MEDIASCAPE: Insights From Digital Changemakers
Join hosts Joseph Itaya and Anika Jackson as they dive into conversations with leaders and changemakers shaping the future of digital media. Each episode explores the frontier of multimedia, artificial intelligence, marketing, branding, and communication, spotlighting how emerging digital trends and technologies are transforming industries across the globe.
MEDIASCAPE is proudly sponsored by USC Annenberg’s Master of Science in Digital Media Management (MSDMM) program. This online master’s program is designed to prepare practitioners to understand the evolving media landscape, make data-driven and ethical decisions, and build a more equitable future by leading diverse teams with the technical, artistic, analytical, and production skills needed to create engaging content and technologies for the global marketplace. Learn more or apply today at https://dmm.usc.edu.
MEDIASCAPE: Insights From Digital Changemakers
Empowering Mothers through Digital Media with Shirin Yadegar
Ever wondered how managing a household can mirror the challenges of running a business? Join us for an engaging conversation with Shirin Yadegar, the inspiring founder and CEO of LA Mom Magazine, as she shares her journey from communication and journalism at USC Annenberg to leading a thriving digital magazine. Shirin opens up about her unique perspective on parenting as a form of leadership, drawing parallels between guiding her four daughters and steering a successful enterprise. Gain insights into her world, where adaptability and empowerment are the cornerstones of both family life and career growth.
Explore the vibrant realm of entrepreneurship and media through Shirin's 14-year adventure with LA Mom Magazine. Transitioning from print to digital and embracing the rise of video content, she reveals the art of maintaining authenticity in an ever-evolving advertising landscape. Discover how platforms like Instagram and TikTok have taken center stage, and learn about impactful initiatives like the "Moms Matter" video series. Shirin's emphasis on emotion-driven communication offers a fresh perspective on connecting with audiences meaningfully.
In a candid discussion about female entrepreneurship, Shirin tackles the balancing act of work and family life, sharing strategies to leverage social media for growth while staying true to one's values. She offers wisdom on building credibility through authentic content and the importance of resilience in the entrepreneurial journey. With advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and a focus on embracing challenges, Shirin's story is a testament to perseverance and passion in the digital media landscape.
This podcast is proudly sponsored by USC Annenberg’s Master of Science in Digital Media Management (MSDMM) program. An online master’s designed to prepare practitioners to understand the evolving media landscape, make data-driven and ethical decisions, and build a more equitable future by leading diverse teams with the technical, artistic, analytical, and production skills needed to create engaging content and technologies for the global marketplace. Learn more or apply today at https://dmm.usc.edu.
Welcome to Mediascape insights from digital changemakers, a speaker series and podcast brought to you by USC Annenberg's Digital Media Management Program. Join us as we unlock the secrets to success in an increasingly digital world.
Speaker 2:Welcome everyone. We are joined today by a longtime friend and colleague of mine, really one of my favorite entrepreneurs and people in the whole wide world, shirin Yadigar. She's the founder and CEO of LA Mom Magazine. Today, we're going to be talking about change, leadership, digital, all the stuff all the things that we love the best, and we're going to hear what Shirin's perspective is on these things. Shirin, welcome and thank you. Leadership, digital, all the stuff all the things that we love the best, and we're going to hear what Shirin's perspective is on these things. Shirin, welcome and thank you.
Speaker 3:Thank you, I'm thrilled to be here. Thank you so much, joseph. You know I admire you and your work, ethic and all that you do, and I'm just so honored to be here with you.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. You're so sweet. All right, madhir. Well, you are a fellow Trojan, and not just any school, but the School of Communication. So can you talk to us about how you found your passion and your path into communication, what led you into that, and take us through the beginning of your life and your career?
Speaker 3:Sure. So, to be completely honest, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and I was so excited that I got into Annenberg as an undergrad. And as I went through the years of studying in the communications program, I was just blown away by how much we could do, how communication is key in everything we do. You can't create a business if you don't know how to communicate. All the tools I ever needed to be successful in life I learned through the communication school and once I graduated I was like I want to take this a level deeper, and so I applied and I then completed my master's in the journalism school at Annenberg. So I've done all my education in the school.
