Métier Creative is an advertising agency that specializes in launching new brands, as well as re-branding and elevating existing brands.
Q
Describe Métier.
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We like to think of Métier as this cool tour guide for luxury fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands to help them transition traditional advertising into the social space, or birth completely new social-first entities that make sense in 2017.
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How did you come up with the name?
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We were inspired by CHANEL’s Métiers D’Art – an annual collection shown each year, which celebrates the craftsmanship and artisans of its partner couture houses. Each project produced by Métier Creative is approached with the same level of attention-to-detail and bespoke sensibility to bring to life a brand’s unique story. By appropriating the traditions of the past, each piece of content is workshopped and hand-tailored with expertise unique to that brand’s voice.
Q
Tell us about your path to get here, and the inspiration for Metier?
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In 2008 I started my clothing line, EKI, followed by the Coveteur in 2011. In July of 2015 I joined forces with Stacie Brockman (formerly of the Coveteur) to launch Métier. Next Models founder Faith Kates approached Stacie and I, looking for an opportunity to invest in an agency that could maximize relationships between brands and influencers. We intimately understand the relationship of influencers and brands because we’ve been on that end of the spectrum before. This is what developed our unparalleled perspective to mediate both sides of the equation at all times.
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What is your proudest achievement thus far?
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No work achievements can ever top my daughter, Parker, and knowing that I am going to have the same relationship with her that I have with my mom. Oh ya, and when I sold my collection at Barneys at the age of 21 🙂
Q
What might we find you sipping at 10 o’clock on Saturday night?
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10 o’clock on a Saturday night? I’ve probably been snoring through the last 45 minutes of netflix. On a lucky night, a classic Mojito.
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What has been the single most important factor for success?
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Understanding how to connect with relevant millennial audiences. We’re a team of millennial women, we are the generation of glued-to-our-phones women tagging our friends in that dope meme we saw in our feeds. It gives us the knowledge to connect with brands and consumers.
Q
How do you stay motivated and keep going?
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Being surrounded by our epic team every day keeps me motivated. We learned a long time ago that you are nothing without the people you work with. And to hire those smarter than you! They are the true heroes and magicians behind the scenes who make the magic happen. It’s all about hiring people who each have their own unique Métier.
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What do you wish you knew before you started your career?
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I wish I was okay with things not going as planned from the start. Everything works out in the end, and it’s as much about the process as it is about the final product. I also wish I would have known to take the time to travel – I was so eager to start working that I never took that opportunity and in hindsight wish I had.
Q
What is your best advice to young entrepreneurs just starting out?
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Work hard and be nice to people. We’ve seen the strength in long-standing relationships that have come from deep connections made through business relationships. As Canadians, we’re known for being nice and we pride ourselves and our employees on it 🙂 Additionally, eat, sleep, breathe, and live your brand and understand what your unique value prop is in comparison to the competitors. This is a crucial piece of the puzzle!
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What are you listening to right now?
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Where do you find inspiration?
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Instagram.
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What are some emerging trends in social media?
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Micro-Influencers, Creative Data, Video, putting the ‘insta back in insta’, unfiltered content.
We learned a long time ago that you are nothing without the people you work with.
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Name an influencer who is killing it?
A
Q
Name a person that everyone should be following on social media.
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@steph_shep, @girlwithnojob, @avanope, @theloversanddriftersclub, @simihaze, @piaarrobio.
Q
What is your morning routine?
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Depending on if I’m on mom/wife Duty or CEO duty, my morning routines differ. If I’m at home, I start my days trolling social media, replying to emails, and catching up with our Métier group chat. Otherwise, I start with a walk with my one-year-old, Parker, every morning for an hour before work. After showering my hubby and Parker with smooches, I head to the office to hustle with our Métielves.
Q
How do you manage a work/life balance?
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Realizing that I can’t do it all all of the time was the key to managing my work/life balance. Some days I need to take a break from being a boss to be a better mom, and other days I need to miss P’s class or hanging with her to be the boss.
As Canadians, we’re known for being nice and we pride ourselves and our employees on it”
Q
Who is your style icon?
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Hugh Hefner – He’s the master of comfort meets chic, with his luxe robes, silk pajamas, drawstring jodhpurs, and velvet slippers.
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What’s is the one possession you couldn’t live without?
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My eyedrops.
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Who is the biggest influence in your life?
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Cheesily – my parents. They have helped me every step of the way. I always wondered where my preneurial spirit came from and recently I realized that my dad – being a chiropractor – essentially IS an entrepreneur as being a doctor is the first piece, but understanding how to run a practice is exactly the same as what I do everyday. If not for their support, I would not have done any of it!
Q
If you could choose any brand to work for, who would you choose?
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CHANEL. CHANEL. CHANEL.
Q
Who would play you in the movie about your life? Who would play your husband?
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Not sure on me but my hubby gets a thin Horatio Sanz a lot, so probably him…. 🙂