Women in Marketing: Inspiring Stories from Female Leaders

Describe your role at Lamark: As the Vice President of Client Strategy, my role includes leading and managing a team of strategists, content writers, and social media managers, along with leadership responsibilities at the agency level. I personally lead a variety of client projects, including quantitative and qualitative research, branding and channel strategy development, persona building and journey mapping, and marketing plan development. I also provide strategic account supervision to select agency clients.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in leadership?

One of the ways that we grow and learn in our careers is through the mentorship and first-hand experience we gain from the seasoned professionals we encounter. Since there aren't as many female senior leaders (especially earlier in my career), it's been a challenge to find strong women to use as a model and seek as a mentor. The same is true for peers - as you progress in your career, it becomes more of a challenge to find like-minded female leaders and mentors to discuss ideas, ask for guidance, and more.

What are your hopes for the future of gender diversity within the workplace?

I think we have made some strong progress over the years in terms of gender diversity in the workplace and women in leadership (especially in HR and marketing functions); however, there is still room for improvement. My hope for the future is to see a larger representation of women in VP and higher roles throughout organizations across the country - especially in typically male-dominated functions such as operations, finance, technology, and sales. Women should be encouraged to enter - and progress - in these fields.

Share a women’s empowerment moment that inspired you.

There have been many women empowerment moments that have inspired me in recent years - from the first female Vice President of the United States, to a 38-year-old female (Dr. Swati Mohan) leading the historic landing of Perseverance on Mars, to the Paris 2024 Olympics where an equal number of men and women will compete. The stories - and progress - are inspiring.

What women inspire you the most?

Even more so, though, I am inspired by the "women next door" - the women who have the courage to start their own businesses, the women who have the confidence to stand up for what they believe in, the women who make it their mission to uplift other women, the women who somehow manage to balance work, family, and personal time along with the women who aren't afraid to say no, this is just too much. These are the women who inspire me the most.

Describe your role at Lamark: As the Sr. Director of SEO, I sit on many teams and interact with multiple departments. My day-to-day role is to lead the SEO team and enable them to succeed by providing guidance, setting standards, and improving department operations. I also serve as a member of the Performance Leadership team, collaborating with my colleagues on how we can improve Lamark’s Performance department, and on the Project Management Leadership team, who works to improve processes and develop solutions to better enable work in Workfront. I also contribute to SEO sales efforts and participate in Lamark’s leadership summits.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Good leadership isn’t about gender politics. Don’t measure yourself against a gender group – it misplaces your focus. Measure your leadership abilities through the outcomes of your efforts, and your team will benefit from that mindset.

Being a strong leader can take hard work. Always remember that patience is a difficult skill to master (if ever), and to treat your team members the way you would like to be treated. Earning respect from your team will get better results than wielding a hammer – and you and your team members will be better for it.

Stick up for your team members, but don’t hesitate to call them on their BS.

My favorite advice to give for leadership growth is: Learn how (and when) to say “no.” You can’t do it all, and you’ll set yourself up for failure and disappoint others if you try. Set boundaries, set expectations.

How do you inspire inclusion in the workplace?

I think it’s important to put skills and capabilities first when considering who is right for the job – whether that “job” is a collaboration meeting, forming a task force or committee, or an open position we are hiring for. This tends to naturally lead to the inclusion of people from different backgrounds.

What women inspire you the most?

I get the most inspiration from the women in my life. My grandmother was a strong career woman and single mom. She was a founding member and frequent speaker for one of the country’s first word-processing professional organizations and Manager of Office Services at Chevron Oil, where she worked for over 40 years.

My mother went back to school to pursue her degree after many years as a stay-at-home mom, and found a career in science, a dream she’d had since before I was born. My sister had the courage to quit a lucrative job and is now growing her own business as a Life Coach. My best friend is a fearless spirit who braves the ups and downs of life with raw honesty and unwavering optimism and is quick to hop on a plane to a new continent with nothing but a backpack.

These women, who accomplish so much in the face of the personal hurdles I have watched them persevere through, are all inspiring to me. (P.S., I also felt very inspired after reading Jen Sincero’s You are a Badass. Good book.)

Describe your role at Lamark: I’m the Director of Paid Social here at Lamark and I lead a team of paid social media buyers as they navigate the ever-changing world of social media life. The role is pretty dynamic and at any given time I can be optimizing an ad account, assisting a team member with their newest paid social strategy, learning about new social platform initiatives, or pitching a new client (with maybe a little bit of Instagram scrolling in between).

What are your hopes for the future of gender diversity within the workplace?

I always think there is room at the table for more women in any workplace. Whether it’s gender, race, religion, or other demographics, I find value in collaborating with a diverse mix of colleagues. In the world of advertising, it’s vital to have multiple eyes and opinions on any project to gauge audience reaction.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in leadership?

I think there are both internal and external challenges for women in leadership. Internally, it can be a learning process to find your voice and confidence to speak up where you feel it is important. Once you do find it, you’ll find the value and strength in your opinion! Externally, there have been times in other workplaces where I was passed on the opportunity to work on certain accounts due to some believing that women didn’t have much experience in them.

Share a women’s empowerment moment that inspired you.

Growing up near Storrs, CT, I have been a lifelong UConn Huskies basketball fan and have been to numerous games. One of my favorite memories was the 2004 NCAA Championship when the men’s team AND women’s team won the title. I was lucky enough to meet some of the players that year and attend the championship parade, which made me think – wow the women’s team can do it too!

What women inspire you the most?

