![Part One of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women in Media President Erin M Fuller on Finding Careers and Mentors.
Erin M. Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): Describe your first “real” job.
EMF: I did high- end fundraising for nonprofits around special events. Think movie premieres, fundraisers, black tie galas… I worked for a firm in DC to execute and manage everything around those events.
It was an exciting time – it was right when the Clintons had come into office in DC. There were a lot of progressive organizations that saw this as a great opportunity to raise money on good causes – in particular, I remember Rock the Vote and other election-related initiatives. It was a terrific experience to actually get to attend some of these events as a young person, but I had to wear black tie dresses 4 out of 7 nights a week!
L(L): What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on careers?
EMF: I have to say I’ve been very lucky in the opportunities I’ve had access to. I wasn’t afraid to go for positions with the highest amount of responsibility and I tried not to focus solely on money – a good strategy if you plan to work with nonprofits! In school, I always was that person who would want to run for class office, or be an RA – I sought opportunities for leadership. But when I got out of school, I saw that some of my friends had higher starting salaries than I did and I had to appreciate that the decisions I made were the right ones for me.
If you have a decision between two jobs, think beyond the money and prestige. Take the job that gives you the biggest opportunities for growth, responsibility and leadership. When you are 30 or 40, those are the jobs that will make your resume stand out. While everyone else took the safe job working at the big firm, you worked your way up to 2nd in command at a ten-person organization and got to travel to 17 countries, etc. - that will distinguish you among others.
I realize it’s a hard time for jobs right now. I admire people who can find the best opportunity in a bad situation. You shouldn’t shy away from the unconventional choice or the harder choice – it pays dividends in the future.
L(L): Who are your role models and mentors? How have those relationships helped shape your career?
EMF: At this point in my career, there are many women and men I look up to I was recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives, an organization of thousands of organizational and nonprofit leaders. Each year around 100 Fellows have an annual retreat and that opportunity to sit around with people who have similar positions and responsibilities is tremendously valuable.
The thing about formal mentorship programs is that sometimes they don’t feel very organic. Sometime it feels a little bit like a blind date. Sometimes those relationships are successful and sometimes they’re not. Of course you shouldn’t just rely on these programs - I think that you have to take advantage of relationships with people you meet that feel like natural relationships. Often you can speak more freely with people who don’t work within your organization. I would encourage people to go outside established mentoring programs.
L(L): So, on that note, what advice would you give Levo Ladies about finding and building a relationship with a mentor? What can they do to make that relationship feel more organic and rewarding for mentors?
EMF: Be aware of her preferences: For instance, if she doesn’t like being called a mentor formally, recognize and work around that.
Don’t meet in her office. Get out of her workspace. It’s hard to have an honest conversation about something that’s so important and personal as your career when it feels like you’re just doing another meeting, when she’s penciled you in for 15 minutes on her calendar, and her computer and phone are sources of interruption.
Come prepared — With questions, with samples of your work, and with 2 or 3 things you want to get out of the meeting.
A lot of people come in looking for job offers or recommendations, and that’s okay. You don’t need to shy away from that. If you’ve had a good conversation with someone and asked all the right questions, it’s perfectly fine to say “I saw this job and it seems like a great opportunity. Do you think I would be a good fit for it?”
Above all – if there’s a specific thing you’re looking for, don’t wait for the mentor to bring it up. I think a lot of people have this expectation that mentors will run the show – but often mentors are busy and the reality is you need to take the bull by the horns and structure that conversation so you get the outcome that you really want.
L(L): What is one piece of advice you would give to young women starting their careers?
EMF: Something I’ve had to learn for myself is – when you’re ready to look for your next job, often you’re really looking at what you don’t want to do anymore versus what you do want to do.
I had always assumed it would be the opposite – that you would be searching for that perfect fit of what you want. But, after you’ve had your first one or two jobs, I think the reality is that you learn: “I don’t want to have to answer the phone 80% of the time. I don’t want to have to be the person managing logistics for others. I want to be the one who gets to travel and own my work.”
That’s been very helpful. When I think about what’s next, I think about what I don’t ever want to do again and what I want to make sure is included in the next opportunity. Sometimes the stuff we don’t want to do can suck everything away. When considering each new job, thinking about what skills and abilities you don’t want to do on a daily basis is a good way to ensure you’ll be happy in your next endeavor.
