SPOKEIES™ UNIVERSITY WITH KRISTY WALLACE

Kristy Wallace, CEO of Ellevate Network spoke with Kristina Doytchinova, Marketing Manager of D S Simon Media about empowering women in the workplace and the importance of women establishing themselves as influencers in their fields. Kristy provides valuable tips and best practices on how women can boost their public profile and grow their professional influence.

Key Quotes: 

“Women as influencers add more voices to the conversation. We have thought leaders who are coming up with unique perspectives and opinions, solutions, innovation, around problems that involve all of us.”

“I think a good thought leader and a good spokesperson and influencer is listening to the conversation as well, and then able to respond to what they’re hearing out there.”

Transcript:

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: Welcome to SPOKEies University. I’m Kristina Doytchinova with D S Simon Media. And I’m joined today by Kristy Wallace, CEO of Ellevate Network. Thanks so much for joining us.

KRISTY WALLACE: Thank you for having me.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: So, Ellevate Network, one of your missions is to empower women in their careers and in business. How important is it for women to establish themselves as influencers in their fields?

KRISTY WALLACE: It’s incredibly important. Women as influencers add more voices to the conversation. We have thought leaders who are coming up with unique perspectives and opinions, solutions, innovation, around problems that involve all of us. And so it’s great to see women really using their voice as a tool for change. It’s also great for building your brand. If you are a business owner or a business leader looking to establish yourself for your thought leadership, your opinions, it is a great opportunity to really differentiate yourself.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: Absolutely. And speaking of business leaders who have established themselves as influencers, you’re a great example of that.

KRISTY WALLACE: Thank you.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: I know you have a weekly podcast with Ellevate Network.

KRISTY WALLACE: I do.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: And you’re also a judge for the SPOKEies awards which we’re very excited to have you as a part of it.

KRISTY WALLACE: Yes.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: What are some practical tips and best practices for women, specifically, to build their influence?

KRISTY WALLACE: I would say, make it something you focus on every day or every week. If you’re really committed to growing your influence, it has to be something that you really spend the time to do. And you can do it in many different ways.

You can speak at events. There’s many events happening on local and national levels where you can be part of a panel. You can speak. Podcasts are a fantastic way to get your message and your brand out there. It’s pretty low cost in terms of setting it up and getting that started. Of course, writing about leadership, publishing articles.

And social media. You can never underestimate the value of social media, between Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and all the platforms. It’s a way to connect with others, to really share your thoughts and opinions, and to hear from others, too. I think a good thought leader and a good spokesperson and influencer is listening to the conversation as well, and then able to respond to what they’re hearing out there.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: Absolutely. To ingrain themselves within the conversation–

KRISTY WALLACE: Certainly.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: –that’s happening.

KRISTY WALLACE: Yes.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: Yeah. So, as we’re talking about the SPOKEies awards, how important is it for women to be recognized for their communication ability and their ability as a spokesperson?

KRISTY WALLACE: It’s incredibly important. Again, it’s just about the diversity of thought, the diversity of experiences, perspectives, as well as finding role models that we can look to as spokespeople that really inspire us and resonate with the audience. Oftentimes, women may not be raising their hand for opportunities. Statistically, it shows that women are less inclined to jump up for that opportunity. So I think it’s also important we really look to support women that are doing great work. And SPOKEies is a huge opportunity for us to really shine a spotlight on women as spokespeople.

KRISTINA DOYTCHINOVA: Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for being with us.

KRISTY WALLACE: Thank you.