Tag Archives: networking

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v15

In the midst of this month, I’m on the road traveling every week so there’s a lot to do on my schedule. I was in Boston over the weekend to do a training and was energized by the work of the participants who want to get more politically engaged in their areas. It was also incredibly rewarding to see young AAPI women in high school and college who are already leading the way and who have a desire to do more. BIG LOVE to all those who participated in the training and who are making strides to increase their political engagement. #AAPIResist

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

Being able to grow with a company can be important to your career & Sheryl Sandberg has a quick tip career advice. My 2 cents is that you should spend time with your manager/supervisor to get their feedback on how you can strengthen your weaker areas. I usually spend time with my staff so that they can get an assessment so that I can also learn from them what we can do better as a team in communicating ideas and what they want to learn. Having this kind of conversation in professional development prepares you for when you need to do a formal performance review.

Need to learn sound leadership advice? These definitely fit the bill. I’m always working to be more well rounded so that I can be more self aware and better in bringing forth an environment that allows for creativity and innovation.

Over the weekend, I was conducting a campaign management training and we started talking about the Myers Briggs test (I’m an INTJ BTW). The ability to analyze a situation through intuition or data is really the basis for how we made decisions. That’s why when we train political operatives, we talk about the head and the heart. It’s a combination of data and street smarts that creates political strategy. Intuition plays a valuable role in making these decisions.

Assertiveness is an important asset. Knowing when to use it is just as important as being a leader itself. Men are lauded for it and women are considered…loud @_@ Whatever! I’m all for saying what needs to be said when it needs to be said. My demeanor in meetings is basically a sit and listen. I want to hear what’s happening and when questions come to mind, I write them down so that I can voice them when it’s appropriate. My role as a fundraiser is all about being assertive. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be able to raise money. Making asks as well as following up on commitments demands that you enter into uncomfortable situations, whether for you or with others. Time to get jiggy wit it and get comfortable with getting out there.

When it’s time to depart from your job, you’ll need to give notice. That means telling your boss and handing in a resignation letter. Honestly, you’ll feel like you’re riding a roller coaster and your stomach is probably doing backflips. It’s normal. I had a boss who was considered a bit of a curmudgeon but he was also a teddy bear. Understanding how they will react can also help tailor the approach in which you deliver the news. He was fine afterwards and I probably was a little overly concerned to how he would react. I’ve had to inform clients that I wouldn’t renew contracts. Just as awkward and I still have to see them at events for other clients. No need to burn bridges because you never know when you’ll have to cross the bridge again for a future opportunity.

Politics can be seen as a popularity contest. In a lot of cases, people are attracted to the virtues that include high energy and charisma. Humble may prove to be more rewarding but it doesn’t necessary highlight the “superhero” in the way that a narcissistic leader does. Read more to why we make this kind of choice in our leaders.

I think I made $26,000 a year when I had my 1st job at the DNC which was over 20 years ago! Here’s what women are making now after they graduated from college and the industry standard. #Adulting is challenging!

Thanks for reading/sharing! If you haven’t already, please subscribe – see you next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v14

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to speak at the GW Women In Business Spring Conference about Entrepreneurship.

Here are some of my thoughts about the questions that they asked:

Introduce yourself:
I am a political campaign strategist and I help people get elected to office. (Going back to the templates of ways that you can introduce yourself in under 20 words).

What is a risk you have taken in your career path?:
I got into politics and then I left politics to pursue a job in another industry which I thought was interesting (I started a catering business & worked in a James Beard winning restaurant) and then I left the hospitality industry because I wanted to get back into politics. My career hasn’t been linear. I’ve left my 1st career choice because I felt burnout and I thought I needed to try something different that I thought was my passion. It taught me to maintain relationships and to listen to my instincts. It’s OK to not have all the answers and even when you think you know what you want to do, you may find that it’s not cracked up to be in reality. Everything in life is a learning experience and you can do whatever you set your mind to do, but you also need to recognize what makes you passionate about your work. Since my return to politics, I haven’t had the sense of burnout like when I was in my 20s because I better understand myself and my limits. That’s not to say that my goals won’t evolve into something totally different from where I once started. That’s life – people change and how they want to approach life. “If you get tired, learn to rest not quit.” – Banksy

What advice do you have for students who have a passion for starting their own business but fear that it won’t achieve long term success?:
Have a clear vision and definition of your success. Success is a personal goal. Do not become consumed in comparison to someone else’s instagrammable life. Long term success can be 6 months, it can be 2 years, 4 years, 15 years – a lifetime – it’s all up to you. If you know that you have a quality product or service that resolves a challenge or is innovative then you can go to the market place ready to compete. Try to be socially responsible. Always be a student and learn from others. I still take other people’s classes on subject matters where I’m considered the subject matter expert. I don’t have the answers to everything and neither should you.

