Jill Manoff
Editor In Chief at Glossy Media
“Being a leader means bringing out the best in people.”
Tell us about your journey and how you’ve gotten to where you are today.
I’ve been working for almost twenty years. Coming out of college I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I [initially] majored in psychology but...it was not the best economic time [in the U.S.]...so I double majored in management and psychology. Looking back I would've majored in journalism and taken some fashion courses that would’ve prepared me [for my career]. I wouldn’t have had to work so hard after college to self educate and catch myself up.
I knew I had this creative passion for the fashion industry and I’ve always been creative but I wasn't encouraged to go that route. I’m from the Midwest and there aren’t a lot of opportunities in media like there are in New York. I got a job as an account executive [when I graduated from college], licensing movies to different divisions. When I got the job, it was post September 11. I applied for every job after [graduating]. When I got this job I cried out “I don’t want to work here!” I didn't want to be stuck in this job that I wasn't passionate about so I ended up working in St. Louis, Missouri as a freelance writer for a lifestyle publication. I went to a meeting, where they were recruiting for writers. I would work eight hours for literally $25 [per article, but] they didn’t even have to pay me because I just loved writing. I worked my way up to fashion editor.
I [essentially] switched jobs from an account executive to fashion editor at a small publication in the Midwest...and there was definitely a drop in salary. I became the go-to freelance style writer. I tried to do my full-time [freelance writing] job and [operate a] side hustle as a fashion stylist. My bread and butter was freelance styling but I would never say no to a freelance [assignment]. I really got burnt out. I [started] looking for a full-time job that was just writing and I ended up finding one in Chicago. I got hired on to be the head copywriter of searsStyle.com and worked there for about three years. There began to be layoffs but I was determined to find a job before being laid off. Sears had been a client of Mode Media and I had a connection there. I found a job there [as the] editor for Glam.com. In the end, I moved a lot for a few years – St. Louis to Chicago to San Francisco.
The stories I wrote on Glam.com were always outside of the box for them. I was writing about wearables, fashion and technology because that's what I was interested in and I made it work for Glam.com because it’s what I wanted to [write about]. When I found Glossy, I clung to it even before I knew I’d be working at Mode Media. I was at Mode Media for 1.5 years, but they abruptly shut down. I’m a workaholic and thought “What do I do now?”. [In these circumstances] you have to go find something that you love. Don’t settle but get something fast. I had fallen in love with Glossy because it resonated and it was refreshing to read about fashion in a smart way, from a business point of view. I joined [Glossy] as Editor in Chief. It was a rough time and there was a lot of adjustment for me to move to New York City and start heading up a team. At the time it was just me and three reporters. I had to go, go, go and figure it out.
What’s the best piece of professional or life advice you’ve ever received?
I had one boss...who was someone to look up to. She had come from GAP and had way more experience than I did at the time. [In meetings, I would apologize and say] “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She said to me “Don’t apologize!”. I didn’t question [her feedback] at the time. Now, in the work setting, it helps me. To me, it means that I know I work my butt off and I am not going to half ass something or cut corners or anything like that…[but] why would I apologize? It’s a bad habit.
What does leadership mean to you?
Being a leader means bringing out the best in people. I don’t like to bark orders. I also like to share everything with my team. I don’t like there to be secrets across the company. I think that causes bad experiences and creates a bad atmosphere. If I come out of a management meeting - and I’m not obligated to do this but I think it's a courtesy - that the more information I share with the team, the better. I think constant communication is important and to have a relationship with your team and show them that you’re interested and you care. It makes it more fun!
Do you have any special sayings or expressions?
I always thought “I’m not always going to be the smartest person in the room or be the most savvy but no one is going to work harder than me." Maybe it's not the best thing for work/life balance but I pride myself in working my ass off. You make up for [the work/life balance] in other ways. You shouldn’t put limits on yourself for any reason. If you work hard, you can compete in any arena.
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
