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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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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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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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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Featured Member: Leslie Grandy

Time and again, we’ve watched our members parlay a vast and varied array of skills into entirely new careers. Their continued ability to reinvent themselves and seize new opportunities for professional—and personal—growth is nothing short of astonishing, even to us—and this is what we do! Leslie Grandy exemplifies this kind of magic, which is why we chose her for this month’s featured member. Her interview is compelling to us not only because of her accomplishments, which are impressive, indeed, but also for its wise and clear articulation of how to follow in her footsteps, and walking right out of one brilliant career trajectory into another.
Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
I am a seasoned digital transformation leader with over 15 years experience, and I am especially adept in building high performing global teams that convert physical businesses into savvy digital enterprises. I have over 18 years of executive experience in large public companies like Apple, T-Mobile, Discovery Networks and most recently at Best Buy, where as part of the Renew Blue transformation, I co-founded and grew the company’s first remote technology office to over 125 people and scaled my overall team to 265 people on two continents. While I enjoy working within established enterprises to launch new products or lines of business, I am equally passionate about the opportunity to develop and scale small businesses.
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
The hardest challenge I’ve faced was opening up a technology office for a 35 year old Minnesota-based brick-and-mortar retailer in Seattle, the birthplace of Amazon. Attracting qualified talent, building a Seattle-friendly, diverse culture as part of an old school Fortune 100 midwestern business two time zones away challenged all of my leadership skills. I had to understand what rules I could break to make the office competitive and successful, while also having to stay within the corporate lines for operational support. As a woman leader of engineers, designers and product managers, I had to show both empathy and backbone to stand up for what we needed to do our jobs in the world where we were out of sight, and I couldn’t let us fall off the radar. Sometimes it felt as if I had to change everything from the way our internal network needed to enable my remote team to accomplish their work, to how we were perceived as a stodgy old retailer in this high tech community we were sourcing from. And I had to do that while enabling us to achieve – and actually exceed – an aggressive revenue forecast each year.
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be and why?
Diversity in hiring takes effort. I believe there are many times where my colleagues do not operate with a growth mindset, but rather tend to operate with confirmation bias about their potential women colleagues. The tendency to do this results in their hiring more of the same, and looking for reasons not to take a flyer on a woman who can do the job but perhaps in a different way, even if it could be just as useful or better than their male counterpart’s performance. The fear and the discomfort of working in a new way can prevent people for being open to what different style or perspective a woman may bring to the situation.
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 worked for 13 years in the TV/Film industry before switching into technology product management, after pursuing my MBA. I started over from the bottom in tech as an intern, and I was ready to be scrappy, with a strong work ethic and and openness to learn. What I knew about my strengths I leaned heavily into during the internship – showing my problem solving skills, trustworthiness, integrity and commitment. Those became the pillars I built my new career on. What I didn’t know about my job, I set about learning and showed my willingness to take coaching and feedback to fit into the corporate environment that was completely antithetical to my on-set film industry experience. My advice is this: know what your strongest soft skills are, and how they are applicable to your new career. Find out what you don’t yet know about your new career, and make a visible effort to develop yourself in those ways, whether it’s taking a coding class or going to meet-ups. Be willing to start over without ego, and show your potential to learn and grow. (I did a talk at CodeFellows recently on this topic called “Using your Career Strengths to Start Over”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F88cJN15xA4 )
Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
To make a pitch resonate with a potential client, I always use specific, measurable examples of what I have done previously to illustrate my understanding of and experience in the domain. I believe data always helps someone make a better decision. I also feel it’s important to tailor a pitch to the business and brand in order to show you’ve done your homework and are clear on why you can add value to their team.
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 
Bring solutions, not problems. You own the problem when you identify a solution, and you are more likely to fix it when focused in this way, than you are if you choose to waste time placing blame.
How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you’re the one setting the boundaries?
It’s always helpful to love your work to make this balance viable. My family knows that when I am happy at work, I am happy at home, and vice versa. So they are a huge part of supporting me in both places. I manage the boundaries fluidly, looking at circumstances discretely to assess the need for unusual working hours, travel and presence. I weigh those requirements against my capacity to succeed with what else my life might demand from me and my family. At different points in time, my reaction to those requirements has been varied. And, I suspect it will continue to be as well.
If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her? 
Don’t over plan. Technology – and life – bring new opportunities in unexpected places and it’s important to be open to the possibility that something awaits you that you couldn’t have imagined previously.
How do you make work work for you?
Work works for me best when it is challenging me not merely to use my expertise but to also learn and grow. I think without the chance to learn and grow in my work, it becomes merely a job, and could then be just as well be any job. My life’s work has to include improving and growing myself, and in that process I am better equipped to improve the lives of others, whether they be team members or customers.
Want to be a Featured Member? Fill out this questionnaire and you will be submitted for consideration!
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Featured Member: Alexis Jenkins

