former boss, Louis Lucido, has been an incredible mentor and supporter of mine. And I’d have to follow him up with Loren Pokorny, whom I had the pleasure of working with at Microsoft, through the Second Shift platform. Working with Loren was pivotal as it was the first experience I had where I felt that I could “do” the self-employment thing, in a way that really aligned with my life.
 
How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you’re the one setting the boundaries? 
Get clear! Only recently I sat down with a group of women in a mastermind and realized that if I’m honest with myself, I can’t work a full-time schedule if I want balance of any kind in my life. I was putting so much on my plate that I was not enjoying my time with my kids, and that pretty much defeats the purpose of why I’ve chosen to chart this path!
 
If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her?
Loyalty, first and foremost, to oneself. 
 
How do you make work work for you?
I have created a life and lifestyle that allows me to work when I want, with whom I want, and how I want. I can’t ask for more.
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The Juggle: Eden Eats!

 

THE JUGGLER: Eden Grinshpan

HER JOB:  Host of Top Chef Canada and cookbook author. 

MARRIED FOR: 6 years

NUMBER OF KIDS: One, age 2 

 

On The Morning Tag-Team: Every morning, we wait until the baby wakes up—obviously. Recently, she’s been waking up later, which is amazing, but, also, then we’re like really fucking rushing out the door. We wake up at around 7:30 and then either Ido or I will go and get the baby; we’ll all play in bed a little bit, and then one of us will go and make breakfast and lunch. Sometimes it’s the both of us while we’re drinking coffee. Then we’ll get Avy’s lunch box together and Ido will take her to school because it’s on the way to work for him. And then I … honestly, it really depends, I have so many different kinds of jobs right now and it’s been like that for the last couple of years; when you’re in this industry, you’re always doing new projects, so right now I’m working on my first cookbook that comes out fall 2020. So, either my assistants will come over and we’ll make a list of all the ingredients we’ll need for the day, and then one of them will go out and shop and we’ll start cooking. Or, I’ll go take some meetings, or I’ll go to Dez for lunch service. It really does change every day.

 

On Childcare: Avy’s in daycare and she finishes around 3:30 PM. If I’m available, I’ll go and get her, but I also have a nanny who picks her up when I’m not, and she is with her until the end of the day. I am usually home at around 7 or so. I like to be there to put her down every night for bed, and to have a couple hours at the end of the day (and at the beginning) to be together and to play and to have our time as a family.

 

On 50/50: Honestly, it’s so tough because sometimes I need to travel for work and I am also the host of Top Chef Canada so if I’m working, Ido steps in and has to do everything else. Right now, I am working from home, so I have more flexibility. Because I’m grocery shopping for the book, I tend to do more of the grocery shopping. To be honest, I probably do more laundry, too, and he does more signing up. Stuff like that. “Babe, can you just sign the baby up?” But honest to God, if Ido was at home and I was out, he would take on those household roles too. We really split things up.

 

On Building A Team: We have a nanny that we love and over the last couple years we have been able to just accumulate a group of really great nannies so if one can’t do something, then, hopefully, another one can. And if that’s not the case, either Ido or I just has to maybe turn something down, and step in, because, unfortunately for us, we don’t live in the same country as our parents. So we can’t rely on Bubby to come and watch the baby last minute. But we also have a group of incredible friends and they’ve been a great resource for me. Like, last month, I had an event that I was contractually obligated to go to. Ido was out of town and I was home alone and my babysitter couldn’t come in. And it was like one of those moments where you’re like, what the fuck? So, I just called one of my closest friends and she and her husband brought their newborn to my house and watched my daughter for me. I feel very lucky to have such amazing people around me here.

 

On Systems: My husband would love for us to be way more organized. He’s way more organized than I am. I am a scatterbrain and leave everything to the last minute. Poor guy. We communicate a lot through text because we’re both really busy throughout the day. And, on like a Sunday night, we’ll sit in bed and go through our week together, and make sure that if we need babysitters, we book the babysitters and any other extra help we need, and we just try to prioritize and plan so that everything is as seamless as possible.

