Age: 32
Title at work/what I do: Managing partner at Ryan Marketing. I run a boutique, full-service marketing agency, started by my father Patrick Ryan in 1996. Of the many hats I wear while managing a small business, I most enjoy working directly with clients. Creating an innovative marketing strategy for a client is both the biggest challenge and greatest reward of my job. The reward part is directly linked to the fantastic team I have at Ryan Marketing. They continue to blow me away with their creativity and desire to think big.
Town where I work: West Hartford
Town where I live: Hartford
College I attended: Winthrop University
My Passion, Hobby or Special Talent: Planning special events for clients and friends top the list, followed by my ability to cure hiccups (it’s a family trick).
Twitter handle: @Ryan_Marketing
No. of LinkedIn connections: 500+
Favorite place to network: Working on projects for community events – sharing a common cause is a great ice-breaker! Also, on social media.
Favorite drink at a networking event: Martini – usually on the rocks. Navigating a crowded room with a martini glass isn’t always easy.
How do I create connections in my professional life?
While there are always opportunities to network at social events, I’ve found more success making connections when sleeves are rolled up. I have a real passion (some may say obsession) for marketing and event planning. Whether it’s planning the grand opening of a client’s new business, working with nonprofits like Mercy Housing and Shelter to plan their annual gala, or just helping friends plan weddings or parties, the connections I’ve made working side-by-side have been the most significant and long-lasting.
What’s been my biggest challenge professionally?
Getting your start working for your father has its challenges! It was important to me that I carve out my place in the company and earn the respect of our team through my work ethic and commitment to the business. Then there were some minor challenges like calling my father by his first name rather than “Dad” in the office, and we needed boundaries when it came to talking shop at the Thanksgiving dinner table (never much appreciated by my mother and sister). What a gift it is to be able to learn from him and there is no one I would rather have on my team than my dad… I mean, Patrick.
What is the best advice I received?
It’s the importance of always letting your team know their value and how much their hard work contributes to the success of the business. Also just about any advice my husband gives tends to always be spot on.
What do I want my legacy to be?
Ryan Marketing is truly a family business. That extends to our employees, some of whom I’ve known most of my life. Only about 30 percent of family-owned businesses survive the transition from the first generation to the second. If I can look back in however many years and see that I’ve helped build and grow a sustainable business where our team can have rewarding work and home lives, I think I will have honored my father’s legacy, while creating my own.
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