A Conversation with Integrate Agency's New CEO, Danielle Ryan

We're thrilled to share that Danielle Ryan is taking the helm as our Chief Executive Officer, starting December 1. With over 15 years of marketing and entrepreneurial experience, Danielle's leadership is set to elevate our agency.

Previously serving as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Danielle played a crucial role in our growth. As CEO, she aims to bring her passion for scaling marketing initiatives through modern strategies to drive our agency forward.

Danielle's vision aligns seamlessly with our commitment to innovation and client success, making her the ideal leader as we step into a new era of growth.

Getting to Know Danielle: An Exclusive Q&A on Leadership and Vision

We had a chance to sit down with Danielle for an engaging discussion, exploring her insights on past experience, digital marketing innovation, client relationships, leadership, company values, and culture.

Q: Your journey from founding BriteIdea Marketing Group, to being acquired by Integrate and serving as the SVP, to your current role as CEO of Integrate Agency is truly remarkable. What were the pivotal moments in your career that shaped your approach to marketing and leadership that drove this success?

A: I started my career in marketing back when I was in college, some would deem me the queen of direct mail at the time! Digital marketing didn't really exist, and creating an email newsletter was next level innovation. But outside of growing in my career while the era of digital marketing was just beginning, I was able to observe the importance of various tactics working together and supplementing one another (traditionally and digitally). I was also able to see how the rise in digital marketing greatly impacted organizations as a whole because you were now able to hit a much higher volume of customers at a fraction of the price.

By working on the brand side for many years, directly under the CEO and various VPs - I was able to be a part of organizational processes that would shape how they did business for the future. This was my pivotal moment - experiencing how marketing at a large scale impacts, EVERYTHING. From a brands tone, voice, look, feel, who you’re targeting, how you’re reaching them - the first interaction with a customer via advertisement then to their experience with an employee, all the way down to the completion of the sale and how you not only get customers but now, how do you keep them. How cool is it to work in a department that can make (or break) an entire company?

By experiencing my impact on the brand side, I then wanted to be able to do it at a larger scale - I wanted to chase that feeling of being able to plant a seed and watch it grow into something bigger than I could ever imagine. That’s when I started BriteIdea Marketing Group in 2016 and we were able to help over 100 different small businesses in various markets grow before merging with Integrate in 2021 and increasing our impact even further.

Q: How do you plan to leverage your experience to drive Integrate’s growth? What are your primary goals for Integrate Agency in the near future?

A: With so many tactics, platforms and options available to us as marketers it can be daunting, tedious and uncertain on which path to take for clients. Not to mention, The economic conditions have presented a unique challenge to our industry as a whole. I think it’s important to remember the cardinal rule that you can’t be everything to everyone and in order to succeed you need to focus on the few things that will make the biggest difference. Sometimes that means taking a step back and being truly honest with ourselves; what are the few things we’re really good at and what are the things we suck at. Then showing up for our clients in ways that are most meaningful and can make the biggest impact. Not only from a client/customer acquisition perspective but for their entire organization. My experience is scalable, efficient growth - and that's what I plan to do here.

Q: Are there any specific areas of expansion or innovation you're particularly excited about?

A: More on this to come in the near future, we’re not quite ready to spill the beans yet but I will say that I am a firm believer that marketing has trend cycles just as fashion does. I’m excited to tap into the roots of Integrate and explore opportunities based on the foundation it was created.

Q: How do you picture your role as CEO at Integrate Agency will uniquely elevate the client experience, fostering a sense of collaboration that extends beyond a transactional partnership?

A: My #1 priority has always focused on the relationships that I’ve built with not only prospects and clients but our team members and agency partners as well. It starts with the Integrate team dynamic and having a level of trust that each other is wholeheartedly working towards a common goal. This, of course, then trickles down to the client as they are the recipients of the team's output. It's very evident when a team is not working harmoniously together and greatly impacts client relationships. My goal will be to have our team show up as the client's #1 fan and vice-versa.

Q: You have been a mentor and leader to many Integrate employees over the years. Can you tell us more about your leadership style and how you plan to lead and inspire the Integrate team while fostering a positive work culture?

A: Following the advice of some of my favorites; Stephen Covey, Patrick Lencioni, Clayton Christensen, and Dale Carnegie (The list goes on) - Giving honest and authentic praise and feedback. Being in the trenches together, knowing that I am not, and can not be the smartest person in every room. Setting the team up with business acumen so they feel empowered to make executive decisions on their own (within reason) and knowing that I will have their back and we'll figure it out together if we need to readjust. I also think there's a lot to be said to owning your mistakes and taking accountability as a leader. We’re human, and when you can admit your faults, apologize and move on - it creates a new level of trust and openness. The team comes before anything else, and if we want to go far - we’ll go together.

Q: Tell us a bit more about your life outside of Integrate Agency. The role of CEO is multi-faceted and demanding. How do your hobbies influence your professional life?

A: A lot of my hobbies revolve around how I can best show up for myself and others. Maintaining a physically fit and healthy lifestyle, which includes strength training, tennis and I most recently completed my first half marathon. Dedicating a solid two-weeks a year for travel, allowing me to experience new cultures and see new perspectives. I also encourage my team to set dedicated time aside each year for unplugged travel. It allows us all to show up every day even more connected to our work and to our clients. I also just love exploring Texas with old-fashioned thrills whether that be on the lake or by 4-wheel drive with my dogs in tow.

Q: How do you maintain balance/harmony with your work and your personal life?

A: I hate to be one of those people who says “love what you do and you never work a day in your life” (gag) - but, while yes my career has been in marketing and advertising, my roles have predominantly been in leadership or client-facing. To me, showing up for the people you care about and want to see succeed, is not work. It's a part of my every day and is extremely fulfilling. Most importantly, I surround myself with people who elevate me - it's very true that you become a product of the 5 people you spend the most time with. All of my friends are either entrepreneurs or serve leadership roles in their organizations, and for me, it's so important to have that in common - because they also have similar goals, interests and priorities. Plus, we get to be each other's biggest hype squad on a daily basis.

Q: Your dedication to giving back to the community seems integral to your values. How do you plan to weave social responsibility into the fabric of Integrate Agency's operations?

A: Over the last decade of my career I’ve really focused on passing on the hard-earned lessons of my experiences to other women and mentoring our youth of next-gen entrepreneurs in underrepresented communities. Watching others grow and seeing them step into their own is so rewarding for me, and I’d love to explore new ways to continue to increase mentorship opportunities as a whole. Whether that be offering free workshops at youth centers, or creating a scholarship program. Skies the limit. I’m excited to include our team in these conversations and also incorporate programs that are important to them as well.

Q: Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring marketers or entrepreneurs aiming to achieve success in the current business climate?

A: Think lean, be bold, and always swing for the fences.