Time shifting. Streaming services. Emerging social media platforms. Cable’s vanishing audience. Soaring numbers of scripted series.

The list of challenges facing today’s television industry seems to get longer every day. In 2015, the job has gotten tougher than ever for the marketing, promotion, and design professionals who are relied upon to cut through the clutter and deliver viewers for their networks and companies.

“There is so much happening in our industry right now,” said Dennis Camlek, senior VP at Turner Broadcasting. “Now more than ever, it is important to have different executives connect with each other to get a sense of what people are thinking about.”

PromaxBDA is helping a rising generation of industry professionals develop the skills to navigate this evolving industry landscape with its Executive Mentorship Program.

The program connects highly motivated mid-level professionals with more senior colleagues at different companies so that the mentee can tap into an executive’s professional experience and industry insights.

“I really believe in mentoring because I think it’s extremely beneficial in this industry to have someone who can help guide you through different situations as they arise and understand things that may be happening to you,” said Ellen Stone, executive VP of marketing and Bravo and Oxygen Media.

Stone said she loved the opportunity to give back while also getting a fresh perspective on the work and challenges facing entertainment marketing professionals.

“It’s always fantastic to be able to reach out beyond your personal scope of experience,” she said.

For Tim Nolan, senior VP of marketing creative and brand strategy at Lifetime Networks, the program also provides him with a way to fine tune his own professional game.

“It helps you to re-evaluate your own career—it’s a little bit of a two-way street: I get a fresh perspective from my mentee, who might be able to highlight a useful approach or a new way of doing things that I haven’t thought about,” Nolan said. “It’s such a small industry and we all know each other—how could you not have the time to help someone?”

The Executive Mentorship Program kicks off on the day before The Conference each June, and is one of several professional development programs offered by PromaxBDA for members at different stages of their careers. Promo Pathway helps candidates develop the skills and tools they need to enter the entertainment media marketing industry, while Thrive gives creatives the tools they need to transition into managerial roles.

For the Executive Mentorship Program, all participants attend an introductory four-hour training session. After that, it’s the mentee’s responsibility to provide a road map for the relationship, Nolan said.

Mentors and mentees are required to have two hours of contact per month, but the mentors say that those relationships can unfold in a variety of ways that best suit both parties. Mentors say that informal chats via phone, or quick email notes between meetings are common.

Topics discussed can run the gamut, Stone said.

“It’s about the everyday challenges that come up, or an immediate criss that they’re not 100 percent sure how to handle,” she said.

Developing a career path is also a major concern for the mentees.

“We spend a lot of time talking about ‘how do I get promoted’ or ‘how do I explore that without making it seem like I’m not still loving what I’m doing?’” Stone said.

Mentors also help with strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance as mentees rise through the professional ranks, while developing skills that would allow them to manage larger and more diverse teams.

The program also can help more senior executives evaluate their approach to their own teams.

“Marketing is about marrying consumer behavior with incredible environments and content. The best way to discover amazing content is to talk to other people,” Stone said. “You are able to expand your horizons and step out of your brand box”

For more information on PromaxBDA’s mentorship and professional development programs, visit promaxbda.org

PromaxBDA is the publisher of Brief and Daily Brief.

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