Samantha Margolis Fogle of Mint On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management
An Interview With Vanessa Ogle
Be authentically you. Women often show up wearing a mask and try to be the person they think others want them to be. I see this all the time, especially in male-dominated fields and organizations. But by doing so, women will never actually succeed in business or in life. We all need to make choices that reflect our personal values and showcase who we really are in order to be happy and truly successful.
Despite strides towards equality, women remain underrepresented in leadership and management roles across various sectors. In this series, we would like to discuss the barriers to female advancement in these areas and explore actionable strategies for change. We are talking with accomplished women leaders, executives, and pioneers who have navigated these challenges successfully, to hear their experiences, tactics, and advice to inspire and guide the next generation of women toward achieving their full potential in leadership and management roles. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Samantha Margolis Fogle.
As one of the founders of Mint, a creative agency in Toronto, Samantha has contributed to building the organization and overseeing year over year growth for the past fourteen years. With a background in public relations, integrated communications and client service, Samantha has always taken a ‘dive in with both feet’ approach, and her track record in building big impact, award-winning programs are no exception. Samantha is a hands-on strategic planner and has had the privilege of partnering with some of the world’s leading brands including YouTube, Nespresso, Air Canada, Pinterest and Bumble. A proud mother of 3 (two human, one dog), Samantha spends her spare time cooking, reading, tuning in with herself and trying out new workout classes.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I would say the start of my career was definitely an interesting one, and very clearly set me on my path towards carving out a niche and building my own agency. In between my third and fourth year of studying for my undergraduate degree at McGill University, I landed a summer internship at a boutique PR firm and I was so excited to dive in with both feet. The big project handed to me was planning a charity gala set to take place during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The exciting part was the gala was being hosted by the actress Kate Hudson, with a slew of additional a-list talent slated to attend. It was a fast and joyous experience where I was able to learn a whole host of skills, and immerse myself in this crazy world of PR.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly influenced your path to leadership?
That’s an interesting question. I don’t think I can boil my path towards leadership down to one specific moment. I was raised in a household full of leaders and strong personalities with both my parents being the founders of Winners and HomeSense. Growing up in that environment naturally encouraged me to hone my ambition and entrepreneurial spirit at a young age. So while I can’t pinpoint one core moment, I can safely say there were a series of events that led me to where I am today. My late father was my biggest mentor and cheerleader, and taught me to approach my career with a few core principles: surround myself with people who are smarter than me so I can study and absorb best practices from brilliant minds; take responsible risks and embrace failure as lessons for self-improvement; and lead with kindness, always, because you catch more bees with honey. I think these core tenets have always served me well on my path to leadership.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Undoubletable my husband, business partner and life partner Jordan Fogle. We started Mint together with a small handful of clients and a whole lot of entrepreneurial spirit. The foundation of respect we have for one another has allowed each of us to carve out our individual and collective paths for success, with a shared goal of growing something special, together. Without Jordan’s unwavering support, there is not a world in which I would be able to have accomplished all that I have today. He’s my biggest supporter and has created space for me to be myself and lead this business in my own way. Word of advice: find yourself a partner that pushes you to be the best version of yourself.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I’m a big Gabby Bernstein fan, and her book The Universe Has Your Back was a game-changer for me. It taught me to roll with the punches and try not to sweat the small stuff, because everything that is happening is towards a greater purpose and part of a larger plan for me. It gave me a fresh perspective that has grounded and served me well.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
I live by the mantra “everything happens for a reason.” As a business owner, you can’t plan for the unexpected, life will throw you all of the curveballs imaginable. While challenging times can feel overwhelming and uncomfortable, I stay focused on trying to learn lessons during the hard times and hold onto the fact that everything works out the way it is intended to.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
At Mint, our mission is to make a positive impact on culture and the future. That is the lens we approach all of our work with for our deep client bench. Whether it’s a new product launch, brand campaign or PR stunt, like ‘Brewed Awakenings’ with Bumble where coffee was priced at 0.88 for women and $1.00 for men to bring attention to the persistent gender pay gap, we are unwavering in our commitment to make a positive impact through strategic thinking and creativity. Other notable projects include the work we did with Masai Ujiri and his organization Humanity, a fourteen-year relationship promoting the One of a Kind Show in support of the small business community in Canada, and our work with Silk in 2023 creating a beeline to make a positive impact on the future of our planet.
I also take on a few volunteer positions and projects where I lend my marketing expertise. One I am proud of is sitting on the board of my children’s school called The Mabin School — a progressive independent school whose mission is to create the next generation of original thinkers, adaptive leaders and caring citizens.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this report, only about 31.7% of top executive positions across industries are held by women. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from leadership and management?