One other thing. Just as we know in the media industry, image is everything. Women always have more work to do to build, create, and maintain their image than men do, as ridiculous as that is. That’s challenging. Something I’d stress to young women today is, just how water cooler gossip could sink someone’s career 10 or 20 years ago, today everyone has their own online brand. Some fun picture of you doing keg stands during some night in college night may have more impact on you than male colleagues. Women have to be particularly vigilant about their personal brand online – what they post, what they tweet. People should be very careful about how they maintain their personal brand.
[Editor’s Note: For any Levo Leaguers in media, make sure to visit Alliance for Women in Media. AWM has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzgtoWJKB1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
![There’s a new buzzword floating around the Levo office, and that word is Banter. Banters (find it at Banters.com) was lauded today by the New York Times, and was co-founded by the originator of Texts From Last Night, Lauren Leto. Our summary: it’s an addictive way to interface with members of a community by memorializing notable quotes and conversations from members of the group. With a decidedly social-and-mobile bent, Banters is a highly accessible way to virtually scrapbook past hilarious conversations as well as to follow and comment on other people’s conversational threads— and it’s easy to import past Twitter conversations, too.
We wish Banters had been around in college for our groups of girlfriends, or for our various sports teams (Amanda: Basketball. Elizabeth: Speed-reading) to take down the weird things our coaches said— or just for awkward family moments. And a Banters page just for the republican debates would, arguably, be both funny and awkward.
So, for better or for worse, Levo’s newest metric determining the success of our meetings is whether our conversations are Banter-worthy (check out the Levo Banters page for reference). Recent appropriate-to-post Banters favorites include moments about Ja’far, manicures and Amanda-cures, driving and talking on the phone while in Delaware, and Disney Princess hair. Thanks to Banters, we’ve got all our favorite moments captured in one place attributed to different members of our team and anyone from our team and our community, and my mom can read about our office life on Banters.
Co-founder Lauren Leto [full transparency: Lauren is a good friend as well as a woman we fiercely admire— and not just because her last name sounds like Levo] sat down with Levo last night to talk about the Banters launch and relate her experiences leading up to launching Banters. A heavy-hitting, non-sugar-coating entrepreneur, Leto has an innate gift in her ability to recognize the way that people communicate, and how those communications are best shared. Texts From Last Night is now being created into a TV show three years after hitting the Gen Y cohort like a rock as an instant go-to site for relatable and sometimes cynical laughs and OMG moments.
Some of our favorites answers from Lauren:
You are behind TFLN, which brought so many professional women immense joy during our morning grinds and slow afternoons. How did TFLN come to be?
Almost three years ago, I was searching for a way to share, comment, and laugh about my friends’ text messages easily. They were too salacious to let sit alone in my inbox but too incriminating to publish in any way other than anonymously. And so Texts from Last Night was born, out of the belief that many others had just as hilarious conversations in their pocket?
Where did Banters come from?
At Banters, we believe there’s something magical in conversations: a brief back-and-forth can reveal insights into your sense of humor, your relationships with friends. People have always saved letters and cards from loved ones, but now with digital conversations, Banters is your scrapbook for saving those quotes.
What’s your personal favorite Banters quote?
My mom is insanely funny. I love posting Banters from her. Like this one: https://banters.com/p/48772 and https://banters.com/p/45671
How has Banters changed your life?
I love working hard with a team of people to make a product great. That doesn’t seem like a life-changing statement but when you’re doing it five or more days a week for years you start to realize all these things about yourself and other people – the value of compromise, consistency, and communication. I’m a better person because of my co-workers.
Most ridiculous thing that has happened to you because you are a successful female entrepreneur. Go.
I don’t feel like I’ve hit “successful female entrepreneur” yet! That’s maybe why I don’t have a stand-out answer to this question. I think the fact that I get to work on what I love every day with amazing people is pretty outlandish. I never thought of being “an entrepreneur,” never planned on this career path—as a kid I didn’t know it’d be possible to make my own job. But it has become possible and that’s ridiculously good.
