Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantal Otto.
Hi Chantal, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After graduating from college, I wiggled my way into a marketing & advertising role for a local luxury retail chain, where the owner of the business was actually VP of a really prominent advertising firm for forty years before she decided to get into the fashion world. This was an interesting dynamic because it truly was a real life “The Devil Wears Prada” situation for me. I was like Anne Hathaway, cracking under pressure and sacrificing a lot of my early twenties all for this opportunity…but I also knew that I was under the wings of some major fempreneur energy, and I needed to soak it all in. It got better, but the job was always creating burnout in my life. One day I would be scheduling model fittings, and the next day, I’d be juggling a quarter-of-a-million in media buys. We even had my little local TV segment and fashion column that I wrote for in a local publication! I met some really lovely people during that leg of the journey, and I will never forget what my Meryl-Streep-like boss who always said: “Work smarter, not harder.” So freakin’ true.
After a few years, I made the tough decision to leave my dream job and start a very promising new chapter on the West Coast. This is where I began my journey in the Public Relations world. As with any agency gig, there were some bumps in the beginning, but soon enough my department was thriving and I was also asked to help pitch new business…so I felt like a real badass. I began working with a lot of luxury multifamily (apartments/condos) accounts, and this is where the rest of my career path really starts to connect.
So what do entrepreneur-minded people do when they are thriving? They look for the next opportunity, of course! Cue one of the most inspiring friends ever who encouraged me to start my own marketing and PR agency that focused in luxury multifamily projects. Okay so, to be honest, that friend I mentioned not only encouraged me to do this, but she also had clients for me…so it was a no brainer.
So the year is 2016 and The CJO Agency is open for biz. I have a lot of friends and family to thank for their support during this big leap. Word of advice to anyone who’s looking to go off on their own: The physical act of opening your own biz really isn’t difficult—you just fill out a little paperwork and you’re in. The real heavy lifting comes when you need clients and emotional stamina because you are now the CEO, CFO, CMO, admin assistant, office b*tch and janitor. But that’s where your experience will make or break you, so respect the process of your career journey, even when it’s a cluster…especially when it’s a cluster because you’re going to learn a ton.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t even know what a smooth road feels like (and TBH, I would not trust a smooth road). Glad I get section to air my grievances…
Like a lot of individuals, I’ve always had to secure my own connections. Up until owning my own biz, every job I landed has come from me using ballsy methods to make myself stand out because I wanted to earn things on my own. I didn’t want to “owe” anyone.
I’ve had my share of mean boss moments. The kind where your boss constantly emails you at 3 am and doesn’t care that anxiety has you up to respond right away. The kind where your boss that immediately messages “WHERE ARE YOU??” when you decide to take an approved Friday off. I’ve gone months thinking that today may be the day I get let go.
I’ve had times in my life where I knew I was overworked and underpaid. (Haven’t we all?)
I’ve sacrificed a lot of my schedule and personal life for my career. A lot of my friends have children going into pre-k…I have a French bulldog. Side Note: I do think there’s room to have a personal and professional life, but owning your own agency while being the “lead employee” can off-set the balance sometimes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The CJO Agency?
The CJO Agency specializes in providing extremely dynamic marketing, social media and PR campaigns solely for luxury real estate and multifamily communities—it’s a very niche service. We are beyond proud to service luxury multifamily clients in Texas, California, Arizona, and Utah via a dynamic mixture of virtual and in-person consults depending on our clients’ needs. Our client roster includes luxury multifamily communities from renowned developers and property management companies that include Greystar, Toll Brothers, Cushman & Wakefield, Kilroy, Pinnacle Living, Ledcor, Sares Regis, Alliance Residential, CAF, LaTerra, and more.
What were you like growing up?
I was definitely a bit of a black swan growing up…and I went through a lot of different stages. TBH I don’t think I’ll ever stop evolving in that way.
Now my friends call me a functional introvert. (Surprise! Introverts can actually kill it in the agency world.) To me, being “introverted” doesn’t mean I’m afraid to speak…I’m just very choosey about when I speak and how it will add value to the conversation.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@thecjoagency.com
- Website: www.thecjoagency.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecjoagency/
Image Credits
Rooftop Photo: Columbia Square Living (Los Angeles, CA) Pool Deck Photo: Broadstone on Fifth (Fort Worth, TX) The two other photos are my own.
