Designing with EQ: Claudia Arteaga, Senior Manager of Network Audio Investment

Welcome to Designing with EQ by Carat. In this series we take a closer look at the unique backgrounds, passions, and talents that make up the agency team, and how they come together to design for people and brands. 

For October’s edition, we sat down with Senior Manager of Network Audio Investment, Claudia Arteaga. Read on for an overview of Claudia’s workday and examples of how she designs for Carat clients. 

Q> What does a typical workday look like for you?

Claudia> I start my days early in the morning around 8:00am and try to catch up on any emails from the day before. We have an internal team meeting in the morning where I can check in with all the members of my team to make sure that everybody knows what the responsibilities are for the day. We usually go over any reporting that needs to be done and any critical items that need to be discussed. Then, we divide and conquer, while touching base regularly throughout the day.  

Q> What is one skill they do not teach you in school that you use every day?

Claudia> I would say time management. As your responsibilities change and grow, you must manage your time differently. It is important to keep that in mind in order to make sure that you're meeting your deliverables and not only work wise, but personally as well. Striking the right work-life balance is so important to make sure you are staying fulfilled. 

Q> How would you describe your job to a child?

Claudia> My daughter was home during the Summer and she saw me on the computer all the time. She said, “oh, what do you do?” The best way I could try to describe my job to her was “you know, when we get in the car and we're listening to the radio and we're listening to music and stuff, and there there's a break, you know that people are talking about products or services and things like that. That's what Mommy does. Mommy helps program the advertising breaks.”  She also knows I work on a pharma account, which she relates to the covid vaccines and is starting to make that connection between the pandemic and what I do. 

Q> How has your career evolved since you first joined Carat?

Claudia> Carat is where I started my career. I've been with the company for 10 years now, starting in 2012 as an Assistant and now I'm a Senior Manager. I got married in 2014 and at the time, my husband worked for ESPN in Connecticut while I was working out of New York City. I knew I wanted to move to Connecticut eventually and told my boss that I might have to quit because the commute was more than two hours each way. She told me to work from home for a month, and we'd see how it went...and I’ve been working from home ever since, long before it was the norm. 

Q> What makes the company culture at Carat unique?

Claudia? I honestly feel like the culture at Carat is very familiar. It's like family. We  spend most of our day talking to each other and I feel like I can tell somebody that I need to run out and take care of something personal and I know I will receive so much respect and help. I also give that respect to others. I've been working here for 10 years and I have team members that have been working with me the whole time, and I love it.

Q> At Carat, I'm designing for _____.  

Caudia> I am designing for a Hispanic audience. I'm Hispanic myself and I feel that there is a whole audience out there that needs to be tapped into which is now being recognised. I have been  dedicating time and effort on my end for that to happen. 

Carat is uniquely positioned to design for people on behalf of brands. Our people are our greatest asset, bringing diverse backgrounds together to bring insight and emotion to marketing. Interested in learning more? Check out the Carat LinkedIn page here.