Humans of TMA is a content series that showcases the diverse, interesting, and creative people that make up The Marketing Arm.
Let’s get to know Lindsay…
How do you bring your full self into your work? What unique perspectives do you bring? I am an all or nothing type of person. I don’t shy away from questions to help me dig deeper into every project and client I work on. I also love it when I get a random spark of inspiration for proactive work or that pushes us [the team] to think about things differently. I believe our collective brains help us become smarter because each person’s interpretation of an ask is like a puzzle piece to bring it all together.
Where do you find inspiration? In the everyday moments and in the building blocks of everything that makes me, me. My kids, my passions, what I read, what I see, what I experience – it all influences how I approach my day-to-day life and work.
What has been your favorite cultural moment of the last few years? Memes. In the dark days of 2020, memes were the true unsung heroes helping us get through.
Can you describe what your role is at TMA and what that entails? I am a vice president in account services, overseeing a number of businesses. My main focus is to provide a positive work atmosphere for my team where they feel supported and inspired. By putting my people first, I believe that it trickles down to stronger outputs for the clients and growing those relationships as well.
What causes are you supportive of and why? So many, but the ones that rise to the top for me are…
- Cancer Research – Specifically Bennett Cancer Center in Stamford, CT, which is where my mom was treated.
- Alzheimer’s – My dad had early onset dementia and getting further understanding and support for diseases of the mind is a real passion point for me.
- Anything Teacher Association Related – I have so many educators in my family that I always push to get them the recognition they deserve for all they do.
What is your guilty pleasure? Double Stuf Oreos and “trash TV” like Vanderpump Rules, Summer House, and Below Deck, to name a few.
What is one thing you wish more people knew about you? That I love love more than anything. I’m super sentimental and adore hearing everything mushy and seeing people come together. Whether in romance or friendship, nothing gets me more than true happiness.
What led you to this career/industry? For some reason, I became obsessed with marketing when I was eight years old. I always said I was going to own my own advertising company on Madison Avenue. I had a notebook that I would design commercials, promotions, and ads for existing products or products I made up, and I haven’t looked back since.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? “Be your own advocate.” My dad was the one who reminded me of this most often, especially when I was young in my career. He was always my number one cheerleader and pushed me to find my voice and stand up for myself.
What’s your hobby or passion project outside of TMA? I love home décor. Since buying our house in 2015 I’ve renovated almost every room and the inspiration, design, and execution process has been so much fun. I love making a house into a home and flexing my creative muscles in different ways.
What three words would your closest friends use to describe you? Thoughtful, Aggressive (in a playful way!), Loyal
What’s the coolest or your favorite thing you’ve worked on? One of the favorite things I’ve worked on was the internal initiative for a mentorship program at the agency. I am a big believer that a strong mentor brings out the best in people, so this was a really special program for me and I’m so proud to be a mentor in it.
Quick Hits…
What are you watching? Anything serial killer related or something to pull at my heartstrings. Our DVR is filled with This is Us, New Amsterdam, SVU, Big Sky, and a new one we just started called Cruel Summer.
What are you reading? Right now, I’m reading “The Big Leap.” I’ve also been into culturally relevant books – “Stamped” and “Five Days” have been two of my favorites in the last year.
What are you listening to? My music selections range based on my mood, but if I had to pick a favorite, it’d probably be Post Malone. I just love his IDGAF attitude about what people think of him – he just is who he is.
Who are you following? Lots of local food bloggers/accounts. I love discovering new places and pre-screening menus ahead of time. A few favorites are: @smorgasburg, @stamforddowntown, @ctbites, @heystamford.
What are you ignoring? The voice in my head that tells me I can’t. My favorite rebuttal is “But, why?”…and then I push to find a way.
Lindsay Velez, VP, Account Management | Wilton, CT Office
New York born, Connecticut raised, with quick stops in Virginia (JMU DUKES!!!) and North Carolina (a piece of my heart still resides there). My friends describe me as a living, breathing Care Bear, but that all goes out the window when a friendly competition is involved. I’m a sucker for good packaging and ad campaigns, so my husband constantly reminds me that I was made for the marketing world.
