India Hines

I think I've just had really great mentors who have poured into me, who have wanted me to grow and get better, who have come up with great ideas. Going back to my nail tech and my hairdresser, they were the ones coming to me and being like, start your own business, do it now, like, you're good at it. And I never thought what I do was special - I honestly felt like anybody can do this, like this is not rocket science. So it was kind of that attitude that kept holding me back. But when I was talking to people, they were like, no, you're good, we don't know this information, and you do it in a way that I understand it, so go ahead and pursue. They kept pushing me and finally I was like, okay, I can do this, I'm good! I got rid of some of that imposter syndrome. I've been able to create businesses and opportunities because I was open and flexible and learned new skills. I kept my eyes open for opportunities, whatever that looks like. I also credit mental health support - in the last year I've started therapy, and mental health is so important. I credit that with being able to go back to school and be able to start businesses. Even when you feel like you're a well-adjusted adult, I recommend to everyone to go get a therapist as an investment in your mental health so you can continue to do the things, whatever those things are.

The best career advice I received from my mentors was when they told me, you know what, like, this is not rocket science, like, anybody can do this - but then they corrected me and said no, you're good, we don't know this information, and you do it in a way that I understand it, so go ahead and pursue. My hairstylist and nail tech kept telling me to start my own business and do it now because I was good at it. They helped me realize that I already had the skills and knowledge I needed, and their belief in me helped me overcome my imposter syndrome. I used to think that what I do isn't special and anyone could do it, but they showed me that wasn't true. Their encouragement gave me the confidence to finally say, okay, I can do this, I'm good, and actually launch my businesses.

Learn everything. Don't think that you should pigeonhole yourself, because it just pigeonholes your growth, especially when you're starting out. I was so gung-ho that I was gonna do PR and I wanted to do this one thing, and I was just straight on that career path. But there's so many opportunities that have opened up because I was open and flexible and learned new skills. So I will say learn as much as you can - learn your job, learn your boss's job, learn the people's job next to you, and just keep your eyes open for opportunities, whatever that looks like. And don't be afraid to network across your peers, either. People try to network up, like they want to network with the CEO, but sometimes your opportunities come from your coworkers, from your classmates, because they actually know you, they've seen you work. So also just nurture those relationships. You just never know when the next pivot or the next opportunity is gonna come from.

I have worked with a lot of women in marketing and media, but I will add a caveat to that one - it's not so much more women, I'll add intersectionality. I haven't come across a lot of Black women or a lot of multicultural women in marketing. For instance, at my previous job at Moen, there were 17 of us, and I was the only Black one on the team. But more than half of our team was women, but I was the only Black one. So I don't really see a lot of multicultural women within media and marketing, and I think that's a huge opportunity - to get and let more women of Asian descent, Latin American, Hispanic, and Black and Indian women actually come over and be in this field. Because I think we have so much more to offer and can make media and marketing be so much richer because all our perspectives are different. They're missing a whole perspective, and that's still missing that part.

Empowering, mentoring, and definitely paying it forward are really important to me. People have opened doors for me, said yes, and given me opportunities. I always love to say that mentors are not just people you find on the job, they're your friends too. Like my sister-in-law, I love her so much, she is so creative. When I have ideas or I get into a roadblock, I'll talk to her and she's like, you know what, have you thought about doing this? And I'm like, no, I haven't, like that's a good idea. That's my creative problem solver mentor. And then I have another mentor that's like, hey, this is how you work your numbers, this is how you get to the next step for leadership. That's really how I want to be - I want to pour into people and pay it forward for all the people that poured into me. I also can't do any of this with an empty cup, so I carve out time for myself. I love reading, I love going to the movies, and I've learned that I gotta do some things that matter to me. Mental health is so important too - I started therapy in the last year and that clinical support matters.