It’s my time to get my ducks in a row in the morning with my team. Right now I’m on two brands and we meet to regroup in the mornings. I also have my one-on-one meetings with people who work for me. Then the meetings start! The days vary depending on what’s going on. Today, we had a client in the office for a few hours.

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Then I had to switch gears for another project. A lot of it on a day to day basis is juggling the needs and demands of different brands and stakeholders. The main thing about being an account person is that you are the client liaison. While you are an extension of the agency, you are also an extension of the client.

 

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SS: What are some challenges you have with your position?

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BG: The biggest challenge is balancing the needs of the brand and the agency. I love it because I feel like it’s a tremendous deal of responsibility and of course there are challenges that go along with that kind of responsibility. You want to make sure that you’re partnering with your internal team to answer questions and provide that strategic and operational guidance.

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You also want to make sure that your client’s needs are met and are accurately reflected in the guidance you’re giving to your team. At CDM New York, we always ask “what’s the value-add?” A lot of account people are stereotypically “yes” people, but you want to make sure you’re doing what’s best for the brand and that you’re not sacrificing quality. It’s important to have those courageous conversations. These are the types of good challenges to have.

 

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SS: Why did you choose to work in advertising?

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BG:  I fell into it! I was pre-med in college, but I didn’t really want to go to medical school. I wanted to do something related to psychology, which was what I was most interested in.  I worked under a neurologist for a long time doing research while I was in college. Then I moved to New York City and started graduate school. While doing that, I needed a job.

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I had a friend who worked in healthcare public relations and was hired to do freelance PR work because they needed someone to help pitch to South Asian media outlets. I loved it because it was fast paced, scientific, and dealt with people. So I got a job in healthcare PR and was put on an account that was working on an antipsychotic, which tied back to the neuropsychology I was interested in!

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I felt very satisfied because I was working in a category that I really enjoyed and doing interesting things. Fast forward several years, it seemed like a natural transition to come into advertising because in this industry, you get a better sense of where the brand is as a whole. In advertising, you’re in charge of the brand–the brand is yours! You’re involved in the life cycle, strategy, execution, and the creative aspect which I loved! Not to mention, the budgets are bigger.

 

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SS: What has been the most gratifying experience in this industry?

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BG: I’ve been lucky to work on some products that add to the treatment continuum for a patient and giving them something they’ve never had before. When you’re able to support the marketing of something that is badly needed and can make a world of difference for patients, or give them an option when they didn’t’ have any is super gratifying.

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When doing patient work, I got to hear how they loved the product and that the product made a huge difference in their lives. When you hear that, you automatically feel like you’re getting the word out there for something that is actually helping people and making a huge difference in their lives. As difficult as their lives are, they have this product.

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SS: What are some changes you would like to see made to this industry?

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BG: There’s a lot of noise out there. It’s up to us to be able to cut through it and get our message out in the most differentiating and compelling way. Everything is digital, but that doesn’t mean to put everything on an iPad! We have to go to where the people are and keep up with the changing times.

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SS: What are some tips you have for those entering the industry?

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BG: Environment makes a huge difference! I find that an agency is a good fit when you have a nurturing boss and people who want to see you succeed. You may work in an agency that you hate and I have; however, it taught me a lot about what I needed out of a job. When you have the core fundamental things that you need to do in a good job, that’s what matters.

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SS: What does advertising mean to you?

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BG: Advertising is all about cutting through the noise to do the best that you can for your brand.

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