Speaker 3:I love it. I feel like everything I have learned I've put to use. It's not one of those majors that you're like all right, I'm going to study this and then close the book and go another path. Not at all. Everything you learn you will use. Whether you use it in your life, in your relationships, anything you do in your parenting, you will use those skills and I've used it. I use it every day of my life.
Speaker 2:Yep, I love that. One of the things that you just raised is this idea that, as a parent and I've shared this with some of my students and I say I actually think that parenting is one of the most important forms of leadership frankly, tell us about being a parent, tell us about these beautiful kids you have.
Speaker 3:So I have four daughters. My eldest is 21. She's at Columbia, and then I have a 19-year-old who's in the business school, actually at USC, and a 14-year-old is a ninth grader and a 13-year-old is a seventh grader. So they're all girls and they whole gamut different interests, different things. But the one thing I do as a parent is you got to run your household like a business. I mean, you know, Joseph, you've got to have, there's got to be good leadership. You have to see what kind of a leader you want to be in the home and then you see, you see how your kids grow and you see how amazing they are and they're my best friends in the whole world. I want to be with them because they're respectful and they have such a good work ethic and they and just every single thing I have taught them as their CEO they've put to work and I'm so proud of who they are. I'm so proud of my household.
Speaker 2:We talk about how great CEOs are not dictators. They are equippers and they provide empowerment to the people that are on the team. And so and I've seen you do that Can you talk about how you do that as a parent, which will then feather into our conversation of this amazing organization that you started? But leadership through empowerment for your kids?
Speaker 3:Sure, I mean. I think the key with everything is that we need to be adaptable right. Like no one is the same, whether they're your children or your employees or your coworkers, your best friend, your husband, your wife, whoever it is. Things change. No one's the same, and so you have to be willing to adapt right, and our moods change, and who we are today isn't who we are going to be tomorrow, and so we have to be really adaptable. So that's my key. With everything I do in the house with my husband We've been married for 24 years Work, friends, everything I'm willing to move, and it's something with Mom that we've done. You know, things change over the years, especially with technology. Things move so quickly and you cannot be stuck in your ways because you won't be successful, it won't work.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well, and thank you for taking us there, because that actually is the topic of today and that's also the title of this podcast, which is Mediascape Insights from Digital Changemakers Not just leaders, but changemakers and I think that leadership is tied so closely to change, to being prepared for it. You just used the word adaptable, which I think is just fantastic. So can you now talk about the change that you've seen in the early part of your career, when everything was print. You now run a digital magazine, but what was that process and what did you learn from your professors? How did you read the tea leaves? What was going on out in the industry, in your industry, that heading into a digital magazine was going to be the right thing to do?
Speaker 3:Right. Well, when I was in journalism school, we learned about print journalism. I was a print journalism major and we learned all the who, how, what, where. When you know the five questions how do you write in the paper, how do you write a good, strong lead, and X, y and Z. And at the same time, our professors who were working at the LA Times and Wall Street Journal and different places were telling us hey, you got to watch out now, because print is going to become obsolete. Everything is going to become digital. The writing might be the same, but you're going to have to learn to pivot and move with that.
Speaker 3:And so once I graduated and went into the real world, it was, you know, I probably worked in print for about five years and then everything shifted. And so when I decided to create LA Mom Magazine which was 14 years ago now I thought to myself I'm not going to waste money because it's very expensive to print. Right, everyone's telling me things are moving, trends were moving, let's just go digital. There weren't that many digital magazines out there? Definitely no digital magazines for moms. And so we went for it. I mean, it was such a nominal fee I'm like let's try it. You got to take a risk out there, and so we did and we went for it, and now you see that there's nothing in print. I mean, who's holding on to a paper anymore? Who's reading a newspaper? Unless you're off in, like Tahiti, on a vacation on the beach. You're not holding on to a paper.
Speaker 2:Right, absolutely. So when you're thinking about change, what's the ratio of looking at data versus going with your gut, versus talking to people or doing some action groups or doing some research? How do you make those decisions?
