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Women in Leadership Foundation is pleased to introduce you to Jennifer Reedie (she/her) who is one of our valued mentors in our Mentorship Program.
What motivated you to become a mentor in the Women in Leadership Mentorship Program?
I enjoy helping other women in their careers. I’ve learned a few things on my own path and want to share my experience and insights to assist other women.
How do you approach building a strong mentor-mentee relationship? Are there any specific strategies or techniques you find effective?
I ask what their work style is and the best way for us to communicate. The first session is really to get to know each other. I ask questions about their personal story, passions and goals. I ask them to think of challenges they may be having and send me things they want to discuss in our next meeting together.
In each session I listen first. A personal experience I’ve had that’s relevant to the conversation usually comes to me and I share lessons I’ve learned, and we talk about how it applies it to their situation.
I like to give an action item for them to take away for our next meeting. This keeps them thinking about their career growth and working on their goals. That may be building a creative portfolio or giving guidance on a check list of requirements at work to achieve a promotion. In the end we celebrate those successes.
What do you consider to be the most rewarding aspect of being a mentor?
Coaching a mentee through a challenge or helping them to see their options is very rewarding. Knowing that I’ve made a positive difference and influenced a mentee to become a future leader means they may in turn be a positive influence to someone else. It’s also an opportunity to see the world through your mentee’s eyes and new perspectives lead to fresh thinking and ideas.
Have there been any valuable lessons or insights you've gained through your mentorship journey? If so, could you share one or two that have had a significant impact on you?
In order to be a good mentor you need to be vulnerable and that sometimes means sharing your raw moments and what you’ve learned from them.The mentor/mentee relationship is a two-way street, we are sharing experiences and learning from each other.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering becoming a mentor in the Women in Leadership Mentorship Program?
You know more than you think you know, you’ve had years of experience that can be valuable to others. Be open to learning from your mentee, we all have had our own experiences and there is something to learn from everyone you meet.
About Jennifer Reedie:
Jennifer has over 20 years’ experience in advertising and marketing, with a focus on creative direction, brand development and thought leadership. She leads design teams, with attention to quality and craftsmanship setting high standards for design excellence, production quality and strategic alignment.
She is an accomplished Creative Director and Brand Consultant with a passion for crafting compelling brand experiences. With a track record of client success in finance, retail, media and healthcare, Jennifer has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive brand growth.
Jennifer recently launched Brand& Creative Consulting (www.brandand.design) in 2023, helping companies to discover their brand story and creating branding identities that connect to customers, building brand awareness and driving loyalty.
Previously, as a Creative Director at Benchsci, Jennifer established a creative team in a SaaS start-up environment, producing exceptional work across multi-channel campaigns that drove brand recognition. Among other achievements she led the product brand identity launch for Benchsci’s software platform and suite of applications.
At Polyconcept she managed an international creative team supporting brand engagement and e-commerce. She directed photoshoots across a vast cross-section of gift products and fashion for over 4000 products sold internationally. She facilitated design workshops and brand strategy sessions across the organization.
While at Tangerine Bank she led the national campaign that made Tangerine the first bank to introduce remote deposits to Canadians, leading the way in how mobile banking changed consumers' lives.
As Creative Director & Managing Director at Publicis Tandem she led the new division from $0 to $1.2M in the first year with a focus on growth and creative excellence. She provided operational leadership while guiding a creative team to deliver extraordinary work, accountable for 14 brands.
Jennifer has worked with over 50 clients including Scotiabank, CIBC, BDC, Rogers, Bell Media, Wal-Mart, Reebok, Roots, Crystal Head Vodka, Danone, Taco Bell and more.
Jennifer is a leader and mentor for creative talent. She was a judge for The One Show, she’s won several industry awards and has been featured in Applied Arts Magazine for her work.