My Tribe of Influencers!

This article is intended for those that are looking to make a career change.

In 2003, I moved to Atlanta and I started my career journey at CNN as a Turner Temp, just one week after having arrived to the city without a job. CNN was literally the world leader in news so who better to work for? I started as an Executive Assistant and supported 4 senior executives in the finance department. Over the course of those years I began managing projects and I created the Cartoon Network Summer Arts Program. It allowed me to connect middle-school students from all over the U.S. with our exceptional Graphic Designers and Illustrators across Cartoon Network for a summer enrichment experience. I absolutely loved it...probably more than the students. It was then that I realized that putting together projects and managing projects was what I really enjoyed doing. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I'd raise my hand to lead other projects across Turner Broadcastings networks that I worked in. I managed projects in Atlanta where I worked but I also managed projects across the New York and Burbank offices simultaneously and I loved all that went into it. However by 2019 I was honestly ready to do and learn more.

Fast forward to June 2020. Three months into the Covid pandemic I was offered a severance package. I expected it and quite honestly welcomed it. Now I could explore other opportunities around project management. I went back to school and got a few certifications in Project Management. Afterwards, I reached out out to a colleague at CNN to tell her what I was thinking and to get her suggestions. That conversation was met with a ton of insight from her and also her pairing me with two other women in project management. Upon meeting with the two she introduced me to, they in-turn introduced me to two additional women in project management! Today, as I write this article, my tribe now consists of 6 bad ass project managers across Warner Media, Cox and Pandora! This group of women have given me opportunities to shadow and assist them, they've introduced me to women outside of the network, taught me different interviewing techniques, taught me different project management software, conducted mock interviews with me, taught me the STAR (Situation, Task, Action and Results) method for interviewing (because it had been a long time since I had interviewed) and have shown the utmost confidence in me and my abilities. I can't say enough about the importance of having a seasoned tribe around you that's already doing what you want to do.

In June when I accepted that severance package I prayed for clarity as to my next career move and for God to surround me with "good people" and I left it at that as I continued to build upon my learning. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “Because you have so little faith, truly I tell you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” I challenge each and everyone to have FAITH in the changes you want to see for your life and to surround yourself around a group of influencers. Nothings impossible when you have faith, the size of a mustard seed.

This past Friday, I landed my first IT Project Coordinator position and I'm beyond ready!

Onward & Upward! - Lauri

P.S. This article is dedicated to @leslietookes @marissahunter, @kriswilliams @sandaraherron @genonjester @akilbutler @michalallen @adslaton @maighhoulihan @lesliejensen-link and to anyone that is reading this article and looking to make connections with any of my 1st level connections here on LinkedIn in an effort to learn more about a field you're looking to get into, by all means, send me a message. It is my duty to pay it forward.