Ep. 43: Digital Marketing Pioneer Sheryl Victor Levy Lives the Life She Wants
"I let my curiosity lead me and I didn't let my job title hold me back."
"As a woman who's been working for almost twenty years, it's about what are you going to look back on? How are you going to look back on yourself and your life? Are you going to have regrets? Our world is in a very tumultuous time right now, coupled with the fact that life is very short, and I'm very present to that."
Sheryl Victor Levy is the founder of Savvy Strategy, a digital consulting firm specializing in content and social media strategy. She describes her career path as going from glamour - think jobs at MTV and VH1 - to purpose. Cause marketing is her new passion, as she uses her skills to promote worthy causes like NYC's BigApps competition. Learn from Sheryl's boldness in negotiating, pitching, and getting what she wants out of life.
"I decided quite recently that my life was not going to be one big compromise. With that, I've embraced the joy more. I've embraced my family more. And I have embraced doing things, and having that bucket list, and really getting out there and living the life that I want to lead. Not with casualties, but helping others, being better to others, and really pursuing things that are meaningful."
We discuss her career path from beginning at VH1 as an administrative assistant, her first supportive boss, getting opportunities by doing extra unpaid work, letting her curiosity lead, taking the extra initiative, her proudest career moments, starting her own business, her winding path to entrepreneurship,
"Start putting yourself out there more. Start taking risks. Ask for things you never thought of. Start small. Ask your husband for something, ask your partner for something."
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Sheryl is the founder of Savvy Strategy which is a digital consulting firm.
- Savvy Strategy focuses on social media and content help for your business.
- Sheryl started the business 10 years ago after 10 years working for MTV and Hearst Magazines.
- She started in digital marketing in 1999 and was a social media pioneer.
- Sheryl’s first jobs out of school helped her get a firm grounding in media and the cable world.
- She used her small role at USA Networks and a supportive boss to find extra opportunities and additional roles.
- This meant that she was spotted out of 500 CV’s when applying for MTV.
- Sheryl’s biggest successes have been when starting new businesses for Hearst, for example Cosmo Girl.
- After 10 years Savvy Strategy is a certified women-owned business by the city of New York.
- There are 2 different kinds of pitching – the theatre of presenting or seeking out new partners with a targeted view.
- Pitching is much harder when you own the business because everything is more personal.
- Sheryl says the path of her career has been one of glamour to purpose.
- Sheryl began to work with the Skin Cancer Foundation and liked that they were helping people.
- She moved to Phil & Co which is a philanthropic marketing agency.
- You don’t have to work for a start up to make a positive change.
- Sheryl ran the marketing for the New York app competition which is the largest civic tech competition in the world.
- Sheryl has learnt from men that you don’t have to be afraid of negotiating.
Advice:
- Put yourself out there more
- Ask for things – start small but don’t be afraid to ask. These small successes will build up.
- Value who you are and this will help you realize your needs and wants are important
- Always make time for self-care.
- Meditate and do breathing exercises for stress-relief.
- There’s always going to be work-life tension, you just need to know that you can’t do it all, all the time.
Learn more:
- http://savvystrategy.com/