DMN’s Marketing Hall of Femme honors female marketers who have taken risks, pushed limits, and achieved standout success in their marketing careers. These fiercely talented women are all the most senior marketing professionals at brands, non-profits, marketing tech and services vendors, or agencies.
We sat down with 2018 Hall of Femme honoree Carrie Schonberg, CMO, Ashton Woods Homes, who shared advice on the challenges of being a woman in the workplace, and how young female professionals can navigate their own successful marketing careers.
DMN: What’s the best piece of career advice that you’ve ever received?
Schonberg: Let your passion guide your choices. And know that the best career opportunities are often those you never saw coming.
DMN: What’s the best way to advocate for yourself in the workplace (whether it’s for a promotion, a salary raise, or more responsibilities)?
Schonberg: Know your value, know your worth, and objectively, respectfully, ask for what you deserve. The worst that can happen is they say is no. “No” is not a tragedy, it’s a temporary setback. It’s not a personal rejection, it’s a new piece of information you can work with, learn from, and use to grow.
DMN: As a woman, what advantages and disadvantages have you experienced in climbing up through your career?
Schonberg: I started my career in sports marketing, a male-dominated industry. At the time I was too young and inexperienced to consider myself at a disadvantage because I was a woman. I simply pressed forward, worked hard and focused on delivering results. I’ve carried that mentality with me throughout my career, and have not allowed being a woman to be an issue. Looking back, I know that I was very fortunate to have great mentors supporting and championing me throughout my career. I would like to believe there will soon come a day when my experience is the norm, rather than the exception.
DMN: What advice do you have for younger women in the workplace who want to lean in and take a bigger seat at the table?
Schonberg: You may have to work harder to prove yourself. So what. Do it. Always be the most prepared person in the room. Fight for what’s right. Do right by your brand. Do right by your consumers. Do right by your people. The results will follow.
