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This week, Two Ten Foundation’s Women in Footwear (WIFI) community came together for an insightful conversation about networking success stories.
As part of WIFI’s virtual content series sponsored by Aldo Group, moderator Eli Del Carmen, VP of Sales at Caleres, is joined by Elaine Eaton, VP of Wholesale at Crocs, and Jennifer Hutchison, Director of Operations at BBC International , discussed. How are you leveraging your network to achieve your career goals, what’s worked for you, what hasn’t worked for you, and more.
Eaton, a 21-year veteran in the footwear industry, began talking about the importance of leveraging your network beyond just career advancement. “We use networking to exchange ideas and knowledge within the industry,” says Eaton. “People can be great sounding boards for me, whether it’s an issue I’m working on or a new category I’m considering adding at Crocs. So it’s important that my personal Who can you bring in from your network and leverage their knowledge?”
Hutchison, a 19-year industry veteran, agreed with Eaton, adding that networking is important in the footwear industry. “This is a very close-knit family industry and there is always someone you can contact for advice, questions or guidance,” Mr Hutchison said. “I was very fortunate to have great mentors in the shoe industry.”
In a virtual panel discussion Tuesday, leaders emphasized that it’s okay to start small with like-minded people within your organization and those who may already be your biggest cheerleaders. “Get used to asking for feedback and asking for advice. Develop your networking skills with them before branching out to people who are a little more intimidating,” Hutchison said. “The more people you talk to, the more confident you become.”
Another big takeaway from Tuesday’s discussion was about networking mistakes, like not being able to say something nice when your manager got in touch with you or when you had an awkward moment. It revolved around not being shy. “Whatever you’ve built up in your mind is probably much worse than what other people thought the situation was,” Eaton says. “We’re all human and we all make mistakes, but that’s the most important thing everyone should remember in their careers. But most of the time, we make what you thought were embarrassing mistakes. Your opponent won’t remember it in the future. You need to keep training your ride.”
Turning to personal career advancement, Del Carmen emphasized the need to be your own advocate. “I realized early on that I needed to take control,” Del Carmen said. “I had to speak up and be my own advocate because no one was coming up to me and saying, ‘You’re the perfect person for this job.’ , when an opening became available within the company, I would go to my direct reports, or go to two levels above my direct reports, and speak up for myself.For young women, if you don’t speak up, Being heard is very important. You have to be your own advocate. You don’t always have to wait for someone to come to you. It may not happen. It’s from.”
Founded more than a decade ago by industry leaders Diane Sullivan and Carol Baiocchi, WIFI has provided a community and forum for women to connect and support each other. Since its debut, the community has grown to a peak of 5,000 members, and the organization aims to expand further.
The next WIFI virtual event will be held on April 17th on Building Professional Networks. An event centered on building a coaching culture will be held on August 21st. The last virtual WIFI event of the year will be held on October 16th, where leaders will discuss the art of delegation.
To learn more and watch the entire panel discussion, visit twoten.org/wifi.
