This Marketing Exec Founded A Platform For Female Innovators
Coffee With: AM+G Marketing CEO Karen Alston
Karen Alston
Location: Washington, D.C.
Job: Founder and CEO, d/b/a, AM+G Marketing Communications and The Spectrum Circle
Education: B.B.A. in Finance, Howard University; Executive Education Certificate in Branding, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Twitter: @advertisingdiva, @spectrumcircle
What was your first real job, and how did you land it?
I knew since my sophomore year at Howard University that I wanted to work at JP Morgan (now JPMorgan Chase). Each year, I studied the company’s annual reports, read up on all the latest news, and followed the career paths of the organization’s senior leaders. This was the early 1990s, and JP Morgan would send recruiters and staff to Howard University’s School of Business. I would attend every event and make sure to meet as many recruiters as I could. I mailed letters to every employee I met and kept in contact with several throughout my college years. Finally, in April of 1993, I had a four-hour interview with JP Morgan and started working there the following November. I worked in domestic custody operations, managing corporate actions and rights positions for clients all over the world. The job helped me fall in love with the stock market and the ways money moves around the world.
Tell us about your current job as the founder and CEO of d/b/a, AM+G Marketing Communications.
In 2002, after several years at JP Morgan and other Fortune 100 companies, I joined a long line of entrepreneurs in my family and founded my own communications agency, d/b/a, AM+G Marketing Communications. We are a boutique firm with clients ranging from the D.C. Public Schools to the Dupont Hotel to the National Wildlife Federation. Most of our work is government or large nonprofit and I am extremely proud of the level of expertise and creativity we add to projects. Government is not known for being cutting edge or innovative in its campaign design. My firm adds the “wow” factor.
“I stand on the shoulders of those who dreamed, sacrificed, and suffered for me to have a better life, so I have to live my life to the fullest. I cannot allow fear to slow me down.”
In what ways did your corporate experience shape you?
MBNA America Bank was the best training ground to learn and work at in corporate America. I worked in a fast paced, highly competitive environment where employees were rewarded for hard work and loyalty.
At JP Morgan, for the first time in my life, I was exposed to wealth via its clients. I saw the world differently. I learned that not everyone grew up middle class and that some people had money, houses, cars, and wealth. That was a huge culture shock. I made friends from around the world. I spoke to clients and vendors from the Middle East or Europe. I practiced my French daily. I developed a desire to see the places I spoke to on a daily or weekly basis and my love of travel was formed during these years.
What do your days look like?
My morning starts at the gym, and I am at my desk at my office by 9:45am.I go through emails and then call clients or follow up on creative projects. If I need to write an article or some branded material for a client, I do that around 10:30am. I also check in with my creative consultants regarding the status of any materials that are due or needed for client projects. I talk to a few key vendors daily (one of my clients, for example, uses a strategic public relations firm for crisis communications, so we work with them to navigate any issues that the client may be facing and prepare for those. The end of my day is focused on emails, setting up meetings for the next week, and reading articles or watching video content. As a marketer, I need to stay up-to-date on trends, industry issues, and cool brands doing great marketing.
What has been the best moment of your career so far?
About five years ago, I developed a campaign for the DC Office of Human Rights and the DC LGBT Office focused on transgender Washington DC residents. It was titled “TransRespect,” and it showcased transgender DC residents in their daily lives. It received national attention and, on a personal level, taught me a lot about the trans movement. I talked to several community groups, attended pride events, conducted a focus group, and developed a branded campaign that still makes me very proud.
“The playing field is not fair or level. You need a sponsor, a mentor, and a fairy godmother to navigate your corporate career.”
What inspired you to start The Spectrum Circle, a platform for female innovators?
I’m fortunate to have met many women along my career and entrepreneurial path who mentor and advise me. I love the one-on-one conversations I have with these women. I have been given expert advice, opinions on how to navigate difficult situations, and guidance on being the only woman of color or the only African American in the room. I realized that while I was benefiting tremendously from these relationships, a lot of women didn’t have mentors to help them navigate the challenges of moving up the corporate ladder. The playing field is not fair or level. You need a sponsor, a mentor, and a fairy godmother to navigate your corporate career.
What qualities do you look for when interviewing prospective employees?
I am very impressed with people who follow up and are persistent. I am also drawn to candidates who do their research on me, my firm, and my background. So many young candidates don’t research the companies at which they are interviewing. Take the time to dig deeper than the company website.
What advice would you give yourself based on all you have learned throughout your career?
To grow. To listen. To adapt. To not judge. To be curious and take more risks. To be authentic in all things, especially when it is uncomfortable. To not place myself or others in any boxes. To surround myself with like-minded people who inspire, motivate, encourage, empower, support, and give honest feedback. To lift others as I climb. To fully embrace life because each moment is precious.
What motivates you?
I stand on the shoulders of those who dreamed, sacrificed, and suffered for me to have a better life, so I have to live my life to the fullest. I cannot allow fear to slow me down.
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Originally published at www.jopwell.com.
