WOMEN WHO SELL WITH JODIE BROWN

Women Who Sell

19 Jun

‘Women Who Sell’ is all about showcasing women who sell and are thriving and challenging stereotypes. We feature real perspectives of what it’s like being someone that identifies as a woman in Sales, the barriers and the breakthroughs.

Here, Jodie Brown, Senior Media Buyer at Water & Lime shares her take.

What is your job title?

Senior Media Buyer.

How did you get into sales and what makes it the career of your choice?

I’ve had a pretty exciting & diverse career starting out (way back when) as a management assistant in the music industry in London, working with Cat Stevens, U2's Manager, Aswad, Paul Oakenfold & Jonathan Shalit OBE, I learned quite quickly over the years, as my role progressed in sales and marketing that people skills are truly the number skill one can hold. In my early career, I got the privilege to learn how people at the top of their industry, with global prestige promote & market the careers of stellar talents from the world of Music, TV, Film, Digital, Theatre, Publishing, and Media.

Fast forward to a career in marketing & PR consultancy, I later went on to assist a tech start-up to secure 75M in infrastructure funding as Marketing Director for TrueSpeed Communications. In that role, I was handling sizeable sales & marketing budgets and working closely with multiple agencies, sat ‘on the other side of the fence’ so to speak.

I’ve come to learn that actually, I’ve been in sales for the majority of my life… Like the famous Zig Zigler quote:

“Maybe you don't hold the title of salesperson, but if the business you are in requires you to deal with people, you, my friend, are in sales.”

That certainly rings true for me, and the art of communication in itself is persuasive to one end or another. (You certainly realise that quite quickly as a Mother too!)

Are there any barriers you have faced as a woman working in sales, and how have you overcome them?

A lot of my career has been in male-dominated environments in hindsight, and with that has seen me witness quite a few displays of ego and some ‘interesting’ personality traits! I think the barriers certainly in senior roles, can sometimes test you to simply stand your ground, keep ascending & don’t let the environment or others test you to question your (perfectly brilliant) ideas.

What do you like the most about being a woman in sales?

I think the best thing for me is the autonomy, the ability to craft your own ship & steer your own course.

I love building lasting relationships & getting results for our clients. It’s super-rewarding & to find solutions & strategies that optimise the great work they're doing, and since I know what it’s like to be in their seat & make their budget travel as far as possible, it’s always a conversation rather than a sale. They’re always driven by their ideal audience & I’m driven by ensuring I reach them.

(Plus, the WFH doughnuts… They're good too!)