Tips from Extraordinary Women
There’s nothing like the positive energy and unstoppable attitude of dynamic, successful and engaging women.
This week, the first-ever MAKERS Conference was held in Southern California at a spectacular setting, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As breathtaking as the setting was, even more impressive was the array of phenomenal women (and a handful of men), who came to highlight and empower the 450 participants with stories, lively panels, cutting edge case studies, and entertainment.
Dyllan McGee, MAKERS’ Executive Producer, states: “In the women’s movement, when they wanted to make change, they gathered together and hatched a plan. We want MAKERS to spark the next 50 years of change and the MAKERS Conference was our first step. We have so many extraordinary stories we have captured of trailblazing women and now we need to use our collection to spark a movement.”
Maureen Sullivan, President, AOL.com and Lifestyle Brands also provides insight into the purpose and goals of the conference: “With the MAKERS platform we feel like we have an opportunity and a responsibility to shine a light on inspiring stories and groundbreaking, innovative, and incredible women. This past week, that is exactly what we did at the MAKERS Conference. Seeing years of work come together in both a celebration of incredible women like Gloria Steinem, Gwen Ifil, and Gabby Giffords and a commitment to continuing their mission was quite a feeling. I’m hopeful that the MAKERS Conference will be able to play a small part in helping to set the agenda for the next phase of this movement. ”
The conference brought together filmmakers, authors, activists, CEO’s, and astronauts. From Chelsea Handler’s brutal honesty about her epic career (which actually started after she got a DUI!) to Mae Jemison, who struggles to fit in a workout program while coming up with the solution as to how humans will fly to the stars, the speakers were not afraid to reveal themselves. Despite the extraordinary success these women have found in all different fields, they still experience the universal issues we all face, as women. Their ability to break the glass ceiling and soar has come from adversity, hard work, and most importantly, passion.
Here are just a few of the many inspirational words of advice and practical tips heard these past few days:
Sheryl Sandberg on leaning in to a world with more female leaders: As COO of Facebook, Sheryl is a catalyst for women to move into the boardrooms as leaders of companies. “A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes.” She encourages women not to let labels hold them back. “For people whose lives are ahead of them, they have the decision about how ambitious they want to be.”
Chelsea Handler on visualizing yourself exactly where you want to be: Chelsea urges women not to take “no” for an answer but to “keep knocking down walls until someone says ‘yes.’” When asked about working in a mostly male-dominated, late-night arena, her lack of shyness was evident, “I just act like I’m the reason everyone is in the room.”
Martha Stewart on setting yourself up for an energized day: One of the most successful entrepreneurs and lifestyle icons, Martha doesn’t get much shut-eye and admits it’s hard work but makes it a point to start the day in a happy, energetic fashion. She embraces the early morning by keeping her curtains open and powers up on green juice to get her creative juices flowing.
Jennifer Aniston on transforming your attitude: A strong supporter and activist for increasing female roles in film, Jennifer believes you can cultivate success based upon your attitude. “If you’re not happy you can become happy. Happiness is a choice. That’s the thing I really feel.”
Anne Fulenwider on persistence and fortitude: As Editor-in-Chief of world-renowned Marie Claire magazine, Anne is the epitome of perseverance and hard work. In discussing her rise from Vanity Fair to Bride and ultimately to her current position, Anne reveals that in addition to a strong work ethic, a great deal of patience is also required. “You just need to know you are going to do it and it will just take time. Be confident you have the tools and desire, remain patient and it will happen.”
Linda Alvarado on not being afraid to take risks: Linda has made history in breaking barriers to achieve incredible success in two male-dominated industries. As CEO of a major construction company and co-owner of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, she did not let her fear of failing stand in the way. “The biggest mistake we can make is not wanting to make a mistake.”
Sam Gordon on being poised and determined against big odds: 10-year-old Sam wanted to play football with the guys. Not only did she play and win but she has inspired young girls all over the country to be confident and go after it. When asked about playing a sport only played by boys, she responded, “It’s just fun because all the boys are like, ‘Whoa, it’s a girl!’”
“In the women’s movement, when they wanted to make change, they gathered together and hatched a plan. We want MAKERS to spark the next 50 years of change and the MAKERS Conference was our first step. We have so many extraordinary stories we have captured of trailblazing women and now we need to use our collection to spark a movement.” — Dyllan McGee, Executive Producer, MAKERS
“With the MAKERS platform we feel like we have an opportunity and a responsibility to shine a light on inspiring stories and groundbreaking, innovative, and incredible women. This past week, that is exactly what we did at the MAKERS Conference. Seeing years of work come together in both a celebration of incredible women like Gloria Steinem, Gwen Ifil, and Gabby Giffords and a commitment to continuing their mission was quite a feeling. I’m hopeful that the MAKERS Conference will be able to play a small part in helping to set the agenda for the next phase of this movement. ” — Maureen Sullivan, President, AOL.com and Lifestyle Brands
