Interview with Alex Jewett

Let me introduce our next wonderful Women in PPC expert, Alex Jewett. Alex is the founder and CEO of her own marketing agency, Right Left Agency. She is also the CMO for a growing franchise called Pinspiration. Alex loves art and music, but she’s also a math nerd, marketing and advertising was the perfect choice for her to fuse her passion for arts with her clever thinking. Her fantastic PPC career story can be inspiring for all of us! 🌸

 

 

Share the story of how you first got into PPC?

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I started college. My parents were both entrepreneurs and business people and I found that exciting – I always figured I would do something in the business world. What, exactly, I wasn’t sure.

I loved art and music but was also a total math nerd. It was my mom who actually first suggested I explore marketing; she said in modern times it involved a lot of data analysis as well as creativity.

To see if I would like it, I applied for a few different marketing internships. The first one I got an email back to interview with was an online retailer of cell phone accessories called Wireless Emporium. I did the interview, was offered the internship, and started the next. I didn’t really understand what PPC meant at the time, but within a couple of weeks, I was helping to develop keyword lists and build out new Ad Groups in Google and Bing Ads. I fell in love with it!

What was the proudest moment of your PPC career?

My proudest moment was at my first full-time job when I first had a super-successful campaign. It took months to figure out and was a very competitive industry. After a TON of testing, I found the right combination of everything and we were just printing money. I remember everyone in the office was so excited that we finally made it work.

Do you struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

Absolutely! I started my business because I wanted flexibility and freedom in my career. However, I love my work so much that I often let it consume all my free time. A couple of years ago I worked so much I started developing some health issues, and a mentor of mine had to put things in perspective for me. Now, I make sure to block out calendar time for relaxation, exercise, and lots of sleep.

Have you ever experienced any problems or challenges as a PPC because you’re a woman?

It’s definitely a male-dominated industry! I think the only thing that comes to mind is that on occasion I have experienced the men in the room being treated as more credible – even when they have much less experience! Especially since I started running my business when I was so young.

Have you ever had any advantages or benefits as a PPC because you’re a woman?

Absolutely! I think standing out gets you in a lot of doors. There were many speaking engagements, interviews, meetings, etc. that I got into simply because they needed a female presence in the room. I didn’t mind that it was my gender that got me there because I usually blew everyone away once I got a chance to speak.

Are there any differences in how you’re treated as a female by clients?

Honestly, my clients have always been great. I like running my own business because I get to choose who I work with; anyone who is disrespectful or crosses boundaries never becomes a client.

Has a client ever underestimated you because you’re a woman?

It has probably happened before – but I love being the underdog (whether because of my age, gender, or anything else). It’s so much fun to surprise someone in a positive way. I don’t notice it as a pattern in my work, though.

If you could wave a magic wand and change something in the PPC world, what would it be?

I would like to see more groups like this one! I think engaging with other women in the performance marketing space is not only fun but makes me a better marketer. We all have so much to learn from each other, and the female perspective is so important.

What about being a PPC do you enjoy the most?

PPC is like a science experiment! I love running different tests and seeing in the data what works best. Often, it is a surprise to see what ad texts, keywords, creatives, etc. resonate most with your target audience. You learn a lot about human behavior and psychology.