Lauren Summers
Hello, my name is Lauren Summers, Founder & Director of The AdBox.
I am a 3rd generation Zambian. I went to school in Zambia, and was told by my school (much later in life) that I was dyslexic, and from there, I certainly wasn’t one of the top academics in my class. I graduated quite comfortably and got accepted to a university in Australia where I graduated with a Bachelors in Creative Advertising.
Soon after, I returned to Zambia where I started working as a Marketing & Communications Manager for a company in the agricultural sector. Having a basic understanding of Marketing, I was driven by the fact that I could see international companies were coming to Zambia trying to implement international marketing strategies without any kind of knowledge or understanding of Zambia (and there are honestly no books that cover such a diverse existence). So I went back to studying online with the University of Liverpool where I graduated with my MSc in Global Marketing. With the knowledge I then had, I decided to open up my own marketing & advertising consultancy and to help international companies adapt their strategies to suit the Zambian market.
In my spare time, I am a Polocrosse player - I play for Zambia internationally. In 2015, I competed in one of the three world cups I have competed in so far and I won best lady player and held that title for four years!
Company Name: The AdBox
Location: Lusaka, Zambia
Operating since: 2016
Website: www.theadboxzambia.com
Instagram: @theadboxzambia
Tell us all about your company. What services do you offer?
My company offers a diverse range of services from marketing consultancy to various design services - graphics, animation, branding, videography, photography - and online marketing including social media. We also offer PR services.
How did you get the idea or concept for your company? What was your mission at the outset? Was there anything in particular that inspired you to start at the time you did?
As I mentioned, I noticed the lack of information in Zambia for international companies who were looking to fully and successfully integrate their marketing to suit the Zambian market. So with this in mind, I did my thesis on communication methods and adaptive communication keeping in mind the diverse target markets, psychographics and technologies in Zambia. I had learnt a lot and wanted to share my experience with those who had invested in Zambia.
Growing up, did you always intend to start your own company?
Absolutely - I was a creative at heart, but never expected to get into marketing or to get my MSc considering my struggle in school with dyslexia.
How have your past personal & professional experiences helped you to run your company?
Working under a larger corporate company certainly led me to open my mind to systems and processes; however, it did teach me that being too corporate, too structured, can drain the creative collective fire or a team. My team and I are flexible and open minded. I also try as best I can to let others have as much responsibility as I can.
What is the biggest personal / professional obstacle you've had to overcome?
Certainly tackling my dyslexia - in the beginning or when I was told that was an issue, it didn’t even have to be an issue for it to become an obstacle. I was never the biggest academic but it taught me that you don’t have to be the smartest to be successful, you just have to work hard and dedicate your time to what you love.
What's your definition of success? Do you consider yourself a success? If not, when will you?
The definition of success to me is not someone who is the smartest academic, but someone who has dedicated themselves full-heartedly to what they love, and with that attitude, has developed something they are proud of.
What are some of your future plans? Are you working on anything else right now?
My company is currently small and I have kept it as small as I can - to try and perfect our services and to fully understand how each aspect works within the company. I do plan to expand the company and reach out to more clients - but I am waiting for the perfect balance. I will do so when the time is right.
What advice would you give to a woman starting out in your industry or starting her own company/organization?
Don’t ever let being a woman get you down. I have yet to experience a time where my gender has ever let me down. You are who you believe you are, and what you put out, you get back. So believe you are strong, believe you are smart, believe in your products or services, believe you are the best at what you do and no one will let you down. No one will limit you!
Describe yourself in ONE word. Driven
Complete this sentence: "To be a girl or woman today is..." what you make of it.
If you enjoyed reading about Lauren Summers, you can follow her on LinkedIn.