My Biggest Lesson: Danielle Galipienzo
In 2013, Danielle Galipienzo was an intern at Initiative. 10 years later, she has been appointed as Initiative's head of initiative impact. In those years, she was business manager for Carat, co-social lead for NGEN an MFA Initiative, 2022 ambassador for good at UnLtd and worked her way from communications design manager in 2017 at Initiative to head of initiative impact.
Over the course of her career she has worked with notable clients such as Officeworks, Revlon, LEGO, Woolworths and ING Direct. As well as supporting charities such as Gotcha4Life, HeartKids and Batyr.
Danielle talks the biggest lesson she's learnt along the way.
天美棋牌> Set the scene! How old were you when you learned this insight, where were you working, how long had you been there, what year was it, what was your role and how were you feeling generally about your career at this point?
Danielle> 鈥淒on鈥檛 aim for accolades. Just do good work, and the accolades will come.鈥
It was not so long ago, about 3 years ago.
I was 28 and had just lost out on a B&T 30 Under 30 win for the second year in a row. Going through all the ups and downs of writing the entry, impatiently waiting for the shortlist, attending the awards, sitting in the audience listening intently for your name to be called out鈥o no avail. I was feeling insecure and defeated. I was doing work that I was passionate about, but fell for the perception that it was only the most creative minds, story-telling strategists or the brave entrepreneurs that were good enough to receive industry recognition or achievement.
I convinced myself I didn鈥檛 belong among those finalists, and there wasn鈥檛 much point in trying to push through the discomfort of writing about myself and entering for another year. I was ready to give up on entering awards
天美棋牌> Tell us about the chain of events that led to you learning this insight鈥 be as specific as you can!
Danielle> I was talking to one of my mentors at the time, and explaining how I felt I couldn鈥檛 go for it for another year after the disappointment and mental toughness it took me to put myself out there and enter the Award. Writing about myself and selling myself about what I had achieved was something I find more challenging than most. It is an exercise that I still find difficult to this day.
However, instead of letting myself fall for the tricks my mind was playing on me, my mentor explained I didn鈥檛 need to focus on any award, that I just needed to do good work, something that made a difference 鈥 then the rest would come. It was sage advice, and it had the desired effect and made me motivated once more.
That started off the year where I did the most fulfilling work of my career鈥
天美棋牌> And if you got some words on wisdom from a particular person or there鈥檚 a key, influential person in this story 鈥 tell us about them! What was your relationship to them, what were they like, how did you feel about them (admiration, awe, respect鈥 disrespect)鈥
Danielle> Jason Maggs was the person who shared these words of wisdom with me. At the time he was a Senior Director of Strategy and Global Head of Good at Initiative.
He was also no stranger to gaining recognition for his work at a young age. For that reason, my first reaction was surprise when we started working together. From the outside Jase was one of those people who had a creative mind, was confident and had a wealth of industry connections to motivate him and drive him forward.
But as I got to know him, I saw him more as a human just like me; someone who wanted to make positive change in the world.
We started working closely together on both client and NFP work, as our values closely aligned in that space.
天美棋牌> Why do you think it struck such a chord?
Danielle> As soon as I heard Jase鈥檚 advice, it enabled me to refocus. It took me out of my head, out of struggling with it being about 鈥榤e鈥 and instead I could focus my efforts on helping others who needed it, through my work.
天美棋牌> How did it change you as a person and in your career?
Danielle> This change of mindset allowed me to do the most fulfilling work of my career.
鈥nd serendipitously, ended up earning me not only a B&T 30 Under 30 win in the Media Planner/Buyer category the following year, but the Grand Prix win as well 鈥 the only media person to do so to this day.
天美棋牌> And as you鈥檝e progressed in your career, how have you re-evaluated this piece of advice?
Danielle> Jase鈥檚 advice acts as a guiding light for me consistently when I lose direction or need to re-focus my efforts towards what really matters.
天美棋牌> Is this insight or piece of advice something you now share with other 鈥 if so, how do they respond to it?
Danielle> I use this advice regularly with my own team and mentees. Whenever we are talking about figuring out direction in careers, or wanting to get noticed by the senior leadership team, or even setting my team up for promotions.
What I add onto Jason鈥檚 advice is not only doing good work, but do work you are passionate about that pushes the boundaries/norms鈥ushing for what you feel needs to be changed or improved in the world. The response is usually very positive, as it changes individual鈥檚 initial perceptions. One of my team recently said:
鈥淓lle has taught me that you do not need to be an extrovert to be recognised for your work. If you are passionate, and work hard - the recognition will come.鈥
I鈥檝e passed Jason鈥檚 good advice along and it has obviously resonated. That makes me proud