Lauren’s yearbook-like repository of funny, memorable, awe inducing interactions (or any interactions you want to record) between people is fun and nostalgic. We find ourselves Bantering frequently now— and looking back through our old Banters reminds us how lucky we are to have such a stellar team. Congratulations, Lauren, and we can’t wait to look back on ten years of Bantering with you and have a great laugh about the mystifyingly silly things we’ve said to one another.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxrfwiAQEs1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
![Hotwheels & Barbies: Levo Sits Down with the Fastest Woman Alive
As both the youngest female and the youngest driver to compete in the 2007 Formula BMW USA Series, Julia has a few tricks up her sleeve.
She’s logged thousands of hours behind the wheels of go-carts, Formula cars, oval cars, and for the past years she’s been doing a limited schedule of stock cars. And she stopped by Levo recently to talk about her passion for sports, greening the environment, and inspiring young women to follow their dreams.
Here’s a [condensed and edited] excerpt from our conversation:
Can you roll down the windows in your NASCAR automobile?
Oh, the windows ARE open.
So, you’re a New York City native?
Yes, raised on the Upper West Side. And in NASCAR, that’s extremely uncommon. Jimmie Johnson might live here, but I don’t know of others born here. I’m a student in California now, and it’s weird not having a fall season. I miss the foliage.
Is racing good exercise? Aren’t you just sitting there?
If you’re racing all the time, you stay fit– especially in your back muscles. In Formula cars, you develop a lot of upper body strength. That was actually hard for me in the beginning. It gets so hot that you need great endurance. I’m in the gym every day.
Now for the tough questions: Who are your role models in racing? Who do you look up to?
In our generation, Danica Patrick is the woman who’s made the most great strides. But you can’t discount Lyn St. James, who was the first female rookie of the year for the Indianapolis 500, or Janet Guthrie, the first woman in the Indy 500. They’re in their 60s and 70s now. There was a whole span of time when women weren’t represented in racing at all. So Danica’s our generation’s trailblazer. I can’t imagine what that would be like in such a public arena The world of racing NASCAR is rough, and it’s so crucial to be true to yourself.
Is there an aristocracy in racing? Are there social issues there?
I don’t come from a racing family, and being a New Yorker, a student, and a female is different. But I’ve paid my dues, and I make an effort to talk to everyone– I let them know that I might be a woman, a New Yorker (a Yankee, if you will), a student, a nerd, but that at the end of the day, I’ve shown them that I’m a racer.
The issue of equality for women is something near and dear to my heart. My experience has been that women are clearly making strides– but the some sexism in the industry is still an issue. Do I think we’ll ever achieve full equality? I’m not sure. But I work on campus and on the racetrack fighting negative assumptions about women. It’s an area I’m passionate about.
NASCAR Drivers all have their own personas– Jimmie Johnson is the quiet, classy cosmopolitan, Danica as the racy trailblazer— What’s your schtick?
I always say the four “legs” to my professional personality are : racing, pursuing education, greening the automotive industry (being at Stanford has been great for that!), and empowering individuals to reach their potential, especially women and girls. I am a partner with a charity called Girls for Change, and they work with girls throughout the country to help them succeed and defy stereotypes.
On the track, my personality is as a smooth driver– I’m clean, but I’m also aggressive, in terms of my racing style. I’m not the “bad boy,” but I think I do represent a younger generation of racers. I think the image of the sophisticated New Yorker who can drive cars fast and well is the main one that defines me. And being female definitely takes a backseat, image-wise, to my driving style and my accomplishments.
Does New York love you?
I’ve found more fans here in New York than I ever thought I would. But in retrospect, it makes sense– NASCAR does have offices here, after all. And the support I’ve received here has been amazing. NASCAR has a few years of courting New York ahead of it before the city really embraces it, but I think that’s part of the strategy for long-term. So this really is the perfect time to be a New Yorker racecar driver. It’s also a shockwave for the industry– it’s saying “Here’s everything you thought you knew about NASCAR– let’s turn that all upside down.”
You’ve lived life in the spotlight since you were 14 years old. How do you handle the media attention?
I love it– I mean, I’d spend all day standing in the middle of Times Square with my racing suit and helmet signing autographs.
My first TV experience was on Fox News Live, and it was really exciting. I love the opportunity to gain the exposure. It’s so important to me to be able to show other young people, especially girls, that they can follow their dreams and who knows? Maybe they’ll end up being a pivotal figure in history.
You’re surefooted for a 20 year old– and you’ve got your own business. As a student and business owner, how do you balance the professional with the academic?
