Power Women: Jennifer Polito of Jenerate PR On How To Successfully Navigate Work, Love and Life As A Powerful Woman

An Interview With Ming Zhao

Invest in your health — Early in my career, I tended to overlook my health for fear that I wouldn’t be perceived as productive like other team members who were all about the hustle and daily grind. I would work long hours, sit for extended periods of time and not eat the most balanced meals. I didn’t always make time for physical exercise either. You can only do that for so long before your body tells you it needs help. Over the years, I’ve learned to make time for myself and invest in my health. I practice hot yoga several times a week, take long walks and enjoy outdoor activities. Additionally, I work on my mental health every day. Whether it’s a motivational podcast I listen to, reading, meditating or simply feeling gratitude for all of life’s blessings — having a healthy mind and body has done wonders for my performance and productivity.

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Polito, CEO & Founder of Jenerate PR.

Jennifer Polito is the CEO & Founder of Jenerate PR, a full service public relations and brand marketing agency representing hospitality, luxury retail & real estate, food & beverage and sustainability clients. A seasoned PR veteran, Jennifer leads impactful PR and marketing campaigns aimed at driving brand awareness and increasing revenue for her clients. Prior to launching Jenerate PR, Jennifer worked in Las Vegas as a senior publicist at a leading hospitality and entertainment PR firm and was also a member of Caesars Entertainment’s PR department.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I was born in Southern California to immigrant parents: my father is Argentinean-Italian and my mother is from Guatemala. I grew up speaking multiple languages and enjoyed learning all about different cultures through stories, food, music and traditions. I grew up in a loving home, feeling supported and encouraged to pursue my dreams. I was that kid who loved to read, made others laugh, and gravitated towards creative projects. I wasn’t a fan of homework and didn’t truly appreciate school until my college years.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

Growing up with entrepreneurial, hard-working parents taught me I could create the life I wanted by simply applying myself and working towards a goal. My parents owned a couple of restaurants when I was younger, so I witnessed first-hand what it took to run a business and the incredible responsibility that came with being a business owner. I admired their bravery and resilience. They always seemed to move forward and provide us with what we needed, regardless of any obstacles they encountered.

Entrepreneurship must be in my DNA because a few years into my PR career, I decided to start my own business. I wanted to create a company where I could apply my knowledge, corporate training and experience to help others while building the future I wanted. I have never looked back. I practice daily gratitude and I realize how blessed I am to love what I do and make a good living from it. I’m also driven by seeing others succeed and live out their own dreams.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I’m not sure if this is the most interesting, but it’s been the most impactful. During my corporate PR job, I had a performance evaluation where my director noted I was ready for a promotion to the next position. However, her boss felt otherwise, believing that I needed to manage people before I could be considered for a promotion. Recognizing that I had no opportunity to manage someone, since all my team members were in positions above mine, I gave my notice. Instead, I searched and found a company where I could manage and mentor a team. The lesson I learned is that sometimes, you must create for yourself an opportunity that will help you grow into a better leader — even if that means upgrading your dream job to a new one.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

• Discipline — I believe that being disciplined means understanding that time is your most valuable resource and doing what it takes to accomplish the necessary task, efficiently. While in college, I was determined to complete my degree as soon as possible so I could start my career. That meant taking every single semester one year: spring, three summer semesters, fall and winter. Plus, I was working a full-time job. I’m not sure where or how I found the time or energy to do all of this and graduate on the Dean’s List, but I developed discipline and determination early on and it’s helped me tremendously personally and professionally.
• Adaptability — I believe the ability to adapt is a basic survival skill. When I launched Jenerate PR in 2014, my focus was strictly on offering strategic public relations services. However, clients started to approach me about helping them with their marketing since I “knew their brand/business so well.” I noticed some didn’t have marketing plans, needed branded marketing or sales materials and some needed an entire website overhaul. Others needed help aligning their sales and marketing strategies with PR but didn’t know how or where to start. I was given a great opportunity to better serve our existing clients with expanded services as well as attract new clients. So, I launched our brand marketing division, hired a graphic designer, a web programmer and a sales and marketing director. Since then, we have been able to help our clients drive sales through strategic marketing campaigns, enhanced websites, valued partnerships and much more.
• Resourcefulness — There were times early in my PR career, I was deprived of strong leadership. To no fault of anyone’s own, I was often part of a small team pulled in many directions and we were all doing our best. At first, I saw this as a disadvantage because I craved the type of mentoring that could only come from a seasoned leader. What I didn’t realize was this was teaching me to be self-motivated, resourceful and creative. I would spend hours researching and educating myself if there was something I wasn’t familiar with and I would watch what others were doing and how they did it. I developed processes for myself to be more efficient and productive — working smarter not always harder. I have incorporated much of this into my company core values. I encourage our team to ask questions and help one another. I empower them to seek solutions to problems.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. The premise of this series assumes that our society still feels uncomfortable with strong women. Why do you think this is so?

