Jennifer Cooper, E!Want to hear some savvy career advice from the chief marketing officer of Fairchild Fashion Media? Thought so.
Luckily, we were able to catch up with Melissa Brecher, who holds that title at Fairchild Fashion Media, home of WWD, Footwear News, Beauty Inc, M and Fairchild Summits.
Keep reading to find out what a day in the life of Melissa is like (hint: there are a lot of meetings), and how an embarrassing incident early on in her career led to the best piece of advice she's ever received.
What was your very first job?
My first job out of college was as a sales assistant at Inc. magazine, a publication geared toward small businesses. It entailed a lot of faxing (yes, faxing) and answering of phones. I spent any free time I had down in the marketing department begging for creative assignments until they finally gave me a job.
How did you get started in your career?
I interned for several summers in the media department at a (now defunct) ad agency and then at Cosmopolitan magazine. When I graduated, my friends at Cosmo sent me on every job interview under the sun, including manager and director spots for which I was clearly under-qualified. Although those meetings were a little ridiculous at the time, I met a ton of great people and it led to a job down the road at Marie Claire.
Who are some of your career heroes?
My dad is a hero in every respect. He is a retired attorney, who conducted every transaction with integrity. The late editorial director of Fairchild Fashion Media, Peter W. Kaplan, was one of the smartest, most interesting people I've ever known and probably the least pretentious. He was funny and kind and treated everyone at every level with the respect they deserved.
What's a typical workday like for you?
I have a ton of meetings. I am usually late. (I like to think it's because I throw myself so deeply into each meeting that I don't look at the clock.) Topics range from intense strategy sessions on the future of our brands and creative brainstorms with prospective partners to budget reviews and status meetings. There are dramatic swings between the exciting and the mundane. I try to bring the same level of passion to each project because that's what keeps the job interesting.
Describe your office décor. What was your inspiration?
I had help on the decorating front. I have tendencies towards hoarding, so my colleagues dropped some (not-so-subtle) hints that an intervention was necessary. Fairchild's Executive Director, Event Marketing Kristen Wildman took over and she hasn't since been able to shake the role of unofficial office interior designer.
List five things that are on your desk right now:
1. A mess.
2. A file box (My almost-genius solution to the hoarding problem. It worked for a few months.)
3. A tennis ball (Back probems. Don't ask.)
4. Pictures of my husband and two kids.
5. Custom-made F-bomb tattoos (F for Fairchild Fashion Media, of course).
What do you typically wear to work?
I almost always wear a dress because it's easy and it's comfortable. I have two small kids, which makes for very little "me time" in the mornings to put together anything terribly high maintenance.
What are your favorite stores to shop for work clothes?
Because of said two small kids, I do most of my shopping online at Net-A-Porter and Barneys. When I have a little time on my hands, I wander over to Zero + Maria Cornejo's shop in the East Village. I love the clothes (they now occupy half my closet!) so it's a safe bet on any given day that I'm wearing something of hers.
What's the best piece of career advice you've ever received?
Never wait to be told. I wish someone had tipped me off, but unfortunately I learned the hard way: through public shaming. At my first job, I was given a project I found intimidating. Instead of seeking advice on how to approach it, I procrastinated and hoped for the best. Two weeks later, when asked about my progress, I was humiliated to have nothing to report and was (appropriately) chastised. To this day I am, as one former boss put it, "a dog with a bone." I try to stay two steps ahead.
Finish the sentence…
Today for lunch I had…The roasted salmon at Aretsky's Patroon. It takes all the will power I have to resist the ice cream sundae there. I can't always say no.
The first website I log onto every day is…WWD.com.
The beauty product you can always find in my purse is…Nars lipstick. Although it can more often be found in my hand…reapplying.
My must-have work gadget is…My iPhone.
My usual Starbucks order is…I'll pass. I BYO my own iced cappuccino from home in a thermos. No joke. I get made fun of.
If I need a quick break during work, I usually…Do they offer breaks here?
If I wasn't doing this job, I would be…A food critic. But my husband would say I moonlight as a critic at home.
The best part of my job is…Working with people I respect and admire. (Too corny?)