How Introverts in Advertising can find Mentorship by Amira Martin, Art Director, VML
Guest Author: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amira-martin-1461a1b9/
Mentors don’t always come in the way you expect.
As a shy girl, concepts like networking events or “asking someone to be your mentor” never sat well with me. I knew myself—and trying to be the girl perusing LinkedIn, finding people I admire, and sending cold messages just wasn’t going to happen.
Don’t get me wrong—I tried. I showed up to events, joined mentorship programs, even sent one or two of those dreaded emails… I seemingly did all the things, only it was in the wrong environments and under forced circumstances, I didn’t always feel like I could thrive.
Eventually, I realized mentorship would have to come more organically. While I now know that doing it alone isn’t possible (trust me, I’ve tried), early on I genuinely believed that I’d have to be the only sail pushing my career forward.
And yet—looking back—I had mentors every step of the way. I just didn’t call them that at the time.
Over time, I’ve learned that mentorship doesn’t have to be formal or labelled. It doesn’t need a scheduled Zoom or a big announcement. Sometimes, mentorship looks like:
A boss who says your name in rooms you aren’t in, who gives you opportunities to grow and trusts you’ll shine. (Thank you, Emily.)
A friend who gives you insider tips—how to “play the game,” how to navigate tough convos with managers, or who simply introduces you to the right people. (Macy, Henrietta, Tracy, Francis —you don’t know how much you’ve helped.)
A senior peer who sits on Zoom while you spiral after hours of shaping a concept so long you start to question what even is a concept. It’s the pep talks, the casual check-ins, and even something as simple as suggesting a walk. (Dani, my love. A gem, you are.)
Someone who sees you—maybe even before you see yourself—and steps in just to help. That might be monthly check-ins, sharing their network, or putting you on a stage because they know you’ll own it. (Walt, Shannon, Sephanie, Nejah.)
Once I started seeing these moments for what they were, it hit me—I’d always had mentorship. I had champions. People who believed in me. Guided me. And none of them were people I formally asked. Honestly, I doubt many of them even know I consider them mentors.
So, what changed?
I worked on getting braver. I started raising my hand within my teams, saying yes in safe spaces, letting people see me, and trusting that the people I found myself aligning with also wanted the best for me, too. That was the shift. Mentorship, for me, began when I stopped forcing it and just stayed open to it.
If you're just starting out, here’s my best advice to open up to mentorship and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way
1. Be impressive. Be kind. Be visible.
Present yourself and your work in a way that feels authentic and shows you care. You don’t need perfection, just passion and intentionality.
Treat people well. It's self-explanatory but no one wants to mentor someone with a bad attitude, who treats people poorly, or isn’t willing to be a generous collaborator. Particularly in this industry, collaboration is everything.
And most importantly: be visible. You can work your ass off, but if no one sees it, it won’t be enough. Visibility matters. As cringy as it feels, you have to tell your manager what you’re working on, share your wins, and let people in. Hiding in the shadows won’t serve you. As a shy girl, trust me, I get the urge to lay low. Instead, I want you to find moments, maybe even just start with one, to practice the art of putting yourself out there. Confidence will come with time, practice, and reflection as you look back on those hard things you’ve done.
2. Find support in spaces that feel safe.
Join an ERG or two.
Go to that happy hour—but bring a work friend you trust.
Find community in spaces outside your team if your day-to-day doesn’t feel affirming. I’m the kind of shy girl who comes to life in the safety of people I trust—so if that’s you too, build from there.
3. Let people help you.
If someone asks how they can support you? First, pat yourself on the back, you’re doing something right. Second, don’t overthink it, don’t let anxiety or nerves get in the way. They’re offering because they want to help.
And when they do—you’ve gotta be ready. Ready to say yes. Ready to receive. Ready with a rough idea of what you want so you can name it when the moment comes.
Overall, I can’t lie and say finding or maintaining mentorship doesn’t take work. It just doesn’t have to take the work you might think it does. You’re never too quiet, too shy, or too unsure to deserve support. Mentorship might not arrive with a formal title. Sometimes, it just starts with you being open enough to let it in.
Karen, Claire, Gina, Tracy, Mark, Lance, Emily, Macy, Henrietta, Francis, Dani, Walt, Shannon, Stephanie, Nejah — whether our moments together were formal or casual, long-term or a quick conversation, you’ve all left an imprint on me. Your mentorship, in all its forms, has shaped me and my journey more than you may know. Thank you, deeply.