What led you to your current role?

I went to a small liberal arts college in northwest Georgia. My parents didn’t have the chance to pursue higher education, so I saw college as a way to change our family’s trajectory and increase my earning potential. I also wanted to pursue a career I was truly passionate about. My dad was a truck driver, and he was fascinated by the idea of getting paid to do something you enjoy. He saw college as a means to do that. At the time, we didn’t know much about all the career options out there, so I landed on the idea of becoming a lawyer. To prepare for law school, I studied economics and English because I believed they would provide a good foundation for my legal aspirations.

During my time in college, I got involved in some pretty quirky projects. I once gave a satirical speech about our college’s deceased founder that went over surprisingly well, and I even made a rap video about cheese for a campus business. Those projects got people asking if I’d ever considered public relations. I hadn’t even thought of PR before. I grew up in a small town where the only context I had was hearing the term “spin doctor.” But people saw that I had a knack for storytelling and creative communication, so I thought, sure, sounds fun.

I ended up changing my major and got involved with a group of student-run businesses on campus. We had everything from furniture sales to bath salts to cheese. Each business had its own general manager, and we had cross-functional teams for accounting and marketing. I would coach managers on how they presented themselves, communicate with a board of advisors from the corporate world, and work with the dean of the business school.

Because our marketing budget was limited, we had to get creative. We leaned into unconventional tactics—making rap videos, looking for media coverage, anything that would get people’s attention. That’s when I really fell into communications. Eventually, a fellow alum connected me with my first company, where the CMO was looking for someone to help with executive communications.

At first, I had concerns about the potential earnings in communications—I’d been on scholarship and felt a responsibility to make the most of my education and get a degree that would help me in different ways. But I learned the importance of playing to my strengths. I was also one failed class away from a business minor, which allowed me to combine my two skill sets.

In my new job, I started supporting the company’s chief marketing officer. At larger corporations, it’s common for executives in the C-suite—whether it’s the CEO or their direct reports—to have a thought partner who helps with things like all-hands meetings or external speaking engagements. The role is about making sure communication is clear and effective across the organization, whether that’s in marketing or another business unit.

The CMO had a strong understanding of communication, but her time was incredibly valuable. Because of that, she relied on me to help brainstorm stories or gather relevant information from different people, which enabled her to deliver messages that truly resonated.

What stood out to me was the level of feedback I got from her on the materials I put together. It was sharper and more precise than what I might have received if I’d been supporting a CIO or another type of executive. I felt privileged to support her in this unique capacity and gain such valuable feedback early in my career.

What are the primary differences between marketing and communication?

It felt like marketing and executive communications were two sides of the same coin, but marketing seemed to carry a little more prestige and maybe even higher pay. I had this hangup about it, because marketing leaned more into the quantitative side, and that gave me a bit of a complex. I wondered if I was taking the easier way out by choosing communications. In my mind, if a job paid less or didn’t seem as prestigious, I thought it meant it was the easier path.

Then I started supporting the leader at my last job, and she completely changed how I thought about communication. Her own story was everything. She came to the U.S. from Serbia with just $500 and a suitcase, started out at a small community college, and wanted to get into a prestigious institution. She had lived through a civil war back in Serbia, so her perspective was unique and inspiring. She shared her story, and that opened doors for her and paved the way for her success. She taught me that stories are everything, and used that mindset all the way to becoming the chief communications and marketing officer, leading an integrated marketing and communications function.

Looking back, I realize how silly those doubts were. Yes, optimizing technology matters, but the power of words is immeasurable. A single sentence spoken by someone can make tens or even hundreds of thousands of people just one percent more productive. Choosing the right words, and crafting the right message for the right person at the right time, is invaluable. As the lines between communications and marketing continue to blur, I find that aspect fascinating.

When people hear “communications,” they usually think of PR. The big difference is that you’re not paying to put something in front of someone or directly trying to make a sale. It’s about telling a story with an element of newsworthiness. Sometimes that means reaching out to a journalist and saying, “Hey, we have a story that might interest you.” If it eventually leads to a sale, that’s just a bonus.

