Recipe for an empowering Thursday night:

• 1 sold out event
• 500 of the greatest Twin Cities ad professionals
• 6 powerhouse panelists
• 1 hysterical moderator

 

Many valuable life lessons were preached from The Women’s Club stage last Thursday, January 21st.  The Ad2 Women’s Leadership Panel was moderated by Nora McInerny Purmort with panelists Jill Gutterman, Mahtab Rezai, Sue Kruskopf, Rosemary Ugboajah, Margaret Murphy and our very own Co-Founder and COO, Emily Pritchard. Key takeaways included, “Say yes to wine and no to drugs,” and go for the top-of-the-line executive membership at Costco. Seriously.

"Say YES to wine and NO to drugs" – Advice from the successful women of the #Ad2WLP

— Laura Fitzpatrick (@BitzOfFitz) January 22, 2016

In all sincerity, the event catered to millennials just starting out in their careers, ad industry vets, and everyone in-between. Topics were mostly focused on equality, feminism, and leadership, but covered much more surface area. The panelists provided a glimmer of hope to all as they revealed their roadmaps to success: Failure is an incredible teacher, have passion, and it’s always the right time to be brave.
Some more notable nuggets of wisdom:

Tangible advice from @ejpritch Invest in yourself. Don't sell yourself short. #Ad2WLP #leadership

— 😊behind the smiles (@SmileSource) January 22, 2016

#AD2WLP pic.twitter.com/sgITlbW0yw

— Neka Creative (@NekaCreative) January 22, 2016

The most valuable thing you can have today in the ad industry, is a point of view. #Ad2WLP

— Alyssa Derby (@alyssaderbyetc) January 22, 2016

Develop yourself. Invest in yourself. Don't look for a job, look for something that gives you meaning. Bottom line: You're worth it. #Ad2WLP

— Aly Kelly (@alykelly4) January 22, 2016

"Don't be a quitter. Be a chooser. You underestimate how much you learn & grow in the hard times." –@mmurphymmm #Ad2WLP

— ICF Next (@ICFNext) January 22, 2016

"Everything I learned about being a leader, I learned from having terrible bosses that made me want to never be like them" #ad2wlp

— Cande Mosse (@candemosse) January 22, 2016

What we found shocking:

Men apply for jobs where they have 60% of the qualifications, while women apply for jobs and need 100% of the qualifications. #Ad2WLP

— Libby Benda Swansson (@Libby_Swanny) January 22, 2016

Here we are, one week later, still reminiscing (daydreaming) about such an incredible event. One quote in particular we can’t seem to get out of our heads (occupying the Twittersphere) is from the Margaret Murphy:

All in all:

• Ticket to Ad2 Women’s Leadership Panel= $10
• Gas money to get to The Women’s Club in Minneapolis= $5
• Glass of the house chardonnay = $7

The inspiring words of wisdom absorbed from the night= priceless.