To celebrate women in the marketing profession and to continue highlighting them throughout Women’s History Month, we asked women marketing leaders to contribute to our Women in Marketing Series detailing their personal triumphs, tribulations, and advice about working in the marketing industry.

Featured Leaders: 

Paige Farrow | Former Senior Director of Brand, Creative, & Social Strategy at NAPA Auto Parts

Tiffany Grinstead | Vice President-Personal Lines Marketing at Nationwide

Mary Beth Sharp | Vice President Marketing at Pratt Industries, Inc.

Teri Otte | Vice President of Global Marketing at Neogen Corporation

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing?

Farrow: It took me a while to get into marketing, which is funny since my mother had a career in marketing and advertising. I started as an Energy Trader and wanted something more interactive, so I went into sales where I learned the power of the marketing materials. I often made up my own marketing slogans to get time with customers, and it worked. After that, I was committed to moving over to marketing. It wasn’t easy, but I stayed true to my career shift and was able to get a start at The Coca-Cola Company. Ultimately, I was attracted to the creativity and the power to shift someone’s mindset.

Grinstead: In high school I had an English teacher who told me about public relations, which was a career that integrated writing and public speaking. I ended up majoring in public relations/journalism and had both marketing and PR internships while I was in school. While I started my career in Corporate Communications, I found myself increasingly attracted to the marketing function for its emphasis on storytelling supported by data and analytics. I shifted into a marketing role and never looked back!

Sharp: I was a junior in high school attending a tradeshow with my father. The company he worked for was a sponsor of the show, so they were handing out branded items to attendees at the registration desk. I helped them and thought how much fun it is to be able to give people free things and to promote your brand in this environment. That made me want to go into PR and special events. Early in my career with my PR degree, I realized that I liked being a part of the larger strategy - using the various initiatives through PR, advertising, events, and various communication channels and customer touch points that the larger umbrella of marketing covered. That is when I broadened my career trajectory into marketing.

Otte: I love people! Talking to, working with, helping people. I also wanted to continue working in the agricultural industry. When I went to college, I studied marketing because it was the program that allowed me to incorporate both passions. While I started in marketing communications, I realized my real strengths in marketing were in business transformation, change management, and team leadership. My personal brand was built on my ability to lead cross-functional teams to make significant changes to our business strategies that drive real growth. The continued evolution and many facets of the discipline keep me interested. 

I also truly believe that marketing-led organizations experience higher, more sustained growth, so I am committed to evangelizing everyone as a believer in the value of marketing. 

2. What challenges have you faced as a woman in marketing, and how did you overcome them?

Farrow: I have faced many challenges, which is unfortunate, but has also shaped the person I am today. I have experienced the gamut of challenges, from sexual harassment to inequitable pay vs. a male peer, from learning the balance of being a working mother to staying true to my femininity in male-dominated industries. 

With each, I relied on my own personal values, my gut, and my incredible strength to help me navigate through each situation. I believe that if you stay true to who you are and operate with poise and tact, you can work your way through any situation. Overcoming the challenges of being a working mother is a whole answer in and of itself, but the word I find most helpful here is grace.

Grinstead: In my experience, Marketing is a field dominated by women and that's made it, in many ways, a great place to grow a career as a woman. Still, in the industry, leadership positions historically went to men. I was lucky to come up in marketing as that was changing. When I was tapped to be a leader, it was on a male-dominated team, and there were definitely times I felt I had to prove myself. But I've also found a lot of amazing mentors--both men and women–who helped me navigate my career. At my company today, there are many women in leadership roles in marketing and across our business, and that's definitely made it easier to lead. 

Sharp: I learned early in my career (in my 20s) that I needed to set healthy boundaries. I started in event marketing which included a lot of after hours events, trade shows, customer entertaining, and alcohol where people sometimes dropped their professionalism. I learned to stay in groups, preferably with other female coworkers, limit the after dinner/event drinks, and my goal is to always be home or back in my hotel room by 10pm (assuming the work part is over). Early in my career, I wanted to hang out on business trips with my mostly male coworkers, leaders, and customers to bond and network. I learned that I can do that, but I have to be responsible, and nothing good happens after 10pm. Go home or to your hotel room by 10pm.

Otte: This is a big one for me. I could write a whole series on this one. Being in marketing and agriculture, I started my career as “the first female” for just about everything. Just out of college, I spent two years in a sales role as the first female salesperson at CHS, and I was the first classically trained marketer - first female to lead the cattle business for Purina (Land O’Lakes). It was 2010-11 when we got to order female clothing as part of the branded attire! When I had my first child in 2009, I had a meeting with my boss (30-years in his career) and our HR business partner to describe what FMLA leave was and what was going to happen while I was out. 

