We learned from successful female leaders in the Remodista Community: Estee Lauder, Oscar de la Renta, C. Wonder, Victoria's Secret, Pepsi, Sears Holding, LinkedIn and Winston Brands. They shared the challenges, obstacles, and cross road decisions that led these women to careers they are passionate about. Are you currently working to get to the next level…or thinking about it? Great careers don’t find you, you create them! This panel got us moving in the right direction! We are inspired by their stories, successes, and roadblocks they experienced, in order to, reach their goals. A professional photographer gave us tips and took our headshots to help us set the stage for getting to the next level at any level. Does your current “go-to” photo have the right pixels and sizing for digital marketing materials? First things first, get the right jpeg into your portfolio!

1. Remodista’s Breaking Glass Series

2. Remodista is a power broker in connecting the most
influential and solution oriented executives working
in digital, social, and mobile commerce. It is a
collaborative forum that brings together thought
leaders, educates brands, and nurtures a global
community. Cultivating diverse leadership and
defining the consumer with mobility, are critical for
US Retail growth, as we enter the next generation of
human interaction.
Remodista Mission

3. Elevating women globally is a core mission of Remodista.

4. Women Leaders
Mentor Youth
Nurture Globally
Collaboration
Inclusion
Content Curation
Sophisticated
Commerce
Education
Community is Our Differentiator
Cultivating Technology
Think Tank

5. Ways to Get the Next Level at ANY Level
1. Understand your personal brand from a 360 degree view
2. Become a voice in the community where you have expertise
3. Contribute writing in your community when possible
4. Look for opportunities to publish your thoughts
5. When you get into the mid and senior level roles, consider
negotiating writing and speaking privileges into your offers
6. Be prepared and look for opportunities to speak in front of
your peers. You don’t want your first time to be in front of an
audience of 300-3000 people
7. Seek mentors and professional coaches to take it to the
executive level  coaching absolutely helps
8. Create your own opportunities and then shine a light on it
9. There’s no time for modesty, especially if no one is looking

6. Dan Millman on The Idea of Success
Know your advisaries, then apply your will. Will is a faithful
friend, at your side, in both sunlit days and dark nights of the
soul, speaking quietly about what is important and good.
Motivation is a welcome wind at your back that comes when you
are more child-like.
Many smart people fall by the wayside because they strive ONLY
when they feel motivated. Successful people strive no matter
what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt
and fear.

7. Tips on Taking the PERFECT Headshot
Wikipedia defines a headshot as: “A
headshot is a photographic
technique where the focus of the
photograph is a person’s face”.
Headshots are a critical piece of
many professionals PR packets, and
you want to be prepared when you
are offered opportunities to speak
and publish.
Relax a little, don’t force your smile
or it will come through in the
photo; leaving a little space
between your top and bottom
teeth (a pinky width) will help the
smile look more genuine. Squinting
your eyes a little will also help you
come through more confident and
natural in the photo. Rose Hamilton, EVP, Pet360

8. Melissa Lefere-Cobb
Oscar de la Renta
Have you gotten where you are with strategy, or did your career just happen?
“When I was 16 years old I came to NYC, fell in love with the city and vowed I would
make my way in the fashion industry. My mom met someone in the supermarket that
had a daughter in the fashion industry and she became a mentor to me and told me
about a one year program at FIT that I ended up attending. From there I aggressively
pursued internships and continued to network and meet as many as possible. I can’t
stress enough the importance of networking and keeping in contact with your
mentors.”
What would you tell your 25 year old self about your career path?
“I would tell myself to listen more carefully, to be patient, and to realize that you need
to embrace every opportunity—even if it doesn’t seem like you are learning at the
time, you probably are!”
Photo Source: Valerie Keast

9. Catherine Brodie
C. Wonder
What is/was your most challenging career obstacle?
‘The most challenging times in my career have been when we are launching
websites. I launched 6 websites in 3 years and it was wild. Each launch has new
obstacles that you need to overcome and the clock is always racing toward
launch date. Trying to take a deep breath and prioritize the long list of launch
items while being exhausted has definitely been the most challenging part of my
career to-date. But, the end result has always made the long hours and hard
work worth it!’
What was your most satisfying achievement to date?
‘Getting promoted to Director before the age of 30.’