Speaker 3:Right. So I mean, it's kind of like the proof is in the pudding. With technology, there's not much research. You can't tell what's going to happen, right. It's with AI you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, so you are doing your own research. There's not really any research out there. You're doing kind of your own research, you're playing around with it and you're seeing where it's going. I mean, I'll tell you a perfect example, like I would go out to get my nails done at a nail salon and everybody would be on their phone and I would ask these women, like what are you doing? And they would say we're reading the news. This was about, you know, 10 years ago. Everyone's reading the news on their phone. So what does that mean? To me, that's like a red flag saying okay, no one's holding onto a magazine ever anymore. You used to hold onto a magazine and cut out the papers. You don't do that anymore. And so when you see your whole community and everyone you know is holding onto their tablets and reading, then that's a trend.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's your research. Really, I love what you just said. We talk about minimum viable product. In our program we also talk about developing a minimum viable audience and you're a marketer, you understand these things and that idea that you know it starts with really understanding who your audience is. You mentioned some women that you happen to see right here in your neighborhood who are at the nail salon and while they're there they're. What are they doing? They're engaging with media and multimedia on their phones. So when you were going through the process of developing that minimum viable audience for LA Mom Magazine, what did you do? Where did you take it? Who did you take it to?
Speaker 3:no-transcript. It was kind of like I created a board, but it wasn't a real board where we sat around a board table. But they gave me advice on how I should move forward, what makes sense, how much should we put into this, and so they really were my team that helped me get this off the ground.
Speaker 2:Okay, got it Cool. Love that All right. So, la Mom Magazine, you decided that you were going to focus on women. You were going to focus on mothers. You're a woman, a female entrepreneur, you have four beautiful daughters, so it seems like there's a whole lot of women A lot of women. In your life and in your circle. So first question as a female entrepreneur, getting started hard, moderate or was easier than you thought? How was it? Because I know that this topic of female entrepreneurship means a lot to you.
Speaker 3:Right. I think it was easier and harder in many ways. So at the time, I was a mother of three. I'd just given birth to my third child, and so it was hard in the sense of if you want to be successful, you've got to give 100% of yourself right. You've got to create a team, you've got to be on top of it. It can't be part-time and lackadaisical. So that was really hard because I wanted to be present as a mother for my girls and, at the same time, I'm trying to get this off the ground, and I felt like I was stretched in two directions and it was very challenging.
Speaker 3:But at the same time, I was really incredibly impressed at how many people wanted to step up and help. And so when I came out with the idea and I sent it out to you know people and I said, please subscribe you know, subscribe to my new magazine and it was easy, just bling, bling, bling, thousands of people showed up and said, hey, we want to support you, we want to support what you're doing. And I think, women, when we collaborate, there is nothing. We are unstoppable, there is nothing that will stop up. So that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. It was like, oh, such a relief. Now I have to make sure that I deliver what it is that they want. So they stay engaged right, so they don't unsubscribe. That's the key.
Speaker 2:Woo. That is such a great point. Let's go right to that, because we're talking about change today. We're talking about the pivots that are important. You might have the most perfect product for that moment, but the sands are always shifting under our feet and we cannot control them. So how have you, over the course of this 14 years of LA Mom Magazine, what are some key turning points? When you went, oh, there's something exciting new that's coming, or oh, here's something that I see is going to flicker and fade and we need to get off of that? What are some key turning points that have happened within your business?
Speaker 3:Right. So I think the one thing that everyone needs to remember before they go into this world of entrepreneurship and trying to create your own media platform or create any business for that matter is that you have to be authentic. Joseph right, if we're not authentic, it's all going to fall apart. So be authentic and then find your niche. And so I made sure that, no matter what was happening and how things were moving, I always stayed authentic and I stayed into my niche, and my niche was moms LA Mom Magazine.
Speaker 3:But I did pivot with time. So things happened like okay, people were getting tired of reading. People weren't reading hard papers anymore, but people were also getting tired of reading, and so I had to pivot. So I created a show called Moms Matter about seven years ago, because people wanted to hear and they wanted to look and they didn't want to read, and so I kind of think it became 50-50 now. As much as I was writing, I was creating the show because I realized, oh, that's it, and in order to stay afloat, you need to grow, obviously on social media, and so people love content that they could watch and listen to, and so we started posting all of this on social media and my social media started to grow.
Speaker 3:And then, when the war hit on October 7th, which is now 15 months ago, I had to pivot again because talking about being authentic was so close to my heart, and so my identity as a Jewish mother I stood up and I started to post and I lost thousands of followers and then I gained thousands of followers again because I stayed authentic to who I was.
