"We need more women who will advocate for and open the doors for other women."
Tammy S. Drost is the Founder and CEO of Drost Enterprises LLC and The Business360 Method®, a business methodology to help female entrepreneurs burnt out by operational and administrative inefficiencies create strategic, streamlined, and integrated business processes to scale their business successfully. Drost has worked in agency, corporate, and non-profit environments, providing globally diverse solutions across more than 24 industries. She was the National Brand Strategy Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where she also held leadership positions as a Brand Director, Head of Creative Operations, and Creative Director.
During her tenure at PwC, she facilitated a 200% increase in PwC’s brand performance (from $9.5B to $18.6B). She enabled PwC’s brand to reach number one in its category by rebranding all products, programs, services, and marketing collateral. Drost launched a National Brand Champion training program to support PwC’s global rebranding effort- that was voted the World’s Leading B2B Brand in 2015 and Best Global Rebrand in 2011. She received the 2012 Pan-Mass Challenge Northeast Award for creative direction, branding, and marketing and was a 2010 PwC Chairman’s Award Nominee for PwC’s rebrand.
She also served as the Director of Brand Marketing Strategy at a small asset Upstate NY credit where she built the brand, digital, marketing, and social media operations from the ground up. She successfully led a complete rebrand, consolidating eight sub-brands into a comprehensive one-brand approach, increasing assets by 32.6% and membership by 12.6%. Drost served on the Board of Directors Board for Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties and is active in organizations that help women in business.
She holds an undergraduate degree in graphic design with a minor in business and marketing from Central Connecticut State University and post-graduate certifications at Cornell University in Business Strategy and Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management in Marketing Strategy.
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Table of Contents
Thank you for agreeing to do this interview with us. Our readers would like to know more about you. Why did you choose this career?
Tammy S. Drost: My brand was born out of long-term observations and experience working in corporate, non-profit, and agency environments. The common denominator was a gap connecting the dots across each organization regardless of asset size or industry. Things I observed included but were not limited to:
- Redundant and antiquated business operations and process that needed to be streamlined and modernized for brand and digital transformation.
- A lack of communication from department to department, creating silos.
- Challenges engaging employees with the brand experience and delivering a consistent brand experience to clients.
- A lack of understanding of developing and providing cross-generational, engaging brand solutions.
- Leaders who were resistant to brand and digital transformation.
- Not accounting for well–planned brand transition programs and education for internal teams, onboarding, recruiting, mergers & acquisitions, partnership development, etc.
- The lack of understanding of the significance of a brand asset management system, brand licensing, legal matters concerning branding, trademarking, patents, and locking down intellectual property.
Because of my observations, I designed a company that looks at a client’s business from all angles and makes sure business operations and processes are modern, cost-effective, and streamlined. I build a business and brand strategy that works collaboratively, ensuring that the brand is aligned to and positioned to support the business strategy and supported by an integrated marketing, communications, and creative approach.
I help female entrepreneurs develop a solid brand and business foundation designed to evolve with trends and customer needs while remaining true to their brand promise, mission, and vision.
We engage employees and clients across various mediums and collaborate with well-positioned partners to deliver the brand experience in unique, engaging, and innovative ways to create loyalty with existing clients while successfully attracting more clients to scale the business.
Can you share a story that happened to you since you became the leader of your company?
Tammy S. Drost: With years of professional and corporate training, I had a knack for getting up in front of a crowd of people and smiling, even on my most challenging days. From the time I was a little girl, the men in my life taught me to pick myself up by the bootstraps and carry on – and I always have.
But even the strongest women in the world can have that moment in life that brings them to their knees and they struggle to get up.
For me, it was a series of life-changing events that started less than three months after starting my company and took place in fewer than 18 months.
I started my business in August 2019. In October 2019, I unexpectedly lost my youngest son to suicide – right before his birthday and the holiday season. Within six months, COVID 19 hit. Shortly after that, I was the victim of a severe physical assault, resulting in a broken vertebra in my back, severe injuries, and an extended recovery. I then renovated and sold my home. All while trying to get my business off the ground.
