Editor of Ad Age
Twitter: @amklaassen
What's the best piece of advice you ever received?: I am so grateful I was born in an era when there were a lot of athletic outlets for women because I learned so much about leadership, teamwork, focus and hard work from playing sports. My dad, always the informal coach, had a few maxims he liked to share -- the importance of hustle and that whether it was basketball, golf or tennis, the key to great shots was in the follow through.
What key traits or skills do you think contribute the most to success?: My sister is a great improv comedian and she'll tell you that one of the core tenets of improvisational comedy is to go with it -- to respond positively, not negatively, to what your partner or teammates say. In Bossypants, Tina Fey describes this rule for business and life as saying "Yes, and..." with the idea being to agree with what the other performer has asserted and then add something to it.
Image: Abby Klaassen
Technology Reporter for The New York Times
Twitter: @jennydeluxe
How do you define success?: Success is individualistic and success is ever-evolving. What matters to you in 2013 might be different from what matters in 2014. Everyone has to define it for themselves, based on their own goals and priorities. Success this month might mean getting an article published on the front page of a newspaper; next month it might mean coming up with a book proposal. Each person must define it for themselves. The trick is understanding that, and figuring out what it means for you and your personal goals, as well as recognizing that you don't have to win a Pulitzer to be successful.
What's the best piece of advice you ever received?: Trust your instincts and follow your gut. And don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Image: Jenna Wortham
Editor in Chief of Siempre Mujer Magazine
Twitter: @mcristymarrero
What's the best piece of advice you ever received?: Right after I was promoted to Editor in Chief of Siempre Mujer Magazine, my mom told me: Maria Cristina, you have a Master’s degree in journalism. Now, you will get a PhD on ego. You will master the art of diplomacy and will learn how to deal and understand people's ego and your own. Always stay grounded and remember this is what you do, not who you are. She recently retired from an important pharmaceutical company after 30 years of service as the number one sales district manager. She inspires me.
How do you define success?: I always say it's the art of doing everything you want when it feels right and how you have always dreamed of doing it. But most importantly, to assume responsibility for the results because you asked for it. We can only control our intentions, never the results.
Image: Maria Cristina Marerro
Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Digital Brand Architects
Twitter: @KendraBracken
How do you define success?: Success is having fun, laughing often and much, motivating others to work with me, gaining the affection of my friends and colleagues, appreciating everything I have, finding the best in others, being honest and fearless, and ultimately leaving the world a bit better.
What do you wish you had known when you were first starting out?: When starting a company and leading a team through uncharted waters, there is no roadmap on what to do. Everything is uncertain, it’s psychologically damaging and also the most rewarding and satisfying job you’ll ever have. There is definitely a learning curve from being an employee to employer, which you have to embrace. You also need to trust yourself and your natural intuition will kick in. Maintain a group of close to the vest advisors and friends that you trust implicitly.
Image: Kendra Bracken-Ferguson
Founder and President of Women of the Vine
Twitter: @WomenoftheVine
What or who inspires you?: The amazing women vintners and farmers I work with. Their stories about the land, the seasons and the art of winemaking, as well as their resilience in the face of wipeouts caused by frost and rain, inspire me every day. These women opened me up to a world that I had never fully paid attention to before.
How do you define success?: I found success as an executive in NYC but longed for a change and to unleash my entrepreneurial spirit. My passion for food and wine led to a trip to the Napa Valley. Curiosity and my journalism education prompted me to do more research on women in the winemaking business. The idea for Women of the Vine was born, and I was soon trekking to California to interview passionate (and famous) winemaking women entrepreneurs. In the process, I realized that along with the book, I could champion these women more directly by going into the business. I found a career that feeds my soul.
Image: Deborah Brenner
Chief Digital Officer of the City of New York
Twitter: @rachelhaot
What or who inspires you?: My Nana. She is positive, loving and honest. She is also incredibly hard working – she raised two children while working full-time as a teacher and getting her Master’s degree in education. And she never complains. She is also brave. She was one of the only female union organizers in her town as a young woman, and fought for desegregation and workers’ rights. Her example sets the tone for our entire family.
