Jane Amendolara, Assistant PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing Manager

As a young female professional, I have quickly learned the importance of building relationships, fostering connections, and seeking mentorship. While essential, this can also be a daunting experience.

Various studies have shown that in comparison to their male counterparts, women struggle in networking environments. It comes down to the fact that women and men simply network differently. While men tend to focus on short-term needs, women succeed by building more long-term, personal relationships and friendships. Women often form connections through people they already know and develop smaller, tighter-knit networks that are built on trust. It’s been shown that women actually wind up in a worse position when they attempt to network like men with hopes of getting ahead. Not because they aren’t qualified or lack the necessary skills, but because they are missing the crucial need for a close inner circle of women. That female connection helps to provide critical information on job opportunities and challenges, and ultimately serves a deeper purpose than just a “way in.”

In a world where making meaningful connections in professional settings can be difficult, I feel extremely grateful that Connelly Partners recognizes this and helps provide me and my female colleagues with the warmth, support, and empowerment needed to successfully network. 

Last month, Connelly Partners hosted its first Empowering Women Networking Event. We were joined by nearly 30 females from across a wide range of ages and industries, including former clients, prospective clients, friends, and job seekers. Together, we curated the welcoming environment that women need to build new relationships, both professionally and personally. 

Not only was I given the privilege of being surrounded by a room full of driven females from all different backgrounds, but this became an opportunity for us to get to know one another in a safe space for authentic connection. Whether it was talking business or simply forming friendships, the women in attendance were eager to share their experiences, advice, insights, and wisdom. It was uplifting to see genuine connections forming rather than just mere business transactions. 

Not to mention, how else would I have learned that there is in fact a correct way to wear a nametag? 

This event wasn’t just about networking. It was about creating an inclusive space for empowerment and served as a reminder that the support of like-minded individuals is invaluable. As I continue my career, I’m eager to witness the impact of Connelly Partners’ continued initiative for women and their networks…and I feel grateful to be a part of the journey.

Interested in joining us for our next women’s networking event? Sign up here!

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the many achievements of women throughout history and bring awareness to inequalities that still exist today. In recognition of this important, global holiday, we asked some of our female leaders from across the CP family of offices to reflect and respond to a question about their accomplishments, influences, and the impact they’ve had on their peers as women in leadership. 

How do you hope to have been an influential figure to your peers?

To be creative, you have to appreciate all perspectives and unique voices. I’d like to think I’ve encouraged people to show up authentically and without pretense. I strive to create a space for each voice to be heard and ideas to surface without judgment, allowing them to breathe and evolve into something unexpected. I would hope that I’ve set an example that in order to be a successful creative leader, you need to be equal parts challenger and nurturer. I’ll continue to set high expectations but navigate the process with kindness. It’s a tough but necessary balance.

Alyssa Toro
Sr. Partner & Chief Creative Officer
Boston

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What accomplishment are you most proud of as a professional?

I am really proud that I successfully switched careers three times over the past 25 years. I pursued my dreams and was not afraid not to follow the conventional career path, although my passion for marketing and advertising was always part of those careers.

It took a massive leap of faith, and self-belief, to leave a very well-paid job with Ireland’s largest TV, radio & online platform, fulfilling a dream to open my own business. Not choosing the safe route taught me that if you have a good work ethic, are resilient, persistent and are prepared to put everything into making a decision a success, there is no reason not to succeed.

Vaunnie McDermott
Managing Director, Connelly Partners Dublin
Dublin

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What is something you are grateful for as a woman in business?

I’m grateful for the team of amazing, diverse women that I am blessed to be a part of – mentors who have helped me grow over the years; peers who have developed through similar trajectories as I have, balancing years of raising children with also managing a career; and most importantly, my younger colleagues, who have risen through a very different set of circumstances in college and their young careers that constantly challenge me to think and do things differently. I learn from this group every day – and it’s both humbling and inspiring – and makes me always aware of the impact we have on each other in this business. 

Michelle Capasso
Partner & Director of Media Services
Boston

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In your opinion, who is the most influential female professional/historical figure and why?

Michelle Obama has used her platform to make people feel seen and heard. With an eye toward our industry, I’m inspired by how she’s used entertainment and storytelling to broach challenging topics and make them approachable while also elevating diverse voices and perspectives. As a new mom, I appreciate how she’s balanced her work and family life – and kept it incredibly real about what that looks like, even if it’s not always rosy.

Claire Eisenberg
Director of Corporate Communications
Boston

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The 2023 theme of International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity. In the spirit of this theme, what does this mean to you? How do you embrace equity?

For giggles, I asked Chat GPT what it means to EmbraceEquity — this is what I got:

“Embracing equity means recognizing and actively working to eliminate systemic barriers and injustices that prevent individuals or groups from accessing opportunities and resources fairly.”

