Blogs

What is the WISE Within Mentor Program? WISE Within is a six-month long mentor program where senior-level leaders are paired with mentees with the goal of sharing their knowledge and experience. For the mentor, it is a way to guide and empower the future generation of leaders, and for the mentee, this is an incredible chance to grow professionally. These one-to-one pairings are carefully selected so that they create a strong and valuable bond. It is important to share that not everyone who applies will be selected/matched, however, throughout the year we will be organizing multiple events for you to have the opportunity to network ...

On February 15th, the WISE Boston Chapter hosted our signature Speed Mentoring Roundtables event, sponsored by ESPN, at the Reebok Headquarters in Boston. The event was a huge success, with nearly 200 attendees and 26 mentors from various fields and backgrounds. The event kicked off with a networking reception, where the attendees and mentors mingled and exchanged contact information. The feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the valuable connections and learnings they gained from the event. After networking, the attendees had the opportunity to participate in five rounds of speed mentoring sessions ...

On Tuesday, January 24 th we hosted 20 mentors and over 150 mentees at Wise Boston 10 th Annual Speed Mentorship Roundtable Event. It was an evening full of conversations where attendees experienced a welcoming reception followed by an exclusive introduction from the creator and TV Host of “Outside the Fame” Jamie Parker whom also asked several questions throughout the evening to be answered by mentors sharing their expertise with mentees. The event, was open to all genders, and became a great opportunity for those who are just starting out, want guidance & connections for their next big career move, or simply want to network with top players in the ...

It is that time of year again - time to nominate your colleagues and counterparts for the Women of Inspiration Awards! A signature WISE event, this is your chance to highlight and honor the people around you who have either helped your own career development or who you've seen uphold the WISE beliefs. Nominations are open for the 2021 WISE Boston Women of Inspiration Awards. Anyone can nominate: contributors and managers alike. Nominations are being accepted until Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at noon. This year, WISE Boston will not be hosting a live in-person celebration, and instead honoring multiple women who are nominated through social media - ...

Written by Veronica Bernardo The month of March was nationally recognized as Women's History Month for the first time in 1987. In addition to our very own month - because of how historic we truly are - every year on March 8th, the world celebrates the countless achievements women from different cultures and backgrounds across the globe have accomplished on International Women’s Day. This day serves not only as a celebration of our triumphs, but an opportunity to shed light on the gender inequality that still exists in countries all over the world. The marches and rallies organized on this day every year urge us to continue the work society still has ...

Written by Katie Murphy On February 25th, WISE Boston held its second event of the year - Speed Mentoring Roundtables - and transformed our typically bustling, well-attended and in-person event into a fully virtual extravaganza! Leveraging Airmeet, an online platform built for these types of virtual events, we were able to host the event with as much excitement and the same format as we’ve done in the past. Mentees were assigned to a table and mentors rotated through every couple minutes with a new question in hand. It did feel a little different this year - I didn’t have the same rush of adrenaline from hearing 100+ other women and professionals chatting and ...

Written by Katie Murphy On January 26th, WISE Boston held its first event of the new year - Financial Fitness presented by Citizens. Typically held to encourage information sharing and an open dialogue about finances, this topic couldn’t be more relevant after the year we all had in 2020. Starting off the new year by thinking about your finances feels like a standard “to do” list item, but how many of us actually follow through on the suggestions we are given? Perhaps more of us will this year since we probably saw job loss affect one (or more) of our colleagues. The event was moderated by Meredith Gorman from NESN and featured three senior ranking women ...

Written by Katie Murphy Typically, when it comes to New Years Resolutions, people focus on their health, their spending or their ‘bad’ habits. This year, I want to challenge myself (and you) to do something for yourself and for your career once a month. That could be reading that new book by your favorite author who just so happens to be a leader in your field, or attending one of many great events (many of which are not only virtual but available nationally - meaning you can accomplish this goal from the comfort of your home!). 2020 was difficult on all of us in our careers - even if we maintained our jobs and for the few that took new ones or got promotions! ...

When it comes to professional success, you always have to be maintaining your relevance and increasing your value. It’s something women in the business of sports understand and relentlessly pursue. To match that drive and live up to our mission of empowering women, WISE is evolving, too. We’re excited to announce some big changes, starting with a refresh of the WISE brand. WISE women are multidimensional. They’re strong leaders displaying professionalism and integrity while reflecting the industry in which they work — spirited, fun and dynamic. When they come together, they channel an energy that is nothing short of magic. Thanks to the dedication and storytelling ...

The year 2020 has been anything but smooth sailing with the Coronavirus Pandemic shutting down the workplace for almost every company across the globe. As many of us know far too well, the traditional ways of the working office are no longer applicable to the newly adopted online office. Without face-to-face contact with colleagues, companies have made necessary adjustments to how they manage the virtual office space. WISE Boston held an online panel to discuss the new challenges leadership roles are facing working remotely. Communication has proven to be the key to success. While you need to clearly state your expectations to keep your team motivated, the ...

How can you stand out while working from home, and even ask for a promotion? WISE Boston asked this of our webinar host Kim Izaguirre-Merlos on May 26th. Kim was joined on the webinar with Char Wichman, Athletic Trainer with Mercy Health; Drew Saylor, Hitting Coach with the KC Royals; Adam Bernero, Mental Performance Coach with the Seattle Mariners to discuss some of the challenges people are having while working from home and effectively standing out right now. They also were asked to expand on where you feel you’re at the top of your game and doing your best to showcase your strengths, your work, or competing for that promotion. The discussion was informative ...

With the challenges due to COVID-19 upending the sports and hiring landscape, best practices for networking are a crucial way to ensure that you can be successful in looking for a new job, or maintaining relationships in your current role. WISE Boston was excited to have career coach Kim Izaguirre-Merlos and her guest speaker Craig Swaisgood from the Houston Astros to discuss the “do’s and don’ts” of networking. Craig joined the Astros three years ago from the public sector, while getting the job was not through your typical “networking,” he took a risk, figuring out “what do I know and where do I want to be.” Once you answer those questions, it is looking ...

Author: Victoria Rocha, WISE Boston BOD Member As the daughter of a Phys Ed and Technology teacher, learning is part of my DNA. In observation of successful colleagues and industry leaders, those who embrace a “sponge” like mentality find success and excel in their endeavors. So to the best of my ability, I’ve approached opportunities and challenges with an open mind to embrace change and to absorb new information and material. However, part of that ongoing learning process happens not only when on the job, but continues on at home. Whether you’re looking for your next gig or enhancing your business acumen while meeting the demands of your day-to-day role, ...