There’s also the internal side of communications to consider. Coming from a small town, I never really thought about how companies with employees all over the world have to make sure everyone understands the strategy and policies. Keeping people aligned and on the same page is just as important as the external piece.

Then there’s marketing, which often involves paid efforts. But the way my former executive approached it - and the way many others do - is that it all revolves around the brand story. Employees need to understand what makes the company special, and they should feel connected to that story so they act in line with the brand, almost like brand ambassadors. When that happens, and when people understand what we’re trying to achieve, it naturally drives business success.

Another thing to look at is the changing media landscape. These days, some media outlets offer paid placements on certain parts of their websites. So essentially, you’re selling by telling stories. It’s like content marketing in action. That shift is one of the big reasons the lines between different disciplines have become so blurred.

Has your communications work been more internal, or external?

The last company I worked for was a Fortune 500 enterprise technology firm that provides the systems powering banks, stores, and restaurants. They’ve built their own platform - similar to Apple’s iOS, but designed specifically for retail. It’s pretty cool because you can plug in just about anything - loyalty programs, self-checkout, operational tools, you name it.

At that company, the CEO and his C-suite - plus a few leaders a level or two down - all had their own communications partners. One of my teammates supported the CHRO, CFO, and COO. Depending on their role, some executives leaned more on external communications, while others focused mostly on internal.

I started out supporting the chief marketing officer. She wasn’t constantly doing interviews, though she did occasionally write articles for Forbes on marketing trends and best practices. Her goal wasn’t just to promote the company’s products, but also about attracting top talent by positioning herself as a thought leader. She had an active social media presence, and she’d often ask for my input on posts or say, “Let’s grab a picture, I want to put this on LinkedIn.” That content served both her team internally and external audiences.

She also spoke on panels from time to time, but most of her focus was on leading the marketing and communications team, along with government affairs. She had several areas under her purview. My role was to help keep her team engaged and aligned with both our marketing priorities and the company’s larger goals. I’d say about 70% of my work with her was internal—things like emails and all-hands meetings where the whole marketing team came together online or in a hybrid setting.

Toward the end, I started branching out and supporting other executives as well. I wasn’t the primary communications partner for the CEO or CFO, but I did work on a few communications projects for them.

How do you build relationships with executives in order to represent them effectively?

There’s definitely a learning curve. The little details, nuances, stories, and anecdotes all play a role in helping them convey their message. To support them well, you have to know and understand those things. Personally, I made a habit of jotting down anything relevant or interesting that came up in conversations. It could be a story they told or even something happening in the background of a Zoom call. Having that context in the back of your mind makes a big difference.

In my experience with my previous executive, she was really open and transparent. She shared a lot of details with me, which allowed me to understand her perspective better. Sometimes, I would even get the opportunity to sit in on meetings I normally wouldn’t be part of at my level. Being in those rooms gave me the visibility and insight I needed to craft the right messaging when it mattered.

On a personal level, building a real connection is important. For example, with the Chief Information Security Officer at my current company, we’d text back and forth about different things. I’ve found that sharing a bit of myself and showing my cards often encouraged the executive to open up more too. We would exchange jokes, get to know each other’s personalities, and that strengthened our working relationship.

How is your current role different from your last role?

In big companies, there’s almost always some kind of matrix structure. At my last company, the corporate communications team was centralized. We had strong connections with the Centers of Excellence and the business units we supported, but at the end of the day, we all reported up to the CMO. That was our point of alignment.

My current company, on the other hand, is more decentralized. In the security space, I report directly to our Chief Information Security Officer, who I support. So instead of communications being my home base, I’m kind of plugged into it from the security side. I still join corporate communications team meetings, but the dynamic is different. I need more subject-matter expertise in security principles and related matters, and the focus here is much more external.