What I learned through the process is that it is OK to hit PAUSE. It’s OK NOT to be OK.
Perseverance and resilience can be a hard road fraught with challenges. While many of us face challenges in life, some serve as a learning experience, and some change you forever. My experiences changed every aspect of who I was.
Please share with us an outstanding woman that you have never met, who inspires you? Tell us how she inspired you?
Tammy S. Drost: One of the women I am most inspired by is Malala Yousafzai.
At the tender age of 15, this incredible young woman overcame an assassination attempt by the Taliban in occupied Pakistan to campaign for women’s and children’s rights to an education. She almost lost her life fighting for her beliefs.
Today, Malala is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate and impactful women speaker that the world has ever seen. She broke barriers, gave people courage, and stood up for her beliefs.
Malala tells her story not because it is unique but because it is the story of many girls and women throughout the world still fighting for education and living under oppression. She inspires me to help other women.
People who have helped us achieve success are very important to us. We should be grateful for everything they do for us. Can you share a story about how someone who PERSONALLY helped you succeed?
Tammy S. Drost: My grandparents instilled a love of education, a strong work ethic, and a sense of responsibility from when I was a child until they passed away.
They encouraged me to be bold, fearless, challenge the status quo, not worry about everyone else’s thoughts, be open to failure, and be true to myself. Failure to them was an opportunity to learn, pick yourself up by your bootstraps and try again until you succeeded.
My grandfather, a Navy Veteran, and my grandmother had five children (including a set of twins). They were children of immigrants who worked hard and did not have formal educations.
My grandmother started her own business, a real estate company, when it was unheard of for women to run their own company. She had an office in her home, worked remotely, and regularly took me to business meetings before children were allowed in the workplace. She was ahead of her time, bold, fearless and proactive.
My grandparents taught me that I was capable of being anything I wanted to be. These are lessons that have remained with me throughout my career as an entrepreneur.
Women are more prominent in business than ever, however, there is plenty room for improvement. What can people do on their own, what can society do, and what can the government do? What are your suggestions?
Tammy S. Drost: I love to see any woman break through that glass ceiling and succeed. We need more of it. However, I don’t think society or government involvement will make a difference.
It’s women who will make the difference. While my opinion may not be a popular one, it comes from my own experience of 20+ years in the business world.
It was never the women in my career who coached, mentored, and encouraged me. It was quite the opposite.
The men in my career always made sure I understood that there were no limits to what I could do. They provided advice and access to opportunities, education, resources, and support.
I had the unfortunate experience of seeing women in leadership positions feel threatened by other women, often sabotaging them because they viewed them as competition. On many occasions, I had women leaders or colleagues present my work and ideas as their own to get ahead.
These observations went against my belief that women should support and help one another. Because of this experience, my business is committed to coaching, mentoring, and supporting other women.
We need more women who will advocate for and open the doors for other women. We need mothers who teach their daughters that there are no limits on how far they can go.
There are many reasons why more women should become CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and founders. Some of these reasons may be obvious to you, but I think it is helpful to list them out. So, can you share a few reasons why more women should become business leaders?
Tammy S. Drost: Women are natural leaders. Take the stay-at-home mothers, for example. They are the CEO of their home, responsible for the budget, efficient operations, logistics, transportation, procurement, problem-solving, time-management, conflict resolution, negotiation, relationship development, event planning, social activites, childcare, education, etc. They take management and multi-tasking to a whole new level.
Women leaders bring a lot to the table, some of which include:
TEAM-ORIENTED COLLABORATION – Women are more likely than their male counterparts to pull together collaborative teams and engage each team member’s expertise to achieve their goals.
BUDGET/CAPITAL EFFICIENT – According to a 2019 S&P Global Analysis, companies with women at the helm or in C-Level positions generally have profits that surpass those led by men. The same study demonstrated that organizations with female CEOs have more success in producing “superior stock price performance than the market average.” And in their first two years in the CEO role, these women’s companies saw a “20% boost in stock price momentum.” Women entrepreneurs also tend to be more mindful of risk and adept at time management which is critical for small businesses.
EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT – Women understand the significance of relationships in business and foster those relationships to give them an edge.
MULTIDIMENSIONAL / MULTITASKERS – Women simultaneously utilize their brains’ left and right sides while men typically use each side sequentially. The advantage for women is the ability to think in a linear, logical, and serial manner while simultaneously generating intuitive, holistic, and creative thought patterns.
EMPATHETIC – Women are nurturers who are more in tune with and sensitive to the emotions of others than their male counterparts.
All of these traits give women an edge in business.
What are some things people think about being a business leader that isn’t true? Can you give examples?
Tammy S. Drost: I think there are many myths out there about being a business leader. For this interview, I’ll talk about one.
ONE LEADERSHIP STYLE FITS ALL – Every leader typically learns a management style and techniques that work well for them. In the process, those habits become deeply ingrained in the leader. The more entrenched and resistant they become to change, the more it impacts the business’s success and leads to career stagnation.
Business leaders need to keep their management style updated to remain relevant. As the world evolves, a leader must evolve. As leaders’ responsibilities expand, they need to be flexible in adjusting their leadership style, techniques, and approach based on what motivates people. The same can be said for communication styles.
In your opinion, what type of person is likely to be successful as a business leader? What are the specific traits that increase the chance of success? And do you think everyone is cut out to be a business leader? Can you explain what you mean?
Tammy S. Drost: There is a difference between being a leader and being in management. A leader walks the talk, inspires, motivates, and encourages people to bring their a-game to achieve their goals.
Common traits I see in successful business leaders, regardless of their management style, including being:
- Able to be flexible and pivot quickly.
- Solution-focused and forward-thinking attitude.
- Aware of self and others.
- Resilient and able to persevere.
- Able to self-discipline.
- Authentic, genuine, and fair.
- Able to recognize an opportunity and take the risk to pursue it.
- Accessible.
- Decisive and accountable for their decisions.
- Able to view failure as an opportunity.
Not everyone is cut out to be a business leader, and that’s OK. Some people prefer less responsibility, while others prefer to manage an organization’s operations.
What are some things you wish someone had told you before you started your business? Why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
Tammy S. Drost: To invest in and outsource some of the technical setup and integration. Entrepreneurs, by nature, are doers, but you cannot do it all and be everything to everyone.
It’s important to give yourself the ability to focus on what you do best and invest in areas where you aren’t as savvy. Women tend to be budget-conscious, but it’s worth the investment to pay someone to take something off your plate so that you can focus on strategy and scaling.
Self-care is also essential. There is a reason a flight attendant tells you to put your oxygen mask on before you put it on anyone else.
You cannot help anyone unless you help yourself first. As an entrepreneur, you must take time and invest in yourself for your business to be successful. If you don’t, you will quickly find yourself on the road to burnout.
What do you plan on tackling during the year 2022? Share your goals and battles you expect to face.
Tammy S. Drost: In 2022, my goal is to be open to opportunities and possibilities. It’s living my best life while doing work that I am passionate about.
Thank you so much for your time but before we finish things off, I do have one more question for you. What was the last book you read that had a great impact on you, please tell us how?
Tammy S. Drost: Generally, my rule of thumb is to alternate business books with a personal choice. In other words, for every business book I read, I read a personal book.
FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE: “The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers,” by Ben Horowitz
Ben Horowitz is brutally honest about how hard it is to run a business. It’s an invaluable book for startups and seasoned entrepreneurs to overcome challenges without an easy answer.
FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE: I dove into healing from the loss of my son. I use the term healing lightly because any parent who has lost a child knows that you never “heal.” Instead, you learn to move forward, one step, one breath at a time. There is the “you” before the loss and the “you” that emerges from the loss.
The book that made an impact was:
“Hello from Heaven: A New Field of Research-After-Death Communication Confirms That Life and Love Are Eternal,” by Bill Guggenheim, Judy Guggenheim
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Tammy S. Drost for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Tammy S. Drost or The Business360 Method®, you can do it through her – Linkedin Profile, or her Website
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