In honor of Women’s History Month, Mindgruve is proud to feature insights from our female leaders shaping the future of marketing and innovation. Through their stories, we discover the challenges, motivations, and advice that have guided them on their path to leadership. Join us as we delve into the experiences of Rachel Gigli Carrieri and Ellyn Savage, two prominent figures at Mindgruve, who share their journey and wisdom for aspiring leaders.
Q&A With Rachel Gigli Carrieri – Vice President, Client Services
Rachel manages the agency’s account strategy team. With over 17 years of integrated marketing and strategy experience, Rachel’s expertise focuses on the integration and execution of paid, owned, and earned channels for consumer and B2B brands. Prior to Mindgruve, Rachel worked on both the client-side and agency-side for some of the world’s top marketing agencies and global brands, including BMW, Petco, T-Mobile, El Pollo Loco, CBRE, and the University of California. Rachel is a graduate of the University of Bath.
What core belief drives you to succeed?
“For me, working in advertising is more of a calling than a job. We can achieve great things, but consistency is key to success.”
What were some significant challenges you encountered on your path to leadership, particularly as a woman?
“Female leaders don’t always encourage other women who are rising in the ranks. Competitiveness can get in the way of greatness. To overcome these kinds of challenges, I have joined, and even led, female employee resource groups where women can get together to talk about these issues and learn tools and approaches that will help them.”
Can you tell us about your journey and what inspired you to pursue leadership roles?
“Being a leader is not about a title. It is something you can have and demonstrate at any level. I have always been a leader and as I gain more experience, it has made sense that I lead a larger group with a larger set of responsibilities. It is not something I pursue. It unraveled naturally. Being an account leader is often about assuming ownership of any meeting you are in related to your account. It’s about taking ownership of the good and bad happenings on your account. The buck stops with the account leader.”
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to leadership roles?
“Don’t aspire to a leadership role. Find your calling, learn your craft, and keep getting better by leaning in, engaging in the work, and having a voice at the table.”
How can women navigate barriers and biases they may encounter in their career advancement?
“I frequently encounter what might be an unconscious bias towards the men in my peer group. For example, let’s say an all-male leadership team has been selected for a trip where it would also have made sense to include a fellow female leader. In this instance, it is fair to call out what you are seeing in a calm way that hopefully shines a light on the perceived situation while explaining the value you or your colleague would have brought.”
What does Women’s History Month mean to you personally?
“I use Women’s History Month to reflect on the female role models in my life.
“My wonderful mother is the ultimate entrepreneur. In addition to starting several successful small businesses throughout my childhood, she was supremely resourceful and could instantly take charge of any situation. I once got blocked from exiting Russia over bureaucratic nonsense around my exit visas. My mother tracked down the British ambassador, got him on the phone, and insisted he got me out of the country. This took her about 3 hours and this was pre-internet. The Embassy got me new flights and new visas within 24 hours thanks to my mother.
“Kristy Henning, HR Director at Mindgruve, is another phenomenal woman, mother, friend, and colleague who partners with me to shape the company culture here at Mindgruve and make working for this company something really special. Kristy goes beyond being a Human Resources leader by connecting personally with every employee and supporting the Executive team in how they mentor, coach, train, and direct their team members. She is a rock.”
Q&A With Ellyn Savage – Vice President, Media
Ellyn leads media strategies that help brands identify and acquire new customers. Drawing upon her deep experience in market research and consumer insights, Ellyn drives revenue growth by leveraging data to optimize client campaigns. She is considered one of the top omni-channel media experts in Cross-Platform Display, Social Media, and Video with extensive experience in TV, CTV, OOH, Print, and Radio. Prior to Mindgruve, Ellyn worked on Madison Avenue in New York City before moving to San Diego. Her past clients include Olive Garden, Mars, Inc., Martinelli’s, Procter & Gamble, Agilent Technologies, and Cars.com. Ellyn is a graduate of Penn State University.
What core belief drives you to succeed?
“I’m motivated by being considered trustworthy and not letting others down, which works well in a client services industry.”
What were some significant challenges you encountered on your path to leadership, particularly as a woman?
“I have thankfully not faced many roadblocks getting to my current position, and I’ve rarely asked for promotions outright. I’ve done my best to prove my value by going above and beyond, staying organized, and being proactive and thoughtful in everything I do.
“I’ve found that speaking my thoughts and asking questions in meetings to ensure I’m following was a great way to find my voice and become more confident early in my career.
“Many women, myself included, deal with imposter syndrome, which is self-doubt. Despite titles or recognition or any other outward success, this self-doubt is consistently there. Knowing it’s not something others notice helps.”
Can you tell us about your journey and what inspired you to pursue leadership roles?
“As the oldest of three girls, it’s been innate from the start that I would only be fully myself if I were in charge of something, whether that be directing the neighborhood play or leading a team.
“I’ve learned something from every manager I’ve had and from every challenging situation I’ve navigated as a manager and those all shape my style. Having worked with Mindgruve’s President, Dan Hellbusch, I value his transparency, trust in me, empathy, and willingness to get in the weeds and help where needed. I strive to be the same for others.
“Over time, I’ve had to work to be more approachable. When I was a new manager years ago I would often get so engrossed in my work, it was frustrating to get interrupted. Now, I expect and welcome the interruptions as coaching is my number one priority.”
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to leadership roles?
“(1) Be adaptable. We need to flexibly adapt to constantly shifting circumstances while retaining equanimity. (2) Value feedback, knowing your perception is never the full story. (3) If you’re challenged and learning, you’re in the right place. (4) Attitude is everything.”
How can women navigate barriers and biases they may encounter in their career advancement?
“Have uncomfortable and direct conversations to avoid internalizing feelings of injustice. Practice by advocating for others often.”
What does Women’s History Month mean to you personally?
“I studied political science and have a strong sense of civic pride and respect for the women who advocated for gender equality early on, and I know the road to get to where we are today was a long slog and a mountain we’re still climbing. I feel it’s my responsibility to the women who came before me and my two young daughters to keep fighting the fight and not accepting the status quo.”
Conclusion
The stories of Rachel and Ellyn reflect the diverse pathways and challenges women face in leadership roles. Their insights not only celebrate their achievements but also serve as a beacon for aspiring female leaders. Mindgruve is committed to fostering an environment where women can thrive and lead, inspired by the lessons of those who pave the way during Women’s History Month and beyond.
