Ad Age is marking Black History Month 2024 with our fourth-annual Honoring Creative Excellence package. (Read the introduction here.) Today, guest editor Sheereen Miller-Russell turns the spotlight to Chauncey Wesley, executive VP and managing partner of activation, Mediabrands, who writes about embracing her identity and bringing her life experiences to professional discussions.

I arrived in New York on a chilly June night—a juxtaposition with the hot Texas summer I had just left—to begin my career. The voice of my mentor from the university I had just graduated from was echoing in my head: Be prepared to not be prepared.

My interest in the advertising industry goes back to working on the ad sales committee of my high school literary magazine. Brainstorming concepts, pitching strategy and tactics, creating what I later learned were campaigns. I fell for the power of persuasion, and the thrill that came from pulling levers that could convince someone to take a desired action. My high school mentor instilled in me that not everyone is going to like everything you do, and that’s OK.

To be clear (looking at you, Mom), I do not make ads. But I ensure those ads, those moments, those experiences are purchased to appear in front of the right audience, in their optimal headspace, for the most advantageous price. Through the years, I am most proud of my behind-the-scenes “the devil is in the details” storyline. The acceptance of first-to-market deal terms. The “yes” that came after countless rounds and straight-up perseverance. Persuading clients to connect authentically with certain audiences outside the month of February. Or September/October. Or Lunar New Year.

In a one-on-one with the CEO of my agency early in my career, she told me, “Ask for everything, because closed mouths certainly don’t get fed.”

In 2023, we onboarded a Fortune 500 account going through the most ambitious marketing transformation of its storied history. It is a beautiful case study of how to elevate an institution that carries a beloved brand. But change is not easy, so as we rolled up our sleeves, worked through challenging decisions and identified new paths forward, I turned to my support team of mentors for advice, and to my own mentees to share real-time trials.

In tapping into the support of my network, it occurred to me that these were the same people who helped me navigate one of the most profound transformations I’ve experienced—that of my own career. Through the years I have benefited from the open-door policies that came with my own village of hype men and women, critical to my ascension and elevation to the leadership position I hold today.

I have had many impactful “pinch me” moments where I’ve looked around a room or a table, in awe of the leaders on either side of me—places I never imagined for myself. While the support of others gave me clarity and guidance to lead the team I do today, as one of my current mentors recently reminded me, transformation has brought me exactly where I am meant to be.

So, if ever the room you belong in feels like it’s at max capacity, don’t just squeeze yourself in—take the door off its hinges and bring at least one deserving person with you.