Media advice: A few things I’ve learned along the way.

Since I began working at age 16, I have been lucky enough to encounter some great people who have mentored me and helped me grow. As I moved through my career in media, these mentors taught me so many important lessons – a few of which I’d like to share with you.

When I first started in media, I was working with my mom, who had been in the business for roughly one thousand years and had worked in both large and small markets. While it might seem strange for me to think of my mom as a career mentor, she taught me important lessons about the business. I learned that media buyers and vendors should have a relationship that works around the needs of our clients, making sure that we are working together to get the best possible outcomes for our clients – period. That’s something I’m reminded of each day. She also taught me when it was time to fight on behalf of a client – and when it was time to let it go. Most important, she showed me how to be a strong, confident woman in a business that is still male dominated.

In my first agency placement, I was lucky enough to work for another strong woman, and she helped me hone many valuable skills that I continue to use daily. In addition to showing me the ways of the agency, she also instructed me on how to negotiate with media reps. She taught me how to remain strong and push for what I wanted – or for what I knew was right – and that sometimes it’s better to listen than to talk. She let me know that it’s okay to be vulnerable at times, and that the person teaching you can also be your biggest cheerleader.

I have been incredibly lucky throughout my career to have met so many wise people who provided me with advice that I have been able to apply to both my media career and my life in general. I will leave you with one last piece of wisdom, and it’s probably my most favorite. My grandfather, an amazing man, told me this once and it has always stuck with me: life is not an endurance test.

What’s a piece of advice that has stuck with you?