Our ongoing Women in Marketing series highlights marketing leaders from different backgrounds and industries who continue to innovate and push the boundaries of their role. 

This particular segment features advice and stories from marketing agency leaders at Fitzco, Morrison, and The Shipyard. 

Featuring:

Q1: What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing? 

Russell: I originally went to school for meteorology and quickly learned I could not kick it in that type of science field. I remember viciously flipping through the book of Majors in the UGA student services office. I took a hard turn toward Marketing because I had always been interested in how people were influenced. And I had just taken a class on cognitive science. The application of that type of psychology has fairly direct lines into Marketing. Ultimately in my career, I landed in Paid Media, which I like to think is both the art and the science. 

Forgione: My parents – all of them – were in some form of marketing, advertising, or PR. I grew up in this business. Whether it was visiting my dad’s office on Madison Avenue and hearing stories of meeting Kareem Abdul Jabar and Cindi Lauper on set, to my mom killing the PR game in her short “Heather Locklear on Melrose Place” style suits, or watching my step-dad leave big agency life to bravely start Morrison (where I work today) on Independence Day in 1986. It’s truly in my blood and has been dinner-table conversation since my high-chair days.

Bartle: I grew up as a fiercely competitive athlete, and though I blew any chance of making a career out of it, I still craved competition and needed something that would inspire me emotionally. I was almost immediately drawn into business and marketing where every day brings a new challenge to tackle. Agency life, in particular, is both competitive and emotionally charged. I would even say it’s addicting – it’s very hard for me to imagine doing anything else.

Q2: What were pivotal moments in your career that contributed to your success? 

Russell: The biggest opportunities I’ve had in my career have all had one thing in common – they happened when I chose to stay. I can map back at least a dozen changes that were (or at least felt) significant to me at the time – bosses coming and going, clients coming and going, coworkers I loved coming and going, wins, layoffs, you name it. Change is truly the only constant. And I stayed. Sometimes I was a good bet; sometimes I was the only bet. But I was committed to seeing it through and getting uncomfortable with things newly on my plate.  

Forgione: There have been a few moments that stick out specifically to me, like winning a hard-fought piece of business or managing the agency through the pandemic, but the most important moments have been some of the most simple ones shared with coworkers. Knowing someone always has my back during a meeting, an inside joke that never gets old, a mistake that becomes a learning experience. Camaraderie is one of the best aspects of this industry. I’ve met some of the most wonderful human beings in advertising, and we all just get each other. Every person I’ve worked with has taught me something pivotal to my career journey.

Bartle: Briefly working on the client side was a game changer for me. It was as a client that I truly learned to ‘own’ the creative campaign or creative expression of the brand. So when I came back to the agency world as an account leader, I no longer relinquished the emotional ownership of the creative product to the creative teams, as I had done (unfortunately) in the past. From strategy to concept to execution, I was invested 100% throughout the process, hand in hand with my creative teams. I had their back, they had mine and together we had the client’s back with consistently great work and great results.

Q3: Who is someone that helped you on your current path to becoming a marketing leader? 

Russell: I’ve been fortunate to work with many leaders, bosses, and mentors that impacted me in various ways. And not to mention – my mom, who decided to pick her career back up and go to law school after staying home with us for many years. I didn’t realize how amazing that was until I got older.

A friend and mentor I still have the privilege of working with today is Melissa Schoenke, Executive Director at Mediahub. I’ve read a good bit about psychological safety and its importance at work. Melissa’s style is deeply rooted in empathy, and it results in that kind of environment where you feel safe to try. It sounds simple, but I think many managers are either too risk adverse or too busy to hold space for people to try. Melissa’s expectations of the work are (rightfully) high so it’s not a walk in the park by any means, but the combination of those things makes for a uniquely positive and productive environment. 

Forgione: I’ve been incredibly lucky to have many mentors along the way, but my four parents have been the most instrumental in guiding me, supporting me, and congratulating me. Whenever I’d feel imposter syndrome creep into my head late at night while rehearsing a pitch or playing out a difficult conversation, I’d hear their supporting voices always reminding me that I’ve got this. When you have people who believe you can do “it,” whatever “it” is, it’s amazing how easy it is to believe it too.

Bartle: Lots of people deserve that credit, but among the many were an enlightened CEO who believed in me…a Creative Director who trusted me…and a number of colleagues/friends who challenged me nearly every day to think bigger. 

