Leading Ladies Celebrates International Women’s Day 2022

Yesterday, Seed Strategy hosted its signature Leading Ladies event, bringing together a diverse group of female professionals in marketing, innovation and insights. The annual virtual gathering, held on International Women’s Day, gives women in attendance the opportunity to meet, connect with and learn from other women at different points in their career journeys.

This year’s Zoom meetup was the sixth iteration of the fan-favorite event, attracting 75 attendees spanning a vast array of industries and geographic locations. Plus, with women from Europe and South America represented, it was truly an international celebration.

The 1.5-hour event kicked off with a brief presentation called, “From Burnout to Shining Bright: A Look at Workplace Realities and Coping Possibilities.” The captivating talk featured new research results from a very-recent study conducted by Seed’s parent company, Burke, Inc. The study illuminated staggering data related to the emotional burden that work/life balance places on women in the pandemic era.

As the leader of the study, Vishnevsky said, “We knew workplace burnout was certainly an issue among women, but were truly surprised to find that a full 50% of women agreed they had experienced it within the past 3 months.” During her presentation, she went on to describe the significant difference between women and men when it comes to reporting the decline of their emotional well-being over the past 3 months, with 31% of women saying it has gotten worse, compared to only 18% of men.

The presentation concluded on a hopeful note, with specific strategies on how women leaders and brand stewards can appropriately turn their attention to this pressing issue through open conversation and working to de-stigmatize mental health and emotional well-being.

This poignant material spurred rich discussion, which seamlessly segued into Quick Connects­—a speed-mentoring activity created by Seed to spark thought-provoking conversations, ranging from career-focused advice to guilty-pleasure confessions. Small breakout rooms allowed for deeper conversation, while the quick-shuffling rotation provided the opportunity for each attendee to meet and connect with multiple women.

“This year’s Leading Ladies International Women’s Day celebration was yet again one of my favorite events of the year,” said Cherri Prince, Seed’s EVP and Head of Client Growth. “The conversation around workplace burnout and coping inspired vulnerable, relatable conversation, while the Quick Connects left everyone feeling uplifted and connected. We laughed, we cried and we had many moments of ‘I thought I was the only one who was barely holding it together!’” Prince went on the say, “I’m always amazed by the special way women can connect quickly and deeply when we just create time and space for it. It’s an event none of us will soon forget!”