Five lessons for an ambitious person in advertising

Jessica Balter, Publicis Canada CMO

By Jessica Balter

In an industry characterized by job hopping, I’ve been at Publicis for 15 years. In that time, I’ve gone from account executive to data lead to chief marketing officer a rather unique trajectory.

I often meet with people early in their careers. People oozing ambition and asking how I found my path.

I always answer the same way: the beginning of advertising careers is (generally) pretty linear. In account service, you’ll go from account coordinator to account executive to account supervisor to account director. In creative, from art director to ACD to CD.

It’s been a lot of work figuring out my own path, and while it likely looks very different than yours, here are five lessons I would share with any ambitious person in advertising:

1. Do things that scare you

When I walked through the doors of Publicis, I was an account executive with two years in the industry, none in digital. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Since then, I’ve been an account person, built a data practice, managed digital strategy and led new business. None of these transitions came with a rulebook, and all of them scared the crap out of me. I learned early that the challenges that pushed me out of my comfort zone were the ones where I learned the most. I leaned into that feeling hard, and encourage you to do the same.

2. Commit to being someone that people want to work with

In the beginning of my career, I rose fast. By my mid-20s, I was an outstanding account director and a sh*t manager. And I knew it. I begged our managing director for executive coaching to help me lead teams. Through this training I learned the power of different personalities in the workplace. I learned how to coach instead of direct, and how to be a more vulnerable (and better) version of myself at the office. Putting in the work to craft my leadership and communication style remains the most humbling journey of my career, and an area I remain dedicated to learning every day.

3. Hire people smarter than you

I was a career account person charged with leading our analytics team. I had a choice: stick with what I knew to fix what we were doing today or hire people that could build the team into what I knew it could be. Seven years later, our data and insights team, Root, is a North American centre of excellence, and – even better – I don’t manage it anymore. Because I was smart enough to hire an incredible Data lead, and to know when to get out of her way. The only way to grow is to plan for succession and empower people to be their best, so you can be your best too.

4. Don’t just be part of a culture; help make it

We spend the majority of our waking lives at work. Have a hand in making it a place you want to show up each day. At Publicis, I’ve spearheaded LionShare, which is what it sounds like, our monthly agency-wide program (nearly 11 years running!), and helped build mentorship programs and book clubs. I’ve pushed for changes to our fertility benefits and work reintegration initiatives, both areas where I have experienced personal challenges. One of my biggest accomplishments at Publicis is actively contributing to a culture of learning, empowerment and support.

5. Play the long game

Careers in advertising are a marathon, and there are a million temptations along the way. I’ve always advocated for myself and my career progression, and also been wise enough to pass on “career leaps” (more money, better titles) in favour of long-term career possibility. I’m often asked what my “end game” in advertising is. The truth is that I’ve never chased a specific position. My ambition has always been to be in a place where I’m constantly learning, growing and in rooms with people that challenge me to think differently.

I’ve worked hard to get here, and I’ve also had a lot of luck.

I’ve been in the right place at the right time. I’ve had amazing managers and mentors. I work at a place that values intelligence over authority; one that invested in me and taught to me to invest in bright talent.

So, if you’re an ambitious person in advertising, and struggling to find your path, I hope these lessons help you get unstuck and find your next adventure. And of course, I wish you luck.