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As Coronavirus sweeps the nation and globe, we at Advertise Purple took it upon ourselves to at least attempt to add some positivity to your life as opposed to only fanning the flames of uncertainty and despair.
At the beginning of this month, we had extensive plans to celebrate International Women’s Month and Day in a way only Ad Purp can. We had planned events, editorial executions, great photo ops, and we were going to take it as a chance to reflect on the fact that we have some excellent women working in pivotal roles, both junior and senior.
The idea of pressing pause on highlighting these women came to mind. Of course, right now we’re dealing with an unprecedented situation. However, as absolutely insane as this March has been, our women deserve this and much more.
The Starting Six™ is *not* a term that has been coined quite yet, however if it were up to me it would be. And it’s not up to me, so it’s not. That being said, these six women, who are influential employees at Ad Purp have set the tone for the rest of the company, both male and female. Important to note, this term isn’t chronological; rather, it’s based on impact as we have scaled the business.
Let me introduce you to them.
Devon Norris, Executive Director of Accounts
There isn’t much that happens at Ad Purp that doesn’t involve Devon. As the leader of the accounts team, she is in charge of the nuts and bolts of what we do here. She’s constantly in meetings with other executives and is a key decision maker at the firm. She works closely with Kyle Mitnick, our President, as do all 6 of the women we’ll mention in this piece. It’s admirable how she’s able to multitask and communicate effectively both internally with our accounts team and externally with our partners, but what’s (debatably) more admirable is that Devon is also one of the top office DJs. Her tunes are fire.
Devon on gender at Ad Purp: “I feel like at Advertise Purple it’s the opposite of what you usually hear about in the workplace (higher-ups are mostly men, unequal representation of men and women at the company, women making less money than men, etc). I think Advertise Purple does a great job of having equal representation at our company and gender has absolutely no effect on any decisions made. For example, 2 out of 3 department heads at Advertise Purple are women. We also have many more managers and directors who are women. I’ve never once felt that I was denied an opportunity because of my gender and haven’t experienced that with anyone else at this company, which I am very thankful for. Everyone at this company is equally valued, regardless of race, gender, etc.”
Trinity Novak, Director of Analytics & Automation
I (yes, the guy writing this, I know I’m breaking the fourth wall here) sit next to Trinity every day on the second floor of our office in Santa Monica. Most of the time, Trin is jumping in and out of meetings, but when she’s at her desk, she is always a joy to be around. She has a humorous and light approach to working, but I know for a fact that if something needs to be done relating to data or automation, she’s the one to call. Working directly with our President Kyle Mitnick and others, she’s helped our company take the next step to becoming a leader in the advertising A.I. space. She’s a winner and we’re glad to have her onboard.
Trinity on gender at Ad Purp: “I have the greatest pleasure of working with driven, hard working women everyday that influence the direction of the company. I have always felt unwavering support from upper management and I truly feel lucky to be a part of a supportive, stimulating environment. I’m inspired by each member on the AP team and especially the women at this company.
Kyle also sponsored Devon, Emily, and I to go to an event called A Rare Day, a summit for women in digital media, fashion, beauty https://www.arareday.com/. It was a great experience and very nice of him to support us by sending us there.”
Marissa Valentino, Project Manager
I think I can speak for everyone in the organization when I say we’d be completely lost without Mars (yes, that’s her nickname, like the planet). She’s our office mom, but she is not just any office mom. She’s a cool mom. From planning the literal best events to launching accounts and organizing the office, there’s not much she doesn’t do here. When I started working here (again, first person, I know, I’m sorry), she was the one who walked me through everything I’d want to know. Sure, I was nervous starting a new job. But that nervousness was zapped away by her infectious positive attitude. We love you, Mars!
Marissa on gender at Ad Purp: “Advertise Purple empowers women to be creative and independent. I truly feel we always have the option to make suggestions and bring our ideas to the table! It’s nice to work in a collaborative environment that makes everyone feel included and the opportunities are endless for women.
Working here I have also learned Advertise Purple empowers women to all love one another. I strongly feel that not only are all the girls at the company my colleagues and friends, but they are also my family. It is a great feeling to know that I have an amazing group of girls I can rely on and talk to at any time, yet also keeping the environment full of laughter and fun together. We are truly blessed!”
Kadi Cika, Senior Account Executive
Let’s switch gears a little bit here. Time to head on over to the business development department. Kadi works from home and the field, engaging with growth partners. So, she’s not in the office quite as much as the other five. That being said, her presence is felt. She is constantly looking for ways to help the business grow, and she doesn’t feel far removed from the day-to-day of how this company works. Just recently, she gave me a great idea for an article that we wrote. Biz dev can often feel like a tough place for a woman, but she has what it takes and then some. Kadi knows how to close a deal and we are so thrilled she’s been in a leadership role for us for so long.
Emily Chen, Director of Corporate Development
Emily got so good at her job as an account manager that leadership promoted her to a role where she can teach new account managers how to do that very job. She created an entire training program, which has proven to be super effective. She brings people up to speed at unparalleled rates and I’ve only heard great things about how informative and helpful she is at doing so. When you talk about women at Ad Purp, Emily comes to mind right away as a leader who puts what’s best for the company first. Again, like the others on this list, she is a key decision maker, she travels for conferences and other work events, and she makes a significant impact to the company. Bravo to Emily!
Emily on gender at Ad Purp: “Ad Purp supports women by viewing, evaluating, and ‘grading’ all employees equally, based on our ability to do the job. By doing this, no matter our race, gender, age, everyone (especially women) has the opportunity to grow as much as we continue to put in the effort to do so.”
Caroline Fletcher, Account Director
(Yes, that’s Mars again in this photo) Caroline is one of the hardest working people in the entire office, and I can say that with complete certainty. From what I’ve heard from those who work for her, she’s an amazing boss. She shows up early and stays late, making sure that her accounts are handled with as much care and precision as possible. Also, I think it’s debatable, but she might have the best fashion sense of anyone in the office. It’s a bold claim and there’s a lot of competition, but she’s in the running. Always colorful and always positive, Caroline is a key asset to this team.
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I’m sure a celebration will come in due time. That being said, I know it’s hard but still let’s all try to have a Happy International Women’s Month. Good luck out there!
