Hollis Guerra on Building Advance Women: From Slack Channel to Global Community
When Hollis Guerra co-founded Advance Women, the goal was simple: create space for connection in an industry where women’s voices often go unheard. A year later, the community she built with co-founders Sophia Lozano Westrich and Priti Patel Powell has become a force at the intersection of adtech, martech, and mentorship—hosting virtual meetups, in-person events, and sparking conversations that drive both careers and culture forward.
Guerra recently spoke with Marketecture Media Co-Founder Jeremy Bloom about the origins of Advance Women, the power of “friend-tors,” and why authenticity is the key to navigating career pivots and building meaningful relationships.
Jeremy Bloom: How’s your time at Cannes been so far?
Hollis Guerra: Busy! Really, really busy. But it feels great—20,000-plus steps a day just running around. We’ve been recording for the Advertising Forum, and last night we partnered with Adweek for the AdTech God party. It’s been amazing.
Jeremy Bloom: For those who don’t know you, can you share a bit about your background?
Hollis Guerra: I’ve been in the adtech and martech space since 2006, primarily in PR and marketing. My first client was BlueLithium, which I helped take through its acquisition by Yahoo. Since then, I’ve worked across every acronym you can think of—DSP, SSP, CTV, alternative IDs.
The common thread in my career has been relationships. This industry is small. Many of the people I met early on are still in it, just in different roles. Over time, clients become friends, and those friendships turn into a kind of tribe that supports each other through different career stages.
Jeremy Bloom: What advice would you give to someone reentering the workforce or pivoting careers?
Hollis Guerra: Think about the advice you’d give a friend. We tend to be harsher on ourselves, but kinder when talking to others. For example, if a friend is returning after maternity leave or switching industries, we’d tell them: be confident, go for it, network, and ask for what you want.
I also encourage people to build their own “boardroom”—a group of peers and mentors you can turn to for different perspectives. Not everyone has one perfect mentor; sometimes you need a mix of “friend-tors” who each provide guidance in different areas.
Jeremy Bloom: That sense of community seems central to Advance Women. What is the mission behind it?
Hollis Guerra: Advance Women started as an offshoot of the AdTech God Slack channel. Sophia, Preethi, and I connected virtually during the pandemic, and we realized there was a need for deeper connections—especially for women working remotely.
We hosted our first event in October, and it’s grown from there into a community focused on amplifying voices and creating spaces for conversations we don’t always have publicly. We host monthly virtual sessions on everything from AI in marketing to breast cancer awareness. We’ve also started in-person meetups around major industry events—our first Cannes event is happening tomorrow, hosted by Comscore.
Jeremy Bloom: What’s been most rewarding about building this community?
Hollis Guerra: Seeing women connect with each other—not just for career opportunities, but for genuine support. Sometimes it’s finding a mentor; other times it’s discovering a new collaborator or friend. The appetite for connection is huge, and watching those relationships grow has been incredible.
Jeremy Bloom: Any final advice you’d share?
Hollis Guerra: Be yourself. It sounds simple, but showing up authentically changes the room you walk into. I heard Bozoma Saint John speak recently, and she said every time you enter a room, you matter—you change that space just by being there. That really stuck with me.