That’s because we believe strongly in transparency and collaboration. What happens inside our walls is just the starting point, but security challenges can’t be solved in isolation. A compromised vendor, for example, can impact every customer they serve. So when we discover something that works well for us, we share it because strengthening the broader ecosystem ultimately helps everyone.

The CISO is involved in a lot of panels and initiatives. Right now, he’s co-chairing a think tank working group on the top cyber risks. That kicks off in a couple of weeks in DC and will bring together policymakers and experts, which is pretty exciting. It really shows how much the nature of the organization - and the executive you support - can shape your role. Moving from supporting a CMO to a CISO was a big shift, and the company’s culture and structure also influence how everything gets managed and coordinated.

What does your day-to-day work look like?

At the highest level, being a steward of key messages is really the crux of the role. Sometimes those messages are the business objectives themselves, but often it’s a more focused version - this is what we’re trying to do, and here are the messages that will drive the most success. As stewards of these messages, we build a strategy around our stakeholders - whether that’s employees, media, or investors - and think about how to tailor the message for each group. That could mean adjusting the proof points and the level of detail. The real challenge is prioritizing our time and efforts so we make the biggest impact with the right mix of stakeholders.

For me, that often looks like handling requests for my executive to speak at events. Maybe I join the first call to see if it’s a good fit, then talk with him about why he should or shouldn’t accept the invitation. I’ll point out the opportunities to cover certain topics or reach a particular audience. There are a lot of calls like this, and by the time he decides to participate, he already knows the main points he wants to make. My job is to add value by chasing insights and finding unique angles that make it even more compelling. Since I keep a close eye on what’s happening in security, I might come across a new example or trend he should highlight and double down on.

If it’s an email he’s sending to a large audience, like a newsletter, he’ll often share his draft thoughts with me, and I’ll give input on how to frame it. I might suggest a different example, or remind him that not everyone reading is a security expert, so we should spell out acronyms and tie the message back to our broader company priorities. A lot of it is connecting the dots, whether that’s in meetings, making factual edits, or even sitting in on a random meeting just to gather context for something we may need to communicate later.

What skills do you feel are important in this job?

Writing is table stakes. There are some people who take writing for granted because there are so many other variables that are important. Planning and gathering information are important, but you do have to be a great writer.

You need to be able to zoom in and out. I’m good at connecting seemingly unrelated concepts. Of course, there are also times when you need to compartmentalize and put something in a box to get it done. Being able to toggle between the big picture and the specific objectives is really helpful, especially when you’re working with multiple stakeholders. You have to tailor communication for each group while still keeping in mind how it all connects.

I would also say empathy and being able to put yourself in the shoes of different audiences. When you’re supporting a leader, it’s especially important to help them do that too. If something is being communicated to an early-career audience, I can step in and remind the leader that it might come across differently for that audience. Writing with that lens makes the message resonate more.

It’s also handy when shepherding projects through approvals. For example, we have to consider how our legal department will react to our annual report. What holes could they poke in it, or what information do they need to give their stamp of approval?

In this field, there are a few key skills to consider: strong writing, empathy, the ability to zoom in and out, and not being intimidated by senior stakeholders. There’s almost this wow factor with executives. I’m always impressed by how they maximize every minute and how sharp they are. But when you’re working with them, it’s important to treat them as peers and find the right balance. That’s where executive presence and confidence make a big difference.

What are some challenges you’ve had in this line of work? Have there been any specific areas where you’ve had to adapt or overcome personal learning curves?

It’s really amazing how many of these challenges are probably universal across different jobs. But in a role like this, prioritization and time management feel like they’re on another level. There are projects you can plan for well in advance and take a proactive approach, but there are also the inevitable last-minute, quick-turn deliverables that pop up. It’s a matter of figuring out how to optimize your schedule so you can handle the curveballs while still making progress on long-term objectives. And because the output expectations are high, the ability to work quickly and prioritize is important.