How did your experiences in college and your early career impact your drive to create the Arum Group?:
When I was a child, I skipped a grade and later tested into a math and science high school program. I was an athlete and was student body president. So, I was basically every single Type A person with the grades and extracurricular activities to go with it. My father passed away when I was 15 and from that moment, I became an adult. Fast forward to turning 17 then starting college 4 months later so I have always been quite independent. I was a bit naive which only helped me to dive into the deep end without much fear. I was fortunate that I was raised with enough praise and expectation that whatever vision I had for myself was always positive and that my own ambition wasn’t questioned. My parents instilled in me that I have value and that whatever project/job/career I chose, I would make an impact. So that’s a lot of self worth. Temper that with a bit of curiosity, willingness to learn things that I knew were my weaknesses and a lot of go get it attitude. All of these ingredients mixed together with a dash of I don’t want to have one boss created Arum Group. I couldn’t find a job that allowed me to be the things that I knew that I could be so I created my own luck (with everything that I try to do) so that it could lead me to the opportunities that started my own consulting firm. There are times when I think I want to close up shop but I know that I wouldn’t be happy so I have to continue to create opportunities that I find fulfilling so that Arum Group can be a company that fulfills my definition of success.

If you’re beginning your professional journey and in your 20s, you have a lot of life ahead of you to experience a lot of different things and even as you get older, you need to keep learning. Like I mentioned earlier, you need to be willing to be a student at every opportunity. A former colleague of mine was featured in the NYT about her journey as a seasoned professional at 52 and how she used her network to find the right opportunity for her.

Do you have any questions you want answered about being an entrepreneur or working in politics? Drop me a line and I’ll give them a go!

More Tuesday Truths!

It’s #EqualPayDay and we “celebrate” it so that people can be made aware of the causes and impact that are created by the gender wage gap between women and men. I’ll be training about Salary Negotiation in DC and if you can’t make that training, my colleague and friend, Tanya Tarr will be doing a free webinar on Negotiating as well. There are ample opportunities to get trained in these skills so take advantage of learning how to value your worth. If you can’t join either activity, you can read how science teaches us when to make the first offer.

Since I was talking about Entrepreneurship to a Women’s Conference, I wanted to highlight the challenges that women face in this space and guess what, the challenges are somewhat similar to what women face when running for elected office: ability to raise capital for their venture (campaign fundraising), starting earlier in life, as well as how women spend more time as a caretaker.

There are days when I can’t get my sh*z together and need to reflect on how I can better optimize my day. If I ever get to this point, can someone send me a life preserver filled with a trunk load of vodka or gin? I’d rather drown drinking a cocktail, thank you very much!

Thanks for reading/sharing & let me know what’s going on in in your world!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v13

