How did you get into content sales licensing?
I began my career in media straight out of business school when I joined Sony Pictures Television (SPT) to oversee marketing for the Latin American distribution and production business. After two years in Miami, I moved to London to lead the account management and marketing efforts for Sony’s digital distribution business just as the major digital and OTT platforms were emerging in Europe. It was really this experience in account management that led me to pursue sales and licensing so when I left Sony to return to the US, I was delighted to join the distribution and licensing group at Bloomberg Media. At Bloomberg I spent my first 2.5 years in business development and recently moved into my current role leading Content Sales for the Americas.
What is a typical day like?
After waking up and checking emails for any urgent messages, I get my kids ready for the day and then head uptown on the subway where I read up on important news. Once at the office my day is pretty busy meeting with sales reps, the product team, marketing, editorial, Terminal sales reps, among many other teams. I also spend a great deal of time with our sales reps managing existing client accounts as well as on pipeline development. My day-to-day interaction with clients has declined compared to when I was handling accounts directly so I really enjoy my time on the road getting in front of key customers.
What kind of skills do you need to be successful in your role?
I think you have to be a people person – I genuinely enjoy working and interfacing with the members of my team, as well as spending time with our clients to learn about their business needs and to figure out how we can better support them. Communication skills are important and speaking Portuguese and Spanish is a plus given the team spans Latin America as well as US and Canada. Organization and prioritization is also critical. My team handles 200+ accounts so I have to be across a lot of conversations. Spreadsheets are my friend.
What’s it like to work on multiple markets that include North, Central and South America?
Different regions definitely have different dynamics. Softening economies and the strong US dollar are not only putting pressure on the Latin America business, but also Canadian business. And the political landscape also varies greatly in the region, which can be challenging for our business, but can also open up new opportunities and discussions. Business etiquette is different from North to Central & South America, and even within Latin America where it’s just as important to catch up on family and personal matters with clients as it is to discuss business. My mother is Brazilian and I spent time growing up there and I am thrilled to return my focus back to the region.
What is your favorite part of your role?
Everyday brings new challenges so I always feel like I am learning. I also love being part of a small, fast-growing, dynamic group that has an international focus.