This is eerily accurate, considering that it was generated by an AI Chatbot.

But in all seriousness, this is close to what it means to me to Embrace Equity, as evidenced by my financial and physical support of the YWCA. I’m on the Board of Directors of the Delaware affiliate and have been a long-time leadership donor. This organization truly embodies my passions in its mission: To empower women and eliminate racism. 

To me, Embracing Equity also means recognizing, celebrating and embracing all of the differences, life experiences, cultures, food, music, histories and traditions of all of those around me, and seeing what I can learn as a result. 

Michele Hart-Henry
Managing Director, Connelly Partners Health
Boston

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What is one thing you hope to do to help advance women in your lifetime?

I hope to help demolish cultures of overworking & burnout. Traditionally, the choice or the desire to have a work/family/life balance has been viewed (in particular for women) as a choice that holds them back. The problem is not the choice to prioritize balance, but the cultures of overworking and burnout that make this choice necessary. I hope in some small way, in my own circles and organizations, to be able to create and nurture environments where these choices aren’t necessary.

Emily Kozniuk
Director of Brand Services, VRX Studios
Vancouver

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What is one small way you are showing your support and appreciation for the women in your life? How are you celebrating/observing International Women’s Day?

This International Women’s day I’m reflecting on and deeply missing one of the most impactful women in my life… my best friend Sonya, who passed away from cervical cancer (a uniquely women’s disease) in November. So I am showing support and appreciation to her two beautiful daughters and to all who loved her. And I will never take for granted all the strong, resilient and fabulous women who are in my life; my Mum, sisters, daughter, friends & CP colleagues. 

Mary McMahon
Group Strategy Director
Dublin

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Look back at the little girl you once were. What is something that you’d like to tell her? 

I would tell the little girl that I once was that hard work, determination, and passion are the three essential components to creating longevity in your career and fostering a work environment that feels equal parts rewarding and exciting. Believe in the power of manifestation. Not everyone is going to like you or believe in what you do, so be your best advocate and trust in yourself and your abilities. Write down your career-defining moments and the compliments that you receive along the way, so you can look back on them when you need an extra boost or reminder that you are good at what you do! I would also remind her that there will be adversaries along the way, but it’s important to stay resilient and positive. Lastly, I would advise her to prioritize self-care and never forget to take time for herself and her loved ones amidst her busy career. Life is short…enjoy it. 

Alyssa Stevens
Director of Public Relations & Social Media
Boston

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What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

Marking a specific day in honour of International Women’s Day is an inspiring reminder that gender inequality is still prevalent and that much work still needs to be done to achieve balance. Personally, the day acts as an extra nudge for me to ensure that as a senior leader, I continue to play a role in moving our working environments forward and achieving gender parity so that the women that come after me do not have to face the same challenges that I have had to.  

In truth, the week leading up to and after also has me fired up as I read never-ending stories of unjust discrepancies between men and women. At times shocking and at times deflating, it is also inspiring to witness how many of us are intentionally and meaningfully creating change. I do strongly believe that this change also needs to occur multi-generationally – there must be a focus to educate children, both female AND male about gender parity and what they can do to shift the future. Here is an oldie but a goodie that I like to share to illustrate this.

Nadine Cole
President, VRX Studios
Vancouver

 

This week marks the beginning of Women’s History Month, and to celebrate, we asked a few of our leaders to take a moment to reflect on some of the major influences in their lives that helped shape them into the people they are today. Here are some things we can all learn from these remarkable women. 

Find your people

If you were to ask me how I became the first female CCO in the city of Boston, I could mention the hard work, the campaigns I helped create, or my relationships with clients. But really what it comes down to is that I found my people early on. Probably the single most important piece of advice I could give to any aspiring creative director. You have to surround yourself with your personal Board of Directors. I am inspired by mine. The person who will ultimately be your boss of 25 years who sees you as a creative person regardless of gender. The person who develops concepts with you and will take the time to discuss mutual parenting strategies before heading toward an idea. The people surrounding you on a daily basis who are open-minded enough to hear all perspectives but opinionated enough to tell you theirs. And make you laugh. It’s so important that they make you laugh. Most importantly, I’m inspired by my family who lets me be my authentic self while simultaneously reminding me why it’s all worth it. I’m not sure I can pinpoint any one person or thing or event that has inspired me the most over the years, but I know this: I did not do this alone.