I have a team. Working with a team that’s dedicated to a cause, and leading my amazing team to come together as a unit, has been an adventure. And getting a committed team together makes it all possible.
Credit for all photos to Emily Dehn Knight.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxys20Mqy11rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
![Part Two of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women President Erin M Fuller on the Role of Women in Media.
Erin M Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): In what areas of media have women made the most progress in the last ten years?
EMF: This is a hard question because we know media is pervasive and encompasses so much. Women have made great progress in certain pockets of the industry. A+E, BET, NBC Universal – I could rattle off 50 networks that have women in senior level positions. Especially within cable divisions and entertainment studios, the executive movement we see there is encouraging.
Another area where women have made a lot of progress is news reporting. In only a generation so much has changed. The number of women doing financial reporting right now is amazing. We all remember when Maria Bartiromo came on the air – that was a big deal, but now people don’t even comment on the women in these roles. Women are taking leading positions in sports reporting. There’s so much movement in areas we originally thought were nontraditional areas for women.
L(L): In what areas of media do women still face the most significant challenges?
EMF: There is a flip side to the positives I just mentioned that we get concerned about, and that’s when women only seek “front of the camera” opportunities. I get concerned about all the women I meet who want to go into broadcast journalism. I worry about the limited shelf life you have there. I worry about the pressure for women to conform. It’s disconcerting when you turn on the news channels and many women look the same. I think it’s not necessarily her choice; it’s the way she’s mandated to look and act in order to further her career.
There is a terrific movie out right now called MissRepresentation which highlights so many aspects that are concerning about how we see women in media. I worry about what women see on television today and what they may think they need in order to be successful, like “I need to weigh 95 pounds, or have a perfect set of teeth.” When you think about the real heroes in our media today, you realize that’s not what you need at all.
Where the real opportunities are for women who want to enter media is on the technical side. Broadcast engineering pays high salaries – the engineers can be more highly compensated than the people in front of the camera! You have a lot more creative control in this field, and an ability to own a piece of what you’re creating. Technical jobs provide a lot of stability, long shelf life, and opportunities for good salaries.
Another area ripe for opportunity is new media development – for example, managing new media, mobile, product integrations across platforms. Right now very little of that is run by women. Actually, our organization was previously called American Women in Radio and Television – we rebranded as an effort to include digital media as an extension of our 60 years of work in radio and television.
L(L): Time to brag. Tell us about something that the Alliance for Women in Media is doing that you’re really proud of or excited about.
EMF: I’ll name two. This past year we launched our Symposium events, which is a series of educational events in different parts of the country. We just finished up our Chicago event, which focused on Digital Literacy for Women and Girls, which culminated in a special year end report. Being able to do that kind of deep dive into content is why I love my job.
Also, each year the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation hosts the Gracie Awards, which celebrates the best in media by, for, and about women. It’s a spectacular event we look forward to every year. We judge from thousands of entries and do a big red carpet celebration. This past year we welcomed Meredith Viera, Chelsea Handler, and many other amazing women. We are able to leverage the relationships we form through The Gracies in other ways – for instance, our radio PSA campaign on girls’ self-esteem was voiced last year by fabulous members and supporters such as Gayle King, Tina Fey, Lisa, Ling, and Amy Poehler.
The important thing about both of these programs is the message we’re giving about the role of women in media. Our goal is to shine a light on positive and realistic portrayals of women in media, and to support women to continue to seek out rewarding careers in media.
L(L): Both professionally with the Alliance for Women in Media and personally, what do you want to accomplish by January 2013?
EMF: Within AWM, we’d like to launch a campaign that has real societal impact on issues related to digital literacy. Next year, we’ll do a lot of the work to complete that and are meeting with everyone from celebrities to network heads to FCC commissioners to launch that.
I also sit on the Healthy Media: Commission for Positive Images of Women and Girls, launched by Geena Davis and former FCC Commission Deborah Taylor Tate, and we’ll have a series of recommendations out in October on key issues for the portrayal of women and girls in media. I’m honored to be able to serve on that commission.
Personally, I yearn to figure out how to fit in more exercise. It doesn’t matter what job you have. Those things that are hard at 20 are hard at 30, 40, and 50. Spending more time having fun with my kids and maintaining my personal health – those are two things I want more of in 2012.
