If you knew me back in grade school or even college, you’d be shocked to see who I am now. I was the shy, quiet one who rarely raised her hand and kept to herself at lunch. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because I was absolutely terrified of being heard and seen. With my friends and family, I was 100% myself.. goofy, loud, weird and funny. But everywhere else? I shrank.
I did the whole “go out once in a while in college” thing, but even then, I was always more an observer than participant. And public speaking? Socializing with strangers? Forget it. I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
Then came advertising.
My very first job was at an ad agency as a digital marketing associate/receptionist. (Yes, both. There weren’t enough desks.. so I sat at the front and answered phones while pulling digital campaign reports.)
That receptionist part of the job changed everything.
I was forced, literally forced, to learn how to talk to strangers. On the phone, in person, throughout the day. And talk in a way that was professional, helpful, friendly and likable. I couldn’t hide behind the desk and pretend I didn’t hear someone walking in. I had to show up. Daily. Fully.
Over time, that shy girl started to disappear. I slowly became more confident (maybe even too confident at times wearing clothes I thought were appropriate in an agency. Ugh.. I cringe thinking about it.
As I moved into bigger roles at bigger agencies, I started to grow up a bit. I learned how to dress for a meeting, even though some co-workers didn’t (thank the lord I had matured a bit in the workplace). I figured out how to find my voice in a room full of louder people. I learned how to listen, how to lead, how to push back without being rude and how to laugh off the occasional chaos that comes with agency life.
Then I moved to New York.
Let me tell you: New York doesn’t coddle anyone. It forces you to learn real-world skills fast. I had to figure out how to navigate client politics and team dynamics. I learned how to read the room. I learned how to deal with people’s BS with grace (okay, some grace). And I learned how to show up every day as a more polished, grounded version of myself.
Today, I’m still very much me.. goofy and very expressive but for very long time, I haven’t been scared to show it. Advertising pulled me out of my shell and gave me the life skills I didn’t even know I needed. It taught me how to speak up, be heard, and stay true to myself… even in the middle of client chaos and campaign launches.
So yeah, I guess you could say advertising saved my life.
Or at least made me a whole lot less awkward.
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