History has been paved by women, suffragettes and pioneers who illuminated the path, making way for the current generation of incredible women in the media industry. Some have been forgotten by time, but some are still working hard to make the media landscape a better and more inclusive place than yesterday.
With the Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media, just around the corner, what advice do some of the biggest and most recognisable names in the media industry give to the next generation?
Get tickets to B&T’s Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media, now!
Aimee Buchanan, CEO, GroupM
My advice for both women and men is the same – put your hand up for every opportunity, find people you will learn from and stick with them. Seek out strong mentors who will back you in the business, be honest with you, and help you grow.
Loyalty and persistence are two traits that have served me well in my career and are the ones I look for in people and our teams. Some of the best advice I have ever been given is to play the long game. You might not win or succeed today, but the experience you gain may well set you up to succeed in the future. It’s still something I remind myself of frequently.
Katie Rigg-Smith, Chief Strategy Officer (ANZ), WPP
Don’t let future desires stop you from taking up opportunities today. I nearly did that by turning down the chance of being CEO because a future desire for me was to have children and I wasn’t sure both was possible. Everyone’s future desires are unique and personal to them. I am fearful of stereotyping but my experience has been that as women we can sometimes short-change ourselves in our careers because we think so far in advance. My advice is to just take each day as they come, relish the opportunities in the here and the now, say yes even if it seems scary, and have that faith that it will work out the way it is meant to.
Trust your gut instinct, it won’t lead you astray. There is much research to suggest that a gut instinct is the by-product of what is going on in your brain. So let it be a superpower – fuel your brain with interesting and diverse points of view, observations and content. Then make sure you listen to your gut when it is giving you direction.
Fiona Roberts, Managing Director, MiQ
Don’t get caught up in the noise that inevitably comes from those around you on who or how you should be. Be you, be unapologetic about it and don’t make excuses. Everything in this industry will feel like it’s in a constant state of change, if you try to fit in, the moment you do, the next big thing will come through and you’ll have to fit in with that. Don’t fit in. Stand out.
Lou Barrett, Managing Director – Client Partnerships, News Corp
4 pieces of advice.
- Don’t ever think you can’t have it all and by that I mean a successful career and the joys of being a mum, if you choose, however, you will need support in the back end at home. An amazing partner was the pivotal moment to my career taking off . He and I made the decision together when we first met that we would focus on my career. He is the most amazing support to our family. Together we have 5 beautiful children and a very close family. My parents also helped raise my kids very early on. Without question, the support I had and continue to have at home has allowed me to achieve my success.
- If you make a mistake, learn from it and don’t make it again. There will be a time in your career where through no fault of your own you may be made redundant, it happens to everyone and you will start questioning yourself and your confidence with it. You have to be prepared for that and use it as a learning experience, I have not seen anyone who’s been through that time in their lives who hasn’t come out the other end in a positive way, they’ve gone on to be better, stronger and more empathetic leaders.
- You have to be very driven.
- You have to have an enormous amount of energy. There will be days when you think, I can’t do this anymore, but Look after your health. You need the energy to keep going, and you need to be your “best self”. Prioritise sleep and exercise together with eating well.
Sally Eagle, Director of Content, Are Media
Media is such a diverse industry, with much to learn, so I’d encourage our next generation to be proactive. The new project, training course or promotion is not going to land in your lap. Ask questions, be visible and personable, be confident to have the conversation and be prepared to go the extra mile and do the work.
My husband and I are fortunate enough to have four daughters under 10; the female voice is loud and clear in our house. If I had to give them a framework it would be:
- 70% of learning happens through on-the-job experience
- 20% of learning happens socially through colleagues and friends
- And 10% of learning happens via formal training experiences
I think of that format now for my career as:
- 70% is my job description
- 20% is projects and formal company-led training and development
- And 10% is pro-actively finding ways to get ahead and what I find interesting in the business, that is, making links and connections with people.
Belinda Rowe, Independent Non-Executive Director, Sky New Zealand
I mentor women leaders and one of the most common areas that comes up is self-confidence that can inhibit growth. My advice is to instil belief in your own self-worth, impact, and abilities by building a network within your organisation and externally. To take the time to invest in leadership development and career planning. Always align yourself to the new and emerging trends, as well as who you work with, is key to future opportunities. Importantly, never be afraid to ask for that next learning or new role or promotion and pay rise.
Lorraine Woods, National Head Of Trading, Atomic 212º
Know who you are and what you are capable of, and be mindful of your limitations, but don’t let them stop you or take up too much of your headspace. Lean into what you are good at. Decide what success looks like for you; don’t let anyone else decide it for you or look to them for validation, as you will never achieve someone else’s idea of success; it has to be yours. Be confident in your abilities. We need to empower each other and make space for one another. Focus on doing excellent work and developing strong relationships with others who will champion your growth. Most importantly, bring your authentic self to the role each day. Confidence comes from within, not from outside validation. If you stay true to who you are while continuously learning, you will achieve great success and help pave the way for others.
Natalie Harvey, CEO, Mamamia
I’ve got a few, but the biggest advice would be to create a network that you can trust, where you care for each other, where you can be yourself, and you can turn to for advice. That could be a mix of people in the industry and others outside who don’t have a media bias, as often they see things a bit clearer. I mentioned two big opportunities/ changes I made, and I don’t think I would have done it without conversations with my network that led up to that moment.
Rochelle Burbury, Principal, Third Avenue Consulting
There are a few top tips here, but most importantly, back yourself. I left it too long to do this and wish I had done it earlier.
Be authentic and – critically – have integrity.
Be honest with clients – even if they sometimes don’t like it – because that’s the advice they pay you for.
Have a keen interest in reading and journalism. Apparently, relationships with journalists are still pretty bloody important in this game!
Finally, be kind.
Katy Denis, Founder and CEO, Extollo
It’s a dynamic, fun, fast-paced, and rewarding career, but it often comes with a lot of pressure and can be stressful, as your work is almost always on show. I’ve found that having a core team of supporters is invaluable. Not only do these people help you when times are tough, listen to a rant or two, and celebrate your wins with you, but they also become cherished lifelong friends.
Susie Thomson, General Manager, Clear Hayes PR
Never stop being hungry to learn. PR is constantly evolving – when I started my career in PR, influencers were people who read the 6 pm news on TV. The landscape has changed dramatically, and it will continue to do so with advancements in AI impacting our industry. Keep up with trends, network (network, network) and remember we’re in PR, not ER. As cliche as that is, it’s good to put things in perspective and enjoy the work that we get to do, remembering to have a laugh along the way.
Sandra Hogg, Communications Specialist, Mohr PR
Open your eyes; think outside the square, and never be afraid to dive off the high platform into the deep end. But I’d also say trust your instinct and don’t be afraid to speak your mind…with respect, of course. PR is no longer defined as a “press release”. Good communications should be part of every business’s DNA and part of every good growth strategy. If you can’t communicate your offering – in whatever form – and differentiate yourself from your competitors, your business simply won’t thrive.
Get tickets to B&T’s Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media, now!
