Ivy Exec Mentor Spotlight: Douglas Holloway, President – Mulitchannel Distribution, ION Media Networks

Ivy Exec Mentor Spotlight: Douglas Holloway, President – Mulitchannel Distribution, ION Media Networks

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Ivy Exec Mentor Spotlight: Gayle Rigione, Ivy Exec’s Chief Content Editor and Mentorship Program Manager, recently interviewed Douglas Holloway, President – Multichannel Distribution, ION Media Networks.  Douglas has spent 20+ years in the communications industry in a wide range of roles with significantly increasing management and P&L responsibilities.  Over the course of his career, Douglas has started new businesses, identified and implemented strategic acquisitions and has gained extensive experience in television program development, production, operations, sales, marketing and strategic planning. Mostly recently he is responsible for all distribution and affiliate marketing of the ION Television Network, and is overseeing ION’s expansion into digital media. Since Ivy Exec launched the Ivy Exec Mentor Network  in May of 2012, Douglas has provided guidance and insights to many protégés who are interested in advancing their careers in media and new media. 

Gayle Rigione: What attracted you to join the Ivy Exec Mentor Network?

Douglas Holloway: I’d heard about the Network from friends of mine and was intrigued.  When I looked into it, I liked what I saw, so I began mentoring for the program.  Mentoring is a worthwhile way to spend some personal time and I strongly believe in it.  I mentor for several organizations.  It’s my way of giving back and staying connected to people.

Gayle Rigione: What is your mentoring philosophy?

Douglas Holloway: First I try to assess where people are, professionally and personally.  I try to find out what people are looking for in terms of their career.  I like to work with protégés to create a potential road map for their careers.   Often I share my own stories — the relevant insights I’ve gained from working with (or for) different people and encountering different professional challenges along the way.

Gayle Rigione: What 3 words best describe your mentoring style?

Douglas Holloway:  Concerned. Involved. Interested.  I am genuinely concerned about the people I mentor.  I listen intently and try to put myself in their shoes. And I’m keenly interested in where they’ve been and in helping them to create success in their future.

Gayle Rigione: What do you enjoy most about mentoring?

Douglas Holloway:  Mentoring is a two way street. I like that it connects me to people at different times and different levels of their careers.  I learn as much from my protégés as they learn from me.

Gayle Rigione: What is most challenging about mentoring?

Douglas Holloway: It’s very important to me to give people information and perspective that will make a real difference in their lives and careers.  That’s my primary personal challenge each time I work with someone.  The second challenge is motivating protégés to follow through and take ownership of the things we discuss and identify for follow up.  I’m not in control of that piece of the process and it can be frustrating because I know protégés can make tremendous strides forward if they just follow through.

Gayle Rigione: What do you consider when deciding whether or not to mentor a person?

Douglas Holloway: When I look at a protégé’s request for mentoring I think about whether or not I can provide the help they need.  A match has to be a good fit for both parties if a session is going to be worthwhile.

Gayle Rigione: When you meet, what are your expectations of your protégés?

Douglas Holloway: I expect protégés to have done their homework before we meet.  They need to have specifically thought through what they want from me during our time together.  If they are prepared, then we can make progress.

Gayle Rigione: Where do you find inspiration in your own career?

Douglas Holloway:  I have had good mentors in my own career – from business associations and personal connections — and I still have mentors.  It’s a never ending cycle of give and take.  I’ve also found inspiration from a number of different authors – Napoleon Hill’s “The Law of Success” and “Think and Grow Rich,” Robert Greene’s “48 Laws of Power,” and Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now.”  I never stop learning and applying what I learn to my career and my life.

Gayle Rigione: What impact has mentoring had on your career?

Douglas Holloway: I am a very driven person and manage my career the way I manage a business.  I’ve always made a plan for my career.  It’s something a mentor passed along to me.  I start with the endpoint – where I want to be, what I want to achieve – and work out the steps I need to take to arrive at that endpoint.  It’s Habit #2 in the book, “The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey.   This “habit” has worked well for me.  I’ve been doing it for over 20 years.

Facing career hurdles?  Get one-on-one guidance from seasoned executives with The Ivy Exec  Mentor Network...

 The Ivy Exec Mentor Network is a powerful, community based mentoring program designed to provide career guidance to aspiring professionals who find themselves at a career crossroads. Mentors are Ivy Exec members with 15 to 20+ years of experience who volunteer their time and expertise to help other Ivy Exec members resolve serious career challenges. This unique program is global in scope and promotes broad based networking — across national borders, industries and generations — between members of Ivy Exec’s exclusive professional community. Ivy Exec – intelligence at work… Want to know more about Ivy Exec? Check out our CrunchBase profile or interact with us on Facebook.

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