I recently went one on one with Stephanie McCarty, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Taylor Morrison, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders and developers. At 37, Stephanie is the youngest person at the company’s leadership table by nearly a decade and has been recognized as a ‘Top Women in PR’ by PRNews, ‘Top Women in Communications’ by Ragan Communications and PR Daily, and a Top Marketing Leader by HousingWire.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Stephanie: I am strategic, empathetic, inspirational with a passion for building and positioning culturally resonant brands; also, a wife, mother of three, voracious reader, change catalyst, social good enabler, cat lover, mental health advocate, self-proclaimed caffeine addict and Fleetwood Mac fanatic.

Prior to joining Taylor Morrison, I led communications functions for the University of Phoenix, Insight, ON Semiconductor and McMurry, Inc. In 2015, while 5 months pregnant with my first child, I was recruited by Taylor Morrison’s chairman and chief executive officer Sheryl Palmer to join the company as vice president of corporate communications. After helping transform the company culture and branding position nationwide, I stepped into my current role as chief marketing and communications officer, where I lead a team of nearly 30 creatives contributing a range of expertise in communications, marketing, social media, design, and digital product. As the team grows, it continues to bring value and efficiency to the organization’s overall strategy. 

I experienced a string of tragedies and the loss of both my parents and sister in my early 20s, which catapulted my work ethic. I could have easily made a string of bad decisions or taken my life in another direction but wanted to honor my family and make the most out of my life. I threw myself into my career and was committed to finding a passion that fulfilled me. 

I’m the first CMO Taylor Morrison has ever had, and when I first discussed the opportunity with our CEO Sheryl Palmer, there wasn’t a mold for me to fit into. Many might see a blank slate as a wonderful opportunity, while for others, that can be paralyzing and scary. For me, being able to start from scratch was exhilarating. Initially, we outsourced nearly everything for marketing, and today we have a team of nearly 30 innovative and driven creatives who do everything in-house. There isn’t always going to be a playbook for your role and that’s okay—trust your own instincts and have a few people in your corner who you can seek validation from when needed.

Adam: What is the most important attribute of an effective CMO?

Stephanie: It’s so important to be nimble and to not assume you know everything. Markets are constantly changing, and you can’t have a roadmap longer than three to six months out that won’t end up rewriting itself. Oftentimes, I think CMOs are expected to create demand that doesn’t exist and alter economic factors that can’t be controlled. In those situations, be adaptive, seek creativity, and be aware of what is in your control and can have the biggest influence. Our discipline evolves at the speed of lightning, and once you master a new channel or area, there is something new to learn.

Many believe that the most important relationship a CMO should have within the company is with the CFO to prove the investment of marketing. However, I’ve seen that change recently to the head of information and technology. Today, it’s important to make sure you are engaged and have a mutually beneficial relationship with the CIO. 

Adam: What are three things everyone should understand about marketing?

Stephanie:

• Employees are your best ambassadors. I firmly believe that brand building starts within your company walls by capturing the hearts and minds of your team, which is something we strive to do every day with Taylor Morrison’s more than 3,000 employees. Build your brand internally first; it’s harder to push within from the outside.

  • Stay relevant with your customers front-and-center. In homebuilding, effective marketers must look beyond the ‘Field of Dreams mentality’ to make emotional connection with consumers, understanding a home is one of the most expensive and emotional investments.  

  • Extend beyond product offerings. Today’s consumers seek more from brands, from knowing about their environmental stewardship and purpose to their ESG and DE&I commitments. It’s vital for brands to deliberately stand for more than their own product and services—care about your brand’s beliefs and positioning, too.

Adam: What are three things people who work in marketing should understand?

Stephanie: Be strategic, visionary, and lead with purpose. All these attributes contribute tremendously to your brand’s overarching success and will earn the respect of leadership, colleagues, and teams within your organization. The customer is constantly changing with new generations—and everything starts with understanding your audience. It will always differ from previous generations, and you can’t make assumptions. Be sure to gather customer insights and have a deep understanding of who you are serving.

Adam: What is your best advice for those working at big organizations on how to best climb the corporate ladder?

Stephanie:

• Show up—I truly believe if you put in the work and you focus on your responsibilities first, all the kudos and promotions will come. In my experience, when I’ve been excited about the work I was doing as well as the challenges and opportunities that came along with it, good things and greater career opportunities always followed. I approach that with our own team, too. When a team member is seeking a promotion, I strive to get to the root of what they will do differently in that role and bring it to the table.

• Not everyone will like you or want to see you succeed. And that is OK. That is just life. Rise above the noise and keep climbing.

• Integrate your teams, celebrate their accomplishments and rise together.

Adam: What is your best advice for entrepreneurs and those working at small businesses on how to cultivate relationships with and sell to large companies?

Stephanie: When cultivating relationships, understand what individuals and organizations exist in your sphere and industry to support you. While they might not be within direct span of influence, they may know others and can make introductions to further network and build relationships. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Stephanie:

• I often wonder if leaders are born or made. And I do think it is likely a combination of the two. It takes a high degree of passion and drive to become a successful executive. At the same time, having the curiosity and tenacity to keep going, to keep asking questions, is what propels you even further.

• Discomfort is a good thing. When most terrified of something, it’s likely to be great and growth is happening. 

• Trust your gut. If you think it is impactful, it probably is. Stop the cycle of self-doubt. Your worst enemy can be yourself. Be the leader you wish you had. Be vulnerable and open. Be true to yourself.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?

Stephanie

• Always remember how to negotiate. This is very important when advocating for yourself. It is easier when negotiating for your team members and others. But you are the only person looking out for you. 

• Look outside your industry for inspiration. 

• Give yourself grace along the way and always celebrate your individual and team successes. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Stephanie: In one of my previous roles for another company, I worked with a counterpart who supported a different part of the business. At the time, I was discouraged when they received a promotion before me. I learned a valuable lesson from my boss who shared that my growth and success weren’t tied to theirs and just because they were excelling, didn’t mean I couldn’t, too. Focus on the work rather than comparing yourself to others, and the results will follow. 

When I joined Taylor Morrison, no one knew what I was capable of and I remained driven in my role and continued coming up with new ideas that supported the company. You are given more opportunities as you rise to the occasion and bring passion and creative ideas to the table.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Stephanie: Of all other disciplines, marketing executives wear so many hats, including creating and maintaining culture, developing and communicating an internal brand, managing media and influencers, executive writing and presence, event planning and more. I’ve even seen some marketing teams take on talent acquisition as recruiting is a big part of branding. As the customer and their shopping habits continue to evolve, product innovation and new customer acquisition have become large areas of focus for me and my team. Being aware of this vast impact marketers possess is important; look at it as an opportunity that brings value and efficiency to the organization’s overall strategy


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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