Little Minx’s Rhea Scott on how raising four kids and having a great career are not a conflict of interest

Ad Age is marking Women’s History Month 2024 by publishing a series of guest essays from women industry leaders who share their personal journeys and career lessons. Today, Rhea Scott, president of production company Little Minx, writes about how “mothering my own brilliant, unruly brood actually helped me be a better boss.” Ad Age Leading Women Luncheon Join us Aug. 7 in New York as we recognize this year’s honorees Buy your ticket today As a woman in this business, I’d say my biggest revelation was that what I was good at wasn’t necessarily what dictated my path forward. My priorities changed over the years—especially when I became a mother (of four!). I was only 24 when I started working at Propaganda Films … and I was terrified. Let’s just say that on my first day as Head of Music Video, an actress had to be rushed to the hospital after being left too long in a body bag. Talk about a baptism by fire. But set snafus aside, what really got me was that I found myself in a white man’s world. Specifically, white men with goatees (so many goatees). Working at Propaganda taught me so much, including what I didn’t want to do with my career. I didn’t want to work in an environment defined by competition and an endless pursuit of prestige. I didn’t want to always be one of two women in the room, surrounded by men who had defined success for themselves and were constantly holding me up to those standards. Don’t get me wrong, I excelled under this pressure. I climbed to the top of the ladder, so to speak, but once there I found that I wanted more. I wanted to be somewhere that made art that moved the culture forward. But also, I wanted to work somewhere that nurtured creativity and felt like a supportive family. It felt like a pipe dream at the time, but I vowed that if I ever started my own company, I would do things differently. Fast-forward to my biggest wake-up call of all: getting pregnant with my first child. What I heard most during that time wasn’t “Congratulations!” but “How much time are you taking off?” I was even pressured to hide my pregnancy initially so that no one would get “distracted.” Ultimately, I was allowed to take one week off out of my two-week holiday pay. And good little soldier that I was, I was on the phone with Michael Bay and Meatloaf 45 minutes after giving birth. Read more essays from women advertising leaders Shortly thereafter, I was let go with a small severance package and left to watch my junior rep enjoy the fruits of my labor. I was devastated. I felt lost. I wasn’t happy in my relationship either, so I left him too, starting over from scratch. It was the scariest time of my life, but also the most exhilarating. I was no longer walking someone else’s path. I was blazing my own. Four kids and 26 years later, there have been many setbacks, many tears, countless lessons. But by refusing to compromise my soul for the sake of my career, I found my people. Malik Hassan Sayeed. Helen Hollien. My little work family truly functioned together as a family—through hard times as well as triumphs. And I found that mothering my own brilliant, unruly brood actually helped me be a better boss. Like any good mom, I know how to create an environment where my mentees can grow and thrive. I move slow and steady through the chaos. I multitask without losing my mind in the process. I create a safe environment for my artists, where honesty and respect are just as valued as hard work. And would you believe that in a quarter century of Little Minx, not one goatee has sprouted? (That’s my only rule in the dress code.) This is the culture Little Minx thrives in. It was built with no small amount of blood, sweat and tears, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Ad Age Leading Women Luncheon Join us Aug. 7 in New York as we recognize this year’s honorees Buy your ticket today

Little Minx’s Rhea Scott on how raising four kids and having a great career are not a conflict of interest

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