Title: director of account planning at Elevation, a Richmond-based advertising and marketing firm
Education: bachelor of business administration, College of William & Mary, 2000
Career: The Martin Agency, 2000-01, account management assistant; Brooks Adams Research, 2001-02, market research analyst; Swedish Match, 2002-05, market research manager/associate brand manager; Elevation, 2005-present, senior account planner and director of account planning
Where in the metro area do you live? Brandermill
Best business decision: “Spending years immersing myself in consumer research and countless hours in focus group rooms talking to people and getting to know them, the challenges they face and what motivates them. Starting my career in consumer research laid the foundation for my marketing career, gave me a passion for understanding people and also taught me to ask really good questions.”
Worst business decision: “Overworking and getting consumed in day-to-day minutiae, so that I was not keeping up as much with the news. In doing so, I risked losing sight of macro changes going on in the world, deeper cultural shifts and being mindful of the big picture.”
Mistake you learned the most from: “I believe that with any trial comes a risk. There are no true mistakes if you learn from them and use those mistakes to make you better and sharpen your skills. It is only in trying something new and taking risks that you better yourself and evolve your work.”
What is the biggest challenge/opportunity in the next two to five years: “To continue to find relevance and meaning in an ever-changing world. I’d like to get out of the office more and spend more time with people, immersing myself in culture. And to continue to do great work for brands that make a difference in the world, and that challenge and inspire me to be better.”
First job after college: “I had the opportunity to work as an assistant and learn alongside talented account managers at The Martin Agency on the UPS, Timberland and Advance Auto accounts where I formed lifelong friendships and many other professional relationships, one being a current Elevation client.”
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently: “I would have been more adventurous and taken more risks when I was younger, spent less time worrying and more time living, traveling and pursuing my passion for art and marketing.”
Book that inspired you the most, and why? “As an avid tennis player, ‘Open’ by Andre Agassi is one of my favorite books. Agassi’s autobiography is much more than a tale of a great tennis player. It describes the internal struggles he faced throughout his life and career on and off the court. He exposes his struggles in a refreshingly honest way, removing the shiny veneer that so many others hide behind. His book encouraged me to be real with myself, and not hide behind my struggles and imperfections, but rather use them to inspire and help others.”
Favorite/least favorite subject in school: Favorite courses: art, museum studies, advertising, market research and psychology; least favorite: business law and physics.
