Girl em[Power]ment – A Series of Short Essays.
Over the next few months Flancake.co will be bringing you the Girl em[Power]ment series, which consists of interviews with several working women of all ages in different stages of their career. These are women I not only find inspiring and interesting, but who I think women of all ages should know about and learn from. These women hold careers in several different industries, from creative design to politics. They’ll give us an inside look into what their job is like, how they got there, share their advice for twenty-somethings, and touch on what Girl em[Power]ment means to them.
[be sure to follow along on insta – @girlempowerment]
Our next influencer was one of my supervisors at Seventeen, who I’m so glad I got to know. She was one of not only the nicest women, but was always more than happy to help with anything myself and the other interns needed. She’s an extremely hard worker but will always make time for whatever you need, and has got a few different jobs under her belt – so she knows whats up.
Introducing Samantha Imparato, of Seventeen Magazine.
Q: What is your current job title, and can you please briefly explain your career path?
A: Integrated Marketing Associate at Seventeen. I was the marketing and sales intern at Redbook during both the fall and spring semesters of my senior year of college. I was lucky enough to receive a job offer to be a sales/marketing assistant at the magazine after I graduated. I worked in this role for about 2 1/2 years, and then was offered a position to work for both Redbook and Seventeen as the Marketing Research Coordinator. After a year working for both titles, I was offered a spot on Seventeen’s marketing team. I’ve been in my current role for over a year now.
Q: Where did you go to school and what was your major?
A: I attended Rutgers University. I was a double major in Journalism/Media Studies and History.
Q: How do you deal with negativity towards women in the work place [if at all]?
A: Fortunately for me, I don’t often come across negativity towards women mainly because I work in a very female dominated industry. The women I currently work with and those I have worked with in the past have always encouraged and supported one another.
Q: Have you ever felt unsure of yourself or felt that you weren’t “enough”, and how did you overcome that?
A: There have definitely been times when I’ve felt unsure of myself, but that’s the nature of any new experience, job, project, etc. I’ve learned to give myself a pep talk during times of uncertainty. I’ve come this far in my career through hard work and I know if I just continue to put forth my best effort, even in situations where I don’t feel confident because of a lack of experience, I will succeed. Also, most things don’t seem so scary anymore once you’ve accomplished them so I always try to keep that goal in mind. I know that if I just do something once, I’ll be able to learn lessons from it and improve the next time. I don’t think anyone should let uncertainty hold them back either because you miss out on so much if you don’t step up and give it a try. I try to follow this advice even outside of the workplace.
Q: What are other things you do [hobbies, projects, interest] that you feel passionate about?
A: I’m OBSESSED with my dog, Spencer, and spending time with him. He’s only a puppy right now so he can get a bit rambunctious, but I love seeing his happy little face when I get home from work every day.
I also love fashion and shopping. I could spend hours online looking at fashion boards on Pinterest or blogs online trying to get some inspiration. Other interests of mine include music, traveling, reading, working out and investing an obscene amount of time in TERRIBLE reality television. Also any chance I get, I head to the beach. I’m a summer girl, so the hotter the weather, the better.
Q: Is there anyone you think that is making a difference in women empowerment that you think we should all know about?
A: When I think of women empowerment and people that are able to make a difference, Emma Watson and Mindy Kaling are come to mind.
Emma Watson is extremely intelligent and articulate. She knows how to use her status in the public eye to raise awareness for women’s rights and gender equality. It’s important for young women [and even more important for young men] to see someone like Emma speak to these issues as a way to learn more about equal rights.
Mindy Kaling is talented, down-to-earth and breaking down barriers for females in the entertainment industry. I remember reading her first book [“Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?”] and learning that she actually wrote many episodes of The Office [a show I loved!] Each episode she wrote was one of my favorites and I was so inspired to see a woman in a male-dominated industry make such a name for herself. She’s honest and true to herself, which makes her all the more likable.
Q: What do you do in your free time to relax?
A: In my free time, I usually head to the gym because I always feel accomplished after a really grueling workout. I’ll also online shop, but mostly I just end up putting things in my shopping cart and never actually purchasing them. I’ve got clothes in shopping carts all over the internet! When I really need to relax, I usually listen to some music or catch up on whatever I recorded on my DVR.
Q: What career and/or life advice would you give to your twenty-year-old self?
A: The biggest piece of advice I could give my 20-year old self is stay focused and never compare your journey with anyone else’s. Realize that everything does happen for a reason and be grateful for the experience you are gaining. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions and volunteer for something you’ve never tried before. And, always be nice…to EVERYONE!
Q: What does Girl em[Power]ment mean to you?
A: Girl em[Power]ment is about encouragement, inspiration and influencing other women to be successful against all odds. It’s about reminding women that they have a voice in this world and they are far more than just “good enough.”
I hope you enjoyed hearing from Sam! Especially her advice on if you feel unsure of yourself, just remember that “most things don’t seem so scary once you’ve accomplished them”. Stay tuned to hear from the next influencer + follow @girlempowerment on insta for updates!
Xo, Flancake
[graphic by the talented Courtney Urich]
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