What do you wish you had known when you were first starting out?: The importance of delegation and letting go. It’s critical to the growth of any organization or relationship.
Image: Rachel Haot
CEO, Creative Director and Co-Founder of FEED Projects
Twitter: @laurenbushtweet
What or who inspires you?: Traveling inspires me. Whenever I am exposed to a new place, a new culture and a new way of thinking I find that my mind and creativity expand tenfold. I am grateful that through my work with FEED, I am able to travel often to distant and foreign places.
What do you wish you had known when you were first starting out?: I am actually grateful for all I did not know when I was starting out. If I had known all the rules, I would have been less likely to break them. And I believe FEED is a product of doing things differently, outside the norm of how regular business operates.
Image: Lauren Bush Lauren
Vice President, Public Relations of Target Corporation
Twitter: @DusteeJenkins
What's the best piece of advice you ever received?: My grandmother, Mary Tucker, always gave the best advice. I hold this one near and dear to my heart:
"Come early, stay late, work hard, give back and always let ‘em know you’re there."
What key traits or skills do you think contribute the most to success?:
I’m passionate and known for jumping in with both feet, I’m always up for a challenge, and, most importantly, I’m not afraid to fail. These are incredibly helpful traits in the PR industry
Image: Dustee Tucker Jenkins
Former Co-Founder and COO of Buddy Media
Twitter: @kasslazerow
What's the best piece of advice you ever received?: Mistakes are just data points from which to learn.
How do you define success?: I define success as being more aware than not, being okay with mistakes and improvements along the way, and having some quiet in my mind at some point during each day!
Image: Kass Lazerow
News Correspondent for ABC News
Twitter: @sarahaines
What do you wish you had known when you were first starting out?: I wish I had known when I started out that there isn't really a "destination" in life, professionally or personally. Life really is about the journey. It is as much about the frustrated-confused-what-the-heck-am-I-doing-with-my-life days as the days when you think you have it all figured out. Each day, each step, each moment builds and shapes a picture that is your journey. You don't "arrive" though. It isn't about a perfect job, perfect partner, or perfect weight. It is about living every day with a sense of duty and integrity. If you can put your head down at the end of a day and stand behind your words and actions, you nailed it!
What key traits or skills do you think contribute the most to success?: In order to succeed, a person needs a tenacious work ethic, the ability to proactively problem solve, and an authentic enthusiasm for the task at hand. Too often people are looking down the road at what they ultimately want to do rather than embracing the moment and seeing their present role in the bigger picture. If you can take any job in your life, put your head down, and work to the best of your ability, you will succeed.
Image: Sara Haines
There’s a huge conversation about female leadership taking place, especially in the digital space.
That's one of the reason we partnered with New York Women in Communications for its inaugural WiCi Awards — to help share the stories of the women who are changing the game.
Mashable is thrilled to announce the 2013 WiCi Award winners, honoring rising stars in communications. In its inaugural year, the WiCi Awards recognizes 10 women who are changing the industry.
See also: 18 Major Tech Contributions From Entrepreneurial Women
These 10 women are in the trenches everyday, pushing their industries forward and paving the way for future generations. The winners represent all aspects of communications: marketing, journalism, advertising, broadcast, public relations and social good. They are defining what the profession of communications means in the digital age. In the gallery above, you can learn about this year's winners.
Join us in celebrating an extraordinary set of leaders, entrepreneurs and role models, during at an evening reception in New York City on Sept. 18. You can get more information and purchase tickets here.
The WiCi awards complement the Matrix Awards, which include honorees such as Sheryl Sandberg, Arianna Huffington, Meredith Vieira, Annie Leibovitz and Meryl Streep, among other female leaders.
Image: Jenna Wortham, Debra Brenner, Maria Christina Marerro, Lauren Bush; Mashable composite