Speaker 3:So I figured, at the end of the day, you've got to be real, you know, and so I won't take. For example, I monetize through advertising, obviously, and we can talk about monetization after. But if people come to me and want to pay me to post a product that I don't believe in, I won't take their money. I won't do it because it's not authentic and it's not real. So I've had to pivot a lot and like go after some, like very small companies in order to make ends meet and monetize, because I won't take the bigger guys, because I don't believe in, you know, selling products that are not organic and are not good for our children, I just won't do it. It won't work, it's not authentic.
Speaker 2:I love your answer so much, just a little emotional. You can't see through this Zoom screen that we're on, but knowing you and knowing how much you care about these issues with your whole heart and whole being, which I think is also one of the keys of leadership, I mean it. You got to mean what you say, not just with some words but with your heart. And as we discuss at USC communication, in order for it to stick, it's got to be more than information. It has to have emotion and then context and suddenly now people can begin to understand and build a whole base of knowledge that's going to connect back to publications. And what changes have you seen and do you see coming within advertising? Do they want short form video? Are they looking for, you know, to be integrated with certain platforms? How does that mix and match with your audience and how do you make that work?
Speaker 3:So I think the key really is that they want to make sure that you're active on Instagram and TikTok. I don't have a TikTok following. My girls have been telling me for years I said that's not authentic, that's not me, I'm a mom. So we've kind of been dabbling in TikTok now, even though whatever.
Speaker 3:Anyways, so what people want to see is that want to see short format videos for their products and they want to be able to make sure that you are following LinkedIn now, actually, interestingly enough, also want they want to see that you have a following on LinkedIn and that it's authentic and that it's real, and they want to be seeing you posting there because that's a business platform and so that's something very new. I'd never seen that before. So now, when people reach out for, like affiliate links and they want me to you know, sponsored posts and things like that. Those are the three. Facebook doesn't seem to be as relevant anymore as it was Interesting because you would think within my demographic you know, 30s to 50s you would think it would be relevant, but it's become less and less relevant on the social media platforms for sponsorships and monetized ads.
Speaker 2:Fantastic. Tell us a little bit more about Moms Matter, this video series that you have. You're the host and you are interviewing mothers and experts about some of the issues and things that you're seeing. Tell us about that show and tell us what's the main driver behind it. What are the issues that are happening that you're seeing?
Speaker 3:Right. So Moms Matter really is my opportunity to amplify voices of people that I feel maybe are not getting the recognition they ought to be getting. They are inspirational, they're empowering. It's all about the whole. Reason I created this in the first place is because there was no platform out there for moms to help us Right and, as moms, if we're not present and we're not helping our kids, everything's going to fall apart, and so the show really is a place to help moms with everything they need to know from how much protein should you be eating a day? Should you be lifting weights? Is it okay to breastfeed your kid after you've had two glasses of wine? To really serious issues.
Speaker 3:Like you know, my kid is showing signs of autism, and how do I deal with that? So I bring in experts, whether it's pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists. I bring in people from the UN to talk about what's been going on with the war. I will find the best of the best, and really I don't know. By the grace of God, it's all worked out and people rarely ever say no, and so what you need to do is ask, ask and people will show up. And when you ask, people show up, and we have created such incredible content. I mean, I get dozens of messages, people telling me you had changed my life. Thank you so much. That was an incredible piece of advice. I've seen 10 psychologists couldn't figure out what's going on with my kid. I mean, I get messages like this and that is what keeps me going and I think to myself this is the whole point. This is the whole point of this content. People are actually watching and it's changing their lives.
Speaker 2:We use words like digital platforms a lot, whether it's Airbnb, tiktok you just mentioned as this marketplace of ideas where people can come together. What I love is that you've done is that you're thinking of and you've created a platform in a different sense of that word. You've given a platform not just for people to plug in and exchange dollars and cents and post photos, but really you've given them a platform to, as you mentioned, amplify these great ideas. I want to thank you for that. That's marvelous. Why do you think that that platform has resonated so well versus some other platform or some other form of communication? Because that's what we're all about here. Why is it that you think that the platform that you've created has been so effective in reaching the audience that you want and getting them the information that they need?
