Q&A with Linda Wells: Editor in Chief of Allure, 2009 Matrix Award Recipient, and… my idol!

by Kaitlin Tambuscio, The College of New Jersey ‘10

2009 NYWICI Foundation Scholarship recipient Kaitlin Tambuscio with her idol, Matrix honoree and Editor-in-Chief of Allure Linda Wells, at the 2009 Matrix Awards

Ever since the 2007 New York Women in Communication Foundation Student Career Conference, I’ve been a serious fan of Linda Wells. She’s inspired me to pursue my dream of becoming a magazine editor, and it’s not difficult to see why.

I scored some one-on-one time over the phone with the beauty expert herself, and we discussed everything from being environmentally conscience to which products are her favorite (today). She even shared something she wants every NYWICI Girl to know!

Read on.

Congratulations on your Matrix Award! What do you think you accomplished this year that was different and groundbreaking?

The challenge of this year has really changed and strengthened my conviction and what Allure does. In difficult times, and we are definitely in difficult times, appearance becomes really important. It becomes important in the way that women take care of themselves, and in the way that taking care of themselves makes them feel. It lifts their confidence. It gives women a sense of pride and control. Confirming those feelings and the importance of keeping up appearances these days is something that is crucial to Allure. I’m happy and proud in the way that we’ve brought that to our readers.

A more concrete accomplishment I made in the past year started when I wrote an editor’s letter in the October issue about excess packaging. Just in trying new products you can fill a garbage can in no time with all the layers and layers of packaging. This excess is associated with luxury products and expensive products. I was disgusted and frustrated with this because there is no reason that luxury has to be synonymous with excess, particularly in the way of packaging. Based on that letter, Origins was inspired to launch a recycling program called Return to Origins, and they now have recycling bins in department stores and their own stores where they will take any beauty product, not just their own, and they will take care of recycling and repackaging. It was really a great thing to see something that I wrote and a feeling that I had have an impact in a more meaningful way. I credit Origins for really taking action.

And I have to ask… what’s in your makeup bag?

Oh my gosh, so many things-it’s a real horror show! The reality is it changes all the time, that’s one of the great things about my job. I’m trying new things all the time. What I love today is going to be replaced by what I love tomorrow. Right now I really love Shiseido Tinted Moisturizer, Prescriptives Concealer, NARS eye shadow. I really love the Lancome Oscillation Mascara; it’s fun, I don’t know why but it makes me happy! I change lipsticks all the time and lipgloss wears off in two seconds. I always rotate in new products and kick out old ones. I’m using Lancome Genifique, a skin brightener, and I’m just trying a new Chanel cream that I just got yesterday in the lab sample. I love fragrance. Everyday is a new adventure. I love trying new things!

What’s one thing you want every NYWICI girl to know?

I think the most important thing in your career is knowing how to recover from a failure. Maybe failure is too strong of a word, but recovering from a stumble is I think what makes the greatest success. You can’t rely on luck, and everyone’s going to make a mistake. So the question is, how resilient are you? How do you learn from that? And how do you keep that from being your life sentence, from being your career killer? I do think that if you realize that you learn more from failure than you do from success that you can take the difficulties in stride and really grow from that.

Networking: Seven Keys to Make it Easier!

I know all of you had a great time utilizing last month’s networking tips by being more approachable, inquisitive and most importantly following up with the amazing people you’ve met! In honor of Matrix Monday, this month I intend on teaching you seven keys to heighten your networking experiences. Trust me ladies-they work!

1) Appreciate who you meet
I see this happen all the time and it destroys my networking heart. Don’t always run to the power player or the main speaker at an event; as much as I try to convey this message it, doesn’t seem to get through. The assistants are important, the guest are important, the host is important and, more importantly, the people who you think are not important are!

2) Slow Down
Take your time and evaluate who is in the room! Observe who is handing out materials, or coordinating with the speakers. Don’t rush to connect, ladies; it’s not speed dating!

3) Arrive Early
There is NOTHING wrong with arriving at your designated event 20 minutes early. I have learned that when you arrive early you get a chance to converse with the organizers and maybe even meet the featured guest in the bathroom!

4) Help Her
Be kind to the wallflower! Walk over to the shy patron and start up a conversation because, as the New York State Lottery tells us, “Hey you never know!”

5) Follow the 2-Bite Rule!
I know at times we get a little indulgent at these networking events because they supply cookies, cakes and other wonderful treats, but here is a great networking option to follow. Put two pieces of food on your plate, then grab a seat at an occupied table or stand near a group of people talking. Use this time to connect and get a card; then, as you are finished, use the fact that you have to fill up your plate to casually walk away and connect elsewhere! Oftentimes we get caught up in a group and never venture to meet new people, so use this as an opportunity!

6) Wear an Unusual Piece
This always gets you a compliment or even a start to a great conversation; wear an awkward necklace, bright scarf or even amazing shoes! One time at an event I wore an unusual dress and the speaker approached me; and two months later we were the best of friends!

7) Have a Good Time
Overall don’t let your mind convince you that you are only there to grab as many contacts as possible. You should always be professional, but be social and gain your contacts casually. Don’t be overaggressive with an agenda to conquer the room, because you will face the issue of having quantity over quality! (Translation: a bunch of business cards and no idea how to utilize them)

~Zanade Mann, English and Media Studies, CUNY’s Hunter College

My Internship Abroad

Maura at Wembley Stadium for an English National Soccer Team game

This semester, I was given an amazing opportunity to intern in the sports department of The Times in London, England. I’m currently studying in London for the semester, and as a part of my study abroad program, I had the option of doing an internship, which would be pre-arranged by an internship coordinator. Lucky for me, I ended up at one of London’s largest and most storied newspapers.

