Develop the Next - Adam Chandler-Martini Media

The holiday season is a good time to reflect, give thanks and give back. Giving back can take on many forms, whether it is contributing to a good cause or helping those in need. We can also "pay it forward" in our professional lives by developing talent and providing mentorship to rising stars. You are never too young or old to start.

According to Advertising Age's Annual 2012 issue out this week, Internet-media employment is finally close to passing its 2000 dot-com bubble peak. Today, more than ever, companies fail or succeed based on the hires they bring in. This is very apparent in the crowded world of digital media based start-ups; strong talent can be sparse and difficult to find without a complete focus on recruitment and retention. At Martini Media, we currently work with organizations ranging from large public companies to innovative start-ups. It's increasingly clear how the future will unfold for some of these companies, putting aside technology, scale and market differentiation. The right people can build all three.

Increasing the amount of new talent is paramount to our growth, and future leaders need to be mentored and developed by those that have achieved success already.

I've been fortunate early in my career to watch and learn from some of the best in the business. Working with A+ talent can do wonders for the future direction of not only your career, but the companies and people you make an impact on.

Given the explosion of start-ups today, there can be more jobs than qualified talent to fill them. This holiday season, dig into employee goals and needs in a way you haven't before. Not only will you give back to a future class of leaders, but you will grow your culture, talent and retention rates at the same time.

If you have been lucky enough to learn from the best, develop the next.

Adam Chandler (adam@martini-corp.com) is Chief Revenue Officer of Martini Media, a network of more than 1,200 enthusiast websites, reaching 65 million affluent adults ($100K+) in the U.S. and abroad.

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