Speaker 3:Well, I think that, again, I've stuck with my niche and it's all about moms. And as I've grown, so is the audience and the different ages of the groups. So I haven't forgotten that I may not have toddlers or newborns, but there are moms following me that do, and so I make sure that I can answer their questions. And I do get a lot of emails and a lot of questions like oh, do you mind doing a story on this or do you think you could maybe interview this woman? And I listen to my audience. I mean, that's the only way you're really going to be successful Listen to your audience, see what they want, give them what they want, and so that's really what we've been doing.
Speaker 3:And I think this platform is successful because people want to watch, because it's authentic. When they see you and they see your full, I think it's a lot more persuasive than listening to a podcast. When they can see your face, they see you interacting together and they see what's happening and they know that you're not reading off of a piece of paper, but rather this is a real connection, this is a real relationship you're having with someone on the screen. I think people are like, oh my God, this is amazing. I mean, this is great information and it's just it's helpful.
Speaker 2:Moms are famously great at multitasking, able to accomplish Right, and I see my wife she'll be doing three things at once and listening to a book or listening to a podcast at the exact same time. So I think that may be part of the reason why, you know, in our program we talk about product market fit got to get the best product in the world and just be in love with it, but if it doesn't fit that market and that audience, then there's a disconnect. So it sounds like you've been very aware of that and you've been continually shaping and evolving and changing based on the feedback that you're getting from your audience. So I think it's a big lesson for all of our students and anybody who is listening.
Speaker 3:I mean, I think, joseph, you know, as an effective leader, you have to listen, and it's the most important thing we can do is listen, because if we don't listen, then we don't know which direction we're supposed to go in. So if we don't listen to our audience, then what's the point of our platform?
Speaker 2:What do you think is the future of digital magazines right now? Are you seeing that there's a lot of promise within that sector and within that industry, or do you feel like things are really on fire with Moms Matter and video content and video interviews? What do you think?
Speaker 3:I think video content is the future. I think you look at YouTube and it's blown up. It's blown up for years now. Everybody goes to YouTube, listens there. I also.
Speaker 3:For me, I'm posting all the Moms Matter. I'm posting all this content on my social media platform to try and get people to my digital magazine. My digital magazine is not getting people to my social media, but it's the followers that we have on our social media platforms that will say guys, guys, come, here's a link that I have. Why don't you read this article, Check this ad out, Check my highlights for the week or check out my gift guide for the holidays.
Speaker 3:They're not going to go to the magazine, most likely, unless they're subscribed, because then they get the email in their inbox. But if they're not subscribed, the only way they're going to know about it is through social media. And so now the future really is collaborations on social media to draw in other people's audiences, to hope that those people will then see your digital platform, your magazine, and then subscribe and jump on. Otherwise, I feel like that is done and dead. So it's a struggle for me all the time because the content I'm putting out was so important, but in order to get people to read it other than the subscribers. I've got to be pushing it on my social media.
Speaker 2:Shirin, you become an influencer. I'm sure you never intended to be that in the beginning, but you absolutely are now. I've seen it firsthand when you've talked about legacy films, for instance. Or you've talked about legacy films, for instance, or you've spoken about some of the other organizations, products, things like that, that you believe in the influencer and creator economy. That's pretty amazing how that has evolved. And now research and studies tell us that people, the audience, now trusts the words and the message of an influencer much more than they do advertiser or or any of the other ways that products are coming across. So you know, in this process for you of becoming an influencer, what are the keys and I think, in a way, probably all of us, whether we consider ourselves influencers or not. We are influencers, yes, but you, you're a professional influencer. So one or two or three keys that you keep in mind when you're creating content or deciding to work with a brand you've mentioned authenticity that help your message resonate.
Speaker 3:I mean, most of the time people will reach out to me, right, and they'll ask for the collaboration and they'll write out all the details of what they want. Now, if it aligns with my values, great, let's go forward. But if it doesn't, I won't take it. So it goes back to authenticity again, right? So when I have someone that works with me I don't have a big team, I have a very small team but I have someone that works with me that helps me create the content, because that's a whole nother talent in its own.
Speaker 3:You know, I am not great at creating all this content. My girls will make fun of me all day long when I start to like. I'm like what do you think they're like? No, mom, that's terrible. You need help who really know what they're doing. But again, if it doesn't align with my values, it's not going up. But if it does, I do it with so much love and passion and it comes out and it shows across the screen. I mean, look, we know influencers in the makeup world right now are a big deal for teen girls, for young women in general, and they really believe these women when they come out and say oh, this product is so good.
