How to thrive as a speechwriter

Whether it’s the C-suite or your current role, know what you want and how to get it

Christine Solie granted three wishes to a room full of speechwriters; three wishes to help them reach their professional goals.

Solie isn’t a genie or guru, but instead a communicator who’s worked her way into several Fortune 500 C-suites including those at Ford Motor Credit and Nationwide Insurance. For the last year, she’s been vice president of financial communications at PNC Financial Services.

At Ragan’s Speechwriters Conference in February, Solie—a veteran of writing for executives—presented the session, “How to go from a speechwriter to a VP.”

But her advice went beyond how to get a corner office. It gave speechwriters motivation to reach their professional goals whatever they might be.

“You got the power,” she told speechwriters. “You’ve got the mojo. You got the authority; you’ve got the ability and people want what you got.”