“Don’t look back,” Abi Evans from Dentsu Creative

Meet Abi Evans, Chief Growth Officer at Dentsu Creative, where she leads growth across the US, overseeing business development and strategic growth across the agency’s full-funnel capabilities. Abi is obsessed with driving innovative, creatively led, and integrated solutions. She’s also a strong advocate for women in the workplace, leading by example and empowering them to find their path forward (work-life balance and all).

Abi joined Jocelyn Hudak, Director, Content and Digital Marketing and Sophie Anderson, Associate Director, Podcast Sales Marketing for a Pass the Mic interview at Advertising Week New York. Get motivated, and give their conversation a listen.

Making fear work for you, seeing the change and being a part of it—we need more leaders like Abi. Here are some highlights to reinforce her amazing advice.

When someone bets on you, believe in them.

Highlight: “When someone wants to take a bet on you, believe in them… When someone offers you space on the rocket ship, take it. Just say yes. If somebody trusts you enough to give you an opportunity, don't look back. Actually, just use it as a motivator to not fail. Sometimes I think fear is scary, but sometimes fear is motivating. Use it, and turn it into something productive. And find yourself in a place that's uncomfortable and work yourself out of it.”- Abi Evans

See it, be it.

Highlight: “I think that one of the biggest influences for me has actually been working for and with women that I really admire, and love, and respect. I think, ‘see it, be it’ is a real thing, and that really inspires me. I think about how I lead my teams and I hope that my teams feel the same way.” - Abi Evans

Play the game on your terms.

Highlight: “I think we've come a long way, but I think women still have a lot of work to do to learn to advocate for themselves and to conduct themselves in a way that, although we have different rules, we can still play on our own terms and advance just as quickly as a result.”- Abi Evans

Work smarter, not harder.

Highlight: “If we can work smarter, not harder, there's no reason to punch in around the clock.”- Abi Evans

Put your cape on, and take it off.

Highlight: “I had a boss who said she would commute from Connecticut. Shout out to Jackie Kelly. And I'll never forget, I said to her, ‘How do you do it?’ She had a daughter in high school, and a foster baby at the same time I had my son, my first child. I was like, ‘And you commute? What are you doing?’ And she just looked me square in the eye and she goes, ‘I put my cape on on the train.’ 

I think about that all the time. That's what my commute is for. You put your cape on, and then you take it off. And I think sometimes, ‘Wow, I was just in a big meeting or a big pitch or doing something that was so exciting professionally.’ And then… you're bathing a two-year-old and getting water splashed at you.” - Abi Evans

Women like Abi inspire us to take the next step on our own terms. If you’re looking for more inspiration to make the right moves, check out more Pass the Mic content.