Wisdom Unlocked 🔓✨ Career Lessons from Leading Women: A Conversation with Ruth Sandhaas

Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.

My name is Ruth Sandhaas, and I am the Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis for Spectrum Reach, the advertising sales division for Charter Communications.

How did your career begin, and what key steps led you to where you are today?

I like to say my career began at McDonald’s! What started out as my first job in high school actually set me on my career path. My managers recognized my acumen for numbers and asked if I would like to be trained as the weekend bookkeeper. That led to management and store controller positions while I pursued my undergraduate degree in accounting. I held several accounting positions in various industries in Manhattan leading up to my 19-year tenure at Cablevision / Rainbow Media /AMC networks. While I continued to move to positions with increasing responsibility in accounting at Cablevision, I had a desire to work on the planning side of the business rather than the accounting and reporting side. I went to class at night and completed my MBA in Finance. That decision, and the subsequent decision to accept a lateral move into the corporate finance department of Rainbow Media (later to become AMC Networks) changed the trajectory of my career. Moving laterally to a similar rung but on a different ladder facilitated my upward mobility and placed me in more strategic roles with more influence over the direction of the business.

How have you seen the workplace change since you started your career? What are the most significant shifts you’ve observed?

My career has been in larger, publicly traded companies, so I am speaking from that perspective. One of the most significant changes I’ve seen over the years is the embracement and emphasis placed on soft skills (emotional intelligence, ability to effectively interact with people of all levels). That has led to more flexibility in the workplace to help people achieve a better work-life balance. I’ve also seen and experienced first-hand the benefits of a greater value placed on training and professional development. For many years you saw employees promoted to people managers without being given any formal training on how to manage people. Thankfully this has changed with the introduction of in-house management training programs.

Automation and the introduction of AI have eliminated some jobs, but have also created others and/or created efficiencies for current roles to get work done more quickly and accurately.

From a female-in-the-workplace’s perspective, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing more women in senior roles and more support for women (and all people really) in the workplace with the formation of business resource groups (BRGs), diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, and hotlines established to promote business ethics and the intolerance of sexual harassment.

Finally, the somewhat forced introduction of remote or hybrid work schedules during the pandemic has created a bit of a rift in the workplace, creating a couple of schools of thought. While the benefits of remote work (better work-life balance, lower commuting cost) are undeniable, there can be a cost to collaboration, networking and relationship building. For young people just entering the workforce, I would advise applying for positions that follow at least hybrid work schedules.

What aspects of the workplace have remained consistent throughout your experience?

The majority of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are still men, but the balance has improved greatly over my career.

Hard work is still the key to success, but hard work alone does not get you noticed. You need to make sure someone knows about it, and you have to ask that someone to advocate for you.

The bottom line rules, especially in publicly traded companies where business leaders have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders.

Share a pivotal moment or decision that significantly shaped your career. This could be a success, a challenge, or a turning point. What stands out to you about this experience, and how has it influenced you?

I’ve had a few pivotal moments in my career:

• As I mentioned earlier, my decision to return to school for my MBA in Finance totally changed my career and opened up many opportunities.
• As a long-term employee of AMC networks, I was offered and accepted a voluntary buy-out to leave my position and pursue other ventures. At 48, I was concerned I may have trouble finding my next role, but I took a leap of faith. My reputation as a strong leader with equally strong work ethic, coupled with the relationships I had built over the years, led me to my current position at Charter. This experience taught me the value of a good reputation and the power of networking. It also influenced me to be more of a risk taker and not to let fear hold me back from an opportunity.
• I was diagnosed with breast cancer almost 2 years ago (ok, I buried the lead). With my youngest child about to graduate from high school, I had planned at this time to really throw myself into my work and focus on learning new skills and hopefully ascending to the next level in my career. Instead, I found myself in a situation where I needed to focus on my health. I did just that, but was also determined to minimize the impact my treatments and surgery had on my work. I am blessed with a supervisor who allowed me to work a more flexible schedule and a team who stepped up so that we would not miss a beat. The outcome was a joyous one both health-wise and career-wise. The experience has changed my perspective on what’s important in life, and not to take things in life for granted. It showed me the power of approaching challenges with determination, positivity and gratitude. I’m happy to report I am in good health and picking up where I left off in pursuit of furthering my career.