Much of the perception of women and women’s roles begin at home. It’s how parents speak to each other and their children (Is there a difference in how they speak or relate to female family members versus the males?). It’s how the parents carry out their roles (How do they treat/act as the breadwinners versus the homemakers?) It’s also what we see on TV or online (Are gender roles defined in shows, toys, and products?) Just like any other human being, women should be respected and accepted for who they are. I strongly believe that beliefs on strong women or women in leadership roles can evolve. The good news is that we are already seeing that these beliefs are changing on a larger scale. We need to keep celebrating strong women and their contributions to society.

Without saying any names, can you share a story from your own experience that illustrates this idea?

Because my industry is predominantly female, I haven’t encountered much discrimination or negative speak as it relates to women in positions like mine (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up 63 percent of U.S. public relations specialists.) However, I recently attended a networking mixer where we met and mingled with fellow business owners. I was speaking to an older gentleman who asked what I did for a living and I shared with him that “I own a PR and brand marketing agency.” To which he replied, “all by yourself?” I smiled and said “yes, and I’m thankful to be able to help business owners such as yourself.” This doesn’t happen often but when it does, I see it as an opportunity to stand up for my fellow woman entrepreneur.

What should a powerful woman do in a context where she feels that people are uneasy around her?

In PR, we say “know your audience” and that couldn’t be more true here. People turn to me on a daily basis for advice when making important decisions. It’s part of my personality to come up with solutions, new ideas and opportunities. It comes naturally to me and some people can feel intimidated by that. I recommend involving them in the conversation, learn what their interests and passions are and how they can contribute. More times than not, we find a similarity in others and learn that people just want to be seen and heard. In other instances, it’s ingrained in them that women cannot be decision makers. Based on experience, I learned that once you demonstrate your capabilities, they end up singing a different tune.

What do we need to do as a society to change the unease around powerful women?

Offering opportunities such as this for successful women to share their stories with others is influential. Through education and awareness, we have the power to inform and motivate others to be at ease and even gravitate towards strong and powerful women. That includes men and women alike.

In my own experience, I have observed that often women have to endure ridiculous or uncomfortable situations to achieve success that men don’t have to endure. Do you have a story like this from your own experience? Can you share it with us?

I’ve been told I’m the best man for the job. That one made me laugh out loud and I knew I had been given an opportunity to help the person correct themselves. I did so with respect and it’s never happened again. I think a lot of this perception that women are inferior to men comes from a place of insecurity and lack of education about women leadership roles, abilities and accomplishments. I grew up in a home where women and men are equal. I know that’s not the case for everyone so I do my part in providing enlightenment when the opportunity presents itself.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women leaders that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

It’s the confidence to speak up for themselves and ask for what they deserve. Some men don’t seem to have this problem. Perhaps it’s because they’re conditioned to go for it regardless of whether they get turned down 100 times in a row. Whether it’s asking someone out on a date, asking for that raise or simply making an “executive decision.” Women can be seen as pushy or overbearing when they speak up because they may just be in a room with people conditioned to believe that only men can speak up.

Let’s now shift our discussion to a slightly different direction. This is a question that nearly everyone with a job has to contend with. Was it difficult to fit your personal and family life into your business and career? For the benefit of our readers, can you articulate precisely what the struggle was?

I’ve always put so much of myself into my business. Anyone close to me knows that in the past I was “always on” and even when I was on vacation, I wasn’t far from my phone/email. As time went on, I felt less compelled to be constantly available and started establishing boundaries. I stopped working on the weekends and responding to emails and texts after hours. I started making more time for myself in the mornings and evenings. My husband David is incredibly understanding and supportive and has also helped me establish boundaries and reminds me to take breaks. I can’t emphasize enough how choosing the right partner can make a world of a difference in your professional life. So much of my creativity hinges on my mental state so it’s important I prioritize my personal needs. I make sure I eat well, stay hydrated, go to yoga, take vacations and get good sleep.

