InnovateHERs

1. Positive, women role models at home are often the first mentors in an InnovateHER’s life.

    

   Lezli Baskerville: “My mother was my mentor. I had the highest respect for her. And she was the most generous, caring person that I’ve met in my life. She was optimistic. I knew that she was doing great things, but at her funeral, I realized that she put 17 members of her faculty through PhD programs. So that’s the type of person she was.”

    

2. What happens at home can provide clarity about the goals we need to set for ourselves.

    

   Monica Valrani: “My parents sent me to the best schools possible, but they were never too concerned about my grades. I think maybe that’s why I never really pushed myself to study further. I didn’t think it was important—but I regret that now. Which is why when it comes to my children, my boys often joke with me, ‘Mom, you’re like a tiger mom!’ But for me, a good education is a non-negotiable, and I wanted my children to have that from the start.”

    

3. Simply setting an example can be the most powerful form of mentorship.

    

   Margaret Huber: “I look to successful leaders. I tried to model some of my approaches and behaviors on what they were doing. For example, I’ve benefited from working for some outstanding ambassadors, who I admired greatly, who lead by example.”

    

4. The first place to begin looking for mentors is in your workplace. Oftentimes these mentors become important lifelong allies throughout your career.

    

   Lisa Schmucki: “While working on a research project for Time-Life Books, I met Myril Axelrod, who was VP of qualitative research at Young and Rubicam. She was a brilliant, intuitive research and writer, and I was blessed to have her as a lifelong mentor and friend from the moment we met. She was magical in her ability to talk with consumers and get them to reveal what was really important to them and what their inner desires were and relate that to marketing and product development. She always made me feel smart and capable, and her advice taught me how to be a better, more customer-centric entrepreneur.”

    

5. People who have been mentored pay it forward by serving as a mentor to others.

    

   Maia Sharpley: “I’ve had great mentors around me, both men and women, who have helped me and set a good example, and I always try to do the same—it’s important to pay it forward. Because I’ve been helped, I turn around and help someone up and am thrilled to see them succeed. One of my mentees, who I have been working with for several years, and I recently met for dinner where she was brimming with excitement as she shared, ‘Maia! I have to let you know that I just made partner! It’s not public yet, but…’ For me, it’s so rewarding to watch young women go after their dreams and make their dreams a reality.”

    

6. It’s good to have formal mentorship, but you can also just begin by getting advice when you feel stuck.

    

   Patricia Scanlon: “There’s often no one right answer, and being an entrepreneur means not being afraid of trial and error, of learning on the journey. When making a strategic or important tactical decision, I try to start by being open-minded. I reach out and talk to people who’ve walked in my shoes before with a similar challenge or decision to make. I listen to what they’re saying, digest it whole, and then, I go away and listen to myself, decide on a path, and move decisively forward.”

    

7. Because there are fewer women leaders, it may be easier to get men to become mentors. The gender of your mentor doesn’t matter, but it is important to have someone who believes in you and your career trajectory.

    

   Sherrie Westin: “When I held positions in my early career in Washington, people would often ask who had been my female mentors. I had amazing mentors—but they were all men! I had many women to admire from afar, but none were my bosses or mentors in the workplace. One of the leaders I most admired was Tom Murphy, CEO of Cap Cities/ABC, who empowered us to take responsibility, make decisions, and not be afraid to take risks. He always said it was okay to make mistakes—as long as they were honest and that you learned from them.”

    

8. Woman-to-woman mentorship is especially helpful when making work-life balance decisions.

Lisa Hall: “I was chief of staff for my mentor. She was extraordinary. In those early days, when I was working for her, it was the example that she set of balancing family—prioritizing—she was really skilled at being in the moment. I would see her shift from something like having a parent-teacher conversation to a discussion on legal affairs without missing a beat. She modeled how to prioritize what was in front of her and not be distracted.”

On the path to becoming an InnovateHER, you undoubtedly will need mentorship along the way. In this chapter, Kathy shares her story about how both a mentee and a mentor helped her to become a transformative leader of impactful initiatives. She shares why she became a mentor and provides tips and advice for securing a great mentor to guide you on your path to the top.