In 2015, women only made up 3% of executive creative directors in the advertising industry.

Page Jensen-Slattengren, a producer and studio manager for the music and sound design house Tequila Mockingbird in Austin, sat down with four leading creative professionals in Austin who are exemplary in their field and have taken on a leadership role within their agency. Founder Megan Coffey was one of them.

Published in 2015, Page’s article discusses their careers and the shifting status quo for women in advertising. Working as the Chief Creative Officer at Springbox, now Prophet, here’s what Coffey Founder Megan Coffey had to say then…

What can we, as women, do to close the gender gap?

Megan: It starts in the classroom. My professor at Texas State, Holly Sterling, taught art direction classes and never made us second guess if this was something that a female could do.

What have you learned that you wish someone had told you when you started advertising?

Megan: Know when it’s time to go and control your exit. The day my mentor and former Executive Creative Director, Matt Manroe, hired me as a junior art director, he said, “I’ll tell you when it’s time to go.” On day one of a job that took me six months to land, that struck me as odd. Now, however, I understand the sentiment and appreciate it. You need to know what to get from where you are and then realize when it’s time to go.

What advice do you have for young creatives (men or women) trying to enter the business?

Megan: Do great work. Be passionate about what you do. And never let your gender determine your worth or opportunities.

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