Q. Describe your background (where you grew up, college, etc.):
I am an Okie from Muskogee, and I owe a lot of my grit to my hometown. After graduating I moved to the bustling town of Stillwater where I studied and had all the fun you could possibly have in college. I got my PR degree and philosophy minor, but wasn’t quite done learning. I moved south to become even more orange by attending the University of Texas at Austin. I worked my butt off and got a master’s degree in advertising and had a focus on art direction through the challenging Texas Creative Program. It was wild and I have a very fun portfolio to look back on now. I’ve been married to a talented man almost nine years, and we have two squirrely Lady Children, one old, deaf dog and 16 chickens. I live in the #GoatDistrict, aka Jones, and have the funniest critter stories.
Q. What about marketing piqued your interest?
By knowing a product or service inside and out, then diving deep into the psychology of customers to match what they might need and what we might offer is like working a puzzle. While I hate regular puzzles (seriously, the worst), marketing puzzles are good for my brain.
Q. What is your current job and what do you enjoy most about it?
I just joined Paycom in October 2019. I’m over the marketing campaigns there and have an incredibly smart team of folks who help drive leads and demos, which drive sales for Paycom. I enjoy getting to see how the campaigns my team roll out have a direct impact on our sales through solid data. It’s a joy to have that link so clear so our team can easily make the connection to see how our brains being used creates big wins for the company. I also freelance consult and design branding suites on the side.
Q. How long have you been a member of AMA and why did you join?
Oh gosh, I think I joined about ten years ago? Nine? I joined for the food, obviously (jk). The speakers AMA brings in give my brain a recharge and bucks my usual routine at work, so it’s always a welcomed calendar block each month.
Q. Why do you feel it’s important to stay up to date with new practices and tactics in the marketing world and how does it relate to your job?
Have you seen how many social media platforms we have now? Have you seen how many media channels are now available? Exactly. Back in my day, kids, we had only Facebook and it wasn’t a hellscape! We had delightful conversations there! We were able to advertise in a clear way! Today…today is different. It’s a jungle out there, and by keeping my axe sharpened (I don’t own an axe) I feel more confident in knowing which trail to take. Gotta stay fresh, ya know what I mean?
Q. What is the best piece of business advice that you’ve ever been given?
You don’t have to be a jerk to go far. I worked in the music industry for a while, and I was always shocked at how many overly-abrasive folks were out there. Maybe it’s my Oklahoma roots, maybe it’s what I learned from my mama and grandma, but I’ve found that kindness goes much further. (Especially today…why add to someone’s already stressful life with a crap attitude? Not for me.)
Q. Do you have a favorite marketing publication, podcast, conference, etc. that you would recommend?
How I Built This by NPR is one of my favorite podcasts. While it’s not marketing-focused, it’s about how big-name companies like JetBlue, Tate’s Cookies, Peleton, etc. go from absolutely nothing to large organizations. It’s insightful because you can really see how grassroots and early smart marketing can make or break a company. Highly recommend. 5 stars.
Q. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I won’t throw away paper. I have totes of paper samples, different cardstocks, scrapbook paper (I do NOT scrapbook…), envelopes, you name it. Hi, I’m Emily and I have a problem with hoarding paper.