This week I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Janine Warner, co-founder and executive director of SembraMedia, a global nonprofit launched in 2015 helping digital media entrepreneurs become successful using Spanish content. Warner spoke with our class via Zoom and blew me away with her vast knowledge and versatile career background. Warner encouraged us to take a deeper look into the two or three skills we have as individuals and present them as our personal trifecta when searching for careers. As I am learning each day about being a leader, Warner’s reflection on her journey as an entrepreneur was inspiring for me.

I like how she shared that she had to lay people off to realize she didn’t want to lay people off; she emphasized the importance of a fast-paced digital environment; she is knowledgeable and curious about different journalistic restrictions and guidelines in different countries and tailors accordingly, along with much more. Another huge takeaway for me was her advice on leading a team in a digital space, especially now amidst COVID-19. I love how she emphasized that the “milling” part of the workday is key, and how incorporating virtual cocktail parties and coffee breaks is important for the preservation of a team dynamic. My favorite piece of advice was that “relaxed reflection time is a part of your research.” I hope to keep in touch with Warner and maybe take one of her courses online in the future.