Innovid is lucky enough to employ some amazing and talented women all across the world, and this week we’re honored to be highlighting Amanda Juip, a Sales Director from Detroit. Our Detroit office is small (only 6 people!) but it is mighty— located in the epicenter of the American auto industry, Amanda works with powerhouse clients like Kellogg's, Best Buy, General Motors and Ford. Below, Amanda talks about breaking into the tech industry, selling in the car-centric Detroit and the importance of embracing your womanhood.
Tell us a little bit about your background, how did you get into the tech field?
I really happened into it - I was fortunate enough to receive an internship in 2002 while I was in college in London. I worked for Mindshare on their digital team, supporting clients such as Nike, LandRover & Ford. The geek side of me loved studying consumer behavior and analytics, despite my background in Communications and Design. I found it fascinating, the data you can pull, and how that helps create a more rich and engaging experience online. Over the years, my experience and interest has moved away from the more creative media roles at agencies and over to the tech side, with my most significant steps being at LinkedIn and now Innovid!
What aspect do you love most about your job?
My clients! I love the overall process of learning their unique challenges, finding the right fit with internal resources, and working together to find the most seamless way for us to move their marketing initiatives forward. I never pick something “off the shelf.” I think it’s important to challenge myself and the internal teams to come up with creative ways to problem solve. It truly is all about the partnership with me, and it’s why I love what I do!
What's special about selling in Detroit, what makes it different from selling in New York, or the West Coast?
Detroit is a really unique place to sell because rather than being dominated by agencies with wide portfolios, it’s primarily a culture built around automotive. Automotive is its own unique bubble of advertising, which really seeks to push the limits on both data and creativity while rolling into a 100+ year manufacturing culture/mindset. I’ve spent some time in my career selling across different markets: Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Minneapolis. After almost a decade away, it’s been really fun to return to such a close-knit market. Here, it isn’t just about business or the best fit - it truly comes down to partnership and alignment, as well as what a client is looking for in terms of solution. Only in Detroit can you run into clients in and out of the meeting room--whether it’s at your kids’ swim lessons, out to dinner on a weekend, or a family birthday party or baby shower. It happens!
How do you think being a woman in sales helps or hinders you?
I always try to enhance what is uniquely female throughout my process - how can I show extra compassion, leverage my emotional intelligence, or meet my clients where they are at versus forcing a product fit onto them. You can call it being “soft” but really it’s about being compassionate throughout each step. I’ve never played up the fact that I’m a woman, nor downplayed it, but I certainly tune into what makes me, as an individual, unique and leverage those elements. I will say, the most challenging time in my career to be a woman was when I was simultaneously pregnant, attending graduate school and managed a national category at LinkedIn. It wasn’t intentional, but it was how life happened! I’ve never worked harder, slept less, or resented my womanhood more. But when I graduated, I had two children that met me off the stage, and I had successfully transformed myself and my family. That’s a powerful thing and I got through it.
Any advice for young women wanting to break into sales or the tech industry?
Don’t be afraid to become your own advocate. It sounds so simple but in reality it’s incredibly difficult to do. Especially in the tech world, when you see opportunities handed to others for which you were certainly qualified or capable of handling. Never doubt yourself or your abilities!