Often, the savviest career strategies we give our members come directly from other members. Alexis Jenkins is a perfect case in point. The generosity of her insights into how to navigate everything from securing a pitch to negotiating the tricky balance of work and friendship speak volumes.  A self-described problem-solver who truly enjoys helping people and companies, Alexis is a member we’re very proud to feature since she shines a bright light on the importance of personal and professional integrity being the core of every endeavor—which we couldn’t value more here at The Second Shift.
 
Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Alexis Jenkins, and I’m in the business of helping companies scale and define themselves. I’ve worked in Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley. I’ve worked with very small companies and huge companies. I’ve worked  in fashion, SaaS, e-commerce, and non-profit. The thru-line? I genuinely enjoy helping and solving problems.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
Creating a company culture and core values for HoneyBook that are still in effect today. I helped set the whole tone of our work environment!
 
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
The hardest challenge I’ve faced was balancing work and friendship with my former co-founder when things got rocky. In the past, our work relationship was fantastic. Once we decided to go into business together—long distance, no less—things started to shift. I made an internal decision before joining this co-venture that if I felt our friendship beginning to suffer at any point, I would walk away from the company in the hope of salvaging the friendship. When that time came, it was shocking and disappointing. My self-esteem and self-worth took a significant beating because I felt like a failure to our company. Now, looking back, I’m happy that our friendship is strong, and that I was able to rebuild my confidence.
 
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be and why?
I hope women continue to be transparent when it comes to their salaries. I’ve learned some of the best lessons about asking for a raise, negotiating a salary and equity, and advocating for equal pay by speaking to my squad, who work in the same field. For me, having financial stability gives me the motivation to put in 200 % every single workday. There’s no better feeling than lying  down at the end of each night and knowing you’ve earned every cent of your paycheck.
 
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?
Start small. Work on something each day that helps you down this new path: create a new email; purchase the URL for your company; write down your goals. Every day needs a task that helps you see yourself in this new career. In the past, I have felt paralyzed and sometimes too proud to ask for help. I’ve learned that my circle of colleagues, friends, and family are there for a time of transition but no one can read your mind. Just talk. Now that I’m on the other side, I feel hopeful and grateful that I didn’t give up on my dream.
 
Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
Have someone read over the project listing and your pitch to make sure you’ve covered everything. Remember to add clear examples of you doing a specific task they require.
 
What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?
When I see a mess or hear of a problem, I love cleaning it up and creating a solution. I hope to establish a reputation where I become the go-to person for startups and major brands to resolve big problems they may be facing.
 
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received? 
Manifest the life you want! Write it down, meditate, visualize, and work towards creating the professional existence you envision!
 
Who has been your biggest cheerleader / supporter / mentor?
Shadiah Sigala has been one of my biggest champions. I can call, text, or mail a letter and she will respond, giving me guidance and encouragement. You can follow her on Instagram : @shadiahs
 
How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you are the one setting the boundaries?
I don’t apologize any more. As a new mom, at first, I felt like I had to hide that I had just had a baby, that it would make me look undedicated to a role. Now I’ve realized that my family is a part of my professional life because I respect time. Wasting time is no longer an option, so being unapologetic about my needs and asking direct questions to employers allows me to use everyone’s time more wisely. Also, I’ve learned to be more patient and picky about the roles I apply for or the projects I take on. I used to fearlessly enter roles because I just had me to worry about and my lifestyle was different. Now, with a kid, I’ve learned that I can’t say yes to everything if it means taking away copious amounts of time from him.
 
