Q&A with FatTail's New Chief Revenue Officer Laura Boodram
FatTail announced Monday that it has appointed Laura Boodram, formerly SVP of partner success, chief revenue officer. The move comes as FatTail scales and seeks to unify its marketing, customer success, and sales organizations under one executive.
We interviewed Laura to hear more about what the appointment means for FatTail’s customers, how it relates to the state of the industry and FatTail’s role within it, and her advice for other women building careers in digital media and adtech.
How will your appointment as CRO affect FatTail’s customers?
FatTail grew revenue by 47% in 2022 while maintaining a negative churn rate. As a company scales, it needs to ensure that it’s not just adding new business but helping existing customers get the most out of its solutions. As the head of sales, customer success, and marketing, I’ll have a more complete view of the entire FatTail customer experience and will be able to work toward that vision of our customers getting the maximum possible value out of FatTail’s diverse products.
For example, we’ve offered OMS solutions for decades, but we’ve also recently rolled out new creative management capabilities via AdBookPORTAL and an automated direct deals marketplace called, aptly, Deals Marketplace. I will focus on helping customers benefit from the total components of the FatTail platform rather than relying on one individual element of it as a point solution.
Where is the adtech industry right now, and how is FatTail making a difference?
With privacy changes intensifying, intermediary fees high, and a possible recession brewing, publishers need to get more out of each media dollar, and advertisers need to get more media for each dollar they spend. FatTail is responding to this challenge with Deals Marketplace, which is allowing brand publishers to connect with advertisers directly without compromising the efficiency that comes with programmatic.
In addition to supporting our ongoing OMS products, I will be responsible as CRO for helping drive adoption of Deals Marketplace. Publishers have been facing revenue maximization challenges for years, just as advertisers have struggled with the lack of transparency and brand safety issues associated with the open programmatic market. The task of evangelizing Deals Marketplace and helping both publishers and advertisers adopt automated direct will be a key part of writing the next chapter in digital media.
You’re a part of Chief, an organization that helps drive women into positions of power and succeed when they’ve reached those roles. What advice do you have for other women with leadership ambitions?
Chief has been a valuable addition to my toolkit because their mission aligns closely to the advice I’d give: Women have always had a voice; with the right support, you can learn how to use it.
My top three pieces of advice are:
Grow your network in every possible way. Find opportunities to connect both with others like you and with mentors who can help provide feedback and perspectives. This is a critical way to help discover your strengths and how to use them to overcome your weaknesses. Networking also equips you to advocate for your goals and needs.
Never stop learning. Read intentionally. Approach every situation with a growth mindset, and learn to listen!
Exercise humility. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t claim and own your victories, but sustain focus on solving problems and supporting others. Life is not a competition, and there’s little we can achieve independently. It’s uplifting to uplift, and I’ve always felt most rewarded when others succeed — no matter how small or large the victory.
Finally, regardless of your gender or the stage of your career, do what you say you’re going to do, and where possible, do more than you’re asked. Work with integrity and hustle, and worry about the reward later.