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Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Sarah Gormley. Sarah recently joined Adobe as VP, Brand Marketing. In her next chapter, she will be leading a team for the Adobe brand in an entirely new (to her) industry.  After sixteen years in New York City, Sarah will relocate to San Francisco. At 43 her journey is both continuing and just beginning!

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
I think “reinvention” is a tough word. The older I get and the more people I talk to, the more I appreciate the difference between what appears to be an intentional career path versus a series of events that make sense only when you look back and wrap a narrative around them. Reinvention happens when you take a risk, are forced to pivot in a new direction, or excel so much in one area that growth is the only option. Some people resist and dig in their heels because they like what they know…and some people just say “bring it on” and go for it. I’ve always been the latter. New city, new job, new role… I’m excited by what’s new and by constant learning!

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
Rich Gelfond, the CEO of IMAX, has been a huge influence in my life—both as a boss and as a friend. I believe I grew up professionally during my time at IMAX, and I was fortunate to have a great rapport with Rich from my first day on the job. He hired me despite my not having media/entertainment experience because he thought I was smart…and knew how to hustle. Even when I decided to leave IMAX, he remained incredibly supportive. One of my favorite things about Rich is his openness and candor – not only in the career highs but the lows as well. In fact, he taught me that “things are never as good as they look or as bad as they seem” which is perspective that I try to apply in both personal and professional scenarios.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
Right now, I want to put my energy into work that has big impact. Effective philanthropy and the enormous growth and interest in organizations that make a difference continue to set the stage for a real cultural shift. I consider my biggest strength to be the mix of creative energy and business analytics I bring to my work, and I want that mix to be a factor no matter what I do. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what the next 15 years hold for me.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
I haven’t set an alarm clock in 20 years. I wake up on my own and, most mornings these days, Howard Hughes (a 20-pound black cat who still thinks he’s a kitten) climbs on my head to inform me it’s time to start the day around 5 or so. The routine is the same: coffee, WSJ,New York Post, Morning Joe, dreaded-but-necessary workout, shower, and out the door. I probably send 10 to 15 emails between 6 and 8 a.m. every day. I don’t love that we’ve become an “always on” culture, but I find it more efficient to check and respond to emails as I see them.

5. What’s the best networking contact you’ve made? How did you make it?
I heard the CMO of DonorsChoose, Katie Bisbee, speak at a marketing conference and decided I wanted to meet her to compliment her work and presentation. We exchanged pleasantries and contact information and since have become great professional allies. I invited her to speak at a Girl Scout event, we’ve co-presented to a women’s group at a startup, and generally go to each other for advice and a gut-check when we need one. I think what’s interesting about our relationship is that it was triggered by something intentional but authentic; I knew I wanted to meet her, but it was largely based on my desire to compliment her. As my pal Nancy says, “If you have a compliment, give it.” You won’t regret it!

6. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the fact that no matter what my job, I try to show up with my best self every day: I treat people with kindness, encourage creative problem-solving, and always, always remind myself that there’s more going on with any human being than is out there on display in the office. I believe that working at being a good person makes it easier to be a good boss and colleague. Authenticity is a bit of a buzz word right now, but I think it packs a ton of value.

7. What was the last business book you read?
Joel Klein’s Lessons of Hope: How to Fix Our Schools is a book everyone who cares about public education should read. What I appreciate most is the personal journey that sets the context for why and how this man dedicates himself to making a difference. And I suggest that anyone who doesn’t think a book about public schools is a book about business should reconsider and buy the book immediately!

8. What cause do you most want to advance?
Girl Scouts, but of course! And ASPCA/preventing cruelty toward animals, and public education. Sorry, that’s three.

9. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
When I was a college freshman, just cut from a sorority and desperate to transfer to the school my brother attended (picture me crying, standing on an ottoman in my parents’ bedroom in a highly dramatic fashion), my mother said, “It’s not where you are that makes you happy, Sarah. YOU make you happy.” I think about that quote at least once a week. I also think about everything I gained from staying at DePauw, which is not only an amazing school, it’s the alma mater of some of the most incredible people I am fortunate to call my friends—all because my mom was right, of course.

