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I think I’ve come a long way in my marketing journey,
beginning as a lowly Coordinator over thirteen years ago, in an agency near
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If it had not been for a Senior Account Executive
that took me under her wing when I was fresh out of undergrad, bursting with
excitement and totally green, I might not have had the experience or confidence
to start my own marketing firm, Two Cents Consulting, LLC, in 2016.

Let me take you down memory lane and describe how my mentor,
Christine Coleman, helped put me on a professional career pathway. She taught
me how to navigate the complex world of account management, teaching me
diplomacy and that you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. She was a
confident and organized boss, which inspired me to set more lofty goals for my
own career. I was also impressed that Christine had a post-graduate MBA degree,
so I put that on my bucket list as well.

Looking back, Christine was probably about my age now when
we first starting working together. It’s amazing to reflect on the impact this
professional has had on my career, even though we haven’t worked together in
over a decade. I remember her picking up the bill for lunches and saying, “just
pay it forward some day;” something I’ll never forget.

I try to “pay it forward” every day and inspire young, marketing
professionals to reach their goals; I’ll plan to keep this tradition going –
one of strong, smart women helping each other succeed!

For more information about Two Cents Consulting, LLC, my
marketing journey or just to chat, contact Keara M. Piekanski at kearapiekanski@gmail.com

In honor of The Second Shift’s #WomInspired campaign, I thought I would share my own
story of empowerment and the very special professional role model I had that
led me to a happier place as a woman, a mother, and a professional. The importance
of women lifting each other up and serving as positive role models and mentors
to those around us cannot be overstated. I was fortunate enough to work
alongside Tracy Seng in my nearly five years at Los
Angeles Magazine – someone who inspired my career, and has always supported
those around her to follow their own path.

Over three
years ago, I was just like any new mom struggling to fit all the pieces
together. My boss at the time, even though she hated being called
“boss” (so I endearingly called her “girl boss” or
“boss friend”), was leading a very talented and diverse marketing
team at Los Angeles Magazine. Tracy was one of those bosses whose door was
literally always open, and who never once made you feel like your personal life
and well-being was any less important than the professional role you played on
her team. She was also the first to share her own struggles balancing life and
work, which only made her all the more human and easier to talk to when push
came to shove. I can still remember the first time I went to her, desperate to
figure out how I was going to manage a full-time job and the overwhelming new
feeling of being away from my baby. Even though she never had kids of her own,
her compassion and empathy never made you feel like she didn’t relate or know
how hard of a life-change you were going through. She always made a point to
bring out the positive sides of any situation – saying how fortunate we were to
work on an amazing team and actually enjoy the work we did. It was true, and
more importantly she understood the need for flexibility in my schedule which
was not something any of us anticipate before having children. But what was
even more admirable about her role as a mentor, was that she also never
discounted the individual passions that each of her team members held. For me,
it was my blog. Instead of being threatened by the time it could take away from
my work, I’ll never forget when she told me to never let go of what I’m
passionate about. On a personal level, it meant the world to me to not have to
feel like I had to hide what I also loved doing: writing and styling. On a
professional level, looking back on it now, it’s probably the single most
important thing a boss can do to support her team. It not only ensures your
people stay happy, but it also enhances the work that they do because you’re
fostering employees who are more enriched and diverse.

Read More on CammeoHeadtoToe.com

A few months after I moved to NYC in my mid-20’s my grandmother, who I was extremely close to, was diagnosed with cancer. I made the difficult decision to quit my professional day job and work as a waitress in order to have the flexibility needed to travel and spend as much time as possible with her before she died.

Months later, when I finally started looking for a full-time job, I found myself hitting the wall in the hiring process. I had found my dream company, but after interviewing multiple times, I was told I was overqualified for the job I desperately wanted to land. On my fourth and final interview, I met with a woman named Sara who unbeknownst to me was the decision maker. There was something about her that was no-nonsense yet warm and disarming. Before the interview was over, I decided to be honest about my circumstances as I knew I had nothing to lose. I shared with Sara what had been happening in my personal life and how badly I not only needed but wanted the job regardless of whether I was overqualified on paper. I assured her I would mop the floors if needed to be successful in the role and that I would not let her down.