[Author’s Note: For any Levo Ladies working in media or affiliated industries, check out the Alliance for Women in Media, which has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]
——————————————————————————————
Wendi is a 2008 alumna of Stanford University and Fulbright Scholar who is passionate about global business and economic development, social responsibility, and design thinking. With a background in international political and corporate consulting, she looks towards finding that “sweet spot” of work which combines innovative collaboration, business acumen, and social impact. An avid traveler who loves to experience new cultures (and great food!), she has lived abroad in Peru, Chile, and Spain and would love to put a few more countries on that list.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz33srEwKv1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
Part Two of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women President Erin M Fuller on the Role of Women in Media.
Erin M Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): In what areas of media have women made the most progress in the last ten years?
EMF: This is a hard question because we know media is pervasive and encompasses so much. Women have made great progress in certain pockets of the industry. A+E, BET, NBC Universal – I could rattle off 50 networks that have women in senior level positions. Especially within cable divisions and entertainment studios, the executive movement we see there is encouraging.
Another area where women have made a lot of progress is news reporting. In only a generation so much has changed. The number of women doing financial reporting right now is amazing. We all remember when Maria Bartiromo came on the air – that was a big deal, but now people don’t even comment on the women in these roles. Women are taking leading positions in sports reporting. There’s so much movement in areas we originally thought were nontraditional areas for women.
L(L): In what areas of media do women still face the most significant challenges?
EMF: There is a flip side to the positives I just mentioned that we get concerned about, and that’s when women only seek “front of the camera” opportunities. I get concerned about all the women I meet who want to go into broadcast journalism. I worry about the limited shelf life you have there. I worry about the pressure for women to conform. It’s disconcerting when you turn on the news channels and many women look the same. I think it’s not necessarily her choice; it’s the way she’s mandated to look and act in order to further her career.
There is a terrific movie out right now called MissRepresentation which highlights so many aspects that are concerning about how we see women in media. I worry about what women see on television today and what they may think they need in order to be successful, like “I need to weigh 95 pounds, or have a perfect set of teeth.” When you think about the real heroes in our media today, you realize that’s not what you need at all.
Where the real opportunities are for women who want to enter media is on the technical side. Broadcast engineering pays high salaries – the engineers can be more highly compensated than the people in front of the camera! You have a lot more creative control in this field, and an ability to own a piece of what you’re creating. Technical jobs provide a lot of stability, long shelf life, and opportunities for good salaries.
Another area ripe for opportunity is new media development – for example, managing new media, mobile, product integrations across platforms. Right now very little of that is run by women. Actually, our organization was previously called American Women in Radio and Television – we rebranded as an effort to include digital media as an extension of our 60 years of work in radio and television.
L(L): Time to brag. Tell us about something that the Alliance for Women in Media is doing that you’re really proud of or excited about.
EMF: I’ll name two. This past year we launched our Symposium events, which is a series of educational events in different parts of the country. We just finished up our Chicago event, which focused on Digital Literacy for Women and Girls, which culminated in a special year end report. Being able to do that kind of deep dive into content is why I love my job.
Also, each year the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation hosts the Gracie Awards, which celebrates the best in media by, for, and about women. It’s a spectacular event we look forward to every year. We judge from thousands of entries and do a big red carpet celebration. This past year we welcomed Meredith Viera, Chelsea Handler, and many other amazing women. We are able to leverage the relationships we form through The Gracies in other ways – for instance, our radio PSA campaign on girls’ self-esteem was voiced last year by fabulous members and supporters such as Gayle King, Tina Fey, Lisa, Ling, and Amy Poehler.
The important thing about both of these programs is the message we’re giving about the role of women in media. Our goal is to shine a light on positive and realistic portrayals of women in media, and to support women to continue to seek out rewarding careers in media.
L(L): Both professionally with the Alliance for Women in Media and personally, what do you want to accomplish by January 2013?
EMF: Within AWM, we’d like to launch a campaign that has real societal impact on issues related to digital literacy. Next year, we’ll do a lot of the work to complete that and are meeting with everyone from celebrities to network heads to FCC commissioners to launch that.
I also sit on the Healthy Media: Commission for Positive Images of Women and Girls, launched by Geena Davis and former FCC Commission Deborah Taylor Tate, and we’ll have a series of recommendations out in October on key issues for the portrayal of women and girls in media. I’m honored to be able to serve on that commission.