Last week was a roller coaster ride. Luckily it ended on a high note with the AHCA pulled from a vote. Constituents must use their voices to convey their concerns. Concerted efforts cause elected officials to take notice. Do not allow people to make you feel that your voice or your vote doesn’t matter because you are not alone. Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Most people know that I am the Advisory Council for the Women’s Information Network (WIN) and from time to time, they invite me to write in their monthly newsletter. In this month’s edition, I shared my thoughts on the need for “Activist Mentoring”. In my opinion, the political climate calls for all of us to help individuals more collectively and for individuals who are seeking mentors to think beyond their personal/professional goals. You can read more here. Since I’m continuing down the mentor/mentee path, here are some ways that you can create a mutually beneficial relationship with your mentor. The best mentoring relationships are organic although that can be challenging because it means that the mentee is in search of and must ask a more experienced person to serve in that mentor capacity. Don’t be shy in asking someone for their advice and give them reason to want to help you by taking the additional step of helping them in some capacity.
  • I’ve been sharing a lot of networking tips because the job market is a little whacky and I’m getting asked on a lot of coffees. I’m going to need to start doing official office hours because it’s getting a little too much for my schedule. For me, networking is massaging my list of contacts. Keeping up with them so that I have enough knowledge of what is important in their lives as well as reaching out to new people who I can possibly collaborate with so that we can have a more dynamic relationship that results in net positives for them as well as for me. I believe in making my own luck so when I invest the energy in building a relationship, I know that luck will come back to me in some other forming the future. Good karma does happen and nice guys/gals do not finish last.
  • Later this week, I’ll be speaking at the GW Women in Business Spring Conference about Entrepreneurship with the theme of “Power Your Purpose”. The organizers asked me to share my thoughts on how I challenge myself and using my business to fuel my passion. I realized from an early age that I wanted to be in politics and it has been an adventure. The most important piece for me is that I also want to share what I know. The purpose is finding your “WHY” and living that so joyfully that it compels you to want to share it. I’ve had a lot of opportunity to work with a lot of people and it’s important to me that I can connect people to create bigger and better things. Fundraising is a lot like matchmaking and the more I can find those matches, the better.
  • I may be preaching to the choir but in case the people in the back couldn’t hear, let me share the feminist glossary. To be perfectly honest, it was good to review it because I’m always down to brushing up on the feminist movement. We missing anything?
  • Want to learn more about how women candidates can talk about politics, parenting and their personal lives? The Barbara Lee Family Foundation worked with Lake Research Partners to conduct a survey to find out what voters think about women candidates and how marriage/parenthood affects their decisions as voters to support these candidates. The findings are reflective of a previous post I shared and gives women candidates a sense of how they should present themselves regardless of where they are in life. Fascinating information for any woman who is thinking about running for elected office!
  • A lot of my colleagues have used the word to describe me as “fair”. I’m always working towards fairness and treating people fairly. When people come to me and ask my opinion on a situation, I try to think about the situation from the other person’s perspective and really give it a 360 point of view. I don’t want to be drinking the kool-aid if it doesn’t really help in gaining knowledge into a challenging situation. I’m not a perfect person and there will be times when I don’t care for an individual, but recognize that I need to work with them and Brene Brown’s advice really makes me dig deep into being a better person. Plus it brings back why I strive to be fair.

Thanks for reading/sharing and let me know what you’re working on these days!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v11

Are you in the throes of March Madness? You must be thinking that I’m talking about basketball – well, no I’m not but I can see how you would 😉 We’re fast approaching the end of the 1st QTR and we’re 1/4 done with 2017 (thank the stars above!). I honestly thought that this year would drag and in actuality, life is moving much faster than I anticipated.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • I recently was on a phone conversation with a congressional candidate who was frazzled and obviously was rushing to get to our appointed call, instead of taking the time to prepare for the call. He confused who introduced us and was talking a mile a minute, where I had to interrupt him and ask a basic statement/question, “Let’s start from the beginning. Who are you and what’s your story?”. It’s not the best way to introduce yourself, no matter who is on the receiving end of the dialogue. I’m 2 people removed from him so I don’t need to give him the benefit of the doubt so nailing your introduction is key to starting your conversation. My business is based around providing strategy to those who want to run for office so I’m unusual in that I’ve heard a lot of pitches. Your story may not be as compelling as others but it can be succinct and tight enough for me to ascertain your experience and why you want to run for office. Refining your introduction takes practice and multiple edits to get the right combination of what describes yourself. Lucky for us there are handy dandy templates for non-political situations so you can rock that introduction. Better yet, you can do it in 20 words or less so that you’re not listing your resume but capturing who you really are in a tight message.
  • If you can introduce yourself in 20 words or less, you can also follow the instructions to apply for a job (which would seem pretty basic to those who are applying for an entry level job or any job for that matter). For those who are applying for entry level positions, give these tips a read because it seems from the author’s experience, there are a lot of inexperienced 1st timers out there applying for jobs.
  • Most people are surprised when I say that I’m an introvert because people tend to see me in settings where I’m with crowds of colleagues and others in our industry. They’re right in that I’m not a full blown introvert and likely more an ambivert that does well in an extroverted setting but needs more recharge time as an introvert. With that context, networking can be challenging for those who are fall solidly in the introvert category. Networking is possible in 20 minutes are less. The version of networking described in this article is really about being around people who basically know you and isn’t networking really a way to deepen relationships and get to know people better? I see it as relationship maintenance. You will still need to pay attention to the larger events, but you can network within your existing circle so that you can deepen relationships or get in touch with those who may have not been touched lately. Maintaining these relationships requires active listening and taking action to show that you were actively listening! I read a lot of articles and sometimes those articles appear in Tuesday Truths, but oftentimes I read an article that will matter to someone in particular to my network. I won’t share it in the weekly post but I will email that person a quick note along with the article. It’s a touch that doesn’t demand a lot of time but has high impact.
  • Life would be so much more productive if meetings didn’t exist. I get why meetings are important. Face to face time to review materials creates stronger team spirit. Conference calls that are more than an hour should be in the 5th circle of hell. My teams and I have started to use Slack so that we can reduce emails. I don’t subscribe to Team Email Zero. I am OCD enough to open emails to read them, but I have a horrible habit of waiting a few minutes to respond because I’m caught up in the middle of something else and then, it’s quite possible that I didn’t respond later. People are going to start to wonder if I’m actually as productive as I say I am 🙂 Being more productive at work means also putting a halt to all of the nonsense that creates more work. That can be challenging if you don’t have a leadership role in your organization but if you frame a situation where you can create more efficiency by showing how your management team can get more done, then perhaps you can start to move your team into a more efficient mind frame.
  • We’re living with more anxiety, whether it’s because we’re seeing the adversity of the current environment or we’re (in)directly affected by loved ones being unemployed, loss of a loved one, or serving as a caregiver. Different stages of life can bring added anxiety of facing a less than lukewarm job market regardless if you’re looking for your first job post graduation or you’ve been in the work force for over 20 years. Here are 5 ways you can relieve anxiety so that you can face those challenges with a renewed spirit.

