BullCon 2020 is a women’s leadership conference where career badassery and feminism intersect. BullCon operates on the belief that leadership is not a position or a title it is action and example, which is why it is the place for feminists who want to make the world and the workplace better. We reached out to BullCon speaker, Stinson Mundy, to learn a little more about her and her presentation, “Breaking the Negotiation Code.”
Stinson Mundy is a negotiator, lawyer, moderator. Her days are spent investigating decision-making processes and bringing parties together to find mutual interests and paths forward. She advises and supports purpose driven business, government, and non-profit leaders through negotiation, partnership building and the execution of market disruption strategies. Stinson focuses her work on women executives and business leaders who want to harness risk, drive growth and break boundaries.
Hi Stinson, first we’d like to express how happy we are that you’re joining us for BullCon 2020! We know that you are an all around badass negotiator, lawyer, and moderator. Can you tell us how you got into this field? What inspires you?
Great question! I accidentally fell into the law. I had a graduate degree is 17th English social history and wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with it. A friend suggested law school and it seemed like a good idea. I was a commercial litigator for 8.5 years and during that time I negotiated every day – I hated how contentious litigation was but I loved negotiating. I left litigation, went in-house for a short period time and then started my own law firm in 2016. One of my favorite clients happened to be a negotiation firm, and I joined them as a partner this past year. Negotiation is an art – and one that’s not taught (at least not in any productive way). I now get to use all of my skills to help others figure it out too.
What inspires me? I am inspired by other badass women, doing what they love and leading the way for other women to join them.
We LOVE that you’re giving us a new playbook with your BullCon 2020 presentation, “Breaking the Negotiation Code.” Can you tell us who should attend your talk and what they will they learn along the way?
Anyone who wants to learn how to better assert a position and have difficult conversations. When you boil it down, negotiations are just conversations and we have lots of them every day. Too often we approach them as a zero sum game – there is a winner and a loser. We’ll be talking about new ways to look at negotiation and tools to help both sides reach results that are beneficial while whole heartedly advocating for yourself. It’s not scary (I promise) and once you figure it out, it will change the way you approach life.
What are some common fears regarding negotiating, specifically for women?
The biggest fear I see is the fear of hearing “no.” Too often we’re so worried about that one word, that we forget about how awesome it would be if we hear “yes.” “No” is great for setting boundaries; it’s not a great reason to shrink away from something we’d really like or need.
Can you talk to us about an impactful moment in your career?
When I realized that in order to succeed, I needed to be my own advocate. I had great mentors and solid support system, but at the end of the day, if I wanted to move forward I needed to take the risks and put myself in positions that helped me grow. Once I realized that I was in control of my destiny, I was able to make smarter decisions about my career and it set me on the trajectory to be where I am today.
And lastly, can you tell us one quirky or unexpected thing about you?
I hate cucumbers 😊
To meet Stinson and our other fierce speakers, attend BullCon 2020!