– Alyssa Toro, Sr. Partner, Chief Creative Officer – CP Boston 

Don’t be afraid to fail

I have been the beneficiary of three incredible leaders in my career who all helped to shape me into the leader I am today. One who taught me the importance of pushing past comfort zones (by literally shoving me into a role that I didn’t think I was ready for), one that showed me the strength in being an empathetic leader (and how as women that is a huge advantage), and one that attuned me to listening – really listening (what isn’t being said, that you are hearing). However, in each and everyone of those leaders, never once was I made to feel like failure wasn’t acceptable. They collectively led from a spirit of encouragement and never fear. Fear-driven leaders can breed a toxicity that debilitates their staff and the damage often can be unrepairable, thus negatively impacting culture. My advice to any aspiring leader is to provide clear guidelines around expectations, offer all the support when they need it, then allow people the wiggle room to succeed and fail. Let them show you what they are capable of. And in the worst case that there is failure – this is where people will grow the most.   

– Nadine Cole, President, VRX Studios – Vancouver

Compassion and determination are the keys to success

My mom, Marian, has inspired me to lead with determination and compassion. As a divorced single mother, she fearlessly pursued her own career ambitions in education, which is something that I always admired. Beginning as a 5th grade teacher and ending her career as an Assistant Superintendent, she wore many different leadership hats, including Troop Leader for my Girl Scout group! My mom had high expectations for her students and fellow educators, but never let her firm approach affect the relationships she built with everyone she encountered. To this day, students she taught decades ago still keep in touch! That’s the kind of leader I strive to be. 

My advice for aspiring leaders is to strike a delicate balance between being assertive and direct, while still allowing your personality shine through. When it comes to team building, it’s important to create strong relationships with your peers. If you’re all business, all the time, it’s harder to foster those long-lasting connections. Instead, find a way to lead with empathy, as it will earn you respect, and ultimately help your team to achieve its collective goals. No one wants to work for a leader they fear and I’m a firm believer that compassion is the key to success. 

– Alyssa Stevens, Director of Public Relations and Social Media – CP Boston

Be fearless

I have been inspired by so many people in business. Each job I have done, no matter how random and unrelated to my current role, has taught me a skill that helps me today, taught to me by someone I admired. Most important for me, was how the task was done, and by that I mean how people were treated. Respect and kindness can never be overrated.

More than anything, I admire and am inspired by people who, through curiosity, sheer determination and tenacity, have achieved great success. Especially people who did not have support to guide them in their younger years. I firmly believe everyone has it in them to do well in whatever field they choose – extraordinary people are just ordinary people who go that extra mile, but having a mentor along the way helps.

I grew up in a family of successful entrepreneurs. I am one of six children, and am currently the only one not self-employed (though I did have my own business for 10 years – I had to!) My dad, although no longer on this earth, still inspires me. After he graduated with a degree in engineering, he, like so many Irish at the time, headed for the USA. As part of this programme to get his visa, he did training with the Marines. One of the key takeaways was something that stayed with him all his life, and influenced me as well. It was these four words: “Just one more step.” No matter how big a task seems or how overwhelmed you feel by the scale of it, just focus on one more step and you will get there – you don’t have to have everything figured out, just the next thing on your list. 

My current inspiration is a mantra I repeat daily as I strive to be more focussed and efficient in a world where we are pulled in so many directions each hour – it’s the following quote from Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

So many of us suffer from imposter syndrome, thinking we are not as bright or as gifted as others, when really it boils down to determination, being fearless and getting into good habits. 

– Vaunnie McDermott, Client Business Director – CP Dublin

Don’t give up, even when things are hard 

This may be cliche, but I owe so much of what I’ve been able to do throughout my career to my mother, who was from a generation of women caught in the middle of the working mom movement. She grew up in the late ’50s when women were schooled in homemaking, only to be told by society in the early ’80s that, not only could she have it all, she was expected to do it all. The issue was that the culture of pressure and expectation hadn’t yet shifted to be supportive of working moms. I watched her juggle those expectations – going back to college, starting a job with young kids, finding her voice – and the toll those expectations took on her, her family, and her marriage. Yet, I watched from the safety in knowing that I was blessed with so many options.  This taught me that doing hard things was not only possible, but so very important.

– Michelle Capasso, Partner, Director of Media Services – CP Boston

Featuring: Alyssa Toro, Sr. Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Michelle Capasso, Partner, Director of Media Services, Sarah Taylor, Group Brand Director, Ally Chapman, Senior Brand Strategist, and Kristen Kearns, Executive Producer at Element Productions 

Did you know that women make up over 80% of purchasing decisions? Or, that almost half of those watching the Super Bowl are female? It goes without saying that women are an important demographic that brands should be paying close attention to. In this discussion, we examine Super Bowl advertising from a unique, female perspective. 

We discuss the role of humor, relatability and authenticity in commercials, as well as recent trends in roles and stereotypes, concepting and execution. Using Super Bowl spots and our own survey findings, we explain why the spots were successful or where they missed the mark.