10. Kim Leugers
LinkedIn
What is your view on taking risk? Any advice?
“Take on the hard projects, fail fast & fail often. You learn
not only from your successes, but also from your missteps.”
What would you tell your 25-year-old self about your
career path?
“There is nothing you can’t learn, don’t be afraid of the
unknown.”

11. JaKenna Gilbert
Estee Lauder
What was the most challenging obstacle in your career to date?
“I was. I’ve always had a natural intuition with my work and I allowed this to
guide myself through my career. However, as I’ve grown as a person in my
career and in my industry, I’ve realized that a natural ability is not going to
take me to the next level. Over the last few years, I’ve started constantly
looking for ways to improve my skills and build upon my knowledge. Whether
it be attending industry seminars, taking classes offered through Lauder or
learning a language to try to understand another culture and market
(currently studying Spanish!), I'm always looking for ways to both broaden
and hone my skills.”
Photo Source: Raydene Salinas, Photo Editor, Huffington Post

12. Jennifer Shonauer
PEPSI
What is your view on taking risk? Any advice?
“I am definitely risk averse in my job, but you need to take
risks to get where you want in your career.”
What would you tell your 25-year-old self about your
career path?
“Be introspective  Keep going, you’ll be just fine!”

13. Catherine Brodie
C. Wonder
What is your view on taking risk? Any advice?
‘You never learn or get better at anything without taking risks. The first few times I
spoke on a panel I was terrified. But, I realized the risk of putting myself in the
spotlight helped me improve my skills. Presenting to our brand president was much
easier after speaking in front of 300 people! My experiences speaking publicly have
helped me become a better public speaker at work and life.... I knocked my last
wedding speech out of the park. My advice is to go for it -- being pushed out of your
comfort zone is generally good.”
What would you like to tell your 25 year old self?
“The grass always seems greener! Take your time in evaluating your current position
and carefully vet new opportunities before transitioning. Don't make knee jerk
decisions. In jobs, partnerships and life!”

14. Kim Leugers
LinkedIn
What is the most satisfying goal that you have reached in your career to
date?
“Being given the opportunity to enact change in the industry, and being
respected for my professional opinion on the industry.”
Have you gotten where you are with strategy or did it just happen for you?
“My path is part by design (recognizing trends and taking the risk to invest in
what I believe will be an important avenue) and part by opportunistic luck.”

15. JaKenna Gilbert
Estee Lauder
What is the most satisfying goal that you have reached in your career to date?
“Hands down, working on ELC’s largest philanthropic program, the Breast Cancer
Awareness Campaign. Breast cancer is so personal for every person and there are so
many people who have been touched by breast cancer in some way. For the 2013
campaign, I was part of a small team that led the digital project from strategy to
execution and it was some of the most grueling, yet rewarding work I've ever done.
We produced a video that followed the lives of 3 breast cancer survivors, through
diagnosis, to treatment, to spending time with their families, all along their journey.
Standing side by side these woman, who have suffered through so much pain and are
living embodiments of strength, completely changed my understanding of what true
courage is. And knowing that the work I did touched thousands of people in such a
positive and encouraging way has certainly been the highlight of my career. Truly
inspiring.”
Photo Source: Raydene Salinas, Photo Editor, Huffington Post

16. Alana Widdess
Sears
What is your view on taking risk? Any advice?
“As the saying goes, "no risk, no reward". Ha ha.... I wish I truly felt this way. On
the spectrum of risk aversion, I am probably more on the averse side of things
than not. However, I challenge myself daily to do something that "scares"
me. And it doesn't have to be monumental or earth shattering either! For
example, in order to grow as a leader in a company it is increasingly important to
trust your gut and have conviction in all of your actions, even when you are not
100% sure. So I might start with sending out a communication or leading a
meeting without getting input or running something past my boss or peers
first. I guess in someways, I am equating risk with self-confidence....both of
which are super important!”
What would you tell your 25-year-old self about your career path?
“Remind myself, whenever I am feeling anxious about my career that when the
timing is right, everything will work out the way it's supposed to.”

