Her Story
About Mitzi
Mitzi Solomon serves as founder and president of Countdown, a nonprofit she launched three years ago to focus on mitochondrial health research, biomarkers, and preventative measures rather than reactive disease treatment. Her career spans 25 years in publicity and marketing, beginning at CNN in international news, followed by positions at the PR firm PMK in New York, heading PR efforts at the World Gold Council for gold industry clients, and founding her own firm, Mitzi & Associates. This extensive background in communications enabled her to create a non-traditional nonprofit model that includes the Countdown Insiders membership platform for consumer access to health brands and research, along with strategic brand partnerships. Solomon earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University, majoring in journalism with a broadcast journalism concentration and a minor in history, and pursued graduate studies at the NYU Steinhardt School of Education. She maintains professional affiliations with BONDE and the Atlanta Jewish Federation, and attributes her success to passion, perseverance, and a willingness to pivot based on lessons from challenges.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mitzi
01What do you attribute your success to?
I definitely think it's passion and perseverance. Everything I do, I do because I enjoy it, and I love it, and I care about what I do. I also persevere. If you tell me no, I don't believe it at all. I'm very driven and motivated, and I've learned to pivot when things aren't going right because failures are good learning tools.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Honestly, keep going. There are many things along the way that can knock you down or make you feel defeated, but just remember to keep going. Because when you work hard, you can make anything possible.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
In life, not everything comes easy. You have to work for it, but at the end it's definitely rewarding. There needs to be a work-life balance, but if you enjoy what you do and want to get ahead, you need to really invest in the work that you're doing.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is getting people to understand why to give to this charity over another. The biggest opportunity is to really usher in a new era of health. Mitochondrial medicine is the new frontier and precision medicine as well. It's a good time to get people to understand this is a new way of thinking about health.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I definitely think loyalty is a big one. For personal and professional, I would also say someone who has good work ethic, someone who is honest, someone who goes above the 9 to 5.
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