Work-life balance can be particularly challenging for women. How have you navigated this throughout your career?

I learned over the years that work-life balance isn’t a daily occurrence. To me, the goal is to achieve it on a whole in your life. There have been days when I’ve worked 14 hours to meet a deadline, and my kids were asleep by the time I arrived home. And there were other days I excused myself from a meeting early because I was attending my kids’ winter concert. My sons grew up seeing their mom as a role model, working hard and being successful, but not missing the important moments in life and being totally present when I was with them. Having a supportive husband who truly shared in parenting and household responsibilities was also key to achieving that balance.

Benefits like extended maternity leave, paternity leave and hybrid/flexible work schedules that many companies now offer go a long way towards helping women achieve work/life balance.

Mentorship plays a crucial role in career development. Who has served as a mentor for you, and how have they impacted your journey?

• Arlene Manos- former President of Advertising Sales at AMC Networks for many years, and holder of a similar leadership role at A&E prior to that. I sought Arlene out as a mentor because she had excelled in the predominantly male industry of advertising sales. Being in a comparable situation in the finance world, I knew she would be able to help me better navigate my career. Watching how she conducted herself and learning how she rose to her leadership roles helped me build my level of confidence as I continue to work on teams where I am often the only woman.
• Kim Martin — yes, you, Kim! As General Manager of WE tv and now a successful career coach, you helped me pivot my mindset from do-er to manager. You introduced me and many of your employees at WE tv to The WICT Network, an organization that empowers women in the media, entertainment and technology industries to excel as leaders. You encouraged and advocated for me in my professional development endeavors, from improving my presentation skills to executive coaching to attending executive programs at Harvard University. Your passion for mentoring women in their pursuit of corporate leadership rubbed off on me and many of your employees. While it led to your current successful career, it continues to be a priority for me as I advise women in our industry.
• Stefan Reinhardt -served as President of Production and Studio Operations at both AMC Networks and Fox Entertainment. I learned from him how identifying an operational function that is needed but doesn’t yet exist can change your whole career. A finance executive at AMC Networks, Stefan “became” studio operations when there was no existing studio operations department as “The Walking Dead” began production. His ability to “build” a studio led to his promotions and a whole new career path. He also taught me the value of the old saying “Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness” and gave me the autonomy to take calculated risks in decision making.
• Victoria Mink — EVP, CFO and Treasurer at MSG Sports Corp, Victoria was influential in my early career in helping me improve my professionalism and curb my sometimes sarcastic or snarky humor. She also helped me transition into the corporate finance area of Rainbow Media when I had finished my MBA.

What is one piece of advice would you give your younger self just starting out in your career?

This may be considered more than one piece of advice, but I want to start by saying that I don’t pretend to be an expert; no one is. I can only offer advice based on my own experience and what has worked (and not worked) for me. Be coachable, actively listen and be open to suggestion, but remember that you are the navigator of your own journey. You know yourself best; make the decisions and choose the paths that work best for you.

That said, what I would tell my younger self is start networking while still in college and then continue throughout in your career. I waited too long to proactively expand my network of people that I could learn from and potentially connect me with future opportunities. Building your network also brings you fulfillment because you have the opportunity to help others in their journeys. Try to find organic ways to get to know leaders in your company or industry. It’s not just about the 500+ connections on LinkedIn. It’s about how you communicate and interact with them and forming authentic relationships. Find common areas of interest, whether it’s golf, pickle ball or an appreciation for karaoke (you’d be surprised how many executives enjoying singing 😊).