Marissa Rosenblum Talks Refinery29 Culture

Marissa Rosenblum
Sr. Commerce Director Refinery29
 

How would you describe the overall culture at your agency and would you say that there is a separate female culture?   

Refinery29 is a fast-paced, creative environment with a staff that is about 80% women. It's exciting to work with people across different teams that care so deeply about our audience, share a sense of curiosity for the world, and are committed to driving forward our mission to be a catalyst for women to see, feel and claim their power.

 

In your opinion, what do you see as being the biggest change in the advertising industry since women have begun to break the “glass ceiling”?  

It wasn't too long ago that you'd be on the set of a photo shoot and realize you were surrounded by an all-male crew minus the model and a token assistant—again. Now, there are so many more female photographers, directors, and artists being recognized and securing big campaigns and editorials, often due to other women making the hiring call. It's great to see those talented women bring other women into the fold. It feels like a community led by generosity and advocacy.

 

What are some of the challenges that women still face in the industry?

There's a certain perception that comes with being a woman. You often have to think about not only how you're going take on challenges and succeed, but how to go about it as a woman. One of our staff writers, Ludmila Leiva, recently wrote an excellent piece titled, 'Thanks So Much For Reading This Article About Using Exclamation Points In Email!,' that dives into gender expectations in the workplace in an everyday all-too-relatable scenario.

 

What steps do you take to ensure you achieve a healthy work-life balance?

Work-life balance can get muddy when you have a job you love. It's hard not to spend all your time noodling away, completely immersed in a project you're attached to. But, I make time for the things I love to do outside of work: traveling with my husband; taking in music and art shows; and simply being outside in nature, hiking or going upstate. To make sure I’m detaching from work, I’m off email during my downtime and I’m focusing on the present.

 

What professional achievement are you most proud of?

I don't get attached to specific wins or milestones because I believe future success is built upon learning and evolving with every step up and setback. I think the culmination of everything that's contributed to my career growth is what I'm most satisfied with. Being a boss is not something I thought about when I started my career, but I am proud of having served in that role and of the teams I've built. I've realized how much of an impact being a strong manager has on the overall organization and culture.  

 

Tell us about a mentor that helped guide you in your career. What made them so special?       

I'm lucky to have had several strong female role models in my career. Gina Kelly at Seventeen Magazine is an example of leading with kindness. She proved that being nice doesn't mean being a pushover and I'm glad that was something I learned early on in my career in fashion and media. At Barneys New York, Daniella Vitale is an advocate for female empowerment in a very outward but also personal way. She advised me to always speak up for myself and know my value. For a woman in her position as CEO of the leading luxury retailer in the world, to look you in the eye and say this with conviction is incredibly empowering. And at Refinery29, [Global Editor-in-Chief and co-Founder] Christene Barberich has been a true mentor in every sense. She's a role model to millions of women and has given me so much sage advice. She always pushes you to dig deep and has helped me become more introspective, which is a nuanced but important skill that becomes more valuable as you grow in your career and start to manage more people and make big business decisions.

 

How do you as a successful woman plan to inspire the next generation of women?

I try to take the generosity and learnings from all the people I've worked with and pay it forward. Taking time to mentor and work with people around you in a transparent way whether they're below, parallel, or above you on the career ladder creates communication and a positive space for everyone to grow.