Speaker 3:Do you believe that or do you not believe them? I don't know. I mean, I don't know how this is coming across for people, but I know that sales at Sephora and all of these brands are through the roof because they have beautiful young women sitting there and putting on the makeup and telling them that if they buy this product, they'll look like them. I don't do that. I don't believe in that. I don't think it works, which is probably why I don't have a million followers. I have a much smaller following, but I know that I'm really genuinely helping people and changing people's lives, so I just stick to that.
Speaker 2:Stay in my lane your audience and you don't have to boil the ocean, you don't have to craft a message that you think might resonate with everyone, because it just won't. It just won't resonate with everyone, sharon. Talk to the sisterhood of female entrepreneurs, or young women or any age, who are thinking about starting a business for the first time. What advice would you have? I have a feeling it's going to come back to specificity, but what advice would you have for them if they're thinking and trying to go hey, should I go out on a limb and start my own thing, or stay and still work for another company that I love?
Speaker 3:Right. Well, I think you need to first, like you said before, is know yourself right. Know who you are. Are you someone who is willing to lead your team? Are you willing to put everything on the line? Are you willing to stay up work all hours? If you're good with that, I say yes, go for it.
Speaker 3:One of the greatest things in the world, once you've established yourself as an entrepreneur, is all the freedom you get. But in the beginning it is hard and you are gonna be rejected again and again and again and you're gonna have to stick to it and you're gonna have to keep going forward. But it's been. One of the greatest. Greatest accomplishments of my life is being able to work for myself, not having to answer to anyone, and to show my girls that, like, anything's possible, right, you can do it If you set your mind to it. You can absolutely do it, but it's not for everybody.
Speaker 3:A lot of other people would rather to have a nine to five job and put it away when they're done. It is finished. And you know what, if you're really great with a certain skill set, that's your thing. Don't start your own business. Work for someone else. Do a great job working for someone else and at five o'clock, when you're done, go out with your friends, have a great time and call it a day. I mean, that's the truth. You don't want to be miserable.
Speaker 2:You want to be happy in your. You think that it's better than it's ever been. Is the tide shifting back? What? What do you think?
Speaker 3:I think it is a thousand percent. It is. Listen, the future is female. That is a thousand percent. I say that the future is female. There are so many incredible women have been created organizations for women, for collaboration, to empower. So you're a new business owner, you jump in and these women have created these fabulous groups to nurture you, to grow you, to help you to collaborate. You introduce each other, you set up relationships and it's so much easier to grow now than it was when I started. I felt very lonely when I started. You know, now it's a whole nother ballgame.
Speaker 2:It's wonderful because you're seeing other women who are CEOs, other women who can then become partners, women who are venture capitalists and financiers, who want to come and empower and amplify these dreams of female entrepreneurs. I dream of a day when we stop saying a female entrepreneur like you know, like that's a endangered species. They'll say it. We just say, well, you're an entrepreneur, you know, like, what's the like? Why are you even bringing that up? Right, like a tall entrepreneur or a short entrepreneur with like? It's not even part of the conversation. That's just an entrepreneur and that's it.
Speaker 2:Yes, but we know also that it is quite a challenge if you're a mom. We know that that is just the. Those are just the facts of life that you have a lot of responsibilities, a lot of things that you have to take care of. I have three kids. My wife is the lead parent. She is, she's the best and runs everything for us, so, and she's an entrepreneur and starting her own thing. So what are the challenges that you faced, being a mom and starting a company, and how were you able to juggle all?
Speaker 3:that I was lucky enough that my parents live in the same city I live in. We were all in LA and they helped me a lot. They helped with pickup and drop offs with the kids so that I could have a full eight hour day and I could sit and do. But it was really important to me that I was there at least three days a week. I made rules for myself Three days a week. I was going to make sure that I picked up my kids from school and I was with them, and so I had all these rules for myself and I made sure that I stuck to them, because I didn't want to be an absent mother. It was really important to me to be, you know, part of their lives. Now, if I didn't have my parents here, then I would have to see OK, am I making enough money to hire someone full time that would be able to drive my kids and do things? That's why I say it's not for everyone. I mean you definitely.
Speaker 2:Oh, sorry, I think we've just got a lot of I hear them, but this is so on point, because we have your daughters. They just arrived home.
