Women Worldwide with Deirdre Breakenridge

With great reward often comes great risk. To be on the leading edge of progress in an evolving world, you must be willing to take chances and be brave. Today’s special guest knows all about taking risks, powering up, and being first! She made a name for herself in the rapidly evolving world of technology in the cradle of tech itself, Silicon Valley. Today she is here to share her journey from immigrant to Silicon Valley pioneer and the power of “Powering Up.”

 

Through her roles as the first investor and founding board member of Salesforce, as well as a serial entrepreneur who founded two successful companies (CyberCash and MarketPay), Magdalena Yesil established herself as a pioneer in Electronic Commerce. After graduating from Stanford University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Science and Engineering and a Masters of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, she has been active in Silicon Valley for over 30 years (8 of those as a VC at US Venture Partners). Additionally, as the Founder of Broadway Angels, she currently works with an all-female board of angel investors.

 

This is an episode you won’t want to miss! For entrepreneurs and techies everywhere, men and women alike, stay tuned to hear all about Magdalena’s groundbreaking new book, Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy.

 

In This Episode

 

  • How and why you need to power up
  • The current landscape for women in tech and venture capital
  • The "Me Too" movement and power dynamics in the workplace
  • Why you need mentors and sponsors
  • Challenges and misses all professionals can relate to

 

Quotes in This Episode

 

“When an opportunity presented itself, I was always willing to take a risk.” —Magdalena Yesil

 

“I don’t do regret, I don’t think regret is a good thing. I think it’s a waste of energy, and my goal in life is always to look forward, not back.” —Magdalena Yesil

 

“Don’t just let it happen. In fact, you have more power than you think to control the situation. Now, that doesn’t mean that you can always control it [...] Let’s use the power we actually have more often than we do.” —Magdalena Yesil

 

“The key is to have the belief that tomorrow [...] is going to be better [...] that really is the bottom line of entrepreneurship.” —Magdalena Yesil

 

“You can do anything as long as you know what the risks are and you’re willing to take those risks […] Any idiot can take a risk with their eyes closed, the trick is to take the risk with your eyes open, knowing the consequences, knowing the price you’re going to pay.” —Magdalena Yesil

 

Resources

Magdalena on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Magdalena’s Official Website

Direct download: MagdalenaYesilonWomenWorldwide.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 2:58pm EDT

Today we are talking about diversity, inclusion, and helping students and professionals pursue their dreams. Nancy Lee Sanchez turned her own journey navigating the American educational system into a career that benefits thousands of students today. From working in a sweatshop at the age of 13 to earning her Masters from Brooklyn College, Nancy’s story is one of resilience, determination, and inspiration.

 

Nancy is the Executive Director of the Kaplan Educational Foundation. She has over 18 years of expertise providing greater access to higher education. Moreover, Nancy has been a champion for improving the college experience and supporting leadership among low income, non-traditional, and underrepresented students. Nancy’s educational journey started at Kingsborough Community College. After earning her AAS there, she went on to earn a BA from Long Island University and an MA from Brooklyn College.

 

Stay tuned to learn what it means to be in the business of “selling a dream,” and just how Nancy and the Kaplan Educational Foundation are making higher education accessible and thoughtful.

 

In This Episode

  • Common struggles for immigrant students
  • The importance of diversity and inclusion
  • Leveraging educational institutions
  • Education beyond the classroom
  • Selling the dream and living the dream

 

Quotes in This Episode

“Many people believe that in Puerto Rico English is taught to the point that you become proficient. But in reality, I lived in the countryside and that wasn’t true.” —Nancy Lee Sanchez

 

“I don’t remember ever [having] conversations about college, and that was because so many of us and our families were in this survival mode.” —Nancy Lee Sanchez

 

“I remember thinking of my mom as ‘Rosie the Riveter’...I just felt like I knew so many ‘Rosie the Riveters’...They were always working. You know, women of color especially and in many communities that have been disenfranchised, women have really always contributed to the economy.” —Nancy Lee Sanchez

 

“I don’t want people to be in survival mode, I want people to thrive.” —Nancy Lee Sanchez

 

“Last night I was on my Facebook, and I had one of my students take a picture in LA and he said, ‘I’m on top of the world’ and this is a young man, an urban youth, New York city raw talent–many people have dismissed him–but he really wants to bring sustainable farming [to cities.]” —Nancy Lee Sanchez

 

“There will always be injustice. I want to live in a world where that doesn’t exist, but what do you do when there is injustice?” —Nancy Lee Sanchez

 

Resources

Nancy Lee Sanchez on LinkedIn

The Kaplan Educational Foundation

Your 2018 Guide to College Transfer: 90 School Profiles BOOK

Direct download: NancyLeeSanchezonWomenWorldwide.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 11:49am EDT

Let's talk about leadership. Our guest today comes from the world of brand management and is actively advocating for CMOs. She is a staunch believer in the importance of leadership in marketing and the importance of shaping new leaders from the classroom to the boardroom.

