Goldie Scholars Deliver Personal Pitches to Penny Pritzker

Goldie Scholars and Alumnae met with Penny Pritzker on April 26, 2018, over breakfast at her River Point office. Penny Pritzker is the founder and Chairman of PSP Partners and its affiliates, Pritzker Realty Group, PSP Capital and PSP Growth. From June 2013 through January 2017, she served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce in the Obama Administration. The meeting was arranged by Goldie B. Wolfe Miller, Founder, and Chair of The Goldie Initiative, who often remembers being the only other woman in the room with Penny at many of their real estate dealings over the last 20 years.

After brief introductions, Goldie Scholars delivered personal value statements or “elevator pitches”. Over the course of the academic year, Goldie Scholars have been working as a cohort to develop strategies for “getting what you want.” Since networking has become an essential element of connecting with people who can directly or indirectly play a role in furthering your career, Leadership Development Programming has been focused on the personal value statement, which is the ability to make connections and effectively communicate what you do, the value you bring and where you are headed.  Crafting, polishing and delivering a succinct and compelling Value Statement will effectively help others understand what you offer and what you want.

Both Penny and Goldie responded to the value statements with constructive feedback and lively stories from their own careers. Goldie Scholars absorbed the feedback with grace, and there were one or two stories they will surely never forget!

When Goldie Scholar Nora Boneham asked for Penny’s call to action for the day, Penny responded with the advice that “women should help other women.” Other advice included telling a quick story, considering your audience, improving presence, and knowing what are the 2-3 things you want your listener to remember.

The Goldie Initiative is thankful for the ongoing support by the Pritzker Realty Group as a sponsor of the Goldie Gala and looks forward to additional interactive sessions with Penny Pritzker in the future.