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GravitasMag.com | 55 Where did your career begin? In college, I dreamed of being a curator of a museum. During an internship at the Contemporary Arts Museum in New Orleans, I was placed in the public relations and marketing department where I found my niche. I worked at an auction house in Atlanta after graduation which lead to a job as the director of a gallery with an interesting array of clients from the Royal Family of Japan to Elton John. But, my first big job was the director of marketing for a one of the largest high-end furniture retailers in the country. I'll never forget, on my interview, the owner of the company said, "I know you're not qualified for this job, but there is something about you that's special. I might be wrong, but I'm going to give you a chance." I was so grateful to her for believing in me, I was determined to prove her right. e first thing I did was fire all the freelancers which the previous director had loaded up on. at immediately freed up over sixty thousand dollars in the adverting budget. I taught myself the design programs and started creating all of the ads myself for television, radio and print. at was the fun part for me. I loved creating the campaigns. the owner gave me total freedom. I did unconventional ads at the time of moms on a soccer field talking about a sale at Flack's Interiors, then peeling out of the parking lot. I cut the newspaper budget drastically, shifting it into magazines and direct mail. My efforts paid off, the company had over a 250% increase in sales in less than three years. Mrs. Flack then started a wholesale home accents company, sold through Drexel Heritage Furnishings. After a phenomenally successful advertising campaign for her launch, I had several retailers asking for my assistance. So, I started a marketing and advertising agency specializing in the luxury market. What motivates you? I have an innate desire for change. It's my desire to evolve that propels me forward. is might have been a problem in the past, especially for a woman, but in today's world, it is an important trait to possess. When I doubt my ability to accomplish something, I tell myself to put one foot in front of the other. In business, forecasting into the future is crucial but, sometimes you have to just get through the day, then the week. If I feel overwhelmed, my mother recounts Scarlet's famous line, "Tomorrow is another day." We are obviously Southern, but it's true, most situations in life do look better with a bit of time. What kinds of things excite your creativity? New challenges excite me which is why I enjoy the media business today. As the industry evolves into the digital era, the field opens up and new opportunities arise. I had lunch with the owner of one of the largest media companies in Florida last year. We had never met and the first thing I said to him was, "Isn't it an exciting time to be in media?" He looked at me like I had two heads, and shrugged, "I guess." ese are certainly not the glory days for him. Magazines as a whole have certainly suffered setbacks in the past few years, declining revenue and subscribers are common problems for many publications. While I agree the industry is changing and not everyone will be standing in 10 years or even 5, it is these types of disruptive times when new companies and new ideas succeed. I see the digital world as a phenomenal opportunity to expand the experience for magazines. Rather than hold onto yesterday's glory, I see the horizon of a new day for the industry. My enthusiasm did not go unnoticed, he offered to buy my company and give me a job before my salad was cleared. I thanked him for the compliment, but told him we weren't for sale. i'd rather regret the things i've done, than regret the things i haven't done. LuciLLe BaLL " " Favorite Quote "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg inspired me to create a magazine for women that speaks to real women and the challenges we face at work and home. Most importantly, I want to shine a light on amazing women in our own backyard, so women have an attainable, realistic view of success. Photography by Alex Stafford, Hair by Amy Amuso, Makeup by Stephanie Gimson Continued

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