 

Kim Whitler is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Prior to teaching, Kim spent nearly 20 years in general management and leadership roles, including serving as a brand management executive at Procter and Gamble and CMO at David’s Bridal. Kim’s work focuses on understanding how c-level roles, characteristics, and decisions impact a firm’s marketing performance. She is a researcher with numerous academic articles featured in publications such as The Journal of Retailing, The Academy of Management Journal, and the Marketing Science Institute Series. She is also a contributor to Forbes and CMO.com and has authored over 100 articles.

 

Kim shares her thoughts on educating future leaders and creating effective relationships between business leaders in different roles. Stay tuned to hear about Kim’s transition from 2 decades in business to being a professor at the Darden School of Business and how she is advocating for CMOs.

 

In This Episode

  • The importance of financial planning
  • How to advocate for CMOs
  • Understanding roles in marketing
  • Educating CEOs
  • Women on boards

 

Quotes in This Episode

“People live the first half of their lives for status, money, material stuff, and then they hit this thing called a midlife crisis because they realize none of that matters. And all of a sudden they start thinking about what their life will mean... So I basically said my goal was to retire at 40, and at 40 I wanted to do whatever I wanted to do regardless of money or status because I thought it would make a difference.” —Kim Whitler

 

“If the CEO isn’t designing the role correctly... they are setting up the CMO to fail.” —Kim Whitler

 

“When I look at a football team they all look the same to me, they’re all football players. But yet people who understand football know that a quarterback is very different from a punt returner, from a receiver. These are different roles. And yet a lot of marketers don’t realize that there are very different roles, CEOs don’t realize it, and executive recruiters don’t realize it.” —Kim Whitler

 

“Very few marketers are on boards. Less than 3% of board members are marketers. So, a general question is: Should they be? Do marketers on boards matter? Do they help? Under what conditions do they help? And so, I’ve been spending the last eight years working on research to address this question.” —Kim Whitler

 

“The CMO is supposed to go change the growth trajectory of the firm, but they don't have any influence on pricing, they don’t manage the product, they don’t manage the product pipeline, they aren’t influential on distribution, all they manage is promotion. So, part of what needs to happen is educating the CEO on what it takes to impact growth.” —Kim Whitler

 

“There’s a lot of pressure from society to be a certain way. You know? Students come out at 18 and they’ve had a heavy, heavy dose of serving others. That’s terrific. It’s good for our culture and America, but then they feel guilty doing something for themselves, they feel guilty wanting to have a position that pays more money. So, part of my thing is to be very true to yourself .” —Kim Whitler

 

Resources

Follow Kim on Twitter and LinkedIn

Read Kim's work at Forbes

Kim at UVA’s Darden School of Business

 

Direct download: KimWhitleronWomenWorldwide.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 7:31pm EDT

Today we get an update from Women Worldwide alum Fabian Geyrhalter and learn a little bit more about empathy and branding in the age of social media. Building a brand has never been more important, and today that means "dressing down" and connecting with a like-minded consumer base in an authentic way.

 

Fabian Geyrhalter is a brand strategist, author, and mentor known for helping turn ventures into admired brands. He is the founder and principal of Los Angeles based consultancy firm Finien, as well as a Global 100 Mentor at the Founder Institute. He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and Inc., and he has been published by the likes of The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and Mashable.

 

In this episode we are discussing the different “traits” Fabian has identified in successful brands. Stay tuned to learn more about Fabian’s new book Bigger Than This and how you can turn any venture into an admired brand!

 

In This Episode

  • Empathy and transparency in branding
  • Being accessible and walking a fine line
  • How brands disrupt without innovation or tech
  • Winning hearts and minds
  • The 80/20 Rule

 

Quotes in This Episode

“Branding kind of became the new advertising.” —Fabian Geyrhalter

 

“People just ache for brands to be trustworthy friends.” —Fabian Geyrhalter

 

“At the core, every brand knows their number one customer, and their communication is tailored to that type of person... And the idea of ‘don’t talk politics’ is thrown out the window!” —Fabian Geyrhalter

 

“[Brands] really only disrupt... through brand thinking.” —Fabian Geyrhalter

 

“80% of what I put out there via social media needs to be communications-focused around my value propositions. So, what do I actually give potential clients, potential readers, potential listeners that they themselves can turn into actions...” —Fabian Geyrhalter

 

Resources

Connect with Fabian on Twitter and LinkedIn

www.Finien.com

BiggerThanThis.com

Bigger Than This

How to Launch a Brand

Fabian's previous appearance on Women Worldwide

Direct download: FabianGeyrhalteronWomenWorldwide.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 5:38pm EDT

1