That day, Sara decided to take a chance on me and my life has been forever changed. Over the course of the last thirteen years, she has been my mentor and become one of my closest friends. I have followed her to two other companies where she held me to the highest standards all while coaching me to have confidence in myself and become a thoughtful leader. Through Sara, I have learned that having empathy is not a weakness and that helping to lift up other women is a requirement…given all I have achieved because she decided to take a chance on me.  

Before I was a mother, I was a daughter. The daughter of an
extremely motivated and successful eye surgeon. She was my first exposure to
feminism and the drive for equality between men and women. She was one of the
first women to graduate from the University of Notre Dame, finished at the top
of her class in medical school, and even went back to school on the weekends
when I was in high school to get her MBA. She was constantly proving to me, and
to others, that women are just as capable as men of being intelligent and
successful in their careers. 

I felt proud of her when I was growing up, but I
also craved more from her as a mother. I can remember her telling the story of
her maternity leave to friends when I was younger…she went back to work after
two weeks (which is unfathomable to me now that I have two little girls of my
own). She missed school drop-off and pick-up and was not as involved in the
day-to-day as many of my friends’ mothers. The opportunity cost of being a
successful and fulfilled woman was less time focused on, arguably, her most
important role. 

As I’ve grown into an adult, I’ve had the opportunity to
develop a wonderful career working with extremely smart people at some of the
most forward-thinking companies in the world. I’ve also been blessed with two
little girls who look to me for the same guidance and reliability I longed for
when I was younger. There is an illusion of choice that exists in the corporate
world and I joined The Second Shift to help make that choice a reality. Women
should not have to sacrifice their careers entirely in order to be more present
as mothers. Similarly, they should not have to sacrifice motherhood to “get
ahead” in the workforce. I am dedicated to helping women find fulfillment and
success in both facets of their lives by working to shift traditional company
mindsets. When there’s a will, there’s a way.

After discovering stage fright before every class doesn’t lend it self to a teaching career, I found my way into advertising at Ogilvy & Mather. Somehow I talked my way into the role of assistant to the creative head of the agency.

I was completely out of my depth, overwhelmed by the amount of work, the pace and the expectations. There was no way I would survive. I was sure I would be fired once I was discovered to be an imposter. It was just a matter if time.

And then something amazing happened. I met CEO Charlotte Beers.

We were in an elevator. I knew she recognized me from my gatekeepers post outside my boss’s office, so I bravely introduced myself.

She smiled “How’s our boy doing? I know you’ll take good care of him and make sure he has what he needs to the get that work done. I’m counting on you.” And with that she got out.

In no more than 2 minutes Ms. Beers instilled a confidence in me that I never thought possible. She let me in on the secret. I could figure this out. I had to. The CEO was counting on me.

Since founding The Second Shift I have met Ms. Beers again. She remembers none of this, which I find this even more inspirational. I was not some special case that she stewarded thru the process, acting as my mentor. For her this was business as usual. When you are in a position of power you can affect change without knowing it.

You may even become a role model.

It seems kind of strange to attribute my choice of career to a fictional character, but the truth is, I choose to make a career in broadcast journalism based on Mary Richards the main character of the Mary Tyler Moore show. Though the show went off the air a few months before I was born, I discovered The Mary Tyler Moore Show late at night watching re-runs on Nick at Night and I developed such a girl crush that I modeled an entire career on the star!  I loved Mary’s independence, kind-heartedness, optimism, vibrant friendships, work ethic and fearless feminism. At the time I didn’t’ know much about the role that the show played in breaking many stereotypes about working women, I just loved her job and wanted to do what she was doing. Years later I would find myself in newsrooms in Durham, NC listening to a police scanner or in the Bronx covering local interest stories and think—look at me, I am Mary Richards!  

Mary Tyler Moore was a role model for my entire career journey; her recent death made me re-look at the influences in my own life and career and wonder who else has a story they want to share. With this in mind The Second Shift is launching a new series #wominspired and we are asking for our members to tell their own stories about individuals, fictional or real, who were a driving force in shaping their professional lives. We will continue  personal inspiration stories from Second Shift team members with weekly blog posts. Please post from your own social media accounts using #wominspired and we will share your stories on our blog as well.

Stayed tuned for Gina’s story next week and we are excited to hear from you!
Jenny

Image Via: The New York Times