In Conversation with Tanya Windman
Tell us about your background:
I specialize in building community strategies for membership clubs, platforms, and women-focused brands. With a background in sociology, marketing, and mindfulness facilitation, I've spent the past decade helping organizations design experiences that drive retention and revenue. I've worked with social clubs, hospitality brands, and wellness companies to create engagement strategies that actually work. I also founded and lead an international women's community, giving me firsthand insight into what women want from the brands and communities they support. Based in New York, working with membership clubs, community platforms, and brands globally.
What do you wish you’d known when you started out?
I wish that I had advocated for women focused mentorship programs in the workplace especially being in advertising which is and was so heavily male dominated.
What leadership qualities are important to you?
Deep listening, transparency, curiosity, respect, the ability to see and harness the best in people, sense of humor, flexibility, clear communication, honesty, generosity
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
Graduating in 2008 was the first big challenge. Shortly after, being in a very heavily male dominated environment early on in my career without much conversation around it at the time.
How do you define success in your career, and how has that definition evolved over time?
I define success by alignment first. If I'm in alignment, I tend to see results more easily from a personal growth standpoint, through the impact that I have on others in day to day interactions and also getting closer to external goals I've set. It's more about small wins over time vs achieving something huge overnight. I don't think I knew what success was or who I was in the beginning of my career, so a lot has changed.
How has networking contributed to your professional growth and success?
It's everything. Anyone trying to achieve anything by themselves is making it so much harder. Especially with all of the options and noise these days, making high quality, personal connections has paid off over time in the form of an expansive network that not only supports my own work but allows me to be a connector so that other people can bring their visions to life and that's the most fulfilling outcome for me.
What are your top networking tips for building strong connections in your industry?
Be authentic. care about others. ask questions. be curious. be clear. be honest. don't lead with "what do you do?" instead lead with "what do you enjoy doing?"
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyawindman/
Website: https://www.windyandco.co/ ; https://www.joinyc.co/ ; https://www.windyandco.co/advisory
Instagram: @tanyakwindman
