Forty Over 40

Forty Women to Watch Over 40

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 7Qs for Sheila Roche, Creative & Communications Officer, (RED)

WScreen Shot 2015-07-05 at 11.49.15 PMelcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. We spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This Q & A is with Sheila Roche the Chief Creative & Communications Consultant, (RED). She has led communications and creative for (RED) since its inception. Her career began in the music industry where she ran U2’s management company and managed the career of PJ Harvey. She has led all of (RED)’s major campaigns including its launch on Oprah, Bono’s guest editorship of Vanity Fair, high profile art & design auctions (collectively raising over $85 million). She has also conceived and led (RED)’s collaboration with the electronic dance community producing #1 dance albums in more than 30 countries.

1) What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

I feel really fortunate to have had two careers – one as a rock and roll manager.  The second launching (RED), the AIDS organization, for its founders Bono and Bobby Shriver. Reinvention was embedded in that move but the aspect of it that most surprised me was how relevant my knowledge and experience from my former career was to my second one.

2) Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

Three people – Bono; Paul McGuinness, U2’s manager for 35 years with whom I co-managed PJ Harvey for 13 years; and Ellen Darst who was my first boss in the music business and pivotal to U2’s success in the US.

3) What is your biggest goal right now?

Helping (RED) to put itself out of business when we get to the end of AIDS, a preventable and treatable disease which has needlessly killed 40 million people.

4) How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?

I asked for every job I got…I just asked and gave passionate reasons for why I wanted to do them. Paul McGuinness first turned me down for my job with U2 because I was a friend and they didn’t hire friends.  I was naive and cocky enough to convince him he was making a mistake!

5) What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?

I wake up around 6.30am, have coffee to get my brain started (I’m in a sorry state beforehand), try to meditate and when I’m home, I walk our dog.

6) How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

On weekends. I stop having good ideas if I don’t unplug so I really don’t believe that constant busyness is something to aspire to….I think it’s a tyrannical notion and totally counterproductive.

7) What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

Try to hire people who are not too big to do small things and not too small to do big things.

8) What is your “keep me going” quote?

Just do the next right thing.

Check out Sheila Roche’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Whitney Johnson

Whitney Johnson

Whitney is the author of the acclaimed Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream. She has been named on numerous Smart Thinkers and People to Follow lists by major media such as Inc. Magazine, Business Insider and Huffington Post and is quoted in Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fast Company, Forbes and more.
Whitney Johnson