Thanks to all of you who took the readers survey. You want more anecdotes and skills sets so stay tuned for more of what you want! If you haven’t taken the survey, you still can so share your feedback!

See you back here next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v9

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It’s a new era at the Democratic National Committee with the recently elected Chair (the 1st Latino to helm the organization) as well as a diverse group of leaders providing support to the communities that will organize across the country. We have no time to waste so let’s get to work!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Over the weekend, I spoke at American University’s Women in Politics Institute and I was part of a panel that spoke about fundraising. One of the things we discussed was call time. Two very familiar words that candidates and elected officials must learn to endure when they want to run for office. Oftentimes during call time, you’ll be calling people who don’t know you asking them for money. One of the things that must happen is the candidate/elected official needs to establish a rapport with the other person. That can be challenging if you’re an introvert or borderline introvert. Connecting with people draws them in to your ideas and your candidacy. Here are 5 tips to establish that rapport.
  • Wonderful graphs and diagrams to better understand how to get smart. I try to work on each aspect a bit although the book reading is more challenging. I like reading smaller amounts of a lot of different topics and reading a book can sometimes be too much of a commitment. It’s obviously more than just reading because life demands you to be present on different levels. Noticing others while understanding people’s “whys” leads to better understanding how to layer that information.
  • I’m always up for friendly competition. There are a great deal of women who are in my field and most of us have worked with one another or have referred business to one another.  That kind of competition is healthy because it makes us each work at our highest level. Regardless of the kind of industry you work, business trends are hardly stagnant and being on top of the most innovative concepts brings new ideas to the table. Be sure to use healthy competition as a way to turn it to your advantage.
  • Would you mind sharing your opinions with me? Please take this annual survey (4 questions) so that I can bring you the types of topics that you find most important. Thank you for taking the time!

Thanks for reading/sharing! Look forward to hanging out with you here next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v6

