Director of Accounts Mustang Marketing, Thousand Oaks Age: 29 Emma Frawley leads public relations and branding campaigns for Mustang clients. She has been nominated to the board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America Gold Coast Chapter and the Conejo/Las Virgenes Future Foundation. She graduated from California State University – Long Beach in 2011 with a degree in communications. Biggest Accomplishment: Two and a half years ago, I took a big risk. I had risen through the ranks at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., but did not see that defining the rest of my career. I knew that in order to pursue a different career I would have to start at the bottom and work my way up again. I started my job at Mustang Marketing as an account coordinator, a role I saw as a steppingstone for my future. Within nine months, my role had developed far beyond the position I was hired for, and I was promoted to director of accounts. Most Interesting Aspect of Job: Different clients in very different business sectors. I have been able to dive deep into a wide variety of industries, keeping my job fresh and exciting, and every day is something new! Personality on the Job: We are a service-oriented business, and I am the face in front of a lot of our clients. This requires me to rely on my outgoing personality as I work to build strong relationships with current clients and potential future clients. I also follow through on deadlines, so clients trust me with high- level campaigns and projects. Biggest challenge? Delegating tasks amongst the staff. It is sometimes hard for me to hand off tasks I know I am capable of doing, but it is best for everyone if we each focus on the tasks that are most applicable to our unique skill sets. Most Memorable Experience: One of my favorite days at work was getting to ride along in a fire truck for a video shoot we did for the Ventura County Fire Department. Biggest Misconception About the Profession: A lot of people don’t fully understand what a marketing agency does and assume that we only do advertising for clients. I have to explain that we’re a full-service “strategically driven” firm that does public relations, graphic design, branding, website development, social media and so much more. How This Generation is Different: Many of the professionals in my generation – millennials – are impatient and move jobs often looking for instant gratification. While willing to work hard, they also place a high value on time away from work, even at the expense of career advancement. I’ve learned that in order to succeed and get to where I want to be, I have to work hard and never give up. I had to find a job that was a good fit for me, even though it took a step back at first. However, I also try to create a healthy work-life balance. I believe that both can be achieved successfully. Future Goal: My personal goal is to finally set down some roots by purchasing my first home. Career Advice: I stand by the advice to “never judge a book by its cover.” You never know what someone else is going through, so don’t judge before you try to understand. We can all learn from one another, and working collaboratively as a team always brings a better outcome.