I struggle with the prioritization factor but have gotten better at it due to necessity. For some people it comes naturally, but for those of us who are more creative and inclined towards connecting dots, it may not be our strong suit. If that’s the mindset you bring to this field, it’s important to be ready to work on strengthening your prioritization skills.

How did you improve your prioritization skills?

Let me expand that to include organization. It’s interconnected with time management since having an organized schedule can save a lot of time. I’ve experimented with different approaches to figure out what works best for me. For instance, I’ve set up recurring one-on-one meetings with colleagues and included a shared folder link in the calendar invite, so I can easily add to the agenda as ideas come up. Time-blocking has also been a game-changer. I try to plan ahead for recurring tasks and look for ways to streamline them, so I’m not reinventing the wheel each time.

A book called The Checklist Manifesto had a big impact on me. Now I use checklists for just about everything, both at work and in my personal life. Mornings used to feel chaotic, but I created a daily checklist in Google Keep that I just duplicate and use each day. It takes away the guesswork and cuts down on decision-making. I believe that freeing up that mental energy lets me focus on the bigger, more impactful decisions. I’ve spent a lot of time practicing and refining these strategies, and while there’s always room to improve, I’ve made real progress.

One of the biggest turning points for me was when my boss gave me a project and said, “I’m assigning this to you because you’re such an organized person.” In my head I was thinking, No, I’m not. But hearing him say that flipped a switch. I thought, Well, I can be if that’s how I come across. I started working to shore up how I saw myself and how he saw me, and that motivation was the biggest kick in the pants I needed.

What does the career path for this role look like?

There are a few potential paths you can take. If you’re aiming high in communications, you could work toward becoming a Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, or a Vice President of Communications. Those roles have varying mixes of internal and external responsibilities.

This career path can also be parlayed to other opportunities, because it gives you a line of sight into so many parts of the business. Even in an entry-level role, you still get to see the bigger picture. For example, I think it could be fun to explore security roles, because there are positions in that field that don’t require a super technical background.

My boss’s title is Vice President of Communications, Risk, and Strategy, specifically focused on security. On his team, there’s someone who studied music education and now works in risk management. It just goes to show that you have options.

There’s also the option of being self-employed. I’ve always found the idea of building a business around communications appealing. Applying executive-level discipline and learning to this skill set feels promising. I know plenty of people who’ve gone out on their own and done really well. So there are definitely a lot of different options.

What advice do you have for other people interested in this type of work?

One of the big shifts in my thinking was learning to embrace the idea of cultivating intellectual curiosity. A lot of principles make sense on their own, but when you start connecting them with certain concepts or words, they become so much more interesting.

I thought it was really cool that our COO was actually an English major and talked a lot about intellectual curiosity. For me, it’s really about curiosity in general: asking questions, seeking answers, and striving to truly understand things. I’ve come to believe that if you can’t write about something or explain it clearly, then you don’t fully understand it. That’s why cultivating intellectual curiosity has become such a priority for me.

I used to be pragmatic, thinking, “If this doesn’t help me right now, why do I need to know it?” But over time, I’ve realized life is more like a Venn diagram. You might be in one circle today, but as you learn about something in another area, you’ll eventually move toward it, and you’ll be glad you planted that seed early on. Once you embrace that mindset, you see that you’re not defined only by what you’re doing right now. If you’re curious and determined enough to learn about something, you can absolutely do it.

One thing I’ve noticed about every executive I’ve worked with is that they ask questions about everything. I remember once telling one of them that I usually bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, but that day I had actually bought one because it was only $1.50. I mentioned that it tasted better than the ones I make at home. I wasn’t prepared for him to ask: “What’s better about it? Is it the bread? The jelly?”

It stood out to me as such a funny example of how interested they are in understanding everything. It may just have been small talk, but even their small talk turns into interesting questions. And I think that’s one of the biggest takeaways. If you embrace that mindset, you can start out as an English major, like our COO did, and still go on to become a chief operating officer.