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As a UC Berkeley alum with a BA in Psychology, Ceylan has a passion for digital journalism and creative strategy, and a knack for creating engaging and informative content across various platforms. She has acquired diverse experience in journalism, social media marketing, content, and startups, and is always eager to learn new skills and explore new opportunities.
In the past she’s acquired key experiences in the media industry in organizations such as Harvard Business Review, NBC, NTV, and Brut Media. Her responsibilities include social media, account management, creative marketing, content strategy, social production in editorial and branded content.
She is currently the co-managing partner and CMO of BeforeSunset, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to help people plan their work days. She manages the scaling of the startup through identifying and adapting to the latest trends in AI, and direct the marketing operations, communications, strategic partnerships, and social media.
Connect with her to learn more.
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Here are Five Things We Cover:
- Personal Growth and Job Fit: Ceylan emphasizes the importance of liking the people you work with and the environment of a startup. Choosing a job based on personal growth and interest is crucial for long-term satisfaction and success.
- Value of Trial and Error: The journey to discovering a fitting career path often involves trial and error. For instance, Ceylan’s shift from psychology to media and marketing illustrates how personal strengths and interests can shape one’s professional trajectory.
- Importance of Storytelling in Marketing: Understanding human perspectives and leveraging storytelling are critical in successful marketing initiatives. Ceylan shares how she effectively used user feedback and industry research to drive a successful marketing campaign at Before Sunset.
- Startup Experience and Networking: Working in startups offers unparalleled exposure and networking opportunities, especially for young professionals. Ceylan’s experience at UC Berkeley and in Silicon Valley helped her immerse in the startup culture, leading to lasting career impacts.
- Building and Leading Effective Teams: Effective vetting and hiring techniques are essential in building a strong team with an entrepreneurial mindset. Internships can serve as a useful tool to identify potential team members who demonstrate proactive and positive behaviors.
Here are Three Actionable Takeaways From This Episode
- Embrace the Startup Culture for Accelerated Learning and Networking: Ceylan Ersoy passionately emphasized the value of working in startups, particularly for young professionals or those at the early stages of their careers. Her experiences show that startups offer unparalleled opportunities for learning, rapid growth, and significant networking.
- Prioritize Personal Growth Over Immediate Job Fit: Take some time for self-assessment. Platforms like StrengthsFinder can help you identify your strengths and how they can contribute to your professional life
- The Power of Storytelling and Human Perspective in Marketing: Analyze successful marketing campaigns to understand how they used storytelling to connect with their audience. Harvard Business Review and Adweek often feature in-depth case studies of notable campaigns.