We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kirsten Kanuika. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kirsten below.
Kirsten, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome has been an uphill battle for me, especially as a woman in PR/marketing. Even once you’ve secured your spot at the table, you still will have to fight to be taken as seriously as your male coworkers. I can’t even count the amount of times someone has said to me “so you just post on social media?“, whereas male PR professionals are viewed as more legitimate, typically as handling crises and making public statements. Ultimately, misogyny in the workplace does nothing except instill a sense of imposter syndrome in female employees, therefore, limiting the company’s creativity, growth, and office culture.
My biggest motivation comes from my mother, an incredible businesswoman who taught me the importance of hard work and resilience, especially when it comes to battling imposter syndrome.
Whenever I doubt my voice, I remind myself of her strength and the lessons she instilled in me. I also believe it is important to connect with other women in the industry, share our experiences, and support one another. Building a network of motivating and inspirational women in this industry is crucial. This combination of inspiration and community has empowered me to embrace my work ethic and recognize the value I bring to the table.
Something that has really helped me battle imposter syndrome is documenting my achievements in my own personal journal. Whether I’ve gained a client more engagement on their social platforms, or received a personal brand deal with a new company—I document it to show myself at the end of each month and/or year what I’ve completed as well as what I want to do next.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m currently focused on pharmaceutical PR and social media strategy, where I’ve spent three years helping spread Rx-360’s mission; the importance of patient safety and supply chain integrity. As a person diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) at an early age, I’ve dealt with my fair share of medication shortages and complications in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Working for Rx-360 has been both incredibly rewarding as well as instilled a motivation in me for their mission.
In addition, I’ve been a brand ambassador for various makeup, skincare, and clothing brands, and am currently working with the clothing brand PrettyLittleThing where I style curate and create content. Over my time at Temple University, I’ve completed 8 internships, as well as have personally taken on 4 clients who have hired me on a freelance basis for everything from content writing, social media managing, PR, and style/content creation. I also enjoy writing about fashion trends, so in my free time, I write articles for Temple’s Fashion Business Club.
I’m always trying new things, whether it’s being a podcast guest or helping with fashion shows around Philadelphia. Something that has truly helped launch my career is not being scared to step outside of the box you’ve given yourself. If you would’ve told 15-year-old me that I would be able to work in both pharmaceuticals and fashion, I would’ve told you there’s no way those two things could be possible at the same time—so I made it my mission to prove myself wrong.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I believe the three most important qualities to be successful in the public relations industry are flexibility, perseverance, and a deep understanding of interpersonal communication. Public Relations is such a broad industry, where being able to help out in different aspects of the role is important. This flexibility and open mindedness has truly helped me persevere in my career.
How I developed these skills sounds funny, but I just started talking to people more. Whether it’s just raising your hand in class more or asking a coworker to get lunch with you, I believe that we can all grow from storytelling and communicating with one another, even when it may seem intimidating or scary. You truly flourish as a person when you find comfort in uncomfortable situations.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
The only thing that is more important than focusing on your career, is focusing on your mental and physical health. Especially in the public relations industry, you can find yourself working all hours of the night, whether its reaching out to influencers, posting content, or needing to submit a press release by the end of the day.
Burn out is very real, and I feel that communication and self-awareness are crucial in order to maintain a healthy balance of work and personal goals. Personally, I have been able to combat burn out with setting clear boundaries in my workplace. Open and honest communication is the first step to taking care of yourself.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, it’s due to one of two things: battling imposter syndrome or needing to unplug. In my career path, I’m on either a computer or my phone all day, so being able to unplug from my phone, turning off email notifications, and setting some real “me” time for myself helps me to regain mental clarity—whether it’s going to get a coffee or teaching yoga with my friends.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k1rst3nk/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-kanuika/
Image Credits
Headshot: Arielle Champion
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