Amber Olson Rourke
Cofounder and CMO, Nerium International
Winning ways: To Olson Rourke, beauty is not merely skin deep. As the person in charge of branding, PR, events, digital, and social at a company pegged to the proposition of making people look younger, she cites as her chief accomplishment a fundraising effort that has raised nearly $1 million for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. She urges businesswomen to put their callings before comfort. Oh, and her marketing prowess has helped the makers of Nerium AD Age Defying Treatment reach more than $400 million in sales over the past three years.
Defining moment: “Being willing to jump in headfirst to help start a company because I believed in the products. In an economy where few new businesses were succeeding, we focused on our mission and vision for the company and have now created that reality. To keep up with the growing demand for our products, my team has grown from one person to more than 50 in less than three years. This has challenged me as a leader to keep the original culture and mission alive.
Words to live by: “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” –Jim Rohn
Head swivel: “The increasing difficulty of delivering a message via email. With the clutter of inboxes and the increasing likelihood of an email going to spam, we had to find other ways we could effectively communicate our message. We’ve revamped our communication to more heavily leverage text messages, social media, and mobile apps to communicate with our customers.
Good advice: “Never become complacent. Even after executing the most brilliant idea, be ready to figure out how to make it better. Embracing and driving change is vital to fulfilling the need of the customer.”
First job: “I was an account executive for Raymond James Financial’s in-house marketing agency. The major influence it had on where I am today is that I found a true mentor in my boss. She was a successful woman who balanced her career and family, was a respected expert in a heavily male finance world, and was passionate about giving back to the community. We still keep in contact today and she still serves as on ongoing mentor in my career. I believe mentors are hugely important in developing your career.”
On your nightstand: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson and John David Mann. “It takes the guesswork out of what makes people successful and focuses on small actions that anyone can take to achieve their goals.”
Favorite mobile app: “Uber and Open Table. They fulfill a real everyday need that was unfulfilled before they created the app.”
Click or tap here to read the stories behind the successes of the other Direct Marketing News 2014 40 Under 40 winners.