Personally, I yearn to figure out how to fit in more exercise. It doesn’t matter what job you have. Those things that are hard at 20 are hard at 30, 40, and 50. Spending more time having fun with my kids and maintaining my personal health – those are two things I want more of in 2012.
[Author’s Note: For any Levo Ladies working in media or affiliated industries, check out the Alliance for Women in Media, which has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]
——————————————————————————————
Wendi is a 2008 alumna of Stanford University and Fulbright Scholar who is passionate about global business and economic development, social responsibility, and design thinking. With a background in international political and corporate consulting, she looks towards finding that “sweet spot” of work which combines innovative collaboration, business acumen, and social impact. An avid traveler who loves to experience new cultures (and great food!), she has lived abroad in Peru, Chile, and Spain and would love to put a few more countries on that list.
![There’s a new buzzword floating around the Levo office, and that word is Banter. Banters (find it at Banters.com) was lauded today by the New York Times, and was co-founded by the originator of Texts From Last Night, Lauren Leto. Our summary: it’s an addictive way to interface with members of a community by memorializing notable quotes and conversations from members of the group. With a decidedly social-and-mobile bent, Banters is a highly accessible way to virtually scrapbook past hilarious conversations as well as to follow and comment on other people’s conversational threads— and it’s easy to import past Twitter conversations, too.
We wish Banters had been around in college for our groups of girlfriends, or for our various sports teams (Amanda: Basketball. Elizabeth: Speed-reading) to take down the weird things our coaches said— or just for awkward family moments. And a Banters page just for the republican debates would, arguably, be both funny and awkward.
So, for better or for worse, Levo’s newest metric determining the success of our meetings is whether our conversations are Banter-worthy (check out the Levo Banters page for reference). Recent appropriate-to-post Banters favorites include moments about Ja’far, manicures and Amanda-cures, driving and talking on the phone while in Delaware, and Disney Princess hair. Thanks to Banters, we’ve got all our favorite moments captured in one place attributed to different members of our team and anyone from our team and our community, and my mom can read about our office life on Banters.
Co-founder Lauren Leto [full transparency: Lauren is a good friend as well as a woman we fiercely admire— and not just because her last name sounds like Levo] sat down with Levo last night to talk about the Banters launch and relate her experiences leading up to launching Banters. A heavy-hitting, non-sugar-coating entrepreneur, Leto has an innate gift in her ability to recognize the way that people communicate, and how those communications are best shared. Texts From Last Night is now being created into a TV show three years after hitting the Gen Y cohort like a rock as an instant go-to site for relatable and sometimes cynical laughs and OMG moments.
Some of our favorites answers from Lauren:
You are behind TFLN, which brought so many professional women immense joy during our morning grinds and slow afternoons. How did TFLN come to be?
Almost three years ago, I was searching for a way to share, comment, and laugh about my friends’ text messages easily. They were too salacious to let sit alone in my inbox but too incriminating to publish in any way other than anonymously. And so Texts from Last Night was born, out of the belief that many others had just as hilarious conversations in their pocket?
Where did Banters come from?
At Banters, we believe there’s something magical in conversations: a brief back-and-forth can reveal insights into your sense of humor, your relationships with friends. People have always saved letters and cards from loved ones, but now with digital conversations, Banters is your scrapbook for saving those quotes.
What’s your personal favorite Banters quote?
My mom is insanely funny. I love posting Banters from her. Like this one: https://banters.com/p/48772 and https://banters.com/p/45671
How has Banters changed your life?
I love working hard with a team of people to make a product great. That doesn’t seem like a life-changing statement but when you’re doing it five or more days a week for years you start to realize all these things about yourself and other people – the value of compromise, consistency, and communication. I’m a better person because of my co-workers.
Most ridiculous thing that has happened to you because you are a successful female entrepreneur. Go.
I don’t feel like I’ve hit “successful female entrepreneur” yet! That’s maybe why I don’t have a stand-out answer to this question. I think the fact that I get to work on what I love every day with amazing people is pretty outlandish. I never thought of being “an entrepreneur,” never planned on this career path—as a kid I didn’t know it’d be possible to make my own job. But it has become possible and that’s ridiculously good.
