‘Enjoy it all. We only have one shot at it’: Exceptional Women Out West podcast featuring Rebecca Armstrong, principal, managing director, North
Resiliency comes in many forms. For Rebecca Armstrong, principal and managing director at North, a Portland independent agency, both work and life are part of the narrative.
Running a successful agency.
Overcoming stage two invasive, triple-negative breast cancer.
Those are just two of the things that Armstrong, a highly-revered and respected leader in Portland’s advertising community, tackles with aplomb.
Her confidence manifests itself through humor and an uncanny combination of candor, calm and restraint — possibly, in her words, due to being British. Her “game face” is far from dispassionate, it is filled with emotion but tempered with an innate ability to get to the point. That economy of words is testament to her truly being a great listener in every sense of the word. When Armstrong ‘drops the mic,’ which is often, there are substantial points to be made, all with care, empathy and understanding.
Highly curious, Armstrong embraces hard work, paying ones dues and the unique culture that is around her, both personally and professionally. Experiencing life — getting out of the circular bubble that is advertising — is part and parcel of her unique spin on enjoying life, work being an important piece of the narrative. What’s most important to her, and the talent she works with, is that this life, and work, is to be enjoyed, not merely ‘endured’.
On life and work — the ever-elusive and perpetual conversation about balance — Armstrong ‘leans in’ but only to a point. The most important part of being not just a female leader, but a leader overall, is having a voice at the table in a way that makes an impact.
And what an impact she has made on North, Portland’s advertising community and the industry everywhere.
Exceptional Women Out West is a podcast that highlights and celebrates both the great achievement, lives and POV of amazing women in the Western US and Canada. Listen to previous episodes here. If you would like to nominate women out west to be part of the show, please contact North America Editor at Large, Doug Zanger.