Ragan and PR Daily’s Top Women in Marketing Class of ’23 on the advice they’d give their younger selves

Award winners in their own, inspiring words this Women’s History Month.

March is Women’s History Month, which celebrates the accomplishments of women across all industries and occupations. In this spirit, we’re looking back at some of the winning speeches from Ragan and PR Daily’s Top Women in Marketing Awards, Class of ’23, when winners reflected on their careers and shared a piece of advice they’d give their younger selves.

“The most successful people in the world are the ones who learned really quickly how to fail fast,” said Vanessa Mbonu, vice president of digital marketing and communications at the NAACP. “If you learn anything, fail fast and build slow.”

“Don’t burn bridges,” said Sue Dietrich, marketing director at Stanley Brand. “You never know when another opportunity is going to come for you. Listen to all of the advice that all of you beautiful women have given everyone today.”

“I would tell her that she should own her expertise, know she is a leader, said April Augustine, director of marketing at Gaming Laboratories International (GLI). “She deserves to be in every room that she has been invited to and that she should own it, because she’s great.”

“I would tell her to be bold, to be on herself, to not let anyone steal her joy,” said Aliah Davis McHenry, Executive Director of Corporate Marketing, Corporate Communications, Bristol Myers Squibb. “And then I also would give her a big hug and say ‘You got this, sis.’”

Think someone you know is award-worthy? Entries are open for the 2024 Top Women in Marketing Awards now.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.

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