The New York Business Journal hosts a BIZWOMEN MENTORING EVENT on the first Monday of each month, entitled Meet Your Mentor. Forty-three business journal markets host a similar event on this day. More than 200 women receive coaching in every market. Ten thousand women from Hawaii to Albany get the opportunity to participate.
Attendees have the opportunity of choosing from 40 influential women mentors for seven-minute sessions of one-on-one coaching. This one-of-a-kind event brings women together in a fast paced, casual coaching environment. While waiting to speak to selected mentors, attendees can network with one another. Expectations are that each woman gets one to seven opportunities to meet a mentor. The organized chaos is fulfilling, fun, and fast. Gain new insights and meet new people.
Mentors who attended the mentoring sessions have complimented the organizers on the well-planned execution of the event. Energizing is an adjective used to describe the event. The room buzzes with conversation that begins before the event starts. Women connect to a diverse myriad of professional cohorts. They learn about excellent resources available to them. The mentors offer valuable suggestions to each woman with whom they speak. Mentors feel they receive as much as they give. Sharing ideas on both sides of the fence takes place. Those ideas sometimes lead to new directions. The dynamic group of women provides unique and worthwhile speed coaching. Some who attend strive to be eventual mentors.
Erika Kauffman is the 5W Public Relations Executive Vice President and General Manager. She has over ten years experience in management and communication at 5WPR. Erika oversees numerous industry practices of the agency. She is a central figure in the leadership team of the firm. Ms. Kauffman is one of the event’s mentors. She serves on the Berkshire Hathaway business journals’ mentoring board.
Since the beginning of her tenure at 5W, both the agency and Ms. Kauffman grew. Her first responsibilities were that of an Account Executive. The agency had ten employees. She is now the GM and Executive Vice President over 120 employees working for an organization ranked in the nation’s top 25.
Erika brings unequaled creativity to the table. She can identify problems and provide solutions with limited resources. She exhibits flexibility whether preparing client strategies or choosing new office space required because of an expansion. Ms. Kauffman welcomes challenges and is fearless when making tough decisions. Being a lifelong learner means she continues to learn and grow in the business.