I am fortunate enough to have a strong, confident mother who has always pushed me to have a voice. I was raised watching her and her friends take on multiple leadership roles in technology, sales, nonprofits, and more while also raising families of their own dynamic, diverse children. Because of this, I always have a female mentor on speed dial to get the best professional (and personal) advice. My younger sister is also an inspiration to me because she has dedicated her career to the healthcare space as a Physician Assistant. She has always exuded confidence and sensitivity in her field, as well as patience (for the endless health-related phone calls she gets from family and friends, lol).

Describe your role at Lamark: Team lead in the PPC team. The whole team is segmented into two groups that are led by Josh and myself. We provide guidance on account/client performance, career path, and on-boarding new hires.

What do you think is the biggest issue that women in business face today?

The challenge of balancing career growth and family.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

I would tell them to become the best possible support/cheerleader for their subordinates (embrace their strengths and encourage bold thinking).

Share a women’s empowerment moment that inspired you.

Most recently, how Taylor Swift re-recorded and is releasing her music and reclaimed that power the record label.

What women inspire you the most?

My niece! Not only has she’s been my hero since the day she was born but she’s grown into an amazing woman who owns a successful business and is starting a family. It’s been (and will continue to be) impressive to watch.

Describe your role at Lamark: I've been part of Lamark for over 4 years now. Initially, I began as a content manager and web Q/A specialist, where I spearheaded the rebuilding and enhancement of our Q/A processes. Recognizing my instinctive organizational skills and knack for detail-oriented work, I transitioned into a Web Digital Project Manager role shortly after. Over the past 3 years, I've immersed myself in the dynamic realm of web-based projects, collaborating closely with diverse clients to bring their visions to life.

What are your hopes for the future of gender diversity within the workplace?

Achieving gender diversity isn’t just about hiring more women and offering equal pay for equal work. It’s a cultural and organizational shift towards a more inclusive environment where individuals of all genders feel empowered to pursue their passions, contribute their unique perspectives, and thrive in their respective roles.

Whether we realize it or not we are all guided by unconscious bias to some degree or another. We make assumptions about people based on unconscious stereotypes. This can be damaging in all areas of life, but it can be especially problematic in the workplace. As advocates for inclusive leadership, it's important for managers to recognize and address these biases. By educating ourselves and our teams about the origins and effects of unconscious bias, we can foster a more equitable and supportive workplace for everyone.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

We are so quick to build our own glass ceiling that we forget smashing it could be a possibility. Women often hesitate to apply for roles unless they meet all requirements, while men may apply even if they meet only a portion. Confidence in your abilities is key; skills can be learned. Take initiative; don't wait to be asked if you see a need. Surround yourself with inspiring individuals who challenge you. Embrace being the least experienced in a group; it's where growth happens. For me, witnessing women confidently take charge despite challenges has been truly empowering.

What women inspire you the most?

One woman who deeply inspires me is my childhood friend. Despite societal pressures, she pursued her passion for dance and choreography, breaking free from conventional career paths. An artist, dancer, and businesswoman, she embodies resilience and creativity. During her time in art school, she founded a dance academy, teaching ballet to young girls and captivating audiences nationwide as an aerial hoop performer. Simultaneously, she established a non-profit performance art center, fostering the dreams of artists from diverse backgrounds. In her daily life, she balances her roles as a devoted dog mom, a Pilates & yoga instructor, and an advocate for eco-friendly living. Her unwavering commitment to her passions and community serves as a constant inspiration to me. I feel incredibly fortunate to have her in my life.

Describe your role at Lamark: I have been with Lamark for 3 years and am currently an account manager. I say currently because Lamark has allowed me to spread my wings some and dip my toes into other waters. I did project management as well as account management for nearly 2 years. I recently made the decision to move back into AM full-time.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in leadership?

It is often hard to be heard. You spend years of your career listening and watching and then when you think it’s your time to speak, some won’t allow it. And this has been done to me by men and women. As human beings, we should support each other, but more so when it’s women supporting women. When women don’t support other women, it's very disappointing, more so than men. Men seem to instantly form a bond simply because they are of the same sex. Women seem to need to prove their worth, go through some hazing of sorts and then still put up with gossip.

I have had men dismiss me because they just can’t accept that I would know what I am talking about. I don’t think we see that as much today, but I am sure it still happens. I don’t want to say they got a pass because the behavior isn’t acceptable, but it didn’t sting nearly as much. I have been fortunate to work with some very smart and talented women. By nature, I am a very observant person, so I watched, I listened, and I learned. When I raised my hand to share what I had learned or observed, I was met with looks of disbelief and, at times, disdain. This is not only hurtful but also crushing. It makes you fearful to raise your hand the next time, you don’t want the same reaction.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Keep speaking until you are heard. Stand up and say what you need to say and if no one responds or is listening, repeat yourself until someone hears you. We all have something to contribute, it may not be every single time, but we will have our moment.

Be mindful of how you talk about yourself and how you allow others to treat you. You may not be aware, but people are watching and will talk to you just like you talk about yourself. They will repeat the behavior of others, whether it’s right or wrong.

Share a women’s empowerment moment that inspired you.

I find women who know what they want and haven’t allowed anyone, not their family, boyfriends/girlfriends, husbands/wives, or friends, to keep them from their goals most inspiring. Women who work full-time jobs to put themselves through school because they have a bigger dream for themselves. Women who know that it might take them longer because they have a young family or a full-time job, but don’t care if it takes them 10 years versus the traditional 4 to get the degree.

What women inspire you the most?

There are the obvious, like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who worked while attending law school and then, of course, became a Supreme Court Judge. I have had a great love of music since I was a kid, and that provides so many great women to admire. I have been a fan of P!nk’s since she first came on the scene; in some ways, we grew up together. She never gave into the BS of record labels and Hollywood. She has always been true to herself, and now, as a mom with 2 kids, she continues to make her music while putting her family first. But I do also find inspiration in everyday women that I am surrounded with or have had the good fortune to know in my life.