Hi and welcome to the OWN IT podcast, where we celebrate the growing number of (women and non-binary) ad agency owners and talk about buying out of the boys’ club of advertising, one agency at a time.
Today, we’re talking to Maureen Madari of The BAM Connection. I had the good fortune of getting to know Maureen during a recent gathering of female agency owners in NYC and couldn’t wait to introduce her and her experience with all of you.
Maureen grew up the daughter of a boxer and boxing trainer. She explained how her conversations with her dad prepared her to go into the business world. We also talked about how the disparity in male-female pay early in her career re-routed her path and inspired her to level the playing field.
She is such an inspiration for us all.
Thanks for listening to this episode of OWN IT. Learn more about her firm at thebam.com. Make sure to connect with Maureen on LinkedIn as well.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Maurine Maldari experienced blatant pay disparity early in her career when a male junior assistant, after only six months, was making the same salary as her, an account executive with three years of experience and an MBA. This incident deeply influenced her to advocate for fair compensation and to always track her achievements to justify her worth, emphasizing the importance of leveling the playing field for women in business.
Leaving the corporate agency world to start her own agency was described as an incredibly liberating experience. Maurine encourages others to "take the shot" and view starting a business not as scary, but as purposeful and exciting, especially when backed by experience and a solid plan. She believes that for those with passion and experience, it's an opportunity to build something new and avoid the pitfalls of large, often impersonal, corporate structures.
Unlike the often cutthroat and emotionally draining environment of larger agencies, Maurine co-founded her agency, The BAM Connection, on the principle of "joyful success." This means prioritizing the well-being and lives of the people within the organization, focusing on meaningful integration of work and life, and achieving success "without the BS" by streamlining processes to deliver effective solutions efficiently for clients.
Maurine challenges the notion that starting a business is inherently scary. She asserts that with adequate experience, a clear plan, and a systematic approach to building a company—from vision to market strategy—the process becomes purposeful and inspiring rather than fear-inducing. Planning builds confidence and allows entrepreneurs to absorb themselves in bringing their vision to life.
Maurine advocates for women in business to actively support each other and establish strong networks, much like men do. She highlights that historically, women have often been competitive rather than collaborative due to the scarcity of opportunities, but believes this dynamic is changing. She encourages women to elevate each other, listen intently, and form supportive networks to collectively advance and raise the next generation of female leaders.
