DMN’s Marketing Hall of Femme honors female marketers who have taken risks, pushed limits, and achieved standout success in their marketing careers. These fiercely talented women are all the most senior marketing professionals at brands, non-profits, marketing tech and services vendors, or agencies.
We sat down with 2018 Hall of Femme honoree Gina Alshuler, CEO, Rauxa, who shared advice on the challenges of being a woman in the workplace, and how young female professionals can navigate their own successful marketing careers.
DMN: What’s the best piece of career advice that you’ve ever received?
Alshuler: Just show up and start. Don’t know how to open an office? Hmmm… find a location online, order a desk, and move cross-country. Check, check, check! Just start.
DMN: What’s the best way to advocate for yourself in the workplace (whether it’s for a promotion, a salary raise, or more responsibilities)?
Alshuler: Always do the job ahead of the one you have. It’s not just about saying what you want; it’s largely about showing why you deserve the promotion, raise, or new responsibilities.
DMN: As a woman, what advantages and disadvantages have you experienced in climbing up through your career?
Alshuler: One thing women often do really well, to our advantage as a matter of instinct, is listen
and work to solve problems with a higher degree of empathy. I work to understand what’s going on in the lives of my team members, so as to take the entire person into consideration when building solutions for them, our team, and clients. Also, my inclination toward transparency and honest discussions—though sometimes difficult— allows me to address the root of a challenge and arrive at a better solution.
DMN: What advice do you have for younger women in the workplace who want to lean
in and take a bigger seat at the table?
Alshuler: It’s critical to have a mentor who’s involved in your growth and genuinely cares about
your success—you need people in your corner, supporting and encouraging you. I was able to take a bigger seat at the table because I had a mentor who not only believed in my abilities, but also held me accountable. She pushed me to challenge myself, and, furthermore, she wanted to see the end result, so she could provide feedback and guidance. This sort of follow-through is a really important attribute in a mentor.