 

On Asking For Help: The reason they say it takes a village is because it really takes a frickin’ village. Like, there are never enough hands! It took me a while to ask for help when Avy was born, and I wish it didn’t, because if I had taken more help in the earlier days, it just would have been easier for me. I made it more difficult for myself than I should have because I wanted to do everything by myself; it does not need to be that way. It doesn’t make you a better mom or whatever the hell that means. All it does is make you more stressed out because you feel like all of the weight is on your shoulders. So I’m all about taking the help where you can get it and just allowing as many people to take part in this journey with you. It shouldn’t just be the parents and the baby alone. It should be a community of people.

https://www.purewow.com/family/chef-eden-grinshpan-from-cooking-channel-invisible-labor

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Featured Member: Monique Francine Kuester

A native midwesterner, Monique Francine Kuester, her husband, and her two teenage children found themselves starting over again on the East Coast. An expert in compliance, contracts and regulatory affairs for many large life and health insurance carriers, she was a Senior Compliance Professional for over two decades. This alone would be impressive, but its Monique’s openminded, all-embracing aptitude for change, growth, and re-invention that earned her this month’s spotlight as our Featured Member. See how she does it, in her own words.
Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
For 20 years, I performed as a Senior Compliance Professional for several life and health insurance carriers. More recently, I represented the employers in Iowa as a member of the Appeal Board for the Iowa Association for Business and Industry. I worked with state executive administrative and legal staff adjudicating unemployment decisions and also had the opportunity to educate employers about the workings of the board and the responsibilities of the talent acquisition staff to avoid an appearance in the workforce process.
To freshen my resume, I obtained a Master’s Degree from Roger Williams University School of Law, successfully graduating with a Master in Studies of Law. I found RWU Law’s innovative and versatile Master of Studies in Law program offered a practical and career-focused approach geared toward a mid-career professional. Although my professional background is very strong on its own, I worried that it might seem a little stale. I wanted something new and different to offer employers. Currently, I am excited about the opportunity to cultivate my consulting career, utilizing my combined experience in the insurance industry, benefits, employment and labor, all under the umbrella of compliance—on my own terms.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
My proudest professional accomplishment was the moment I was able to walk across the stage to receive my Master’s Degree, flanked on my right by my 16-year-old son. I have always been professionally confident—I know what I know—but this was a new and unique challenge that I conquered in half the allotted time.
 
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
Without a doubt, it is this recent professional situation that I find myself in, searching for the right fit. In my twenties and thirties, with much less education and experience, I took the ease of the job search for granted. My mantra was, “If you build it, he (they) will come.” I have worked hard to build a strong foundation, and been willing to expand and grow, but I still find that all of that is not enough on my own.
 
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be and why?
It would be the misguided view people outside the field have that what we do in compliance is just pushing papers. I want people to know that it requires critical thinking, organization, and a passion for detail, to name a few qualities. Internally, I wish that the legal field would embrace the uniqueness of the compliance function and the symbiotic relationship between the two functions, realizing that there is room at the table for everyone.
 
What advice do you have for other women looking to make a career change but who are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side? 
Advice for my sister-friends in the struggle to make a career change: Take a chance on yourself and surround yourself with good people. Believe that you have EVERYTHING to bring.
What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?
I am continually drawn to the field of compliance because it touches so many areas every professional encounters.
 
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 
There hasn’t been just one piece of advice that I have received. My philosophy is made up of the encounters that I have been blessed to have with the many people that have and continue to impact my life; those who count themselves as my “biggest cheerleaders”
 
Who has been your biggest cheerleader / supporter / mentor?
I have had the good fortune to be influenced by many amazing cheerleaders: my first boss and mentor, R. Lucia Riddle, who introduced me to the wild world of compliance. She is the professional woman I wanted to be when I grew up. The Dean of my law school, who is the most amazing and progressive intellectual person I have ever met. Professor Debra Johnson, who was there in ways that can not be captured in just a paragraph. Mike Ralston, President of ABI, who went to bat for me when I made the leap of faith to blindly change careers and continues to support me today.
 
