Get to know us: a few minutes with …
A few minutes with … Susan Armstrong, President and CEO
01:24 p.m. Strolling across the building to Susan’s office, we practice our sales pitch in hopes of getting permission to sit and talk with her for a little bit. Taking a deep breath, we boldly stride in … only to find an empty desk. Empowered by the aura of leadership that courses throughout her office, we make the executive decision that “A Few Minutes without Susan” is less interesting than “A Few Minutes with Susan,” and should probably come back later.
02:30 We swing back by her office, and she’s finally returned. Unfortunately, she is already in a meeting with a vendor who has dropped by to do some work around the office. Drat.
02:45 From deep within our cubicle, we hear Susan’s voice ring out nearby. Investigating, we see that she has escorted the vendor into the kitchen area and should hopefully be wrapping things up. Mental note: be prepared to intercept her on her return trip.
03:00 We’re obviously working too hard. We miss the close of her conversation and she has somehow escaped back to her office, where she is already embroiled in deep conversation with John DeCesaro, one of our account executives. We consider sending a fake emergency text message to John, but decline to do so.
03:30 We begin to question the viability of this terrible, terrible idea. If we could fire ourselves, we would.
03:47 Aha! We’ve finally captured Susan in her office. She agrees to let us sit in, though wonders aloud if anything she does will be all that interesting. We assure her that isn’t a concern for us, because we’re mostly planning on making fun of her.
03:48 She gives us a quick recap of her background: journalist for the Hays Daily News; account executive for local agency Stephan Advertising; then the biggie, the launch of her own company, Armstrong Creative Services, in 1981. In 1992, the company’s name changed to Armstrong|Shank after the addition of Vice President and Creative Director Ed Shank. Now, 27 years later after its official launch, the company is still going strong and Susan is as busy as ever.
03:52 The intercom beeps in with a call — just the sort of thing we were hoping for. We watch intently as she transforms from accommodating boss into high-powered executive.
03:53 Susan is masterful on the phone, handling what is surely a crisis situation with a cool efficiency and calm demeanor. “It was my son,” she says after hanging up. “He wanted to know what’s for dinner.” True leadership on display.
3:54 A discussion of what a typical day is like for her ensues: Her mornings are where she does the majority of her planning, as afternoons are often spent attending to client needs — meetings, returning phone calls, e-mails and more. When not dealing directly with the client, her time revolves around strategic planning work for future projects, or being hunched over an adding machine on important budgets. Oftentimes, dealing with agency-centric concerns is pushed to evenings and weekends. As many business owners can attest to, it’s not easy being the boss. But she assures us that it’s definitely worthwhile.
04:05 The conversation pauses as a raccoon walks by Susan’s window.
04:07 Finally, we decide she’s put up with us long enough. We thank Susan and return to our cubicle, satisfied in the knowledge that we have successfully wasted the only quiet time she has had all day.