Lauren’s yearbook-like repository of funny, memorable, awe inducing interactions (or any interactions you want to record) between people is fun and nostalgic. We find ourselves Bantering frequently now— and looking back through our old Banters reminds us how lucky we are to have such a stellar team. Congratulations, Lauren, and we can’t wait to look back on ten years of Bantering with you and have a great laugh about the mystifyingly silly things we’ve said to one another.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxrfwiAQEs1rnojvoo1_500.jpg)
![There’s a new buzzword floating around the Levo office, and that word is Banter. Banters (find it at Banters.com) was lauded today by the New York Times, and was co-founded by the originator of Texts From Last Night, Lauren Leto. Our summary: it’s an addictive way to interface with members of a community by memorializing notable quotes and conversations from members of the group. With a decidedly social-and-mobile bent, Banters is a highly accessible way to virtually scrapbook past hilarious conversations as well as to follow and comment on other people’s conversational threads— and it’s easy to import past Twitter conversations, too.
We wish Banters had been around in college for our groups of girlfriends, or for our various sports teams (Amanda: Basketball. Elizabeth: Speed-reading) to take down the weird things our coaches said— or just for awkward family moments. And a Banters page just for the republican debates would, arguably, be both funny and awkward.
So, for better or for worse, Levo’s newest metric determining the success of our meetings is whether our conversations are Banter-worthy (check out the Levo Banters page for reference). Recent appropriate-to-post Banters favorites include moments about Ja’far, manicures and Amanda-cures, driving and talking on the phone while in Delaware, and Disney Princess hair. Thanks to Banters, we’ve got all our favorite moments captured in one place attributed to different members of our team and anyone from our team and our community, and my mom can read about our office life on Banters.
Co-founder Lauren Leto [full transparency: Lauren is a good friend as well as a woman we fiercely admire— and not just because her last name sounds like Levo] sat down with Levo last night to talk about the Banters launch and relate her experiences leading up to launching Banters. A heavy-hitting, non-sugar-coating entrepreneur, Leto has an innate gift in her ability to recognize the way that people communicate, and how those communications are best shared. Texts From Last Night is now being created into a TV show three years after hitting the Gen Y cohort like a rock as an instant go-to site for relatable and sometimes cynical laughs and OMG moments.
Some of our favorites answers from Lauren:
You are behind TFLN, which brought so many professional women immense joy during our morning grinds and slow afternoons. How did TFLN come to be?
Almost three years ago, I was searching for a way to share, comment, and laugh about my friends’ text messages easily. They were too salacious to let sit alone in my inbox but too incriminating to publish in any way other than anonymously. And so Texts from Last Night was born, out of the belief that many others had just as hilarious conversations in their pocket?
Where did Banters come from?
At Banters, we believe there’s something magical in conversations: a brief back-and-forth can reveal insights into your sense of humor, your relationships with friends. People have always saved letters and cards from loved ones, but now with digital conversations, Banters is your scrapbook for saving those quotes.
What’s your personal favorite Banters quote?
My mom is insanely funny. I love posting Banters from her. Like this one: https://banters.com/p/48772 and https://banters.com/p/45671
How has Banters changed your life?
I love working hard with a team of people to make a product great. That doesn’t seem like a life-changing statement but when you’re doing it five or more days a week for years you start to realize all these things about yourself and other people – the value of compromise, consistency, and communication. I’m a better person because of my co-workers.
Most ridiculous thing that has happened to you because you are a successful female entrepreneur. Go.
I don’t feel like I’ve hit “successful female entrepreneur” yet! That’s maybe why I don’t have a stand-out answer to this question. I think the fact that I get to work on what I love every day with amazing people is pretty outlandish. I never thought of being “an entrepreneur,” never planned on this career path—as a kid I didn’t know it’d be possible to make my own job. But it has become possible and that’s ridiculously good.
Lauren’s yearbook-like repository of funny, memorable, awe inducing interactions (or any interactions you want to record) between people is fun and nostalgic. We find ourselves Bantering frequently now— and looking back through our old Banters reminds us how lucky we are to have such a stellar team. Congratulations, Lauren, and we can’t wait to look back on ten years of Bantering with you and have a great laugh about the mystifyingly silly things we’ve said to one another.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxrfwiAQEs1rnojvoo1_1280.jpg)
![Hotwheels & Barbies: Levo Sits Down with the Fastest Woman Alive
As both the youngest female and the youngest driver to compete in the 2007 Formula BMW USA Series, Julia has a few tricks up her sleeve.
