Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk know how to take purpose off the page. They are renowned advertising creatives known for their groundbreaking work and for co-founding Swim, an innovative creative leadership lab. They gained recognition during their tenure as Co-Chief Creative Officers at Ogilvy & Mather Toronto, where they led iconic campaigns for global brands like Dove (“Campaign for Real Beauty”) and launched the influential Dove “Evolution” video.

Their agency experience inspired them to co-author two acclaimed books: Pick Me: Breaking Into Advertising and Staying There and Darling, You Can’t Do Both (And Other Noise to Ignore on Your Way Up). These books offer invaluable insights and advice for aspiring professionals navigating the advertising industry.

After leaving Ogilvy, Kestin and Vonk founded Swim, focusing on coaching and consulting to nurture creative leadership. They continue to influence the advertising world through speaking engagements, workshops and their dedication to empowering future creative talent.

We had a buzzing question for impact agents Janet and Nancy : what five things would you place in a box for a mentee, brimming with love, enthusiasm and the essence of change?

These were their responses:

Number 1

Nancy: First, I’d put in a journal and pen. You need to journal and keep all the quotes from any given day that hit them between the eyes. It’s important to document every accomplishment. Women in particular forget very quickly what they have accomplished and it wouldn't hurt for the guys to do the same! You're going to have plenty of bad days, so look back at what you've done. It starts right away. You don't have to hit the 10-year mark before you can say “I've accomplished something!” We’ve all accomplished something we're glad we did every single day, so that's really key.

Janet: The first thing I’d throw in is a small pack of Kleenex in a funny wrapper because there's going to be a lot of laughing and likely a lot of crying.  Whether you're crying from misery or from hilarity, your feelings can be close to the surface, so Kleenex is important. Advertising is an emotional job that has the rare benefit of letting you bring your true self to work a lot of the time. One of the things loved about it was no pressure to look a particular way. I wore whatever I wanted if I wasn't seeing to a client and often that was painter's overalls! They had many pockets for my packets of Kleenex.

Number 2

Nancy: Any version of what we would have called a Rolodex in the olden days. Anything for contact information of everyone who inspires you who you would like to contact. Build up that network and as you collect the names of everyone who inspires you, right up to the really senior people, start to check off: “I did reach out to them!” Think of it as making new friends, think of it as approaching people authentically with curiosity about them. And you will find that people open the door for you more easily and readily than you ever would have guessed because most people who have made it to high places were in your shoes at some point and they're still grateful for the people who took their call or wrote back to them. In some cases, you’ll even make amazing new friends.

Janet: Moneyball. I didn’t expect to like this movie even though I love baseball. Sports movies – not my thing. But of course, it’s not about sports. It’s about leadership, teamwork, supporting each other and the significance and value of outcasts. It puts the importance of the team over that of the individual; success doesn’t come solely from the so-called superstars. It demonstrates the power of creative problem-solving and applies to every aspect of business and leadership. Btw, I’m not talking about people with leader titles here. Rather, the leader mindsets and behaviours available to anyone, no matter how young – the ones that include caring for others, expressing confidence in them and actively supporting them. Early warning signs of a leader in the making.

Number 3

Nancy: Be sure to have some version of a meditation app—some kind of instruction on how to just be you, be still, be quiet and how to create space for yourself. Netflix has the headspace series, for instance. I don't care what you grab—anything that's some version of regular daily time. You don't even have to call it meditation. Just be. It’s part of recharging the battery and being in touch with your true voice. The voice that’s telling you what's giving you a North star is priceless.

Janet: Similar to Nancy’s Rolodex - I would add a long list of phone numbers of all of the people who can teach you, befriend you, help you grow. If I were your mentor, trust me, you’d need way more than me! I’m never going to be anyone’s be-all-and-end-all, as no one person ever is. Cast a wide net to build your unique mentorship team or group. You need a support system, not a support person as you move forward.

Number 4

Nancy: I would include something called the Eisenhower Matrix. Imagine each task you have as a yellow sticky note, noting its urgency and importance. Now, place these on a grid. In the upper left quadrant, prioritize tasks that are both urgent and important—deal with them first. The upper right quadrant holds tasks that are important but not urgent—schedule them mindfully. For tasks in the lower left quadrant that are urgent but not important, consider delegating if possible. Finally, in the lower right quadrant, you'll find tasks that are neither urgent nor important—ignore or minimize these to focus on what truly matters. This method helps you organize and prioritize effectively, making your life better in countless ways.

Janet: Put in a picture of someone you love. It keeps things in perspective. There were days when I wanted to stick a needle in my eye, but then I came home and my little boy ran to the door with glee, yelling my name. No matter how tired I was I felt like the day started fresh at that moment and for a little while, all the drama fell away. He was the other side of the teeter-totter, reminding that the world was bigger than work.

Number 5

Nancy: You need thank you cards in your box. They don't really need to be physical cards, but get used to showing gratitude. It's the right thing to do and it's how the world goes around. We can forget to thank people—our bosses, our employees, our peers, the person who just handed us our coffee at Starbucks.

Janet: I would throw in a yellow sticky with the words “I believe you can do this”. I think it’s Harvard that says that these are the most powerful words you can say to somebody when they're flailing. “I believe you can do this”. I would want someone to believe that I have that confidence in them.

Key tip: The small things really matter!

A huge thank you to these powerhouse go-getters.

Written by
impact&agency