Young Gun profiles takes a look at the young talent across the Australian advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector. Aiming to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Zoe Dunstan, account manager at Acast
Time in current role/time at the company:
I’ve recently celebrated my first year at Acast.
How long have you been in the industry?
I have worked in media for four years; before that, I spent six years in retail/visual merchandising.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I've always had a passion for creativity and knew I wanted to pursue a career that would let me flex that muscle. After studying PR at university, I ventured into the beauty industry, where I spent six years working at Mecca in sales and visual merchandising.
Stepping outside my comfort zone, I transitioned into TV sales at Nine, then brand partnerships at REA before eventually finding my way to Acast. It hasn’t been a straightforward path, but I appreciate the diverse range of experiences and valuable transferable skills I've acquired.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
My fantastic manager, Bryce Crosswell. Bryce is my go-to person. Bryce's mentorship and leadership skills have been invaluable in challenging me to grow personally and professionally. His wealth of experience and willingness to share his knowledge is truly generous. I'm not only grateful for his guidance, but I'm also lucky to have him as a friend.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
The audio-sales industry, particularly podcast sales, is a super exciting place to be right now. It's a thriving, rapidly expanding industry that allows me to be at the forefront of advertising creativity and technology, like keyword and conversational targeting. I love seeing independent creators grow their podcasts from passion projects to full-fledged income sources. Being part of the growth of the podcast industry in Australia has been so rewarding, and I'm excited to see what's next.
And the biggest challenge?
One of the biggest challenges we face is changing outdated beliefs about podcasting that may have been accurate five years ago. As a relatively new medium, we've made tremendous progress, but there's still work to be done to educate people on the true potential of podcasting.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
I've always had my eye on a creative leadership role where I can help grow and mentor a team. Being a people leader and seeing my team members succeed and achieve their goals is something that truly motivates me.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I turn to my housemate and best friend, Lane, for inspiration. She works as a category manager at MARS and provides a fresh perspective for me to bounce ideas. It's great to have someone outside of the industry to discuss things with, and Lane is not only organised and articulate but also level-headed and process-oriented. She helps me with time management and is always there to chat things out.
My favourite advert is (and why):
One of my favourite ads is the classic Yellow Pages "Not Happy Jan" ad. It's a memorable and iconic ad that has stuck with me, I feel sorry for anyone named Jan during that time! It's a great example of how an ad can stick with people for years and become a part of popular culture.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
There isn’t much my team don’t know about me. I am an open book. Perhaps people may be surprised that I can be pretty sensitive underneath my confident and outgoing personality.
In five years’ time I'll be:
In five years, I see myself working in a new city, either within Australia or overseas. I have spent my entire life in Melbourne, and while I love the city, I am ready to step out of my comfort zone.
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