“Nothing is permanent,” DJ Perera from the Ad Council

Meet DJ Perera, Chief Media Officer at the Ad Council, where she oversees the media team and the department’s centers of excellence. DJ is evolving the organization’s media model and developing strategic partnerships across the media ecosystem. Her role with the Ad Council feeds her passion for marketing and media while giving her a sense of purpose. And she leads her large, purpose-filled team authentically with both empathy and curiosity.

DJ 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. In her interview, DJ inspired us to be authentic, be heard, and even make mistakes. Here are some powerful highlights to learn from.

Don’t apologize for being.

Highlight: “Do not apologize for being in that moment. If you do something wrong, say you're sorry, but don't apologize for being. Be open to those around you. Be flexible and realize nothing is permanent. Nothing is permanent. Nothing is guaranteed. And if you make a mistake, it is okay. Learn from it and move forward.” - DJ Perera

Find your purpose.

Highlight: “Everyone has goals to meet. There are profit margins that have to be met. But there's something that holds people together and a purpose, whether it be your team, whether it be your leaders, whether it be the environment you're sitting in, there is something connecting us regardless of where you are.” - DJ Perera

Exposure fuels interest and understanding.

Highlight: “If you're not exposed to something, you may never understand it or be interested in it… The more you're exposed to different people, the more you can understand those people and include them in your existence.” - DJ Perera

See and hear everyone.

Highlight: “It's seeing or hearing what they have to say, understanding where they believe they fit, and then clearing a path to enable each one of them to do their best job and be their best selves.” - DJ Perera

Be open to perspectives.

Highlight: “I think as a leader, obviously, you set the vision, you steer the ship, but everyone's going to have to want to be on that ship with you. And to convince them to be on this ship means having conversations, being open to their perspective.” - DJ Perera

We love that DJ brought us along for the journey with this powerful interview. For more motivation, check out more Pass the Mic content.