How Blerina made a call that landed her mentee a job
After leaving a long corporate career to bet on herself, Blerina Sanocki knows exactly what it takes to break into rooms not originally built for you. As a Her Allies cohort mentor, she brought something rarer than advice: she brought access.
Blerina Sanocki has spent 14 years building strategic partnerships across big tech, lived across six continents, and eventually took the leap that many dream about, but few make, leaving a long corporate career to back herself entirely. That journey taught her something she carries into every room she enters: a strong network and a few key advocates can completely change the trajectory of a career.
"I've felt firsthand how much a strong network and a few key advocates can change the trajectory of someone's career. I want to be the connector I needed, especially for women building something bold in spaces that weren't originally designed for them."
That conviction is what brought her to Her Allies. And it's what made her a different kind of mentor from day one.
The introduction that changed everything
Blerina's mentee had everything going for her: the skills, the drive, and a compelling story. But she kept hitting walls. Not because she wasn't good enough, but because she didn't know the right people yet.
Blerina didn't reach for the usual playbook. She skipped the résumé polish and the interview prep frameworks. Instead, she picked up the phone and made a direct personal introduction to someone in her network she knew would see her mentee's potential immediately. She landed the job.
"That moment reminded me why relationships are everything and that sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer isn't advice, it's access. I was thrilled to be that person for her."
Mentorship vs. sponsorship: the distinction that matters
Blerina is precise about what happened in that moment, and why the distinction is worth naming out loud.
"I didn't just show up to advise; I opened doors. When your mentee walks away with a job offer because of a personal introduction you made, that's not simply mentorship, it is sponsorship, and that distinction matters."
It's a point that speaks to something bigger: how women get stuck and how they get unstuck. Advice helps. But access moves careers.
A global perspective, and what she got back
Beyond her network, Blerina also brought the perspective of someone who has operated across cultures and industries, and through reinventions. Having lived in six countries and now working at the intersection of Silicon Valley and emerging markets, she helps women see the paths they may not have considered. But she's quick to point out that the growth wasn't one-directional.
"Being in the room with women navigating career pivots, self-doubt, and reinvention kept me honest about my own journey. It's a reminder that building something new is hard for everyone, and that showing up for others is also how you show up for yourself."
Know the right people? Then show up.
Blerina's case for volunteering with Her Allies is simple:
"Most women aren't stuck because they're not good enough. They're stuck because they don't know the right people yet. If you do, show up. It takes less than you think and it matters more than you know."
One introduction. One conversation. One open door. That's all it took to change the course of someone's career. Her Allies is where those moments happen.
Will you be the one who shows up? Join the Her Allies volunteers.