March Coordinators' Club — Ask The Marketing Experts
Posted by Communications on Mar. 8, 2022 / Program Recap / Subscribe 0
When I saw the panelists for this event, I knew I had to attend! Bo Crouse-Feuerhelm (Vice President Client Solutions, JE Dunn Construction Company), Pat Perkins (Senior Associate + Director of Business Development Resources, O’Brien Atkins), and Kelley Simons (Vice President, Director of Communications, S&ME) are such wonderful examples of what success in this industry can look like. Moderated by Stephanie Jude (Marketing Manager, Clark Nexsen), this event felt like a conversation between friends. With lots of laughter, honest advice, and a few direct questions—it was wonderful to hear from such prominent leaders with diverse backgrounds.
From backgrounds in architecture, French and library studies, and one self-proclaimed “college dropout” — this group shared advice on how their careers evolved from the very beginning. A constant theme—the idea of being an eternal learner. Every single panelist noted when an opportunity was given—and sometimes even when it wasn’t—they made the most out of it. And yes, sometimes that meant learning on the fly!
The conversation also covered the healthy balance between marketing, communications, branding, and business development. All three panelists acknowledge you can’t have one without the other. And often in their roles, they wear many hats…hearing the term “Jane of All Trades” made me smile. Each of the panelists play different roles in their own companies and emphasized that understanding the differences between each role and making sure others in your company do too is a key to success. Knowing your own strengths and ambitions is helpful when navigating these different skillsets.
Each panelist had excellent advice and insight into maximizing careers. Bo Crouse-Feuerhelm reiterated the value of being a lifelong learner, finding networking groups that help push you forward, and utilizing educational resources, like Wake Tech. Pat Perkins reminded us of the value of asking coworkers for feedback and to stretch yourself on projects. Kelley Simons was clear that education, mentorship, and volunteer opportunities help tremendously in furthering your career.
The group also discussed being a woman in a predominantly male industry. Having honest conversations about responsibilities, earning your spurs in the beginning and continuing to prove yourself, and showing up with facts, not emotions—all helped these talented marketers get to where they are today.
A big takeaway for me was the very different roles the panelists have found at their own companies. Pat Perkins has spent more than 35 years at O'Brien Atkins and now serves as the Director of Business Development Resources. Bo Crouse-Feuerhelm traveled the world in the pharmaceutical and life science space before she returned to Raleigh to serve as Vice President of Client Solutions at JE Dunn. Kelley Simons started as a team of one at SM&E, growing to Director of Communications with a team of four. Hearing from this panel was encouraging and served as a good reminder: you don’t have to have it all figured out to become successful in this space. Hard work, curiosity, and knowing your strengths and ambitions is the best advice this panel shared.
And finally, some of my favorite quotes of the day:
“If you don’t know InDesign for God’s sake take a course. They are teaching that to children now these days.” | Pat Perkins
“Know yourself! And know what you want. You don’t have to have ambitions of being a CEO or CMO to still have a successful career. Earn your spurs, work to make the company better, and be true to yourself.” | Pat Perkins
“Bring facts, analytics, and data into every decision you make. People want to know the ROI for every decision they are making, and you should want to know that information too. It helps build credibility.” | Kelley Simons
“The best form of business development is doing an excellent job on your current project. Everyone plays a role in marketing and business development. At the end of the day, I’ve never built anything other than a relationship.” | Bo Crouse-Feuerhelm
Caroline Taney, Client Development Specialist
Terracon
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