rp Reflects: Advice for Women Entering Advertising

As part of our celebration of Women’s History Month, the adwomen of redpepper are sharing the best words of advice they’ve received and lessons they’ve learned during their time in the industry. We’re proud to have a strong female presence at our agency, and we believe in passing the ladder back down to help the next generation of female leaders.

Here’s what a few of our team members would share with young women entering the advertising industry:

Never assume that someone you admire didn’t work really damn hard to perfect the skills of their craft. We often discount soft skills as natural ability, and that is rarely the case.

Also, build your network. The connections you make are equal in importance to the skills you learn. Both are needed to advance your career.

– Samara Anderson, VP Sales & Marketing

Your first job doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t be discouraged if you get rejected at first. As long as you are learning something, it’s a part of helping you reach your ultimate goal.

You deserve the raise, and you deserve the seat at the table. There are a lot of outside forces that will have you thinking you should act or dress or lead a certain way as a woman–don’t let them fool you.

– Riley Collins, Producer

Don’t always default to saying sorry. Pause for a second and ask yourself, “is this something I need to apologize for?—or am I using sorry as a placeholder or to introduce an idea?” A lot of times there’s other, less discrediting phrases to say like “thanks for your patience” or “i’d like to add something here.”

– Jesse Spear, Marketing Manager

Never be afraid to ask questions. It’s the best (and fastest) way to learn. Find a mentor who excels in what you want to do, and absorb all you can.

– Carrie Pickering, Digital Project Manager/Producer

Speak boldly and proudly about what interests you and your passions within industries/clients as well as work of the work with what you’re doing. When you make it clear what you are interested in, people often times will present opportunities for you to dig in further and take part in your passions.

Beck, Account Executive

You are a leader regardless of your role. Lead by example—set clear expectations and then get it done. Lead by asking questions and being an active listener. Especially lead by calling things out that don’t make sense.

Lastly, lead with curiosity and openness. Our industry is ever-changing. Your perspective is unique and will absolutely benefit your teams and clients. Don’t ever be afraid to speak it. If you think of yourself as a leader with a valuable perspective in this ever-changing industry, others will think of you that way, too.

Jen Williams, VP of Account Management