If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her?
What you think you want doesn’t even begin to be your reality—and that’s okay. Buckle up, continue to work extremely hard, and you’ll see it’s for the best.
How do you make work work for you?
By doing things that fit with what I need today and tomorrow. In the past, I used to work based on a 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year-plan. GIRL, BYE! I didn’t know my life would be like this a year ago! So, I work in the present, and I’ve found it’s so much more fun this way
Want to be a Featured Member? Fill out this questionnaire and you will be sumbmitted for consideration!
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Featured Member– Lisa Jerles

There are so many different ways to measure success. Women know this better than anyone, and Lisa Jerles downright epitomizes it. A commercial litigator with a truly impressive track record, she left her firm to find meaning on her own terms, prioritizing growth and connectedness, positivity and joy over the thrill—and rancor—of legal combat. We can’t wait to see what she does on this next step of her professional journey—because it’s the journey that matters most. 
 
Tell us your work story: Who are you and what do you do? 
I was a commercial litigator for ten years with a specialty in business development and strategic planning. I am looking to make a change away from the combative nature of litigation and am currently consulting, using my skills to help businesses improve and grow.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
I won a major hearing for a small business to enforce a non-compete agreement between my client and a former employee. Former counsel had lost, but I renewed the motion and won the case. It was a proud moment because the client had very limited resources and I took the case as a favor for a mutual friend. It was very rewarding to provide high-quality legal work for a client who would ordinarily not be able to afford someone who could advocate effectively on their behalf.
 
What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise? 
Leaving my firm. I am very good at what I do and my former partners contact me regularly to gauge my interest in returning. But I got tired of the hostility of litigation. Although I am good at it, it brings negativity into my life that does not comport with my “second shift” as a mom.
 
If you could change one thing about how your given field operates, particularly with regards to women, what would it be, and why?
The legal profession is riddled with sexism. For example, I was told by a client I got paid too much because I was wearing expensive shoes. But the real problem lies with the younger lawyers—men whose wives stay home and they can’t fathom the juggling that comes with being a six-figure earner and the primary parent. I have been so lucky to be at a firm owned by men whose wives had very successful careers so they pioneered flextime and telecommuting. But, overall, as an industry law has a long way to go.
 
What advice do you have for other women looking to make a career change but are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side?
I can’t answer this. I don’t feel like I’m on the other side yet.
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Featured Member: Deborah Lynn Blumberg

Deborah Lynn Blumberg describes herself as “a business, finance, and health and wellness writer and editor who tells the stories of the people and companies that are changing our world for the better.” In telling Deborah’s story as this month’s featured member, we like to think we are doing the very same thing; after all, is there any more uplifting way to start the day than showcasing and celebrating a woman with this kind of talent, energy, passion, and drive. Read below and let us know!

 

Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do?
I got my start at The Wall Street Journal, where I reported on global financial markets during the height of the credit crisis. From there, I took a role in marketing and communications at JPMorgan Chase, working with senior leaders to develop content and messaging. Now, I use my skills as a reporter and my marketing know-how to help companies better reach and inspire their clients. I’m also the co-president of the Texas chapter of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), a board member and literary co-chair of Women in the Visual and Literary Arts, and a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Writers’ League of Texas.

 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
Having an article on Page One of The Wall Street Journal.

 

What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work-wise?
Deciding to leave my full-time job in corporate America to freelance full-time.

 

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 have women speak up more and negotiate for better rates.

 

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?
Change is scary, but can be transformative. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith.

 

How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you are the one setting the boundaries?
Force yourself to take time off and for much needed self care: exercise, eating well. Schedule it into your day.

 

How do you make work work for you?
I’m my own boss and love it!

Thank you Deborah! If you want to be a Featured Member please fill out this survey.

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Featured Member Allison Prior

Allison Prior is our kind of leader, embodying and inspiring confidence and kindness at every turn. Despite a resume filled with impressive professional accomplishments in the notoriously cut-throat apparel industry, her continued commitment to mentorship and making work work for all women is why we chose her for this month’s featured member.

