This week on Own It we’re talking to Alyssa Toro from Connelly Partners. She is a senior partner and chief creative officer there and has been with the firm since its inception 25 years ago.
She worked in a few design shops early in her career including Leonard Monahan, Hill-Holliday and Engle. The latter is where she met eventual business partner Steve Connelly.
We talked about her journey to ownership, the challenges we face in the industry today, and so much more.
You’re going to learn a lot in this episode.
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Alyssa attributes her early successes and rapid ascent in her career to her ambition. While acknowledging that ambition can sometimes lead to taking on too much, she emphasizes its positive role in driving her to pursue opportunities, take risks, and build something she was passionate about, such as co-founding Connelly Partners at a young age.
Alyssa highlights that a significant reason for the low number of female agency owners is the perceived need for women to choose between career and family. She argues that a stronger support system within the industry is crucial to empower women to pursue both. She shares a personal anecdote of feeling supported by both female and male colleagues, emphasizing how such encouragement can foster growth and increase female representation in leadership roles.
Alyssa explains that increasing the number of female agency owners benefits the industry by fostering a deeper understanding of female consumers, who make the majority of purchasing decisions. Women leaders can better comprehend the complexities of female lives, including mental load and motivations, leading to more emotionally connected and effective marketing strategies that build stronger brand loyalty.
When asked about her definition of success, Alyssa succinctly states it as "happiness." She elaborates that success means feeling contentment, enjoying one's work, and being able to smile, highlighting a personal and holistic view of achievement that transcends traditional metrics of career accomplishment.