Check out Sarah Gormley’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Laura Gentile,Founder and Vice President of espnW, ESPN’s first dedicated business built to serve women who love sports. She is regularly recognized as a key influencer and leader as a woman in sports and is, without a doubt, an exceptional leader within the digital space.
1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
I began my career in marketing- received an MBA in Marketing, worked for two large advertising agencies and came to ESPN as a Director of consumer marketing. Yet I came to the realization that I wanted to run a business, even start a business. When I pitched the idea for espnW, I embraced the possibility of leading every aspect of the business and becoming an entrepreneur within a larger organization. I’ve realized that I love starting something from scratch, and that I have the resourcefulness and scrappiness to get it done.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
a) George Bodenheimer, former ESPN President (13 years as President, 33 years at the company) as my direct boss for four formative years and an ongoing mentor
b) Christine Driessen, executive vice president & CFO, ESPN, as a huge sponsor and champion of women at ESPN. She’s a role model to so many of us.
c) John Kosner – executive vice president, ESPN Digital & Print Media. John stepped up as a supporter of espnW exactly when we needed it most, enabling us to turn the corner as a business with the right resources and guidance.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
Taking espnW to next level as a multimedia business and as a leader within sports media. The more W grows, the more power we have to propel women forward in the industry and tell the stories that have gone untold.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
Typically at 6:30am, and as I grab coffee, kiss my husband and check email, make sure my son Will and now newborn son Thomas Beau are set for the day. I then jump in the car and start making phone calls – the first one to my mom.

5. What’s the best networking contact you’ve made? How did you make it?
Through our annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit, we have connected with so many incredible women in the business and have had the opportunity to then work with them. From executives like Sarah Robb O’Hagan and Mary Wittenberg, to world-class athletes, and influential women like Melanne Verveer, Maria Shriver and Gloria Allred. Hosting this annual gathering has enabled us to bring so many accomplished women into our orbit.

6. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?
Launching espnW. And proving that it has staying power. The female audience is just too big and influential to be relegated to the sidelines anymore. Women, as fans, as athletes, as consumers and as leaders, are central to the future of the sports industry.

7. What was the last business book you read?
Every Town Is a Sports Town: Business Leadership at ESPN, from the Mailroom to the Boardroom by George Bodenheimer. There’s no better leader to learn from than George. Also Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull, President and co-founder of Pixar is fascinating.

8. What song can’t you get out of your head?
Right now it’s a few lullabies thanks to my 10 week old: Twinkle Twinkle and “A…you’re Adorable.”

9. Who on the list of prior Honorees would you like to meet?
Anne-Marie Slaughter
Sallie Krawcheck
Wendy Clark

Check out Laura Gentile’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Charlene, Founder and CEO of Altimeter Group, a research and strategy consulting firm that focuses on disruptive technology trends. She is also an author of five books. She is a thought leader on leadership, social technologies, marketing, and strategy.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
Leaving Forrester was a pivotal moment. I didn’t have plans at the time to start a leading tech research firm — I just knew that I needed to do something different. I gave myself the time and space to figure out that starting a company was what I really wanted to do.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
My YPO (Young President’s Organization) forum group has been invaluable. We meet monthly and I know they will not only help me think through tough decisions, they will also hold me accountable. It’s great knowing there are a group of people who are unconditional in their support of me.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
I always struggle to find time to think and write. My biggest goal is to carve out time to write my next book — there’s an idea brewing, but it needs time and space to grow and develop.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
[I’m up at] 5:30AM and get into the shower. I’m usually in the kitchen by 6:15AM to make breakfast for kids and prep for dinner (I try to pre-cook as much as possible). This entire time, I’m usually listening to NPR on my iPhone because I can pick which stories I want to hear.

5. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?
Every evening, I try to connect with my family, especially after dinner. If I’m traveling, there’s always a call or texting marathons. On the weekends, I bake sourdough bread which has no yeast in it. There’s no better counterpoint to my digital, real-time life than waiting for bread to rise.

6. What cause do you most want to advance?
Diversity in tech. As a woman of color who has a substantial platform, I want to see the tech industry get more comfortable talking about gender and ethnic diversity. We’ve come a long way, but still have so far to go.

Check out Charlene Li’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Becky Robinson, Founder and CEO of Weaving Influence.Weaving Influence provides hands on execution of social strategy, delivered by a team of virtual subcontractors/employees.

