Today we’d like to introduce you to Marci Dobrow.
Marci, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m originally from a small town in Indiana with zero desire to move to LA to become famous, so how I ended up here was more out of proximity to where I went to college (U of Arizona) than any other reason. I was very fortunate in that I had a family business to go home to and eventually take over, but my father told me I wasn’t allowed home for 2 years after graduation, and this was the best advice I have ever gotten. So I moved to LA because I knew people here from college and New York City was far too cold to me at that point, so through a connection, I got an entry-level sales job at a media company. I had no background in media, but soon became enamored with its possibilities and never went back home to Indiana.
After a couple of sales jobs, I decided to move to support as I enjoyed building with clients and less selling to them. I’ve now been in client service for 15 years and am still thrilled with my decision.
I eventually joined a start-up that I was with for a number of years, though under varying names as it was bought and sold, and feel great pride on helping to build something that remains today. I was always enamored with technology and was one of those kids that took apart their computers, only to put them back together again, so finding myself on the tech side of media was a comfortable place for me to live.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was rarely ever smooth. For one reason, my job is to help people, whether they be clients or colleagues, which means that what is needed today may be very different and much more challenging tomorrow.
Yes, I’ve been harassed, so sadly I’m no different than most women. I fought it then and won, but again, the fact that it happens at all, to so many, is the true issue. It’s the human element that can make work so much more challenging as they have their own agendas, expectations and perceptions of who we are all to be to them. There were a couple of people in my career that were once my superiors, but as I advanced and they did not, they became bullies, I tried to make work that much harder.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the HYFN story. Tell us more about the business.
HYFN is a leading digital solutions and cross-platform social advertising company. With a performance-driven approach to all they do, HYFN combines technology, strategy and execution to deliver incredible results for some of the world’s top agencies and brands. HYFN Media, the company’s social advertising division, delivers innovation and amplification at scale via its proprietary social advertising platform, HYFN8, and is one of the few ad tech companies to boast partnerships across all of today’s leading social platforms.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m one of those who doesn’t believe in luck. Preparation meets opportunity is my MO. Even when I felt stuck and what seemed to be a miracle, I always tracked it back to the work and the people and the fight that it took to get there.
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