17. JaKenna Gilbert
Estee Lauder
What is your view on taking risk? Any advice?
“I absolutely believe in taking risk. But I also believe that taking
risk doesn’t necessarily mean being reckless and/or naive.
There’s no reason why we can’t live for today and plan for
tomorrow.
My advice is to stay open to opportunities (as you’ll never know
when a door might open) and when one comes along, try to be
as prepared as possible to jump in full force.”
Photo Source: Raydene Salinas, Photo Editor, Huffington Post

18. Melissa Lefere-Cobb
Oscar de la Renta
What is the most satisfying goal that you have reached in your career to date?
“Working alongside one of the industry's greats-- Oscar de la Renta! I pinched myself
the first time he asked my opinion on something and knew how hard I had to work to
gain his trust and validate the new merchandising department that I founded.”
Are you a risk taker? What is your advice on taking risk?
“My advice is go for it! I moved to NYC from a small town in Michigan two weeks
after I graduated from college. I didn't even have an apartment but knew I needed to
take a leap of faith and everything else would sort itself out..and it did!”
Photo Source: Valerie Keast

19. Alana Widdess
Sears
What was the most challenging obstacle in your career to date?
“Right now! Earlier in my career, although I moved through different
roles/companies, I was within the same industry, making it relatively easy to craft
my "story" and career progression. I then went back to business school, which
proved to be the impetus for my move into a new industry - retail. Even though I
was both a career and industry "switcher", I was fortunate enough to be at a top
business school where I could leverage my network and career resources as a
catalyst for my transition. Interestingly, I now find myself at a juncture where I've
been in a new industry AND function (which I love) for about 3 years....but at this
point in my career, 3 years does not necessarily scream "tenure". So I am
spending a lot of time networking, journaling - looking inward - to figure out not
only how to re-brand myself, but also connect the dots in what on paper might
look like a somewhat disjointed career path.”

20. Kim Hansen
Winston Brands
What is your view on taking risk? Any advice?
“I'm a bit risk averse. I have backed away from some projects because I valued
the security of a steady paycheck. However, my family did start a restaurant,
which is one of the riskiest businesses there is. My advice is too take risk, but do
your homework. I started a restaurant years ago, without restaurant experience,
but I made sure that before going in, I fully understood the restaurant profit
model. It was invaluable to have planning tools at my disposal for my new
venture.”
What would you tell your 25-year-old self about your career path?
The things I would tell my self are:
"Relax, you've got this"
"Seek feedback from your co-workers on all levels"

21. JaKenna Gilbert
Estee Lauder
Have you gotten where you are with strategy or did it just happen for you?
My career journey has been a combination of strategy and being open to opportunities.
I started my career in digital as a community manager for Volkswagen (and that was
before social media was taken that seriously by any brand) and having that executional
and community building experience was important as a base, but I knew that my true
skills would be sharpened on a strategy level. So, when I made the move to the Audi
team and eventually, to another agency, I made sure my experience was centered
around digital strategy. And as I navigated the agency lifestyle, I understood that my
next move would need to be at a brand, where I could make a difference in house. And
sure enough, as soon as I realized this, Estee Lauder contacted me about a position that
my background was absolutely perfect for. They needed someone who could work with
multiple brands, understand social from the ground up and who could communicate
and understand the higher level marketing objectives needed to build successful digital
presences. It was a perfect fit.
Photo Source: Raydene Salinas, Photo Editor, Huffington Post

22. Kim Hansen
Winston Brands
Have you gotten where you are with strategy or did it just happen for you?
“I would say that the strategy was all about understanding what I enjoy and what
I am good at. As I gained work experience, I set goals for the future, and so was
able to choose to take advantage of opportunities that would lead to attaining
those goals. I always looked for opportunities that would enable me to learn and
grow. For example, I left the independence of my own company, to head up an
e-commerce business because I wanted to have those experiences. My success
came from being an on-going orientation towards learning and understanding, as
well as being results oriented, focused and credible.”

23. Thanks to Our Community Partners!

24. ELEVATE, EDUCATE, + MENTOR
Kelly Stickel
President + Global Community Builder
Remodista
312-371-9302 I Skype: kelly.stickel
kelly@remodista.com