We’re officially 2 months into 2017 and rolling deep into the 1st QTR. I already feel like I’ve been hit by a MACK truck due to all of the intensity of the year. There hasn’t been any easing up so the mantra is to continue forward by collaborating with others and group hugs with your tribe.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Maybe you’re not down with protesting – totally get it – maybe you’re a consumer who wants to make an impact with how you spend your hard earned moolah so you decide that you’ll patronize establishments/brands that have your shared values. Recently we saw that with the #deleteUber trend and #grabyourwallet where Uber and Ivanka Trump’s brands were affected by consumers making a statement with their purchasing power. It also works when you have a brand such as travel expert Rick Steves making a commitment to donate to the ACLU if you spent money on his products on Inauguration Day. I’m an advocate for companies to have good corporate social responsibility and when they do, I want to support their efforts. Not all companies are perfect because humans aren’t made to be so I believe that customers can make companies aware of how to improve and if actions are taken, support them for course correcting. What do you think? Do you think about corporate social responsibility when you support brands?
  • Living in DC makes every Executive Order even more acutely meaningful. I also have a life where my professional life is fully integrated with my personal beliefs. I may not necessarily agree 100% with my clients but I know that their intentions are well meaning and a policy disagreement isn’t going to dissuade me from working with them. As a result, I’m keenly aware of my personal definition of living a meaningful life through a professional context. If your professional/personal life makes you want to take action in a more meaningful way then you can create projects or join in projects that align with your own values and personality.
  • I’ve talked about having more headaches lately, but did I also mention that I’ve been feeling more anxiety as well? It helps that I’m spending less time watching the news, although I keep informed with reputable news sources so that I can stay updated on what’s happening around me. Another activity that I’ve been incorporating into my daily life is the practice of grounding so that I can feel my physical being while separating the anxiousness that has bubbled to the surface. There are times when you just want to curl up in the fetal position, but remind yourself that you’re not alone and use these tips to get you back up and ready to go. For those who consume alcohol, a glass of wine also helps 🙂
  • More than ever, we need to look out for one another. Living in DC is slightly different than living in other places because a lot of us work in the political sphere in some capacity so it’s extremely important to remember that other people don’t live in such a politically charged atmosphere. We need to help one another in an intersectional way so think about our sisters and brothers in other places so that we don’t feel so alone. It can be challenging to be in an area where you’re opinion is the dissenting perspective. Reach out to one another and let’s welcome more people who share the same concerns.
  • With the #NoBanNoWall and a myriad of other Executive Orders as well as expressing our opinions to elected leaders, the congressional switchboard has been in overdrive. Making calls can be challenging for those who don’t really talk on the phone, but this kind of outreach is the most effective in swaying elected officials to take their constituents’ opinions seriously. Practice helps which means making more calls (something I routinely tell my clients when making fundraising calls) but it may help to know that psychologists can explain the source of your phone anxiety.
  • With the change in administration and the end of the campaign season, I’ve been doing a lot of coffees with people who want advice on how to transition to their next position. Here are Do’s and Don’ts for going to your next coffee. I would also add send a thank you note (email/written note) afterwards! It helps us to remember who you are and let’s us know that you’re inclined to have good organizational skills and attention to detail.

Thanks for reading/sharing – see you next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v1

I hope you were able to end 2016 on a high note! I’m ready to kick start this year so let’s get blasting into Tuesday Truths…**pew pew**

  • I think it’s pretty well known that I gravitate towards strong women even when they think that they’re not strong. Acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses is very empowering and that recognition, allows people to take their strengths and use them to their greatest potential. One of the things that others have commented about me is that I tend to give zero F*CKs and I don’t normally have FOMO because I tend to live my life the way that I want. I choose to not regret my choices and that means that every decision that I make is made in consideration in how it furthers my goals (sometimes that means, I share those goals with others and that brings others into consideration). I’m willing to collaborate, be a team player, and live an authentic life that’s true to what I want to accomplish. I really do believe that life gets better when you stop giving a f*ck.
  • When you’re in need of advice, it’s a good idea to check in with people you admire to get clarity on where you’re headed aka networking. That may mean talking to someone who isn’t necessarily a buddy/pal. To really make progress, you need to network smart. You don’t get brownie points if you have 100 coffees (although if this was fundraising and you were strategic about coffees, I would give you a gold star for every coffee you had that equated to $$, but I’m digressing). This is an exercise of quality over quantity.
  • Back to my random thought about fundraising from my earlier post where a mix of quality and quantity work to make fundraising successful or for that matter, life. I read this awesome article about rejection. Most people fail at fundraising because they’re afraid of that sensation. Life becomes much more fruitful when you disconnect/desensitize the negativity associated with rejection. Fundraising involves a bit of psychology because we research what motivates prospects to give and it’s the same when you think about asking for something. Jia Jiang – you’re a ROCK STAR!
  • One of the best gals around is Tanya Tarr (I’ve talked about her writing for Women@Forbes in the past) and she was recently interviewed by Morra Aarons-Mele on her negotiating checklist. She’s got an incredible guide for resources and walks you down the path to clearly mapping out your conversation. Game changer for sure!
  • Because I want you to start getting active along with pursuing your professional goals, I’m sharing 7 tips to help you keep your fitness goals. I’ve talked about recognizing what your body tells you – get enough sleep, drink more water, exercise when it’s best for your schedule and whether you like it or not, being healthy really puts you in peak condition to do more with your best muscle, your mind. I skipped out on exercise for the last few months of the 2016 election cycle and my body feels it! I lost a lot of my strength and I’m trying to get myself back to pre-election fighting form. To be perfectly honest, I use none of the tips that I shared with you in this post (do what I say, not as I do!). I do regularly schedule classes and make myself exercise when I don’t have a class – all with my work/travel schedule in mind. I’m jazzed when I compete with myself and knowing that I’ve kicked ass on those pistol squats and I have muscle definition from doing weights is what motivates me to keep at it. I’m hardly a fitness guru and I’m fine with knowing that I’m challenging myself physically every day. Getting old is a B*TCH!

