In this series, AdNews spotlights young talent in the Australian media, marketing and advertising sector. This time it’s LoopMe's sale executive Shania Ferro.
Time in current role/time at the company:
I’m seven months into my Sales Executive role at LoopMe.
How long have you been in the industry?
I’ve entered my fourth year in the media industry; I joined in July 2022 when I was 21.
How did you get here?
I got a job at Flight Center in their money exchange company Travel Money Oz. Whilst I was at Brisbane's head office for company training, they had the Head of Marketing come in to explain her career progression journey throughout Flight Center. She told everybody about a few campaigns they’d done previously and it instantly clicked that this was what I wanted to do.
Was this always the plan?
I didn’t have a plan, I didn’t go to University out of high school like all my friends did because I didn't know what I wanted to do, or what I was passionate about. I didn’t know if there was a job that would let me be super creative, where my “out-there” personality would be considered a beneficial trait, whilst also dealing with data and insights. I needed to find a job that let me be creative and think outside the box, but I also get super intrigued by learning new things, especially around the human thought processes, behaviour, and sentiments. So I needed a job where I could have both.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Every single person in APAC LoopMe has a hand in guiding me day to day, all I need to do is send an SOS in Slack, it could be as simple as asking for a case study, or as complex as helping me digest a bigger brief response, or asking for guidance on alternate ways to deal with challenges in market. Whatever it is, I’m always flooded with responses from my amazing team, ready to help where they can.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The best thing about the media industry is that I feel every day is totally different, there’s always a new challenge. Every day brings something new. It could be a new buying model, new audience insight data that shifts the way we strategise. Media is always learning, growing, and evolving, and it’s super exciting to be a part of an industry that encourages you to grow with it. The ability to meet and engage with new people is also a big plus; I love having a social job.
And the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge I face is, honestly, myself. Like a lot of people in this industry, I’m my own harshest critic. I always want to deliver my absolute best and I can get caught up in perfecting every tiny detail. Over time, I’ve had to learn when to step back and hit send, because if I don’t, I’ll just keep pulling things apart forever. It’s definitely been a growth moment, but it’s made me better at trusting my work and backing myself.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
This is a hard question to answer, because I don’t really know where I want to go from here. I'm enjoying the journey of being a Junior Seller and expanding on that part of my career. I feel like I only just took a step up into being a seller, which, if you’d asked me a year ago, was my next step.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I get a lot of my inspiration from within. I’ve always been told I see things a little differently, and honestly, some of my best ideas come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. One thing I love about LoopMe is how willing they were to embrace that side of me from day one. And when I’m not pulling ideas out of my own brain, I look to the people and places around me. Friends, my husband, my colleagues, even a scroll through ChatGPT, social media or the internet. Inspiration feels endless when you’re open to it.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you? In five years' time I'll be…
My colleagues know pretty much everything about me. I’m an open book, so I don’t think there are many surprises left for them to uncover.
In five years, I’d love to be working internationally in media. Ideally, still with LoopMe if they’ll have me. I’ve never lived outside Australia and if the opportunity came up, I’d jump at the chance to spend a year or two overseas. London, Singapore or even Thailand all feel like exciting possibilities for the future.
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