1. What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?
I remember my husband asking me, around the time our youngest daughter was a year old, what career I’d like to pursue when the kids all reached school age. I laughed at him. At the time, I had no vision beyond the life I loved as a stay at home and homeschooling mom. His question, and the exploring I did in the days after he asked it, represent the most pivotal moments for me.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
Since I started my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve had several key mentors. At times, it seems nearly every author we serve is a mentor to me in some way. Mark Miller, the VP of Leadership Development for Chick-Fil-A, has been a tremendous example to and encouragement to me. He has been a client of my company for nearly three years, but he also pours into me personally, challenging me to be the most effective leader for my team that I can be.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
I am working to create capacity in my company so that we can move toward strong growth in the years ahead. Without the right talent on our team, we will be limited in our ability to grow, so one of my most important goals is to find and mobilize the right new team members, while I support the current team in growing their own contributions and productivity. In growing my team, I am focused on creating opportunities for myself and others.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
I wake up very early every day, always by 5 am and often earlier. For many years, I’ve been using early morning time as a jump on my work day. More recently, I use my early morning time to read, write, and run.

5. How did you feel on your 30th birthday? What were you doing at that time?
On my 30th birthday, I was pregnant with my first daughter and moving toward the end of my full-time work life at a non-profit. I was exceedingly excited, hopeful, and happy as I awaited our child’s birth, as becoming a mother was one of my most precious dreams. I was also wondering about work life after kids, as before I left on my maternity leave, I’d made arrangements for a flexible schedule with some work at home days, not knowing that my daughter’s birth would change everything — I never went back to that job.

6. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?
I aim to unplug every day at the conclusion of my work day (typically between 5 and 6 pm). I’m not always successful at unplugging completely, but I am working toward improving. We eat dinner together as a family every night at 6 pm. Cooking, eating, and cleaning up together is an important part of our daily routine. I’ve also found that if I try to work from very early until very late, I don’t have the energy and focus I need. Unplugging each evening gives me time to renew for the next day. I often unplug for at least one full day of the weekend, as well.

7. What’s the best networking contact you’ve made? How did you make it?
I met Jesse Lyn Stoner in 2011 while promoting Kevin Eikenberry’s book, From Bud to Boss. I originally connected with Jesse through the Lead Change Group on LinkedIn, where I had posted asking for people to read and review Kevin’s book. Jesse replied that she would help, but she wasn’t yet blogging. I offered support and help as she started her blog, and her friendship, encouragement, and referrals fueled my business from the start. She referred our first client and helped me develop a very important partnership that has been another strong referral source in my starting and growing my business.

8. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?
I am really proud of training for and completing my first marathon last year. It seemed crazy — adding marathon training to my already busy life — but the discipline of training physically mirrors and complements the discipline of my work life. The memory of my marathon helps me feel strong and capable.

9. What was the last business book you read? .
I am rich with business books, since my company promotes them. At any given time, I am reading several at once to get to know our clients and support their work more effectively. I’m currently reading The Genius of Opposites by Jennifer Kahnweiler and Wired for Authenticity by Henna Inam.

10. What song can’t you get out of your head?
A song that inspires my journey is Brave, by Sara Bareilles. I heard it played at church on a Sunday when I was experiencing some challenges in the business a few summers ago. Since then, I can’t get it out of my head. I want to be brave, every day.

Check out Becky Robinson’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Diana Verde Nieto, Founder of Positive Luxury. Positive Luxury rewards luxury lifestyle brands with the Butterfly Mark, a trust mark which legitimizes a brand’s commitment to social responsibility and sustainability.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
When I sold my previous business, I realized that although businesses had come a long way in embedding within their business processes…still not far enough.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
I’m so lucky to have met some amazing people throughout my career, such as Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum; Jonathon Porritt, British environmentalist and writer, and Katherine Garrett Cox, who not only inspire me but who I continue to learn from. Karen Hanton MBE, my co-founder, has been a mentor and inspiring figure in my career.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?
To change consumer buying habits by encouraging luxury lifestyle brands to tell their stories about their journey towards putting social and environmental good at the heart of their business.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
I wake up between 6 to 6:30 to go to the gym, most mornings at least! I need a cup of strong English breakfast tea before I can do anything though.

5. How did you feel on your 30th birthday?
I love getting older. Granted that perhaps the appearing wrinkles are not the most enjoyable but I love feeling comfortable in my own skin, something that wasn’t happening in my 20s.

6. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?
By hanging out with friends, going out to exhibitions, concerts and/or doing sports; the reality is that I never quite completely unplug.

7. What was the last business book you read?
Hooked by Nir Eyal – but the most inspiring business book I’ve ever read is Little Bets by Peter Sims.

8. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
A wise woman once told me ‘you know Edmund Hillary did not climb Everest by looking at the top, he concentrated on the place where he would next put his hand.” I keep that in mind.

9. What is your “keep me going” quote?
“Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.”.

10. What is your secret indulgence?
Playing golf and getting lost in nature.

Check out Diana Verde Nieto’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!