Caroline Rothwell, 40, Founder and President of CARO Marketing, has made an admirable career out of matching the right people with the right brands. For over ten years, Caroline has worked her magic with big names like Lauren Moffatt, Paul & Joe USA and Miss Me. Longevity like this doesn’t come easily, yet Caroline’s holistic approach offers a fresh perspective and redefines traditional marketing.
When she isn’t creating strategies and directing at Fashion Week, Caroline is leading her bi-coastal team towards CARO’s next chapter: empire-building. With a solid foundation, CARO Marketing looks to expand internationally and increase services. For a career that was just supposed to support Caroline’s passion for music, fashion and art, we’d say it’s working out quite well.
Thanks to Caroline’s warm demeanor, Career Contessa felt right at home in CARO’s Los Angeles office, accurately nicknamed “The Treehouse.” From a humble Pennsylvania beginning to celebrating her agency’s tenth anniversary, the story of Caroline’s career illustrates how hard work can get you to the top…and possibly to Paris, as well!
Her Starting Point
Many people find the transition between college and “real life” a bit daunting. Can you tell us about your journey between the two? What was your first job post-college?
My first PR job out of college was with the Governor’s office in Pennsylvania. I was the event coordinator in the PR division of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. We worked with the art councils of Pennsylvania, New York and California to grow awareness and programming for arts education. It was probably the most enriching experience of my life to see the power of PR and its ability to make dreams happen for children in need.
Why did you decide to pursue PR/marketing as a career?
While working with the Governor of Pennsylvania, I also was signed to an independent record label with my band, Nectar. Booking and promoting with the label was an amazing complement to what I did in my day job, and solidified my desire to pursue PR for my career; I not only felt empowered by my profession but also saw it as a way to follow my passions for music, fashion and art.
Tell us about your work experience prior to starting CARO Marketing.
I worked in retail PR and as a communications director before I secured my position as the in-house marketer for an apparel company in Los Angeles. I rapidly climbed the ladder by growing the retail store to a million dollar business. When I resigned as the VP of Marketing, the company had grown from a small boutique on Melrose to a $140M international brand with over eight franchise stores. I received two Brandweek awards for my work, and my “guerilla marketing” became what I am still known for today.
Her Big Break
What prompted the idea for CARO Marketing? How long did you think on the idea before pursuing it?
I created CARO Marketing because I saw a need for consultancy in the areas of marketing and PR for many brands. The Internet is an area I am experienced with, and I saw the world of ecommerce exploding with many apparel businesses behind the curve. I began a holistic approach with my clients by giving them an overall marketing and PR plan, which included traditional and non-traditional approaches that would allow them to stand apart from their competition—especially the emerging brands or those that were not as well-known or widely distributed as their peers. Also, and perhaps the most obvious reason, I wanted to be my own boss. I’ve always done my best work when I had autonomy; it’s just in my free-spirited nature.
How did you move forward with your ideas and vision for CARO Marketing?
I am a strategic planner and I like to plot my success and make sure to look at the obvious and not-so-obvious scenarios. My first step was to speak with the professionals and creatives I respected to get their honest advice and opinions on my business ideas and plans. I also utilized the Small Business Development Center in Los Angeles. You get free consultation and valuable advice from business professionals that want to see you succeed.
Taking the long but honorable road also is my way, so I made sure my legal counsel, CPA and book keepers were the best, and hired staff that respected and believed in my process and vision for CARO. I learned along the way that there are NO shortcuts when it comes to long term success and sustainability. We must all be open to change and growing with the times.
Tell us about the process of expanding to New York. Why was it important to establish a bi-coastal agency?
Being from the east coast, I always knew I would set up a bi-coastal agency. It’s important to stay close to your roots and remain grounded, especially when working out of Los Angeles.The New York agency has been a huge milestone for CARO and continues to build our network with the fashion community by providing a truly comprehensive service to our clients. CARO is very involved with the international fashion community, and being in New York was the footing we needed to tie it all together.
Are there any challenges as the result of being president for a bi-coastal company with international business? Is there anything you would change?
