Today (March 8) is International Women's Day (IWD) and Strathmore has many strong, independent, and powerful women.

To kick off IWD, the team at Strathmore now talked with their general station manager for 104.5 More Country, Whitnee Sidloski about her journey with being a woman in an executive position. 

"One of the most important things I have learned as I got older is to keep an open mind about everything. I think being coachable and learning from somebody is super important in the corporate world."

Sidloski gives a lot of credit to a really strong mentor that she had at the time.

"When you are younger, I think it is important to establish a mentor. Somebody that you can look up to, somebody you can ask for advice or leadership ideas. I think that being young, knowing that you don't know everything, and learning from people who have done it successfully will help you get on the right track." 

Being a woman in the media industry can be a struggle but the company that encompasses 104.5 More Country, Goldenwest Broadcasting is very woman driven. 

"My mentor was male, and I think having a male mentor allowed me to know that I have a voice and I think that there are ways that you can learn to use your voice respectfully and sometimes you have to change verbiage and vocabulary but it's important to know that your voice is valuable."

Originally from Saskatchewan, Sidloski started in the restaurant management scene before making her way to a Goldenwest station in Weyburn. 

"I wanted to flip the coin kind of and do the opposite of what I was doing, where instead of trying to build a business, I would help businesses build up. There was this job opening in Wayburn, I started as an account manager and after three years became a general manager." 

The station AM 1190 in Weyburn goes way back for Sidloski. 

"My grandparents had a massive farm growing up and AM 1190 played on the radio in that kitchen all day long and all night, every day. Like it just never was not on, and I grew a real love for what local radio was and what that did for our community."

Sidloski is always buzzing around because not only is she the station manager for 104.5 More Country, but she also manages the Eagle 100.9 in Okotoks while also being a hockey mom. 

"I like being busy, I like that my kids are busy, I just find joy in that. It is also probably surprising to most people that I am introverted for the most part. I do however like community events. I love talking to clients, but when I'm not at the arena and not doing work things I'm at home for the most part. I'm a homebody." 

Sidloski draws inspiration from the women in her everyday life, celebrating their unique contributions and unwavering resilience.

From her colleagues at Goldenwest Broadcasting to esteemed clients like Audra Reinhardt and Carleyne Sianchuk, she finds mentorship, camaraderie, and inspiration in the sisterhood of women in business.

"I think that obviously if you come into our office, we're mostly women and that's something that we've fostered in this office for years and years. Everybody in here is inspiring in their ways and I think that the day-to-day wouldn't be the same without just seeing everybody in here."

When talking about the CIR Reality relator, Audra Reinhardt, Sidloski said that she was one of the first clients that she met when she moved to Strathmore.

"Our work relationship has become so deep on so many levels it's not uncommon that we're texting day-to-day about different things. I have a love of real estate so that's something that we bond over as well. She's somebody that I super value as a woman in business and I look up to her."

Carleyne Sianchuck, the CEO of Green Light Homes is someone that Sidloski says is also super inspiring to her.

"She's super inspiring to talk to you about anything to do with building a business because she's not just done the two that she has here, but she's built other businesses successfully as well. So, she's a great, great person to know." 

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@strathmorenow.com  

auction