Hawke Media celebrates employees that represent our culture, values, and mission to their core. Today we recognize executive assistant Giancarlo Giron for his notable HawkeStar July 2021 achievement award. 

Steven: Congratulations on being named HawkeStar! You are a multi-talented assistant/strategist/people manager and overall stand out at Hawke Media. How do you handle operating in so many different roles?

Giancarlo: That’s a good question! To start, one of our values is, “get sh*t done”, and that’s just how I operate. If I’m not busy trying to create change, I get bored. More importantly, however, is the fact that we have a very supportive team here at Hawke that’s nothing short of talented!

Steven: You are such a welcoming human being. Where did this empathy come from?

Giancarlo: I come at everything I do with intention. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep, I always make sure that people are taken care of, not because it’s a responsibility of mine on a piece of paper, but because I genuinely care. It’s not only fun for me, but it’s just nice to know that people are taken care of. Wherever I can help, I’d like to.

Steven: You are very sincere about caring about people, and we care about you! What other skills do you think are necessary for success at Hawke?

Giancarlo: Number one is making sure that you know we’re all working towards the same goals. We should all try as much as possible to help each other. The best skill to have is keeping that team-focused drive at the forefront of everything you do. Also, making sure that everything you touch is quality. You have to care at the end of the day. If you don’t care you’re not going to put out your best work.

Steven: Before Hawke, what was life like?

Giancarlo: My mom was a housekeeper, and since I was a toddler, I’d go to work with her.  I remember being in elementary school, washing windows with her, and seeing how she was treated. Every day after we finished a day at work, we’d walk by these huge houses, and she’d always say, “Mijo if you work really really hard, one day, you’re gonna own one of those houses.” Obviously, that was an oversimplified idea of what it actually takes, but that always stuck with me, especially being a first-generation Latino here in the U.S.

We know that in the marketing industry people of color are not well represented at all. That’s a motivator—the fact that it’s breaking barriers. From childhood, I’ve always worked hard. Hard work is how you get to where you want to be. Hard work and treating all people with respect.  But looking at the industry, at how it stands, I want to change it.

Steven: I love that story! Speaking of changing things up, what has been your favorite project that you’ve been involved with?

Giancarlo: So many come to mind! If I have to choose one then it’s Pride 365! What sparked it for me was when Eric Zuniga-Perez joined the company with the recruiting team. We became friends quickly and discussed what it’s like to be a queer person of color at Hawke, and in the industry in general. 

We started talking about the idea of bringing your whole self to work. That was inspiring, and it’s been fun. It doesn’t feel like work. There are plans to bring in other affinity groups. For example, there’s a lack of black marketers in the industry. The first step in combating that is to talk about it and educate ourselves. Representation matters because we are in the unique position that everything we produce will have eyes on it and can affect perceptions. So I would love to help grease the wheels at Hawke, help us all continue learning, and help revolutionize the industry, which is what Hawke does best. 

Steven: Everyone is welcome here at Hawke! This is a fast-paced environment. How do you cool down?

Giancarlo: So my boyfriend’s very supportive. He knows how time-consuming this job is, but he also sees how important it is to me and how much I care. Because of that, he cares. So while he simultaneously helps me dig into my work and helps me stay focused, he will also pull me away and we’ll go out for dinner, stream a show, or engage in a fun political discourse. We both care about what this is and what we’re building here.

Steven: What goes into making successful relationships?

Giancarlo: Empathy, as cliche as it is. Value each other’s work and also practice curiosity. I always want to hear what people’s opinions are because it’s an opportunity to learn. People are not always comfortable just speaking up, so we should ask. Each person brings their own kind of value. Embracing that belief is really the core of successful relationships.

Steven: Your impact on the team is certainly felt!  What does HawkeStar mean to you?

Giancarlo: First and foremost, it validates all the risks that I take every day. By that I mean, I definitely have a bit of imposter syndrome. Deep inside, I’m always thinking, “is what I said correct? Should I even speak up? Do people care what I have to say?” In the past few months, I’ve taken lots of risks, speaking up, making sure that my voice is heard. This is validation that I should continue taking those risks and that everyone needs to speak up and have their voice heard because, at the end of the day, the risk will be worth it.

Steven: That’s a beautiful answer. Now that you’ve won HawkeStar, what is next? What other goals do you want to achieve? 

Giancarlo: I generally want to continue helping. Helping people is making sure everyone at Hawke feels supported, welcomed and that their voice is heard. Being heard and having people care about you is the most important thing that can happen here.

Steven: Thank you, G, for all that you do! You are an ally for the team that makes people feel empowered to speak up and to be their best selves. I think that you are like a great person to support and mentor future Hawkes and it would not be the same without you. Those are the facts.