She’s logged thousands of hours behind the wheels of go-carts, Formula cars, oval cars, and for the past years she’s been doing a limited schedule of stock cars. And she stopped by Levo recently to talk about her passion for sports, greening the environment, and inspiring young women to follow their dreams.
Here’s a [condensed and edited] excerpt from our conversation:
Can you roll down the windows in your NASCAR automobile?
Oh, the windows ARE open.
So, you’re a New York City native?
Yes, raised on the Upper West Side. And in NASCAR, that’s extremely uncommon. Jimmie Johnson might live here, but I don’t know of others born here. I’m a student in California now, and it’s weird not having a fall season. I miss the foliage.
Is racing good exercise? Aren’t you just sitting there?
If you’re racing all the time, you stay fit– especially in your back muscles. In Formula cars, you develop a lot of upper body strength. That was actually hard for me in the beginning. It gets so hot that you need great endurance. I’m in the gym every day.
Now for the tough questions: Who are your role models in racing? Who do you look up to?
In our generation, Danica Patrick is the woman who’s made the most great strides. But you can’t discount Lyn St. James, who was the first female rookie of the year for the Indianapolis 500, or Janet Guthrie, the first woman in the Indy 500. They’re in their 60s and 70s now. There was a whole span of time when women weren’t represented in racing at all. So Danica’s our generation’s trailblazer. I can’t imagine what that would be like in such a public arena The world of racing NASCAR is rough, and it’s so crucial to be true to yourself.
Is there an aristocracy in racing? Are there social issues there?
I don’t come from a racing family, and being a New Yorker, a student, and a female is different. But I’ve paid my dues, and I make an effort to talk to everyone– I let them know that I might be a woman, a New Yorker (a Yankee, if you will), a student, a nerd, but that at the end of the day, I’ve shown them that I’m a racer.
The issue of equality for women is something near and dear to my heart. My experience has been that women are clearly making strides– but the some sexism in the industry is still an issue. Do I think we’ll ever achieve full equality? I’m not sure. But I work on campus and on the racetrack fighting negative assumptions about women. It’s an area I’m passionate about.
NASCAR Drivers all have their own personas– Jimmie Johnson is the quiet, classy cosmopolitan, Danica as the racy trailblazer— What’s your schtick?
I always say the four “legs” to my professional personality are : racing, pursuing education, greening the automotive industry (being at Stanford has been great for that!), and empowering individuals to reach their potential, especially women and girls. I am a partner with a charity called Girls for Change, and they work with girls throughout the country to help them succeed and defy stereotypes.
On the track, my personality is as a smooth driver– I’m clean, but I’m also aggressive, in terms of my racing style. I’m not the “bad boy,” but I think I do represent a younger generation of racers. I think the image of the sophisticated New Yorker who can drive cars fast and well is the main one that defines me. And being female definitely takes a backseat, image-wise, to my driving style and my accomplishments.
Does New York love you?
I’ve found more fans here in New York than I ever thought I would. But in retrospect, it makes sense– NASCAR does have offices here, after all. And the support I’ve received here has been amazing. NASCAR has a few years of courting New York ahead of it before the city really embraces it, but I think that’s part of the strategy for long-term. So this really is the perfect time to be a New Yorker racecar driver. It’s also a shockwave for the industry– it’s saying “Here’s everything you thought you knew about NASCAR– let’s turn that all upside down.”
You’ve lived life in the spotlight since you were 14 years old. How do you handle the media attention?
I love it– I mean, I’d spend all day standing in the middle of Times Square with my racing suit and helmet signing autographs.
My first TV experience was on Fox News Live, and it was really exciting. I love the opportunity to gain the exposure. It’s so important to me to be able to show other young people, especially girls, that they can follow their dreams and who knows? Maybe they’ll end up being a pivotal figure in history.
You’re surefooted for a 20 year old– and you’ve got your own business. As a student and business owner, how do you balance the professional with the academic?
I have a team. Working with a team that’s dedicated to a cause, and leading my amazing team to come together as a unit, has been an adventure. And getting a committed team together makes it all possible.
Credit for all photos to Emily Dehn Knight.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxys20Mqy11rnojvoo1_1280.jpg)
