PUBLIC RELATIONS and COMMUNICATIONS – This spotlight series features T. Howard Foundation (THF) alumnae working in Public Relations and Communications.
Tyana Mason (THF ’17)
Manager – Ad Product Marketing, VEVO
What do you enjoy most about your company?
I thoroughly enjoy working in the music industry, especially with music videos because it allows me to be at the forefront of some of pop culture’s most impactful moments which is super exciting.
In what way did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?
After I graduated college, I secured my first role as a Sales Assistant at Discovery on the Ad Sales team (shoutout to the THF Alumni portal). In that role, I scheduled the commercial inventory and sponsorships for my Account Executive’s book of business. As a Sales Assistant, I began working on a show titled Home Made Simple on OWN which has a major partnership with Proctor and Gamble and their products are integrated into every episode. I became intrigued about that line of work and wanted to align myself more closely with brand partnerships and Ad Sales Marketing. I then joined HGTV’s Ad Sales Marketing team and after a year and a half in that role, I found my current opportunity on Vevo’s Ad Product Marketing team.
Has your career path been linear or non-linear?
My career path has been both linear and non-linear.
How has your affiliation with the T. Howard Foundation influenced your career?
While in college, T. Howard helped me secure my internship at WarnerMedia (formerly Turner Broadcasting) which was my first role at a major media conglomerate. I also found my first full time role through the T. Howard Foundation’s Alumni portal.
What personal attributes have been essential to your career success?
Being open to new opportunities has been absolutely pivotal in my career. Sometimes we have goals or aspirations and think that there is only one way to get there but, if we are open to alternative routes we may find ourselves achieving those goals and then some. Oftentimes, you just have to get your foot in the door and then once you do, maneuver your way into the exact role that you want.
Are you extroverted or introverted? How does this show up in your professional life and how has this trait benefited you professionally?
I classify myself as an extroverted introvert because of this, I find myself fostering stronger connections with a smaller amount of people as opposed to fostering weaker connections with a large amount of people. This has been helpful because I often keep in touch with those in my network and ensure that I am speaking to them at least quarterly or every six months which helps to continue to strengthen a concentrated amount of relationships as opposed to tending to an overwhelming amount of connections.
Tyana’s Piece of Advice:
My advice would be to reach out to people within the industry via LinkedIn and set up informationals, most people won’t answer you but a few will and that’s all you need. Also, continue to pour into and maintain the relationships that you have already fostered and be open to opportunities that you are not 100% excited about because those will prepare you for the roles that you are enthusiastic about.