#13 Britney Elayne Norman

Meet Britney Elayne Norman, Principle at BE Creative Marketing Studio, LLC.

What’s the best piece of career advice ever given to you? “Sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward." During my time at SugarHouse Casino, I started out as a Player Services Agent (working the casino floor and front desk helping customers) and when I received the Marketing Coordinator position, the salary was shaping up to look less than what I was making as an hourly employee who collected tips. Although my goal at the casino was to always work in the marketing department, I never thought that the opportunity would come with less money. I wasn’t going to NOT take the job, but a colleague said this to me during a “vent” and it made everything so clear and honestly, it put me at ease. For any goal you have in mind, be prepared to do whatever it takes. When you’re passionate about the work you’re doing, the success will come naturally and right on time.

For any goal you have in mind, be prepared to do whatever it takes. When you’re passionate about the work you’re doing, the success will come naturally and right on time.

Where’s your favorite place to recharge or network in Philly? I typically like to recharge at home by myself, and I’ve found the best place to network is in the living room or kitchen of a close friend. It’s easy to make connections when there’s a mutual friend making the introduction. The intimate setting breeds trust which makes it easy to make new friends and potential partners.

How and where do you find inspiration? Honestly, (especially now being quarantined) I find inspiration on Instagram. I follow a wide range of accounts from corporate brands to my favorite rappers and gossip pages. It keeps me informed and exposes me to so many creative people and ideas. In marketing, some of the best data is word of mouth/anecdotal and so I STAY in the comments to see how folks are feeling about what’s happening to and around them from day to day.

In marketing, some of the best data is word of mouth/anecdotal and so I STAY in the comments to see how folks are feeling about what’s happening to and around them from day to day.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to break into your career path/industry? We’re living in an unprecedented time and as companies begin to cut resources, see this as an opportunity. I’m predicting that businesses will begin to look for freelancers working at a less expensive rate who can help them continue to operate and stay afloat. This is a great time to reach out to companies (big and small) to lend your skills and build up your portfolio. This is also a good time to tap into a lot of free resources being offered any given day on IG Live or Zoom that can help build your toolkit and expand your knowledge.

What’s an accomplishment you’re most proud of? I’m most proud about the steps I’ve taken towards building a community for black and brown women who work in marketing. In April 2019 I launched Magic Makers, a collective of women who hold various positions within the marketing department at different corporate and non profit companies in Greater Philadelphia. Through our dinner meetings, several connections have been made and relationships have been developed. I feel good knowing I created a space that didn’t exist before and I hope to continue to grow it with new ways in our “new normal”.