From intern to COO, Aleni Mackarey has done it all at Base Beauty Creative Agency. Keep reading to see how she handles Where Brains Meet Beauty Podcast™ and about her ability to excel while handling multiple projects.
Let's start with your current role - what does your daily routine look like? Most importantly, what are the kind of challenges you face and how do you overcome them?
I am the Chief Operating Officer at Base Beauty Creative Agency. I’m focused on new business development, agency operations and agency marketing. Our agency has a podcast, Where Brains Meet Beauty Podcast™, of which I’m the Executive Producer. I handle event production, advertisements/partnerships and guest selections.
Our agency is extremely fast paced- each day I need to navigate the needs of our team, our clients and our prospective clients to ensure they feel comfortable and valued. The biggest challenge in any industry is learning how to communicate clearly so you can listen to someone, really hear them and deliver to them what they’re asking for.
Ever since you joined the company you’ve worn many different hats - what has been your favorite project and why?
I recently celebrated my 5th anniversary with Base Beauty. Over the years I’ve held almost every job on our team from project coordinator/manager, content producer, social media copywriter/community manager, research coordinator, HR coordinator, internship program coordinator- you name it! My favorite part of any role is leading a team of people towards a goal. I love to help people realize their strengths and confidently execute them.
You’ve had a variety of roles even after college. How easy or difficult was it for you to transition into your roles at Base Beauty? What is one transferable skill every working professional should have?
I’ve had a bit of an untraditional career path so far because I’ve always held multiple jobs at once! I am most productive when busy and I love a side hustle. During my first year of post-grad, I moved home to Scranton, PA and had amazing experiences writing articles for a local magazine, adjuncting at a community college, working in career services at a university, coordinating a tutoring program, performing in local venues and working remotely for Base Beauty. Every experience I had has helped me to acquire a new skill set that’s been applicable in my work at Base Beauty! Our Founder Jodi Katz is of the mindset that lifework balance is extremely important for personal and professional mental health and she’s always encouraged me to pursue my outside endeavours.
The most transferable skill every working professional should have is stage presence or public speaking!! If you can confidently present yourself or a concept, that means you can write well and communicate well.
I am a loyal listener of Where Brains Meet Beauty! What do you think attracts most listeners to the podcast? What is your advice for people looking to start their own podcast?
Love to hear that! Our podcast dives deep into the stories of the leaders behind the brands in the beauty and wellness industries. It’s not the typical, picture-perfect, PR story we often hear. Instead, it’s an honest and authentic conversation covering topics like career journey, work life balance, celebrating wins, overcoming losses, parenting, managing a team… all of these topics attract people in our industry and beyond looking for advice!
My advice for people looking to start their own podcast would be to come up with a strong central theme for your show, and stick to that. There are many amazing shows out there today so if you want to join the podcasting world, identify the white space and how you can add a unique perspective to that topic. Your guest selections, topics of conversation and social media marketing should promote the same messaging.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received from a mentor?
Jodi Katz has taught me so many incredible things! I’ve grown professionally with her since I was an intern in college.
The best thing I’ve learned from Jodi Katz is that as an industry’s needs change, so can you!
Our agency is full-service and we are constantly adding new services to help our clients.
How do you think Covid-19 is going to impact your industry?
Covid-19 has of course impacted the beauty and wellness industry. Instead of purchasing new products for the sake of trying something new, people are being cost-conscience and leveraging their current product collections. The retail and makeup testers experience will completely change with new safety precautions in place. I think consumers will look to align themselves with brands who earned their trust and respect during these uncertain times whether that was through donations to frontline responders, educational resources for consumers or inspirational messaging.
Where do you see yourself in the next 3 to 5 years?
I have my MS in Higher Education & Administration and I’m currently pursuing my PhD in Strategic Leadership. These degrees prepare me to either teach full-time at a higher education university, or hold a leadership position in business or higher education. My ultimate goal is to teach full-time at a community college while holding an administrative leadership role there. I could also see myself working in Leadership Development at a large company. I’m currently split between higher education and creative marketing and I do love both industries! So it could go either way…
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