What We’re About
The Wintry Mix mentorship program is for women and non-binary individuals working in creative fields in the Twin Cities who are craving mentorship outside the workplace. We exist to empower the voices in our community with a focus on prioritizing BIPOC talent. Our aim is to increase gender equity in the MSP advertising and marketing industries.
Our Passion
“Our industries and communities are inevitably strengthened when we see more women and nonbinary people in leadership. To foster this strength, we connect MSP talent who are passionate about supporting each other throughout their careers.”
— Amanda Zweerink, President
The Name
Winters in Minnesota can be lonely and isolating. Running between late fall into early spring every year, our mentorship program provides a bit of joy and connection in the midst of this. Something to look forward to as the air turns crisp and threatens to drop icy flakes on our community. A chance to get out and meet the bright, talented and supportive women and nonbinary folks who power the creative space in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Our playful name reflects all this, inviting those craving a winter filled with growth, new beginnings and camaraderie to get in the mix.
Mission
We’ve made it our mission to help women and nonbinary individuals in the marketing, advertising and broader creative community recognize and achieve their personal and professional ambitions by surrounding them with a system of support.
PURPOSE
With a desire for a better, stronger world, Wintry Mix facilitates mentorship, hosts events and sparks conversations with talent in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area in hopes of helping them achieve their wildest ambitions while living their happiest lives.
Roots
Founded as MPLS MadWomen in 2013, the organization began hosting events that brought together like-minded women in the ad industry during a time when women made up only 3% of creative director roles.
In 2017, we introduced our mentorship program, which connected experienced women across creative, account, digital and marketing roles with those seeking guidance in their early careers. What was intended as a pilot program was a wild success and we knew we were onto something.
As the years went on, we fortunately saw more and more organizations emerging to support those who self identify as women and nonbinary folks and BIPOC through events, skill building and networking. This progress led us to reassess the role we could play in our community. It was clear women at every level of their career were still craving mentorship.
With this, we doubled down on the program and rebranded it Wintry Mix to reflect both our renewed focus on mentorship as well as our expansion to careers outside the traditional agency space.
Impact
