A coworker of mine at the time complimented my leadership managing an intern and mentioned I might be a great campus speaker. I’ve always loved teaching others, so I reached out.
It’s such a nebulous world, advertising. You learn at 1000mph and hope you pick it up as you go. And every now and then you’ll meet a kind person that just wants to share what they know and it makes a big impact on your career. I’m so thankful to have experienced that so may different times and I wondered where I’d be if I hadn’t had that perspective. It made me want to pass it forward to as many others as I can so it’s less of a challenge to learn it all while you’re in the role versus getting the cogs turning early. For the love of the work.
People like to work with people they like. Just be good at what you do and be kind as you do it.
Advertising is a reflection of culture. So much of it is about understanding the consumer. How can you reach people if you don’t really know who they are or what they need and want?
Beyond that, it’s so accessible. Media is powerful for that reason. So we need to be responsible with it. Everyone has a place in it.
I learn for a living! How amazing is it that I get to intimately know so many brands and help them achieve their goals simply by learning – about the brand itself, the people they exist to serve, the category in which they do it, the culture in which it all takes place. Learning enough to inspire a team of thinkers and writers and makers to translate a brief into something beautiful; something that moves someone, makes someone laugh, help someone feel seen.
Your experience is your own. If you are committed to learning all the time, thinking on many levels at once, and finding the joy in producing good, impactful work, you’re in for the ride of your life.
