3 Lessons I Learned from Ekaterina Walter at The Link
When Ekaterina Walter starts a conversation, she
does it with a grace and ease that will make even the most intimidated person
feel a sense of familiarity.
On Tuesday, Feb 11 I joined The LinkFor Women to hear Ekaterina tell her life story at a cozy room in Elephants Deli in NW Portland.
Ekaterina’s Background
Ekaterina is a Russian immigrant, a mother and a wife. She is also
the author of two books, “Think Like Zuck: The Five
Business Secrets of Facebook’s Improbably Brilliant CEO Mark Zuckerberg,” and “The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos,
and Social Media to Market Your Brand.”
A former Intel Social Media Strategist, she is now the CMO and Co-Founder of Branderati.
One of Ekaterina’s many successes includes launching an award
winning global social media strategy for Intel, but what I was most intrigued
with was how she became so successful.
Here are the lessons I learned from her at The Link:
1.
Build a Network
According to Ekaterina, you should “get to know as many people as you can. Networking will help you do your
job where you are right now.”
When asked why she is successful, Ekaterina said, “It’s all about what you do for others. Share
what you know and success comes.”
That being said, she isn’t afraid to admit that sometimes success
is all in who you know. “It’s either
because I asked someone for help or I had helped them somewhere along the line.”
2.
Help the Generations to Come
The conversation eventually shifted to a more global perspective
on the merits of teaching the generations of girls to come. “We should encourage them to take a seat at
the table,” said Ekaterina. “It’s all
about inspiring confidence.”
She compared true leaders to hummingbirds – “invisible but so powerful and humble.”
“We need to teach girls at
the right age that it’s okay to be aggressive.”
When asked who were women mentors were, she responded by saying,
“I am made of hundreds of others.” A humble yet powerful assertion.
3.
Practice the Four “P’s”
When Ekaterina says that she values the four “P’s,” she is
referring to passion, purpose, people, and partnerships – the elements she
considers crucial to success.
You can feel her passion light up the room, and I felt like
conquering mountains after hearing her contagious encouragement.
I can only hope to be that great of a teacher and mentor to others
– vulnerable, powerful, and wise – not afraid of saying the wrong thing, but
more afraid of saying nothing at all.
Ekaterina said that one of her favorite quotes is, “Pioneers are
the people in front of you with the arrows in their backs.” I hope I’m standing
in front with her if that day comes.
I urge you to consider a membership with The Link or to attend the next event
on March 4 with Lisa Sedlar, founder of Green Zebra
Grocery. I’ll be there and I hope to meet you then!
About Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams is an Account Director at Prichard Communications, a public relations firm serving nonprofits and
foundations in health and human services. An avid adventurer, poetry enthusiast
and nature walker, Jessica is often found practicing yoga, wandering the
streets of Portland, or kissing her dog. Jessica has worked in sales, marketing
and communications for over 10 years. Follow her @JessicaJoEllen, connect with her on LinkedIn, or read her other blog
posts on the “Mac’s List” blog and Prichard Communications blog.