How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you’re the one setting the boundaries? 
I am constantly working on the work-life balance. If I come up with the magic mixture, I am going to declare it my own intellectual property, patent it, and sell it on Amazon. In other words, I wish I knew the answer to this question. Right now, work is taking priority and thankfully my family in on board!
 
If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her? 
Don’t be so tough on yourself and expect the unexpected because it is going to be exciting.
 
How do you make work work for you?
I make work work for me by taking advantage of every encounter, good or bad, to enhance my experiences. I use positive and negatives to propel me to the next adventure. What ever the work encounter, I parlay it into an employment or educational opportunity that I can then take to my next encounter. I use each professional chance to make the next one better.
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Pitch Perfect: Project Manager for Digital Media Company

My name is XX, I have over 16 years of strategic and operational retail experience. I have worked for retailers such as Chanel, Elie Tahari and Assouline Publishing, as well as consulted for PwC.   

I have experience managing inventory planning, supply chain, merchandising and store operations for luxury and mass merchant retailers and department stores.In my previous roles I oversaw sales operations and inventory management across warehouses including monitoring of current inventory levels, identifying replenishment needs, maximizing new receipts and minimizing stock transfers. Likewise, I established product planning and forecasting models to maximize sales, ROI and reduce out of stocks.    

I was excited to see your project and believe I have relevant expertise to add value to your organization. I am available to begin work immediately. Please let me know if you need further information.  

Why we like it:
  • The pitch is concise yet effective. From the get-go, she shares what makes HER unique and why she is the right fit for the role.
  • This member clearly communicates her past experience and how her skills directly relate to the project.
  • Last but not least, she shows her enthusiasm for the opportunity. Remember, employers want to see your passion!
Job Description: 
Worth is a media company that reaches a community of successful, influential, diverse and aspirational people. The brand comprises digital (Worth.com), live and magazine products. Now under new ownership and leadership, the 27-year-old brand is looking to optimize, transform and reinvent itself as a global media platform—and we’re looking for a talented Product Manager – Publishing & Marketing Tech to oversee the delivery of a variety of projects across our tech stack.
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Featured Member: Diane Serra

Diane Serra knows her worth. A multidisciplinary creative, she has made a point of defining her own goals, her skills, and her value. As this month’s featured member, we love her for her flexibility and strength, her fearlessness and enthusiasm, and her commitment to meeting the needs of her clients without sacrificing her own needs. To us, she is a shining example of what it means to make work work for you. 
 
Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
I am a designer and content writer.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
Two highlights from the year so far: 1. Designing an app for a startup; and 2. Creating content for a client that is still the most engaging content for their business to date
 
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
Unprofessional and unprepared interviewers!
 
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be and why?
I would take away the design test or at least compensate designers for the time they take submitting design tests. Businesses are essentially asking the designer to work for free when they require a design test in an interview.
 
What advice do you have for other women looking to make a career change but who are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side? 
Create a network of support because you’re going to need a place to go to keep you positive and empowered in your search. Then when you reach your goal you’ll have that network to celebrate with.
Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
Be honest. But that comes from knowing who you are, what you want, and your work ethic.
What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?
Every time I sit down to do my work, I am excited and energized. Yet, I still feel challenged. In the years ahead I plan to take on bigger, more long-term clients.
 
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 
Be who you are. People will try to put you and your skills into one box but don’t let them. (This is especially true for women like me, who are multidisciplinary creative professionals.)
 
