Have you heard of the app Public? If not, you’re in for a treat. I have Katie Perry, their VP of Marketing, on the podcast today to chat about this hot social networking app that is on a mission to open up the stock market to everyone by making it inclusive, educational, and fun.

Katie’s curiosity has shaped a career journey that is rich in experience, with dreams of becoming a journalist, but ultimately landing major roles at large marketing firms, smaller startups, and even running her own business for a time to dabble as a Head of Marketing in different industries. I have no doubt you’ll learn a lot from Katie’s wisdom and insights.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

It’s not about you – it’s about how you can add value to a business.

Jobless in the heart of the 2008 recession, Katie learned the hard way when she realized that her accolades, her accomplishments, even her GPA – didn’t really matter. 

Realizing this, she optimized her job search and thought about the value she could add to a company. This led her from working in communications at a national retailer to landing a marketing role at a small search marketing agency that pivoted into a broader social media marketing firm.

If you’re thinking about how you can highlight your value when you’re applying to different roles, Katie has some great tips. When you write a cover letter, directly tie your experience to what the company needs and call out specific qualities and qualifications in the job description. When it comes to the resume itself, think about results and action.

How a coffee date with a former client led to an incredible opportunity.

After spending time consulting with various brands on their marketing – including a Fortune 500 coffee company, Katie realized that while she loved the creative side of consulting and innovation strategy, she missed being a part of the execution and seeing her bold ideas come to life.

A conversation over coffee with a former client introduced her to this new investing app called Public. Naturally, Katie was interested. She learned how to invest when she was 18 and really understood what their product was solving. Investing is not something you learn about in school and it can often feel complicated and intimidating to even think about getting into, yet it’s an important life skill. The icing on the cake for Katie was seeing the product’s beautiful design firsthand and feeling completely aligned with the mission.

Public is a game changing company that is flipping the entire culture of investing upside down. Not only are they making investing more accessible by allowing investors to buy stocks and EFTs in small slices, they’re also building a vibrant, thriving community where you can share ideas and learn more about the space. Public has broken down the barriers to entry so that anyone can learn how to invest.

The benefits of “dating before you get married” when you consult with a company.

It can be challenging to accurately assess the leadership at a company you’re interviewing for, but what if you have the opportunity to work for them on a contract basis first?

Katie landed consulting gigs with companies she would have bent over backwards to work for full-time, but determined after being in the weeds working on the inside of some of these  businesses, she realized she actually wouldn’t have wanted to work full-time for them.

Choose to work with companies who are mission-driven and lead with integrity. Dig into the founder’s history. What are his or her accomplishments? What did they do before the company they’re at today? Did they help scale it? If you are dedicating a piece of your life to supporting a company, it’s important that you feel aligned on every level.

Once you attain a role you’re excited about, drop your ego at the door and look for ways you can add value. While you may feel intimidated, especially if you’re walking into a new-to-you industry, don’t be, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. It will humanize you among your peers  and even benefit others who may have wanted to ask the same thing. Katie stresses the importance of being agile, especially if you’re working in a start-up environment. What you do every day may not always fit perfectly into your job description, but if you’re comfortable with that, you’ll have the best chance of succeeding.

NOTABLE QUOTE

“At a startup, you’re gonna work your ass off, and it’s really important that you really love what you’re doing and believe in it.”

Listen to the episode now on The Career Memos Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.