What tips do you have to share? Thanks for reading/sharing!

See you back here next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v48

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I hope that you had a relaxing holiday! I’m ready to tackle the next few weeks so that I can mentally prepare for 2017. Tis the season for reflection and setting goals. So let’s take a look at Tuesday Truths to see how we can jump start the new year.

  • Sometimes when you set goals and not meet them, you wonder if they were too lofty or question if you have the stamina to reach them. What’s important is to realize that you need to set your goals that motivate you to achieve them vs make you more frustrated. Here are a few tips that you can use so that you can make those goals achievable as well as keep you moving towards the bigger picture.
  • With the new year comes a fresh start and there are times when we take risks to shake things up a bit so how do you make a risky move less risky? Before you jump into the deep end, you can do “life design interviews” to see if a change in careers is really in the cards for you. Something I probably should have done when I had my quarter life crisis!
  • Women have a more challenging environment in our professional careers because it’s not the social norm to have a life that includes family and professional achievement all rolled into one. We are questioned about our priorities of having children over the financial bottom line for the companies where we work. It’s a time in our lives when we start to question how do we prioritize? How does this connect with our personal achievements and goals? Ambition isn’t a dirty word. It’s also important to recognize that women have complicated roles in society and when we’re placed in positions where men are the norm, there are societal pressures that put women in a bind. We are constantly asserting ourselves while trying to please everyone else.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you have any tips that you care to add, please share!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v47

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It’s been 2 weeks since the Election and I’m still recovering. I’ve taken this week off to spend with loved ones and to reflect on the many things that I hold dear. I want to recognize your role in my life and how having you in this community has been truly rewarding. Thank you for your comments and your suggestions. I hope you can spend this time with those who bring you love and comfort. I look forward sharing my reservoir!

Thank you

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

Continue reading →

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v42

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Taking deep breaths! I hope you’re having a great week! I’m ready for Election Day and to head out for a break. Any suggestions on someplace warm I can visit? Remember to give yourself time to decompress and to give yourself self-care. If you don’t take care of yourself, then you can’t take care of others!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Have you been listening to the Mentoring Moments podcast? It’s great and has excellent stories/interviews on how successful women from multiple generations reached their goals. The most recent interview was with the Editor of Chief of Seventeen magazine, Ann Shoket and she’s dropping knowledge on how she got to her current position (after her 3rd attempt!). It’s the journey, people!
  • I’m always looking for ways to help people network (myself included). You can get into a rut that may be comfortable but is it really effective? Here are a few tips for a better introduction. What do you think?
  • I recently had a conversation with a friend who told me that she appreciated my habit of learning new things or at the very least trying new hobbies. I’ve talked before that I’m a Jill of all trades and a master of nothing (basically because I have so many different interests). I think regardless of how long you spend on a hobby and how deeply you delve into it, that hobby is always going to make you more well, interesting. I love people who are passionate about learning something and go all in and become experts (I know who to call when it’s time to hire someone for calligraphy!). I also love the people who take an interest in learning how to play an instrument, only to find that a couple weeks/months later they’ve changed to a different hobby to pursue. It’s all good! As adults who aren’t required to attend school for educational purposes, we’re learning to enrich ourselves and isn’t that what life should be about anyway? If you don’t have time that’s fine too. Life is about spending it however way you want. If that includes changing interests every few days/weeks/months then more joy to you in your pursuit!
  • I was having lunch with a friend who is working a side hustle. There are a lot of things to think about when you start a business and even more work when you’re doing it on the side while maintaining your current work load. Here are some things to think about when you’re working your magic.
  • Since I kinda live in a bubble (majority of my friends are progressive and partisan), I tend to not meet people who are in support of Mr. Trump. With that context, it helps to realize that with any situation where you have disagreement, it helps to ease people onto an exit strategy so that they have room to move in that direction. When you box people into a corner, it’s more common that they will want to dig deeper into their beliefs and fight. This isn’t about providing more evidence or facts/data. It’s about giving people who are in disagreement the space to change course without punishment. It takes a lot of patience on the part of the individual to keep an open mind towards this discipline. The urge to fight back will be overwhelming. This going to be a long road ahead after this election and it’s all a part of the process of unifying this country.

Thanks for reading/sharing! Let me know if you have any tips you care to share!

— Madalene