2023
Associate Director, Production
INTERNATIONAL
Experiencing Growth Through Mentorship
Education: Johnson C. Smith University; All Things Traffic Production Certification Program Company Name: Heartbeat NYC Industry: Healthcare Advertising Company CEO: James Talerico Company Headquarters Location: New York, NY Number of Employees: 300 Your Location: New Jersey Words you live by: “Always go with your passions. Never ask yourself if it is realistic or not.” –Deepak Chopra Who is your personal hero? My Father, Stanley Shaffer What book are you reading? Emotional Intelligence Habits by Dr. Travis Bradberry What was your first job? Lock Box Associate, Chase Manhattan Bank Favorite charity: Food For The Hungry Interests/Hobbies: Writing Poetry, Culinary Adventures (cooking/baking), Party Planning and Volunteering Family: Husband (Kahlil), Son (Shenobi), Daughter (Kaiba), Yorkie (Mello) & a few surrogate littles
62
2023 Fourth Quarter
Growing up as a child, my dad would say, “Don’t be selfish, remember to pay it forward.” This was a sentiment I heard repeatedly throughout my life from many of my elders, reinforcing the notion that when someone helps you in your journey, you should pay it forward. However, I realized it meant so much more than that. I went through life reciprocating to those who poured into me, but as I began my career journey and encountered my first true mentor, the light bulb went on and I developed a true understanding of my dad’s and elders’ words. When I started my first full-time job I remember feeling alone, very guarded, and disconnected. While I had a handful of supervisors who were supportive and invested time in training me on every aspect of my job, ensuring I excelled, this was as far as the career nourishment extended. It was not until I forged my way in the uncharted waters of advertising that I experienced what paying it forward truly looked like: through mentorship. The presence of a mentor at the start of my career transition was groundbreaking. I had a person who believed I was worth the intentional discussions, guidance, and motivation to aid my growth. They had a genuine interest in helping me reach my full potential and succeed, and it was the key to revealing the strengths that were dormant in me. I was so focused on being the best at the technical tasks of my job that I was blinded from seeing all that awaited me in my career and life from a holistic standpoint. Mentorship opened my eyes to new possibilities. Having mentors invest and pour into me throughout my advertising career has changed how I show up daily. Mentorship has allowed me to grow and thrive in an industry I absolutely love. It has provided guidance, exposed my own shortcomings, and equipped me to tackle the rough patches and challenges within the industry. The mentors throughout my career truly have been the extra battery I needed to spark my talents, change my mindset, and empower me to seek and open doors that had been closed to me. With 20+ years in the industry, I appreciate the invaluable guidance given to me. I now seek every opportunity I can to pay it forward, as it only takes a spark to ignite a fire and that is what mentorship can do.
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AWARD
Stanlisha Shaffer-Berry