The first few weeks were a little intimidating. I was working alongside some of the best journalists in the world and felt lucky just to be sitting next to them. However, as time went on, I began to trust my journalism skills and gain self confidence.. After a month, my co-workers opened up to me, and I felt like a part of the staff.

My main responsibilities were working with the online sports department in maintaining and updating the Web site during the day. I wrote articles that were taken off of the wire, wrote photo captions for photo galleries, and formatted articles on the Web site.. Now, I’m even able to pitch and write my own stories.

My favorite experience was sitting in on a planning meeting with the editors of the print edition of the paper. It was amazing to be among great journalists, listening to them discuss which stories should make the paper the next day. It was cool to open up the sports section the next day, and already know what would be in it.

I only have  about three weeks left, but I know that in my few months there, I’ve gotten amazing practical experience which will benefit me so much when I’m looking for a job. Plus, having The Times on my resume won’t hurt.

-Maura Gladys, Journalism major, Ithaca College ‘11

Made-to-Order Mag: a New Experiment from Time Inc.

If you are a long-time subscriber to magazines, you may have noticed something different about your favorite publications in the last several months; they are getting increasingly thinner. No, it’s not because they’ve run out of content to report (there will always be five more ways to flatten your abs or spruce up your wardrobe). It’s because ad pages are down; the U.S. magazine industry saw ad pages drop 11.7% from 2007 to 2008, according to the Magazine Publishers Association.

Yet, as Seventeen Editor-in-Chief Ann Shoket told the 2009 NYWICI Foundation scholarship winners last month, “The magazine industry is not dying.” This is because the magazine industry is not giving up without a fight–a fight that will include innovative ways to engage advertisers and readers into their publications. This is what Time Inc. is doing with their experimental customizable magazine, Mine.

Mine is a free magazine that will publish five issues over ten weeks with customized content and personalized ads for each of its subscribers. Upon sign-up, which is limited to the first 31,000 subscribers for the print edition and 200,000 subscribers for the digital edition, subscribers are instructed to choose five of eight Time Inc./American Express Publishing publications. The 36-page magazine will feature advertising solely from Lexus, promoting their new, highly customizable 2010 RX.

Stephanie George, executive vice president of Time Inc., explained in a phone interview with nextBLOG that Lexus approached Time Inc. with the idea of creating a customized magazine with editor-selected content and ads showcasing the customized RX. “Clients are looking for many different unique opportunities now. They don’t want the same ideas retrenched over and over again,” she said.

George said that Lexus “saw this as an opportunity to showcase their car and showcase our brand and change the way magazines are branded… (and) show that we have a commitment for user-centric information.”

“We love it because it showcases our trusted content,” she added. While the 31,000-subscriber max has already been reached for the print edition, don’t expect this customized model to take over newsstands. George said Time Inc. is doing this special project between Lexus and Time Inc. Content Solutions, their custom publishing division, but will not be looking to saturate the market with similar products. Nevertheless, it will certainly be interesting to see whether customized content will lure readers away from their customized RSS feeds and back to print magazines. As students looking to break into these industries, this is a model we should certainly keep an eye on.

~Kelli Plasket
Editor-in-Chief, nextBLOG
Interactive Multimedia and Journalism major, The College of New Jersey ‘10

To Be Seventeen Again…

Obviously, there are many perks that come with the honor of being a New York Women In Communications Foundation Scholarship recipient, as I am so lucky to be finding out! (As if getting recognition from our favorite organization and lessening the burden of our tuition bills weren’t enough!) Monday March 30th, we lucky scholarship winners had the absolute pleasure of dining with Ann Shoket, editor in chief and Jayne Jamison, publisher  of the iconic Seventeen, at the Hearst Tower.

As I stepped off the elevator and onto the 44th floor of the stunning building, I knew we were in for a real treat. Beautiful artwork lined the halls, and I even spotted a work by Chuck Close-my favorite. We walked past large wooden doors labeled “Board Room” and “Library” before being escorted into a true room with a view. The floor-to-ceiling windows put all of Manhattan on display. We took our seats at adorable round tables topped with pink roses and the latest issues of Seventeen as we made the  rounds introducing ourselves.

Then, Ann and Jayne made their entrances. We were thrilled to be eating our mini sliders and pocket-sized slices of pizza with the larger-than-life editor in chief and publisher! (Seriously, they’re both so tall, especially when well-heeled!)

To break the ice, Ann used her best social director voice (she held that position during her college days at NYU) to introduce the Skittles game. Everyone picked a handful of Skittles, and answered the color-coded questions. We found out that Ann’s favorite junk food is Skittles, but she doesn’t like the purple or green ones (I already knew that from reading her blog!).  What did I learn about my fellow scholars?   Taylor was inspired to go into media by none other than Harriet the Spy, Marie goes to Disney every single year, and never gets sick of it, Emily successfully channels the style of Blair Waldorf everyday, and most of us are obsessed with New York!

Photo by Marie Dugo

We loved the Skittles game – And we want all NYWICI girls to play with us!

Post an answer below to  the color-coded questions (for best results, complete while  enjoying Skittles!).
Green: Who/what inspired you to go into media?
Purple: What is your magazine/book/website obsession?
Red: What are you hobbies?
Yellow: What is your dream job?
Orange: Wildcard – tell us anything!

PS: Ann let us in on a secret: the magazine industry is not dying. Thank God!

~Kaitlin Tambuscio, Journalism major, The College of New Jersey ‘10
2009 NYWICI Foundation Scholarship Recipient