Erin Loos Cutraro: Helping Women Make a Difference
In this episode of the WomenHeard podcast, host Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich talks with Erin Loos Cutraro, Founder and CEO of She Should Run, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to increasing the number of women running for public office. Cutraro talks about how she went from teaching middle school history to entering politics, plus the creation of She Should Run, her approach to networking, and more. This episode emphasizes the importance of being open to opportunities and taking risks—here are some highlights to look forward to in the conversation.
DON’T STOP BELIEVING
She Should Run was born when Cutraro, then working for a political action committee supporting early-stage female candidates, sought creative ways to bring more women into the political pipeline. She launched She Should Run as a basic virtual program. It quickly gained momentum among women who didn’t grow up dreaming of running for office but were now considering it and didn’t have the support to start. Cutraro saw it as a valuable resource for women, especially those who, like Cutraro herself, didn’t start their careers in politics. Despite initial resistance, Cutraro persisted until she found support from another person who understood her vision and helped bring the project to life.
COMMUNICATION IN POLITICS
In the political space, communications is all about managing a brand, whether it’s a person or an organization. This involves understanding and protecting the brand’s value, safeguarding its intentions, and assessing risks. As a communications professional, Cutraro says, your job is to set the entity up for success. For her, it used to mean preparing the Missouri Secretary of State for press briefings, monitoring public perception, conducting background research, and developing talking points. To get into this space, Cutraro says it’s not always about having the right experiences on your resume, but more about being the person “who’s gonna have that right fit to make the whole thing tick.”
BE OPEN TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
The world of networking has changed since the pandemic, evolving into a hybrid of in-person and online interactions. Cutraro emphasizes that the key to effective networking is “being open.” She believes true networking involves meeting people who expand your thinking, rather than narrowing it. Often, networking can feel transactional because we approach it with the expectation of gaining something, whether it be a client, introductions to another connection, or a job. She says to instead look at it as a way of being “open to taking a risk” and building relationships with people, even in different industries— because you never know what opportunities can come out of it.
Thank you to Erin Loos Cutraro for joining us! For the full interview, listen to NYWICI’s WomenHeard podcast.