During my early career, I would get frustrated and fight-back when my peers or even customers would question my position because of my gender. Or ask if my husband was OK with me accepting a role. Yes, it happened. But then I learned something a few years in – I was hitting my sales targets and growing my same-customer sales. So I investigated and drew some conclusions. Ultimately, I pivoted from frustrated to being educational. 

• I discovered I was keeping my customers and growing my same-customer sales at a higher rate than my peers. I knew I had to take extra time with my customers to win their business, but that time built a relationship, and I was able to overcome competitive pressures, or challenges much easier over time with them. So I offered to help recruit, onboard, and mentor female salespeople for the company by teaching the sales leadership about my insights. It wasn’t easy, but I do like to say my first hire stayed for 18 years!

• Secondly, I took time in the moment to pause, redirect, and teach the individual. I decided the only way I was going to get advocates was to create them. So I had to extend the olive branch. It wasn’t easy, and at times felt unfair, but, again, I had some of the best partners in my roles at Land O’Lakes. I found many wanted to advocate and were supportive, they just didn’t know how to help. Giving them a safe space to talk about issues was valuable. 

• Mentor and coach became a priority. I served on committees to establish mentorship programs and women’s leadership ERGs throughout my career. I always will take the time to speak at events, coach, advocate, and support women and their development. 

• And, with time, I rely on the confidence in my experience and voice. Even today, in my senior leadership role, I face unnecessarily and unconscious bias because I am female. I take the time, in the moment to ask the direct question, “Are you hesitating to expand/extend/[fill in the blank] because I am a female?” Or, “Would you delay [fill in the blank] if I was male?” Or, sometimes if I am really unsure, I will ask, “Have you ever had a female leader on your team [or worked with a female leader before]?” 

Is it direct? 100%. But it has been effective for me to break through the barriers and have honest conversations – and it establishes a better situation for other women in the organization as well. 

Other things I’ve had to endure or experienced: 

• Asking if a lactation room can be set-up so I don’t have to use the first aid room or bathroom.

• Being the female employee at an employee+spouse event and then being assigned to the wives activities (shopping and nails).

• My husband was asked if he is OK with me traveling for work. 

• When I pick-up our kids from school, having other moms question my commitment to my family because of my career.

• Convincing men that I am the team leader.

While I look forward to the days when we do not have to experience these episodes or bias, I do look at these as also opportunities to build a high degree of empathy all around – for anyone I am engaging with at work or in our communities. I have learned real coaching skills, and practiced a bit of patience. 

3. Who helped you on your current path to becoming a marketing leader?

Farrow: I am lucky to have quite a few people who helped me. Initially, my husband (fiancé at the time), encouraged me to transition my career from sales to marketing (which took over a year). Next would be my first manager at Coke, Marti Walsh, who took a chance on me because she liked that I had analytical, and relationship building skills, and knew I could learn marketing at Coke…and she was right! She gave me confidence because she believed in me 100% from day one, which was a powerful gift to receive. I also had a female leader at Char-Broil, Chris Robins, who was the CEO who believed in me as a leader and helped me progress from Director to member of the executive leadership team. Finally, I have gone through several executive leadership programs including Pathbuilders Achieva, Chloupek Consulting, and Sally Williamson & Associates. In all of these programs, I had amazingly perceptive and talented women teaching me all their tips, tricks, life lessons, and strategies for navigating the corporate world.

Grinstead: I was lucky enough to have many, many strong mentors. One in particular is the late Karen Eisenbach, former CMO at Voya and former executive at Great West and Nationwide. Karen gave me a chance early in my career, helped me learn both marketing and leadership, and stayed involved with me as a mentor for nearly two decades. I know she did the same for so very many other women. She modeled what it meant to pay it forward when it came to coaching and mentoring. 

Sharp: So many people, both male and female, have helped me in my career journey. Early in my career, my slightly senior, more experienced marketing peers were great at helping me learn the basics. As I progressed, I learned how to tap into coworkers in other departments who could help me better understand the larger business, this included finance, IT, and business intelligence. When coming into a new company or department, find that veteran, that person with decades of experience, who is willing to help you. The biggest challenge in any new situation is lack of resources and contacts. Having that go-to person who knows everyone else and can just give you a name or phone number is so important. I’ve also been fortunate to have some amazing bosses who mentored me through transitional times in my career. And, most recently, I’m learning from my own employees how to be a better leader, how to empower them to be the experts that I listen to and trust. Everyone can help you on your path if you are willing to let them. Some will show you what to do, others will show you what not to do. Some will help you understand the type of leader you want to be, and others will help you see the type of leader not to be. Have many mentors and know that we are all human, so even mentors make mistakes.  