Who has been your biggest cheerleader / supporter / mentor?
My biggest inspiration is Pitch Coach, Beth Susanne. She is on LinkedIn and I am thrilled to give her a shout out
How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you’re the one setting the boundaries? 
I don’t believe there is a such a thing as balance. I believe there are busy times and less busy times. I know my limits and never take on more than I can handle. I have a commitment to my clients to deliver so I manage my time accordingly.
If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her? 
Well done, you found your way.
How do you make work work for you?
I work in an inspiring co-working office. It keeps me motivated. I also appreciate the flexibility I have with creating my own schedule.
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The Juggle: Mita Mallick!

It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

It’s all about finding the balance.
These are the kind of truisms women are told every day in myriad ways. And while they may be truisms because there is truth in them, the fact remains that for us to find our way, run the race, keep the course, we must all too often do so without the infrastructural support necessary to stay in the game, much less thrive. And, yet, here we are, storming the corridors of power, at home and at work, rewriting the rules, questioning the “facts.” Stride by stride, brick by brick, we are walking new paths, creating new infrastructures. And we are boldly giving voice to our own idiosyncratic, individual, and very personal truths.
We contain multitudes, that’s for sure. And this deserves more than mere recognition. It deserves celebration. Enter The Juggle, a new column from The Second Shift and PureWow, that seeks to explore, understand, illuminate, and elevate the ways in which women navigate the nitty gritty of their daily lives. This isn’t about the major achievements—the corporate promotion, the company launch, the hard-won path to motherhood—but the small successes of keeping all the balls in the air, or just trying to. Here is where we embrace the sweetnesses and struggles, the triumphs and imperfections of the everyday.

Our first feature is Mita Mallick— Head of Diversity and Inclusion and Unilever, mother of 2, wife and our friend. We are thrilled to showcase the many ways she is a total badass. This feature will run weekly and the group of women are a total inspiration!

Excited to share this with you!

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Pitch Perfect: Content Marketing

Short. Sweet. Detailed. To the point. This pitch has a little of everything. As a content marketer the Member has unique ability to use her talent and craft to sell herself. Use her skills to your benefit and #makeworkworkforyou!

 

Hi! I was excited to see your role posted. As an avid user of xxx, I’d love to help your tackle the challenges and opportunities for your evolving business content platform. I use your product for deciphering terms for VC and M&A deals with clients. I’m currently the independent content director for a boutique fintech PR agency.  I work on content projects for online lenders, payments firms, transaction monitors, data marketers, supply chain startups and more. My previous career includes in-house communications roles at payments companies American Express and Mastercard, as well as having a background (and degree) in journalism with five years of financial journalism experience. My content work spans C-suite thought leadership content, website/app copy, press releases, emails, social media campaigns, edcals, content audits, whitepapers, digital publications and more. Would love to discuss your needs in further detail. Sincerely, xxxx

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LinkedIn Tips and Tricks!

 

Our resident LinkedIn guru and Second Shift member Katie Fogarty led a boot camp for a select group of NYC members but lucky for everyone else she is willing to give her tips and tricks to maximize success on LinkedIn!

 

  •  Posting Monday through Friday from 9-10am will win you the most eyeballs.
  • It’s also the best time to send a LinkedIn InMail — and have it be read.
  • Studies show that more LinkedIn members are active on a Tuesday than any other day of the week.

 

Here are three resources that offer guidance and inspiration for crafting powerful LinkedIn Summaries. Each of these resources shares examples.

 

For more tips on leveraging LinkedIn, job hunting and telling a powerful professional story, you can follow Katie on LinkedIn here.

 

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Featured Member: Susan Gilell-Stuy

 

For Susan Gilell-Stuy, success is benevolent; it’s rooted in generosity and character, in serving others and serving a purpose that extends well-beyond the reaches of one’s own immediate needs. So it’s hardly surprising that she would gravitate towards a career in executive coaching; it’s a natural fit for someone with her gifts. But what truly sets her apart is her ability to transform executives into leaders, thereby lifting up the aspirations and accomplishments of everyone on their teams. It’s an inspirational domino effect and it starts with Gilell-Stuy. 
 
Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
I help executives become dynamic leaders by creating and implementing made-to-measure plans based on their individual strengths and identified weaknesses. With over a decade of executive coaching experience working with Fortune 500 leaders across industries, from technology to financial services, biotech to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals to Internet startups, I’ve developed a process that helps you become the leader your team needs, without sacrificing your personal goals. My approach is built on personal connection and guidance based on real world experience as a high-ranking call center executive and corporate coach. I’m an executive coach for The Wharton School – University of Pennsylvania EMBA and MBA programs; I hold a graduate certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from the University of Texas Naveen Jindal School of Management, and received a B.A. in Psychology from St. John’s University.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
Re-creating myself as an executive coach while taking on the day-to-day care of my niece (becoming her second Mom) so that my sister could continue to work full-time following a difficult divorce.
 
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
Learning how to be myself as a leader and woman in the business world. I learned that success as a women doesn’t mean I have to be more like my successful male counterparts. Instead, it’s about tapping into my own distinct skills and abilities; my leadership DNA is what brings about success.
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be and why?
I wish the business world would better appreciate that becoming an influential leader is a process; it consists of experiences, relationships, and understanding each person’s unique skill set. As in life outside of work, you can’t be everything to everyone. Instead, businesses need to hone in on a person’s individual skills to craft a plan for action that sets women/people up for success and elevates the entire team. Stepping into your role – authentically and naturally – should feel comfortable, not like you’re acting it out. Brilliant leadership is rooted in connection. Forgetting that important factor can cause a fragmented team and disappointing results.
What advice do you have for other women looking to make a career change but who are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side? 
Learn your non-negotiables, and then set boundaries that create space between what you’re asked to do and what you’re willing to do. That way, you can happily say “Yes” to things that enrich your life.
 
Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
It might seem a bit simplistic to say this, but be sure that when you’re pitching someone on an idea that you’ve targeted the presentation to the decision maker with the authority to ultimately make the choice.
Learn as much as you possibly can in advance about the person making the decision: what motivates them to make decisions and draw conclusions? How are they motivated to do something or not do something?
What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?
It’s inspiring to work with people and help them to uncover their inner purpose and become a supporter of their evolution and a contributor to their successes. To continue to do this work and help women close the confidence gap so they feel more confident leading with who they are rather than who others think they should be.
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 
A mentor shared this quote with me: “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” The impact on my thinking was immediate. In one brief moment the power of his words and the resonance they had in my life completely changed my perspective and altered how I would deal with life’s challenges, and what it meant to live a success-filled life. What I realized in that moment was the powerful truth that our thoughts, and how we choose to execute them, define the quality of the life we experience.
Who has been your biggest cheerleader / supporter / mentor?
My fellow entrepreneurs and close friends/colleagues: Ronnie Kurchner-Hawkins, Jen Gerves-Keen, Lisa Mallet,Stefanie Freeman, Monisha Kapur.
How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you’re the one setting the boundaries? 
I know my non-negotiables, and then set boundaries that create space between what I’m asked to do and what I’m willing to do. This way, I have the space to happily say “Yes” to things that enrich my life personally and professionally. Past experience can make it easy or difficult to set your own non-negotiable boundaries. Use these guideposts to identify and create the flexible boundaries that will let you say “Yes” to the right things in life.
 
If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her? 
There is a difference between being happy and being fulfilled. Being famous, having money, being liked, and even good health can all make you happy, but happiness is only part of being fulfilled. Being fulfilled comes from a life well lived, one focused on making the world in which you live, and the people you know, better for your having been present. Devoting your life to making a difference, no matter how minor it might seem, helps you become a better person, and fills your heart and mind with a sense of gratitude and your life with an enduring purpose.
How do you make work work for you?

I’m very thoughtful about what I take on and the people who work with and for me. I make sure that I keep my non-negoitables foremost in my mind when choosing what to say yes to.

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