Navigating Networking: She Runs It + Pass the Mic

She Runs It is a non-profit organization that has championed women in marketing, media, and tech for over a century. They connect and empower their 6,000+ members through mentorship, leadership development, diversity initiatives, and networking opportunities, helping women of all backgrounds rise and thrive in their careers.  

Jocelyn Hudak, Senior Director, Content and Digital Marketing sat down with Lynn Branigan, Cathryn Gonyo, and Natalie DeGenova, to discuss the power of networking, how to put yourself out there, and what She Runs It can offer women looking for connection and career growth.

Listen to the full interview and check out some key takeaways from the conversation highlighted below.

Enjoy the ride.

Meet Lynn Branigan President & CEO at She Runs It, where she works closely with corporate executives, influencers, and members across the industry, developing programs to empower women to achieve their professional goals at every stage. In addition to her many notable achievements and contributions, she co-founded #Inclusive100, the industry’s first data-based tool to assess and accelerate diversity and inclusion across the marketing industry.

Highlight: “Sometimes you think you've got to be right. You don't have to be right. You just have to enjoy the ride and be interested and curious… This one woman at Cannes said something that really stuck with me… she said, ‘Life is so much harder than work. If you think about this game of life, life is much harder than work. So in our job, why don't we make work fun? Why don't you make work joyful?’ And if the industry isn't of interest to you, find something else that does. There's no point in staying in something that's not joyful. We are, I don't mean to speak for Natalie and Catherine, but - Lynn Branigan

Give as much as you get.

Highlight: “There are gonna be times when you have a challenge in your career, where you're questioning your next step. And we are such a great resource for you to reach out for help when in those moments. One of the things I say to people when I do this workshop is, ‘Give as much as you get.’ Let's say Natalie made an introduction for me that helped me sign a new client or helped me build a skill I wasn't very confident in. I wanna make sure I let her know how I took advantage of that, but I also want to make sure she knows I'm following her career and I'm proud of what she's doing and that I want to be a champion for her regardless of where she goes.” - Lynn Branigan

Learn to overcome imposter syndrome.

Meet Natalie DeGenova, Director of Business Development & Partnerships at She Runs It, where she drives strategic growth by cultivating impactful partnerships and securing resources that create pathways for women of all backgrounds, identities, and ethnicities to lead at every stage of their careers. With a passion for fostering inclusion and innovation, Natalie leverages her expertise in business development, event production, and relationship management to connect like-minded organizations and individuals dedicated to breaking barriers and championing equity in a variety of ways.

Highlight: “I'm so happy we have this networking with notable events, specifically now for young executives, because It was just so intimidating to be there and having these people who are maybe around my age, two years older, they were at Google, they were at Meta, and they had so much to say and add to the conversation. And I just felt so in over my head with all of these things, and it's really hard to overcome that imposter syndrome of, ‘Why would anyone want to come here and meet me?’ Like, ‘What are they getting out of this?’ And you have so much of that transactional mindset of not being able to offer enough. And I think She Runs It has the most incredible tool to help you overcome that.” - Natalie DeGenova

Acknowledge your achievements.

Highlight: “Giving yourself a little bit of a best friend or mentor POV and just looking back at what you have done, what you have built over the past few years. Even if you feel like you still have so much further to go, just acknowledging what you've done, the work you have put in, and giving yourself just that little bit of friendship or love that your best friend would give you. Encouraging you that you've done a lot more than you're willing to likely give yourself credit for.” - Natalie

Live to learn.

Meet Cathryn Gonyo, Director of Executive Class Membership & Partnerships at She Runs It, where her dynamic career experience across development, operations, partnerships, sponsorship, event production, and CRM help her to drive impact. She is a creative problem solver who prioritizes fostering community and building connections among the industries top talent.

Highlight: “For me, it's all about a growth mindset and continuously living to learn. Just keep learning, keep being present. Not just how I show up, but even when we're working with our fellow executives, advising on how they should show up… Give yourself a little bit of time to grow because when we are in this work environment, we're on a continuous hamster wheel at times. And we don't stop to pause, to dip into even She Runs It programs, but those are moments to learn and just get outside perspective. And when we do that, I think it really helps us develop as professionals, both personally on a personal level as well.” - Cathryn Gonyo

Find your voice.

Highlight: “Find your voice, I think it's important. Being a part of an organization like She Runs It allowed you to see all the different folks in the industry and all the levels. And so it gave you this piece to say, ‘Okay, I'm gonna be that.’ Women would teach me, ‘Oh, meet one or two new people that you've never met before.’ It can be casual conversation, et cetera. Find one little common piece that you can connect with them on. And so giving little tips along the way was always very helpful.” - Cathryn Gonyo

She Runs It and the women behind the company are creating opportunity and community for women everywhere. Take their networking wisdom and advice around building connections as your inspiration to take the leap and put yourself out there. For more inspiring content, check out the Pass the Mic page.  

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