What was a tipping point that helped you achieve a greater balance or greater equilibrium between your work life and personal life? What did you do to reach this equilibrium?

Once I had built a good team, I realized I could rely on them. I trusted that the business was being taken care of and our clients were attended to at all times.

I work in the beauty tech industry, so I am very interested to hear your philosophy or perspective about beauty. In your role as a powerful woman and leader, how much of an emphasis do you place on your appearance? Do you see beauty as something that is superficial, or is it something that has inherent value for a leader in a public context? Can you explain what you mean?

I definitely feel my best when I’m polished and dressed nicely. I think it started when I was young. I attended private school for 12 years and I remember my mother taking great pride in pressing our uniforms and making sure our hair was done and our socks and shoes were clean. I’ve always loved fashion and beauty products and we have clients in retail and beauty so it’s another way for me to connect with them and show them I’m knowledgeable in their industries. As a leader, it’s important for me to present myself well and take pride in my appearance. I expect the same from my team.

How is this similar or different for men?

I’m not sure it’s different for men. At least not the ones I’ve worked with through the years. They’ve always impressed me with their style and fashion sense. At the corporate level, everyone wore suits or collared shirts and dress slacks. At my former agency, the attire was business casual. The creatives and artists are by far my favorite because they let their personal style shine through and that encourages me to be bold and try something new!

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Powerful Woman?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Communicate Clearly — A good leader communicates with intention. In PR, it’s important for us to communicate the “Why” to our audiences and stay on message and a lot of planning goes on behind the scenes to develop appropriate messaging for different audiences. In life, I’ve learned to trust my own voice and speak up and communicate what I need or want. I also check in with others to make sure I’m understood and there’s no miscommunication. A good leader not only knows how to communicate clearly but is also a good listener.

2. Manage your time wisely — Our time is our most valuable resource. Therefore, we should strive to develop habits early in our career that help maximize our time. Whether professionally or personally, where and how we spend our time determines where our energy and efforts go. Instead of scrolling on social media posts when you could be spending time with a loved one or enjoying the outdoors; or instead of procrastinating on a project, you could be connecting with your team that could end up being rewarding. I’ve also learned to delegate time-consuming tasks and hire accordingly. The choice of how we spend our time should be done wisely.

3. Take breaks — Long before my watch would remind me to stand or breathe, I take a break. So much of what I do on the daily requires a clear mind. I found that taking breaks help me stay focused and energized all day. When I need a longer break, I plan getaways that immerse me in nature so I can unplug and recharge. I also practice time blocking so I’m not responding to emails or in meetings all day, I prioritize tasks and complete what’s most urgent or timely, first. Then, I move on to help my team by reviewing documents, plans and presentations. Time management is key for me. I also no longer schedule meetings on Fridays as I only work half days. I’ve learned to recognize when I need to step away from something that is consuming too much of my time. That includes conversations with people who may be focused on the problem, not the solution.

4. Invest in your health — Early in my career, I tended to overlook my health for fear that I wouldn’t be perceived as productive like other team members who were all about the hustle and daily grind. I would work long hours, sit for extended periods of time and not eat the most balanced meals. I didn’t always make time for physical exercise either. You can only do that for so long before your body tells you it needs help. Over the years, I’ve learned to make time for myself and invest in my health. I practice hot yoga several times a week, take long walks and enjoy outdoor activities. Additionally, I work on my mental health every day. Whether it’s a motivational podcast I listen to, reading, meditating or simply feeling gratitude for all of life’s blessings — having a healthy mind and body has done wonders for my performance and productivity.

5. Find a good team — Alongside every powerful and successful woman is a powerful and successful team. I encourage you to seek out a solid team to accompany you on your entrepreneurial adventure. I’ve been involved in the hiring process from day one. Getting to know our team members’ strengths, wins and failures helps me understand what they bring to our agency. I’m not afraid to hire people who are completely different than myself, smarter or more accomplished. I see that as a benefit to our clients and our team as a whole. I’m also not afraid of letting go of people.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I would love the opportunity to have lunch with Oprah. She is such a trailblazer and as I’ve gotten older, I realize how brave she’s always been and how committed she is to making the world a better place.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Thank you for the opportunity!