Q4: Are there specific challenges you have faced as a woman in marketing, and how did you overcome them? 

Russell: I feel extremely grateful for the women who have come before me and have paved the way for my experience. Overall, I’ve been fortunate to have an inclusive and supportive experience in my career, but there’s still more work to do. That’s not the same for all women, all levels, or all industries. 

As a new mom, there’s a new slew of challenges that I couldn’t fully understand or appreciate until I was in it. When you just got off of back-to-back Zoom calls, you have unread emails and texts, and your Microsoft Teams notifications are dinging, but you fiercely try to protect that 1-2 hours you have before their bedtime. My husband and I both feel the toll of it – it’s tough. Even with ruthless prioritization, it still feels like you’re missing the mark somewhere. As an agency leader and with many parents on my team, I feel energized and emboldened to shape Fitzco as a place where people can truly do both – live and work. Call it balance, call it harmony, call it culture – we’re trying to find a way to build it differently. 

Forgione: I think the topic of leaning in has been covered thoroughly, and we all know about the wage gap and glass ceiling issues. Where I’ve personally faced a challenge is being in an industry that is truly not set up for parents. As a working mom with two young kids, I always felt terrible excusing myself from the meeting at 5 pm to get home to my kids or taking the day off when they were sick. At Morrison, we foster an environment where those of us with kids can seamlessly flow from parent to employee and back – never missing out on being a mystery reader at school, attending a game on the court, or leading a meeting at the office. Additionally, the move towards remote work has been amazing for working parents moving us forward to an approach that would have otherwise taken decades to change.

Bartle: Balance is probably the biggest one. I’m sure there’s a data point for this, but it’s widely known that women have a tendency to take on too much. I had a hard time saying no to any opportunity, even when I knew I was already way over my head with commitments. In addition to my career, I’m also someone’s wife and mother, so to say that I was burning the midnight oil and constantly at risk of burning myself out is an understatement. Luckily, technology came to the rescue. With a laptop and a smartphone, I was better equipped to make it all work, but if I’m honest, it’s never not been a struggle.

Q5: What advice would you give to the next generation of women marketers? 

Russell: I believe the equality we seek should feel more like you having the opportunity and ability to succeed authentically as you are – not because you’ve successfully mimicked what a man (or anyone else) would do. Find the balance of being boldly you with being humble and willing to learn. And when you undoubtedly experience changes happening around you at work, make the best choice for you, but do consider the opportunity that can come from sticking it out. Sometimes the short-term uncertainty or discomfort can lead to big leaps in your development.

Forgione: The best advice for the next generation of women marketers I can give is to never underestimate the power of your intuition and empathy. These have become some of the most important aspects of marketing today as we deal with a polarized society. Truly being able to understand what a customer is going through and “feel” it in a way that is visceral is a powerful skill. I’d also tell them to stop apologizing for everything and ask for what they want without hesitation.

Bartle: One of my few regrets is that I didn’t do enough for others along the way who are less fortunate. In this new purpose-driven paradigm, that principle is much more baked-in and top of mind in business, marketing and consumerism…so making the time to be of service to others will likely happen more organically. That’s a wonderful thing, as there is a long, long list of associated benefits that can drive personal and professional growth.

Q6: What emerging marketing trend excites you?

Forgione: Purpose-driven brands continue to excite me. I hope this isn’t just a trend but is here to stay. Companies who are figuring out how to be profitable and altruistic are going to win. And on the potentially more frivolous side, retail immediacy is so exciting to me. I feel a hit of dopamine just thinking about tapping an influencer's story on Instagram to buy the mascara she’s wearing or the beach hat she’s modeling. And then auto-filling a form and hitting submit. AH! The whole process takes less than 60 seconds. It’s fun, it’s simple, and it works.

Bartle: TikTok behind the scenes! People love to feel like an insider, so that’s a cool place for brands to share content that’s unique and super engaging for brand fans. I can’t tell you how much time I spend watching behind the scenes content on TikTok – but it’s a lot.

Key takeaways: 

• It is okay to say “no.” 

• Finding balance is key. 

• Be grateful for those who shaped your experience and led to your opportunities. 

• Act with purpose.

• Speak up and be authentically you!

We love tracing the paths of numerous marketers’ journeys to understand their roots and what drives them to succeed. Follow our Women in Marketing series to learn more and be inspired!