Sherry Lowe is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist turned Silicon Valley marketing executive. She has experience in building marketing programs for rapid-growth tech companies. As a professional that served both in sports journalism and tech companies, she was completely used to being the only woman in the room. Today, she shares how she was proactive in searching for powerful mentors and being very conscious in bringing up younger professional women.

Key Takeaways

• Sherry shares her first experience with being the only woman in the room.
• Sherry focused her efforts on mentoring younger women and preparing them to fill leadership seats.
• How does someone find a good mentor?
• Don't wait for a mentor to find you.
• Sherry's mentors made her feel safe and allowed her to take risks without feeling like she'd lose her job for it. How did she create that/find that?
• What does Sherry do to work on herself?
• A stable and strong support network was huge for Sherry's career.
• Give people the space to find the best way to do a task or the job.
• When it comes to Zoom calls, it's important to look professional despite it being a 'work from home' day.
• Get ready for work.
• Sherry started in the sports industry; did she see a lot of workplace discrimination?
• Whatever you do, speak out. You will pay a price for it, but do it because it is worth it, not only for you but for future employees, too.
• How do you find good companies to work for?
• Interviews are two-way streets. They want you, but you should always want them.
• Trust your first impressions about people!

Resources

Expanse.co

Sherry on LinkedIn

Quotes

Michelle's quote: "Most great leaders work on themselves so that they're more stable within and they're showing up more powerfully."

"The mentorship started with me watching [successful women] and trying to learn, and then asking a lot of questions."

"Don't wait for your mentor to find you."

"Getting space around yourself where you have time to think and create is very important."

Jody DeVere is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, often-quoted industry pundit and spokesperson for the automotive industry on the women's market. Jody's company, AskPatty.com, Inc. serves as the first point of contact for many women who are seeking the very best experience to buy a car and service by visiting Certified Female Friendly® automotive retail locations across the United States and Canada.

Key Takeaways

• Everything needs to be filled with compassion and empathy so that you can properly support your team.
• How do you shift as a leader and tap into your creativity in times of overwhelm and crisis?
• Jody takes an hour every morning to meditate and tap into her creative self.
• What do you want to be known for? Like truly?
• Jody has had to start over a few times. If your goal is to just make money, it's not going to be enough.
• So many women have negative self-talk. Stop it!
• Why are you still doing this? Is it still valuable to you and your goal?
• You stop yourself more than the world is stopping you!
• What is your concept and relationship to money? Is it helping you or hurting you?
• Women are starting their own businesses about 10X the rate of men! Why?
• What was Jody's very first car buying experience?
• Twenty years in, Jody is still passionate and loves what she does.

Resources

Askpatty.com

Jody on LinkedIn

Quotes

Michelle's quote: "Whether you're choosing it or not, your team becomes like you."

"What do you want to be known for? With that, you crystalize that thinking and that vision for yourself, everything else becomes easy."

"Women I talk to, they talk themselves out of a big audacious vision because they feel like they lack something. You stop yourself more than the world is stopping you."

"I have partnered with numerous large brands, joined together on a mission, to make our industry a place where not only women want to work, but know they can break the glass ceiling and work at the highest levels."

Catherine Hamilton is the Vice President of Consumer Services and Strategic Planning at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. Catherine is also a certified yoga instructor and prides herself on prioritizing her wellness first before serving others. In this episode, Catherine encourages women to not apologize for having good ideas. Be confident in the way you talk, and don't second guess yourself. If you've ever wondered how a superwoman 'can do it all,' then you're asking yourself the wrong question!

Key Takeaways

• How do you do it all?
• Catherine has never really been a perfectionist.
• We put so much pressure on ourselves to appear perfect. Why?
• So many women want to be strong and powerful leaders, but then they also want to be the good girl and not rock the boat.
• Why do smart women feel like they have to apologize for making a good point?
• Speak your truth and do not apologize.
• You have to train your inner voice to speak up and talk.
• As an overachiever, Catherine needs the support of her female friends to help her keep balance.
• Catherine gets asked, "How do you do it all?" But she doesn't think that's the best question to ask.
• Catherine creates time for herself and that helps her get more done.
• When Catherine was 40, she had twin boys. Her pretty stable life was thrown out of control and it took some time to adjust to.
• How was Catherine able to maintain and respect the boundaries she set for herself?
• It's your responsibility to take care of yourself inside before you can show up as a leader.
• Catherine shares how she has adapted her self-care practice now that she is at home and working remotely.
• The more that Catherine gives, the more energized she feels.
• Everyone needs to be careful of their social media use and watching someone else's perfect life.
• How can women better support other women?

Resources

Drsamcollins.com

Catherine on LinkedIn

Wonder Women: Sex, Power, and the Quest for Perfection, by Debora L. Spar

Quotes

Michelle's quote: "I'm not going to let you off the hook. Going inside and taking care of you, establishing practices for wellness day in and day out creates that stable foundation that you need as a leader."

"Although women and men both suffer from perfectionism, women tend to ruminate more and feel pressure to live up to the perfectionist standards they have to fill."

"I make the mistake of trying to please everybody at work and not say anything that anyone objects to."

"If we want to change the world and our organization for the better, we have to be willing to say things that not everyone will like."