Otte: If I scan my marketing career, there are a few people who stand out to help shape who I am as a marketer and leader today. One of those is my previous manager, a VP of marketing at Land O’Lakes. He taught the strategic growth models I use today, and instilled in me my deep rooted belief in the value of insights, segmentation and focus. Saying no more often in marketing meant more growth over time – keeping true to our brand and customers resulted in sustainable growth. But more valuable to me during this time was the learning and transformation I went through. I realized I wanted to continue to lead organizations and teams through acquisitions and transformation. And now I have a method. When a promotion move came, I hesitated, because I was having the best time in my career. But my manager was the first person to tell me to take the move for myself and the organization. I still tell people to this day, if you want to know what kind of marketer I am, talk to Pete. He taught me everything I know about marketing. 

4. What advice would you give to the next generation of women marketers?

Farrow: Believe in yourself, promote yourself, never stop learning and bettering yourself. These may seem rather basic, but I see a lot of women who lack confidence, and it holds them back. They are shyer to share an opinion, volunteer for a stretch assignment, or network, and lack presentation skills. There is no reason to hold back because you are incredible and possess the intelligence, thought leadership, creative problem solving, and empathy needed to be successful. 

Start to practice sharing in meetings, getting presentation experience, and being visible. I’d also say to support other women. I see too much jealousy and cattiness with women sometimes and it is unfortunate.  We are all here to help each other rise to our desired potential, and we should help each other and celebrate each other’s successes.

Grinstead: Focus not only on honing your craft as a marketer, but as a curious adventurer in the world-- that's how we learn to turn data into insights, to build deep empathy that allows us to see past the obvious to true customer insights. It will make you a better marketer. A better leader. And even a better friend and family member. 

Sharp: Enjoy what you do. Not every day or every hour will be enjoyable, but the sum should be. 

Rarely will someone else or a company define your career path for you, nor should they. It’s your path, define it for yourself. Don’t wait for or allow someone else to dictate your path. And if you’re on a path you don’t like, change it.

Mentors and those willing to help are all around. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t be afraid to accept it. Then pay it forward.

Otte: Don’t let your ambitious 25-year-old self be run-over by your self-conscious, exhausted, defeated 40-year old self! Ask yourself if you would take action, do the job, or make the decision as if you were 25. If yes, then go! Sometimes the burden of knowing is holding us back. 

5. What were pivotal moments in your career that contributed to your success?

Farrow: I pivoted several times in my career. I went from Energy Trader to Sales Representative. From Sales to Digital Marketing professional, which led me to overall Marketing leadership and team management, and into a deep love for brand strategy. If I hadn’t listened to myself and paid attention to what lights me up and brings me joy, I might never have made any of these career shifts. In fact, I just resigned from my job leading Brand, Creative, and Social at NAPA. The company and position weren’t lighting me up anymore, and I had long desired to be an independent consultant so I could encounter a variety of opportunities and challenges while creating more flexibility to spend time with my children. 

It took a ton of courage to walk away from a paying job, but I knew these leaps served me before and led me to better places, and this leap (or rather cliff jump) will also lead me to where my talents are best suited.

Grinstead: My career is marked by pivotal moments where I was willing to jump into transformational marketing opportunities--where there was opportunity to try new things, to bring in new approaches and new insights to turn things around. That approach led me to marketing leadership positions across a wide swath of insurance and financial services--from retirements, to life insurance, to mutual funds, to property casualty insurance. And the common thread in each experience was to deepen my understanding of the business, the customers, the partners, what the data is telling us and how we must transform and innovate to survive and thrive. 

Sharp: Two really pivotal moments in my career centered around family. I always knew I wanted to be a professional and a leader, but I consciously put my career on hold for a few years when I had my twin sons. I took a lateral position that was no longer climbing the ladder, but allowed me to learn new skills, travel less, and be a lot more flexible. I loved it! I learned how to be a mom and a professional. 

A few years later, my husband was laid off and I jumped back into my career without any regrets. I felt ready to jump back in, but also thankful for the time I had to be less career oriented when the boys were babies. Then when we decided that my husband was going to stay home full time, I felt free to really commit to my career and to my potential. We had to work through a few tough spots transitioning our parenting roles and redefining some things, but I never felt guilty about my career. I took time to give to my family and I loved it, and now my family was in a good place for me to take time to give to my career. 

Like life, I don’t think careers follow a single trajectory. The secret is to be alright pivoting when needed. You can’t think of your personal life and professional life as two separate things, you only live one life so don’t separate them. You have to make them work together. Also, balancing is a misnomer, they are never fully in balance, equally like on a scale. The scale is constantly moving, tipping one way then the next, and that is OK as long as you keep control.

Otte: During a client meeting earlier in my career as an assistant account manager, we presented creative that was not well received. Following the meeting, I went to my desk and cried. The VP of our account sat down next to me. I thought he was going to fire me, the client hated me, etc…

He calmly said, “They don’t hate you. If they hated you, they would have asked me to fire you. They just don’t like the creative. Bring them new creative this week and all will be OK. And, learn to separate yourself from the work.” 

