From psych major to CEO | with Deutsch NY's Val DiFebo

Val DiFebo is the CEO of Deutsch New York. For over 25 years, Val DiFebo has been one of the key architects of Deutsch’s continual success and leadership in the advertising industry. As CEO of Deutsch’s NY office, Val brings a wealth of expertise to the business of advertising and marketing.  As a leader that positions herself at the intersection of business strategies and digital techniques, since 1992 Val has continually redefined the Agency’s integrated multidisciplinary offering, allowing for the creation of rapid business solutions that impact a client’s business. Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, IKEA, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, Green Giant, PNC Bank, Sherwin-Williams, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation are a few of the blue-chip clients she’s touched thus far. Along with the Agency’s success, The Today Show, CNN, and other media outlets have all sought out her point of view, and she has been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Fortune. 

 A trusted industry thought leader, Val is anything but shy when it comes to advocating for equality in the workplace. Her philanthropic involvement includes supporting early career playwrights and creative storytellers through her position on the Board of The Playwrights Realm, as well as Chairman of the Hearts of Gold Foundation, which assists at-risk mothers. Additionally, she is a board member of The ANA Educational Foundation (AEF), as well as her alma mater, Williams College, where she studied — you guessed it — psychology!

In this episode, we covered: 

1. What is advertising, and how is it different from marketing?
2. What does Deutsch help their clients with?
3. How did your interest in psychology develop into an interest in advertising?
4. What advice do you have for psych majors who are multi-passionate but are unsure how to take there next steps?
5. Was it difficult to market your psych background in industry?
6. Is it easier now for psych majors to enter the marketing/advertising industry?
7. What do you look for in a candidate?
8. How did you become CEO of Deutsch NY?
9. What makes for good leaders and mentors?
10. Are mentors people you actively seek out or do they just come about?
11. What does your day look like?
12. What do you love most about your job?
13. What do you love about advertising specifically?
14. How do you see advertising changing over the next couple decades?
15. What skills are important to be successful in advertising?
16. For psych majors who are interested in advertising, where can they look for positions they’d be qualified for?
17. The power of yes
18. Graduate school - necessary?
19. Hope for psych students 

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Music by: Adam Fine