The challenge is realizing you can only be in one place at a time, and prioritizing life and work to make sure I am able to meet the challenges and be my best self. There is nothing I would change, and in fact, embrace the many benefits that technology provides us. Skype, Google Chat and Facetime are amazing tools and I utilize them a lot!
The key is having great people who know how to manage the clients and the offices when I am not there. Building relationships in PR is not just about maintaining and developing the right connections for the clients, but creating an in-house network of professionals who are hardworking, trustworthy and dependable. The only thing I would change is my stubbornness at times. I advise everyone to learn from their mistakes, don’t fight the inevitable. When you see an issue arise, don’t hope for the best, address it immediately. I now practice this daily and it’s amazing what can be accomplished.
How do you sign new clients? What marketing tools do you use? How do you stay fresh for your clients’ needs?
We have attained our clients through referral basis for the past ten years, and occasionally the organic meet-and-greet at a trade show or event. We initiate a stronger marketing program for the agency via personal outreach to those brands that fit our “niche” and those we can take to a whole new level. We also utilize the web and social networks.
As for creativity, I all but ooze it. This is our niche. We come up with concepts and ideas for small businesses and Fortune 500’s. This is where real success lies for most brands. Re-inventing the wheel, drumming up new ideas, taking risks and developing new ideas to reach a wider or new audience are essential. The key is keeping the passion alive in daily life, feeding the soul and being my authentic self. I continue to be involved in music, enjoy down time with my family and friends, enjoy traveling, shopping vintage, going to art shows, anticipating new trends, being a part of pop culture and never being afraid to be different from the rest.
If we had the chance to peek at your schedule, what would an average day look like?
Wow, it’s always different. As the president I have a new role than when I was solely the consultant or the publicist. I am now the teacher, the role model, the matriarch and make sure I am making solid business and financial decisions by keeping that omnipotent view to keep us viable—myself, the staff, our clients. I make sure I hire the best for my business, keep up on the trends and latest developments that impact our industry and remain my creative marketing self so we are always breathing new ideas into the business and our clients’ latest PR campaigns, events and new ventures.
What career move helped launched your success?
My big break was Paul & Joe, where I was able to bridge the success stories of the past with my vision for the future. I was known for my critical brand building and marketing for names like Von Dutch, TOMS Shoes and Miss Me in the contemporary space. After my work with Paul & Joe, we have grown our roster to include luxury brands and designers, which has authenticated our position in the fashion community.
You’ve worked in numerous fields such as marketing, PR, branding, communications, events, etc. Do you have a preferred focus? Do you think it’s good to have an industry focus?
I think it’s important to have a focus at some point, but I support those who explore until they find their passion. Sometimes we hear the stories people tell or we hear in our heads and then self-limit. Don’t do that. Find out what you are good at and embrace it. I love and am strongest with full scope brand development where I meet the brand’s sales, marketing and design teams and then develop a custom strategy. It’s a tailored approach; one that requires great communication between all parties and trust in ideas and direction.
Her Perspective
After ten successful years (congrats!), where do you see CARO Marketing in the next ten?
I see the company setting up an office in Paris and developing more properties for clients via licensing ventures and collaborations. I’ll focus on going from CARO foundation-building to empire-building, with more strategic partnerships with complementary business entities and expand our service offerings.
The PR industry can be demanding. What challenges have you faced?
All business is competitive, which is actually a good thing. It’s the way you play the game though that differentiates one PR agency from another. The obstacle is keeping clients satisfied with consistent results, but by doing this it prevents loss of clients to other agencies. Understanding, listening, executing—these are all key to a meaningful relationship with my clients. I focus on the work, not on looking in the rearview mirror. Some you lose, some you win but, in the end, it’s the work that counts.
What guidance can you offer aspiring PR and marketing professionals?
Well, I agree with the “if you have to cry, go outside” philosophy. It is a tough business, stress runs high, so it’s up to you to manage the life/work balance. Knowledge is key; know your industry and be an excellent communicator. Set high goals and achieve them. Challenge yourself, speak your mind, put forth great ideas, be ethical, work with integrity and have fun. This is a dream job if you go into it with the right attitude.
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