Throughout the rest of Women’s History Month, we at OOH Today will be exploring how each of the selections on our list of the Top 24 Women Who Drive Growth In Out-of-Home have made their mark on the industry. While OOH has long been seen as a male-dominated sphere, every one of these women is a symbol of how our industry can and must change—and each of them has an important story to tell.
Today, the focus of our Spotlight is Kristy Schlepp, CEO at Outdoor Nation.
1) What advice would you give to other women moving up in OOH?
KS: My biggest piece of advice is to network as much as possible. Spend dedicated time each day to connecting with other folks in this industry and be proactive in asking a lot of questions and ask for help! The OOH industry is so tightly intertwined and one road can lead to the next, etc. I have surrounded myself with incredible leaders and mentors along the way that continue to help me navigate the entire OOH roadmap.
2) How can the industry take a bigger slice of total ad spend?
KS: By creating confidence in investing in the channel. This includes:
- Quantifying the impact of OOH.
- Proving OOH is more targeted than the internet
- MEASUREMENT, defining audiences & making OOH easier to buy.
3) What’s your golden rule for the workplace?
KS: ODN has spent the past three plus years truly identifying the culture that we live and breathe by everyday. We focus everything we do around our 4 core values. Passionate tenacity, gumption, proactive problem solving & humbly confident. We hire only people that possess these values and GWC (get it, want it, capacity to do it) their seat on the bus.
4) When did you first know that this was the industry for you?
KS: I began my OOH career with Circle Graphics and spent a lot of time studying the top 100 brands in OOH defining the agencies, media partners and print production paths that correlated with each of the brands. The complexity and the dynamic of putting all the roadmaps together of the “who is who in the zoo” brought out my unwavered passion for this industry.
5) What’s the key to your success?
KS: My success can be attributed to all the people and teams I have been able to be a part of and built throughout the years. Surrounding myself with PLU’s (People Like Us) over the years that have a “never give up” mentality has been instrumental and the biggest key to my success!
To see more from Kristy Schlepp and other Outstanding Women in OOH, read our story on The Top 24 Women Who Drive Growth in Out-of-Home