I think a few factors. From a psychological perspective, I don’t think women (at least from my generation) were given permission by people of influence (school, parents, friends, etc.) to be bold and strong or to have the level of ambition required to lead. I do know that the next generation is being taught a different set of values, and hope that translates into more and more women making bold moves to rise up. Another is the pressure society continues to place on women, especially working moms. There are too many organizations that have unrealistic expectations of working moms which can burn them out and at times, force them to put their careers on the back burner. We need more companies that have a deep level of empathy for how much is on parent’s plates, and create space and structures that support women “having it all.”
This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become leaders and managers?
Too many to mention! But I think a big one is due to our high EQ. Women typically have the ability to understand people on a deeper emotional level. This critical skill is especially beneficial when overseeing a team as it has a positive trickle down effect, allowing us to lead with empathy and in turn see greater results when leaderhsip takes this lens.
Can you please share “5 Things We Need To Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management?”
1 . Women supporting women; when someone reaches out to you for a chat, do it. We need to be better at creating and cultivating a community of support in order to lift each other up. Whether that’s making sure we support women entrepreneurs or connecting to further build our network.I get hit up regularly on LinkedIn by folks looking to connect and get inspired or grow their career. I make a point to respond to as many people as possible and give my time accordingly.
2 . Pay equity. The pay gap in Canada is still staggering, and women need to receive more equitable compensation as they grow in their careers. This is something we take very seriously at Mint, and provide transparency and equality across all levels and departments.
3 . Put more women in the driver’s seat. Mint is 78% female, with a women dominated executive and leadership team. This was a strategic design of the agency from the start. So look for organizations that have a foundation of support for women built into their structure and ethos.
4 . Empower at a young age. Like I mentioned above, I think the next generation is living with a new set of values, not rules that was lost on my generation. But so much more can be done at a young age — whether at school or through extracurriculars — to teach young girls how to become powerful future leaders. By giving agency at an early age to take ownership and lead projects, no matter how small, we can help young girls build this muscle memory that will carry through to adulthood.
5 . Be authentically you. Women often show up wearing a mask and try to be the person they think others want them to be. I see this all the time, especially in male-dominated fields and organizations. But by doing so, women will never actually succeed in business or in life. We all need to make choices that reflect our personal values and showcase who we really are in order to be happy and truly successful.
In your opinion, what systemic changes are needed to facilitate more equitable access for women to leadership roles?
Corporate policies need to change on a mass scale, and male allyship is an integral part of this. It’s easy for an independent company like mine to rewrite the playbook and develop policies and procedures in support of women as they grow up in their career. But too many large organizations still hold onto what I believe are archaic practices that inherently hold women back. Companies today have the ability, and social responsibility, to positively influence societal change by leading with innovative practices rooted in equality.
What strategies have you found most effective in mentoring and supporting other women to pursue leadership positions?
Having a women-led organization and creating pathways for upward mobility within the organization is the most effective strategy in my opinion. We have very high retention rates at Mint because our employees understand the growth opportunities and that management is there to inform, coach and mentor them along the way.
How would you advise a woman leader about how to navigate the challenges of being a woman in a leadership role within a male-dominated industry?
Stop asking for permission to do things your way. Use your voice for good to persuade those around you and advocate for your beliefs with conviction.
How do you balance the demand for authoritative leadership with the stereotypical expectations of female behavior in professional settings?
It’s a hard dance but I tell my team that being a good leader is mastering the art of being liked and respected in one fell swoop. This isn’t a zero sum game and I believe women have natural abilities in this regard. Often, preconceived beliefs and upbringings give women a false perception of what they can do and are capable of. We need women to have the confidence in themselves to carve out new definitions of leadership and do what feels good and natural to them.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Bring mindfulness and holistic wellness rituals into your practices as a leader and mentor. I am a big proponent of self-care, self-improvement and making space for practices that get me centered. We can’t show up for our team and those around us if we ourselves are either depleted of energy or unhappy. Whether it’s meditation, exercise, journaling, walks in nature or yoga — find small daily activities and rituals that ground you and allow you to show up as the best version of yourself. I read this article yesterday about the sound bath ritual (one I am a big fan of!) and it’s exactly how I behave in my own life — more people need to join this movement and zen out once in a while.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow our work and reach out through our website themintagency.com
And follow us on social media
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.
Please connect with Vanessa here on linkedin and subscribe to her newsletter Unplugged as well as follow her on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and X and of course on her website VanessaOgle.
Samantha Margolis Fogle of Mint On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.