Speaker 3:Yeah, bye, camille, I love you With their friends. So when they're really young, it's really hard. I had four, so there was never going to be a time for me to wait until they were all grown up to then start my business. That wasn't going to work for me. I had to choose to do it and just go for it, and I literally launched on February 10th, when my daughter Lily was being born. So February 10th 2010,. She was born and we launched the magazine the same day and I was like, if not now, then when. You just got to go for it. But you need support, you can't do it by yourself. And I have the most incredible husband. He was very supportive and was like, yes, you can go for it. You know, and maybe if I didn't have all of that around me, it would have been a really an uphill battle, but instead it was joyful and exciting and scary, but I was able to do it because because I had a great support system.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love it. Two more questions, the first one coming back to change for just a second. Scary exciting both. How can the people who are listening tell me Also, I just love learning from you. Every time I am with you, around you and have a chance to learn from you, I have little nuggets that I take away and I just I'm just going to put that right there in that pocket and keep that in mind until I need it. But change. What are some strategies that you use, given that you know that there are things on the horizon that we they're just outside of our field of vision we just can't quite see them? Scary, exciting. How do you prepare? What's your?
Speaker 3:process. What I do to prepare myself is surround myself with young people. So everyone I hire is younger than me. Everyone I hire is in the digital space, is using all these platforms. So when they see shifts, they'll say, hey, this is what's going on, here's what I'm seeing.
Speaker 3:I also, you know, talk to my daughters and say, hey, what's going on in the digital world? Where do you see things? Am I outdated? I need a little help. And we sit down and we talk about what's going on. So there's no surprises. So as things change, they're small changes. Nothing changes overnight. There's no huge changes overnight. They happen with time, and so you just have to be prepared. And how you prepare is really to have young people around you, because they know what's happening, and so I don't see it as a scary thing. I'm excited about it. I feel like I've shifted so many times already within my career, and that's what's exciting today. Like everyone who's watching this, who are in your classes, I think it's so exciting that you're young and it's all growing with you. Ai is growing, the digital world is growing and you're here to just live it. You know, just ride the wave and learn from it and see where you'll end up.
Speaker 2:I love that. Okay, last question, my favorite, last question from you, my dear friend Shirin. You had one piece of advice that you could share with the folks who are listening, these digital managers, potentially future entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. What's your one North Star piece of advice that you live by that you could share with us?
Speaker 3:Never say no Because we think the impossible. There's no such thing as impossible. The impossible is possible. So say yes and show up. That's what I say to everyone. I've mentored my girls, everyone who's around me. Say yes and show up, because when you show up and you say yes, you don't know who you're going to meet in that room, and the most important thing in our careers is our relationships. So it's who we meet. It's not what we know, but it's who we meet. And by saying yes and showing up, you're opening up your network to the possibility of meeting. I don't know your next partner, your next, you know CEO of your company, the next CFO, someone who's going to hire you and pay you $10 billion a year. You don't know what's going to happen, but you've got to be optimistic. So my advice is say yes, show up and know that there is no such thing as impossible.
Speaker 2:Thank you, sharon. Thank you for sharing your time and your knowledge and the force of your energy and your love with all of us tonight. You're an inspiration to me. We've known each other I don't know well over 10 years at this point and you said something to me once that I will always treasure, and I say it now to people that I also really care about I hope we grow old together.
Speaker 3:I hope we grow old together too. Oh, you're such an inspiration and your students are so lucky to have you because you're so authentic and good and to be a mentor for all those students in your class. Wow, they are lucky to have you, joseph.
Speaker 2:Really, oh my gosh, don't make me cry. All right, it's only Monday. Thank you everybody for being with us. Shirin, thank you for sharing your time and your wisdom. Everybody, you hear this. You hear what Shirin has been putting down. She's saying get out there and go and do it, show up, have energy, be a giver, don't be afraid Whatever it is that you try. A lot of times it won't work. It's not even your fault, it just won't work. But you got to get in the batter's box, take your swings and just keep swimming, said Dory, our favorite little fish. Okay, all right, thanks everybody. This has been Mediascape. Thank you, shirin.
Speaker 3:Thank you, Joseph.
Speaker 1:To learn more about the Master of Science in Digital Media Management program, visit us on the web at dmmuscedu.
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