So impressive was her performance in her first two weeks into
her job at Grey as an account coordinator for Oracle that she was
promoted to account executive. Two months later she was elevated to
the worldwide team, with the clients insisting on Ms. Titolo's
presence in meetings. From there she went to McCann, San
Francisco, to work on General Motors and
the Oakland A's. After a three-year stint, she joined another local
shop, Eleven, where she helped reel in accounts like Virgin America
and Calloway. That was the post that propelled her into her current
role as managing director at Dojo, owned by
Brazil-based Grupo ABC.
Ms. Coletti's ascent is all the more impressive because she's
always forged ahead even in the face of challenging personal
circumstances. Having suffered from an autoimmune disease since she
was a small child, Ms. Titolo developed Alopecia, which in late
2009 led to her losing 85% of her hair in 40 days.
"You start questioning your own identify. You start questioning
your ability to own a room, direct a conversation and build
confidence in your peers and colleagues," said Ms. Titolo. "I
wrongly assumed that because I was no longer me on the outside,
some of my business cachet had diminished. What I learned, however,
is my personality strengths and the knowledge that I had about the
industry trumped the fact that I was bald. It was a pivotal moment
for me. Shortly after, almost the entire agency [Eleven] shaved
their head with me, which was a pretty remarkable experience. Talk
about support! We donated a lot to Locks of Love that day."
During her life, Ms. Titolo has had two mentors, her mom, and
former Dell marketing exec
and now consultant Casey Jones. Said Mr. Jones: "She is more --
perhaps than any young person I've ever met -- comfortable both in
her own skin and in any room with any level of executive, rock
star, or TV personality. You can put her in front of a client and
know that she's bulletproof on her stuff."
Knowing what you know now, what career advice would you
have given yourself when you were starting out?
Read, engage and pay attention. Right time, right place is only
"right" if you have the right information and preparation. Never
burn a bridge, this industry is far too small.
What is your favorite book?
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.
Give us one fact about yourself that will surprise
people.
I'm dyslexic.
If I wasn't doing this job, I'd be ...
Lobbying Congress in support of education reform in the U.S.
What's your favorite kind of music?
Sing-along songs.
What is your dream vacation spot?
Desolate beach in South Africa.
