Gina Garrubbo, EVP at BlogHer, Speaks to AWNY’s Mentoring Community

On August 18th, the AWNY Mentoring Community met for breakfast at Yahoo! Chair of the AWNY Mentoring Committee and President of TRY Coaching, Terry Yoffe, gave the opening words and introduced our special guest, Gina Garrubbo, EVP at BlogHer. Committee member, Cheryl Darmanin, Senior Director of Account Management at Yahoo! prompted Gina with questions about how mentoring has shaped her successful career.

Gina spoke of two different types of mentors. The kind that supports you in the traditional sense and the kind that pushes you to your limits through tough love. Both have played a significant role in how Gina approaches both corporate life and motherhood. One of her biggest suggestions to finding happiness as you climb the corporate ladder was to choose your bosses carefully by always working for people who share your values. She also told the group about the importance of involving your children in your work life by showing them what your work is all about and sometimes even having them visit the office.

As described on Blogher.com, since 2005, BlogHer's mission has been "to create opportunities for women who blog to gain exposure, education, community and economic empowerment." In a recent article in Ad Age about the record-breaking BlogHer 2010 Convention, Gina was quoted saying, "[The BlogHer woman] wants to know what's happening. [Marketers] have to give her greater value, they have to be authentic, and they have to listen to her. If the brand brings something of value to this woman, she will love that brand and advocate for that brand -- in her words, in her way."

Thank you Gina Garrubbo for the gift of your time and advice. Keep up the excellent work at BlogHer!

*For more information on being a member of AWNY and participating in the 2011 Mentoring Program, visit AWNY.org or call the offices at 212-221-7969.

Save the Date for the AWNY Mentoring Program Leadership Breakfast on August 18th by Vicky Sullivan

AWNY’s mentoring program is all about celebrating today’s industry leaders while cultivating the leaders of tomorrow. For this reason, we have selected one of the most ground-breaking women in the communications industry to address our mentoring community at our upcoming breakfast at Yahoo! on Wednesday August 18th. Gina Garrubbo, fellow AWNY member and Executive Vice President of BlogHer, Inc, the largest community of women who blog, with a publishing network of 2,500 blogs and a reach of 21 million unique visitors per month, will be speaking about her professional philosophy and how it relates to mentoring.

This is an excellent opportunity to hear one woman’s story about how mentoring helped her become an innovative and influential women in the industry. You will also have the chance to exchange ideas and experiences with other mentors and mentees within AWNY’s growing mentoring community. Hope to see you there.

*Please note that this event is open only to AWNY members actively participating in the mentoring program. If you are interested in joining AWNY and being a part of the 2011 mentoring program please visit http://www.awny.org/

The Young Executive V.I.P. Silent Auction is the Perfect Opportunity for Mentees to Network, Bid, and Win by Vicky Sullivan

The 13th Annual Young Executive V.I.P. Silent Auction will be held on May 13th from 6-9 p.m. at USA Today. This is one of our most talked about and anticipated AWNY fundraising events of the season. It is a great opportunity for young executives new to the industry to network with their peers and bid on time with some of the most accomplished high level advertising executives. Be sure to check out our list of 60+ participating V.I.P.s. Tickets are $25 for members and $35 for guests and can be purchased online. We encourage all of our mentees to attend this event. There will be raffle drawings for awesome prizes such as a Tiffany necklace, a Martha Stewart gift basket, and much more. All attendees will receive a gift bag.

Staging the 1st Meeting: Tips for Mentors and Mentees by Vicky Sullivan

With only a few weeks until the Kick-Off Breakfast on February 2nd at Yahoo!, all newly matched mentors and mentees should have contacted each other and sent an RSVP to the AWNY office via email in regards to the breakfast. The idea is for mentors and mentees to have met prior to the kick-off event. This first meeting can be both exciting and nerve-racking. Here are a few tips on how to make the most out of this preliminary encounter:

1. Be Professional: Though this is a mostly casual get-together, you are still meeting with someone in your industry so it is still a semi-professional meeting.
2. Meet Half Way: Meeting at a place that serves food or coffee is always a great icebreaker. Starbucks is a good option and there is one on almost every street corner in the city. If lunchtime is convenient, meet for lunch. However, with the craziness and unpredictability of the New York workday, meeting before or after work might be a better option. Try meeting at a central location; somewhere in between where you both work. If you do not have time to meet set aside time to speak over the phone.
3. Prepare: Before you even contact your mentor or mentee ask yourself what you are looking to get out of this. What would you like to achieve during your time together.
4. Make a Connection: As far as conversation goes, have fun. Though it may be helpful to talk about job-related topics, making a personal connection is what this meeting is really about. However, make sure you think of a few conversation starters before you arrive at your first meeting. Simple questions such as:
   - What made you want to join AWNY?
   - Where did you go to school?
   - Tell me more about what you do.
5. Set Goals: The mentor and mentee are both at different stages in their career. Each should look to and make the other aware of how they plan to use this program to further their career.
   
   
   Good luck and don’t forget to Learn Share Grow.
   
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