This has stuck with me since. Feedback is a gift, but receiving it can be overwhelming. So, creating this separation allows me to remain objective and focused on the shared outcome and to keep my feelings appropriate. 

Finding a solution to this situation taught me 3 things: (1) Know your customers and markets inside & out, (2) Know your numbers – what makes us money (grow) and what doesn’t (optimize), and (3) Be the best advocate in the room for what you need to grow because no one else will be. 

It also is an example of knowing your business, having a defined plan, demonstrating results, and aligning your team is a winning combination. Your plan doesn’t have to be perfect, you just have to be good. 

6. What emerging marketing trend excites you?

Farrow: I am not a person who gets ecstatic by marketing trends. I think AI is incredibly interesting for all the reasons. However, I am more of a purist, and I get excited about basic human psychology: How people make decisions, what they pay attention to, our ability as marketers to make them feel and do things is what excites me.

Grinstead: There's no doubt that AI is going to change every facet of how we think about marketing--not to replace marketers, but to extend our reach, our ability to analyze, and our ability to personalize. I'm also excited about how it can help marketers create connected processes that improve our ability to measure return on our investments(ROI) and optimize our approaches to markets to be more efficient and effective.

Sharp: AI excites me. I’m not exactly sure how to use it yet, but it excites me.

Otte: In B2B manufacturing, as the profile of professional buyers and decision makers becomes more digital centric, organizations should increase their personalization and end-to-end digital buying experience. While this isn’t new, it is finally becoming the norm. Most exciting is predictive analytics and decision insights being a part of the value proposition B2B organizations can bring to their customers. And in food production and agriculture, the complexity of this capability makes it an exciting time to be in digital marketing and/or predictive analytics. 

Bonus Question: Do you have a favorite ad that is about women's empowerment?

Farrow: I love all the classics like “Real Beauty Sketches” by Dove. I also find “Dream Crazier” by Nike and narrated by the amazing Serena Williams always gets me in an empowered and pumped-up mood. If I had to pick a favorite right now, I would say I am still feeling “Daughter” by Audi from 2017. The feeling I get watching the little girl outsmart the boys in her technique and her drive reminds me of my role in raising my daughter to do anything she wants and to see herself as an equal. I think of where we’ve come since I was her age, and then where we can go in the future, and I know it’s possible for her to be valued equally to her brother.

Grinstead: I tend to think of the Dove Real Beauty campaign. That campaign does such a great job of creating an emotional connection, while also aligning to the product and its value proposition. It's a rare campaign that manages to do some societal good, inspire and lift up women, and still stay close enough to build brand awareness and consideration for a specific product.

Sharp: I love the Nike Dream Crazier ad campaign and the Dove Real Beauty campaign. At the heart of both of them is that every woman is an individual. We don’t all look the same, think the same, or dream the same, and that is awesome. That is what makes each of us so amazing and allows us to do amazing things. And amazing can also be simple. It is not settling if you are happy. “Big” is defined by the dreamer and no one else. So dream crazier and let your real beauty shine through. You do you.

Otte: I may be a bit cynical here, but I tend to question any company that simply advertises on IWD and then goes about their merry way ignoring the hard work (women on their board, in the C-suite, community work, etc).  

Land O’Lakes has spent real time investing in the empowerment of women. Well beyond their CEO and C-suite, they have been long-time advocates for broadband in rural communities – supporting education and job opportunities in these areas. Secondly, they have a freelance program that hires member-owners for freelance/remote work – again women have the most advantage when there are remote, flexible options. 

Corteva (Pioneer Seed) had an ad in 2022 that was thoughtful about women taking over the family farm. The ad campaign, “Her husband married a farmer,” brought this to reality for the industry and suppliers. The ad was impactful, but the work Corteva did around it was meaningful as well. They took the time to create a full campaign, listening to women farmers and investing in the support of women in agriculture..

Key Points: 

• Don’t hold back. Your voice matters and you belong in the room.  

• Find mentors wherever you go. 

• Set boundaries. 

• Make a living doing what lights you up. Only you can create your path. 

• Your professional and personal lives are related and connected to one another. But your work is not a reflection of you. 

• AI is the belle of the ball. 

• Dove is still the most beloved ad for pushing people to believe in themselves and love themselves.

It is fascinating to interview women leaders year after year to hear their different perspectives on the marketing industry, and where there is overlap in experience and opinion. If you would like to be nominated to be featured in an Industry Blog or Women in Marketing blog, please contact us here. If you were inspired by these stories and are a woman looking to connect with other like-minded marketing leaders, check out our next In This Dame and Age event. 

If you know someone who embodies authentic marketing leadership, has set an example of success, and paved the way for others who is a marketing leader or executive, nominate them to be interviewed for our CMO Spotlight series here. 

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