Sandy Wax

President/GM, Sprout

Preschool net Sprout is firing on all multiplatform cylinders, and Wax is leading the charge on programming strategy, business initiatives, research and marketing, and digital. From originals including “The Chica Show” and “Pajanimals” to a spate of new acquisitions, the network follows the daily routines of young viewers and their parents/caretakers, placing it at the sweet spot of the coveted co-viewing trend. Wax, who successfully stewarded Sprout’s integration into the NBCU fold, this year has worked to integrate more music into both TV and online content, and has augmented the network’s foray into selling branded merchandise. She defines workplace success as “setting aggressive goals and achieving them. It’s building strong teams who are proud of their work, and (ideally) having some fun while you’re doing it.”

The best “trick” is relax a bit and know that perfect balance is often not attainable. Seek out a work environment that understands you sometimes need to run home when the school calls to tell you that your 5th grader has lice, but be prepared to check emails after dinner.