 

Tell us your story : Who are you and what do you do?
I am a seasoned sales executive in the apparel industry with proven leadership skills, a strong and trustworthy reputation, and a critical eye for success in an ever-changing retail environment. I am the mom of 2 kids, Jack (3.5) and Molly (15 months). I am a master juggler and I love being busy. In fact, I don’t know how to be bored. My mind is always churning and burning with the next new idea, recipe for dinner, strategy at work, project at home, activity with the kids, party to plan. I have it all but have learned that I want it all on my time and terms.

 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
I could say that my proudest accomplishment has been launching a new label or opening a new account—and, yes, these moments have felt great—but, really, my proudest professional accomplishment has been mentoring other colleagues in making work work for them. Seeing their nodding heads and beaming eyes as I help them build their confidence to prove that they are worthy of getting the job done in ways that suit their life has been the most meaningful. I have worked with some amazing women over the years and I have loved holding their hand as we navigate this transitional time where companies are needing to bend to retain talent.

 

What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced. work-wise?
Striking the balance between work and home! When I went back to work when my oldest child was 12 weeks old, I felt an immediate uneasiness and, for 3 years, I wavered between being OK and not OK at all with the balance I was striking. During this time, I worked for understanding bosses and also for bosses who did not respect the constant pull I felt. I also felt the pressure of colleagues who didn’t have children, who did not understand the push and tug I was experiencing.

 

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 flex hours for all—with the expectation that top notch performance is required! I work in an industry where so much of our success is determined by the hours we clock. But I can drive sales, build relationships, and analyze data from anywhere. Of course, face-to-face interaction is important in any industry, but technology allows us to have that. I wish that the leaders could stop being afraid of the “what ifs.” What if women were really given the tools they need to have it all and succeed at work and at home simultaneously?!
What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
If you want your boss’s job, you’re in the right spot. If you are the boss, well then, #goals!

 

How do you negotiate the balance between life and work when you are the one setting the boundaries?
Lead by example: If you’re balancing life and work and not getting the job done, that is not ok; if you’re “doing it all” then that will rub off on the team.

 

How do you make work work for you?
I speak my mind and am honest about my needs! I am also a believer in being where I am meant to be. Learning about and joining the Second Shift could not have come at a better time in my life!

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Featured Member- Avery Blank

For this featured member, impact strategist Avery Blank, the biggest risk imaginable is missing out on an opportunity. A self-proclaimed “bulldog ballerina,” she is fearless and driven, elegant and persevering,  a solid example of how to chart one’s career with passion and integrity, how to work for a client or company without getting worked over. The scope of her experience speaks as much to her talent as it does to her insatiable curiosity. We are so excited to introduce you to her here.

 

Tell us your work story : Who are you and what do you do? 

I help organizations advocate and strategically position themselves for opportunities. I am a Contributor with Forbes and the World Economic Forum, as well as an advisor to The Wilson Center’s Women in Public Service Project.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment? 

Taking control of my career and steering it in a direction where I could leverage my legal training and combine it with my passion for strategy, leadership, and women’s issues.

What is the hardest challenge you’ve faced, work wise? 

Owning my integrity and saying “no” to people in power about things I felt were inappropriate.

What advice do you have for other women who are looking to make a career change but are afraid or lack confidence? How is it on the other side?
“Risk is losing the opportunity, not failing in the attempt.” This is the mantra by which I live my life. Rethink risk. The risk may be greater in staying put than making the change that you want. You know more than you think. And you are smart enough to figure out what you don’t know.

Do you have any advice on how to craft a winning pitch?
Learn as much as you can about the organization (potential client) to identify their challenges and priorities and be able to address them.

What continues to draw you to your chosen field and what do you hope to accomplish in the years ahead?

One of my core beliefs is fairness. This is what energizes me to support women in male-dominated professions and organizations that are committed to the advancement of women.

If you could tell your younger self one thing about what this professional journey would be like, what would you tell her?

“Your degree does not define you, it enables you.”

What is the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?

Focus on them, not you. Think about how you can add value to the client, user, or customer.
How do you make work work for you?

Doing work that I am passionate about.

Do you want to be a Second Shift Featured Member? Submit your photo and fill out the questionnaire today!

 

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