Jill Albert
Direct results Radio Inc.
Venice
BUSINESS: Audio Advertising
YEAR FOUNDED:2007
EMPLOYEES: 25
2021 REVENUE: $25 million
RANK ON LIST: 31
Jill Albert is the chief executive and founder of Direct Results Radio Inc., an audio marketing company founded in 2007. Albert’s notable clients include 20th Century Fox, Toyota, internet service provider Earth Link and USC.
Albert created her business as a means of using radio stations and their listeners to create customer engagement. Now, as advertising has added new and different mediums to its arsenal, the company has grown to provide customer acquisition services through radio, television, digital spaces, streaming, podcasts and satellite.
Prior to founding her company, Albert was the senior vice president and director of marketing for Interep National Radio Sales Inc. She earned a degree in marketing and finance from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management.
Albert answered the Business Journal’s questions this way:
Question: What prompted you to go out on your own and become a business owner?
Answer: Many factors:I held nagging ideas regarding a new and different way to approach the audio advertising business offering tremendous benefits for advertisers, broadcasters and others involved in the process. These ideas screamed at me daily. I worked closely with the CEO of my former company. We had a very strong trust. I admired him and we worked well together. He encouraged me to develop ideas and pursue my vision beyond his safety net and other current constraints. I also desperately wanted to teach and show young women that with a vision, a plan, strong core values and work ethic, they could accomplish their own goals and live a life they imagine.
In your experience, has being a woman helped you more or hurt you more in starting or operating your business?
Being a woman has helped. A woman’s point of view is collaborative. I had and continue to seek help from many men and women. My mind is open to the best possible solutions and tactics and how to effectively serve others through leadership. I was always good at seeing the benefit or point of view of the person/partner on the other end of the discussion, deal, opportunity.
What’s been the biggest challenge to you in your business? Conversely, what’s been the biggest reward?
The Challenge: People. Watching someone with potential leave us for a short-term raise or to work for a company with greater name recognition. Our company, Direct Results, allows each and every team member to define individual success and create a path to that success. The possibilities are endless and the payoff both personally and financially is tremendously rewarding. Sometimes, I want to jump up and down and show the person leaving us how amazing they are and what their future with us can be and to be patient with the process. Conversely, when an employee leaves for a great opportunity that is a better fit for them and their future, we all celebrate together.
The Reward: Teaching and watching staff and clients learn, thrive, grow and win. This is the very best one.
What’s your assessment regarding the likelihood of the U.S. economy entering a recession? And what are you doing to prepare for such an occurrence?
All signs point to a recession. We have been through it before. We are in the direct marketing space, which means our job is to help our clients acquire new customers at the right cost and pace as they define it. We are fortunate because we can clearly show our clients exactly how their dollars are driving direct growth for their business, which is especially important during a recession. We are continuously evaluating our team, discussing market conditions and strategy among ourselves and with our clients and partners. And we run our business lean with ROI (return on investment) and clear goals assigned to each team member. Additionally, our core business is audio advertising which is an excellent way to connect with consumers at a lower entry cost versus other media options.
“My mind is open to the best possible
solutions and tactics and how to
effectively serve others.”
What advice would you give a woman who wanted to start her own business?
Know how to explain your idea and then build a plan including a budget and timeline to launch. Ensure you are able to differentiate your idea from the competition. Ensure you are willing to put your blood, sweat and tears into every element of your business including staff, clients and company goals. Gain experience working for others, learn the basics of business, observe the good, bad and ugly and then write your plan and go for it.
If you could turn back time, what would you do differently in regard to your business?
Start sooner.
– Antonio Pequeño IV
