Jill Adams was selected as one of the Hartford region’s Remarkable Women in Business by the Hartford Business Journal . Eight women were selected from the Hartford area who excel in leadership positions and stand as examples of excellence in their industries. Jill was honored before 300 at a reception on May 8th at the Hartford Hilton.

Hartford Business Journal

March 24, 2008

Name: Jill Adams

Occupation: President, Adams & Knight.

Location of Business: 80 Avon Meadow La., Avon.

Adams is president and majority owner of Adams & Knight, an integrated marketing communications agency in Avon. Established in 1988, the company is one of the largest women owned businesses in the state. Adams grew up in Kansas City, Mo. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree in communications from Boston University. She was named Marketer of the Year by Connecticut’s chapter of the American Marketing Association for 2005, 2006 and 2007. Adams & Knight was recognized by CareerBuilder.com on CNN. com as a company that provides excellent perks, along with others such Google and Goldman Sachs.

Who is your most influential role model and why?

My most influential role models are my parents who both passed on very different, but complementary skills. My mother had an uncanny ability to read people. She taught me how to quickly size up a situation and alter my approach based on that read. My father continues to teach me the importance of never giving up. He instilled in me that I could do anything I put my mind to, as long as I was unwilling to accept defeat, however I defined (or redefined) that. So by combining these two lessons, I’ve come to believe that if I’m perceptive enough and persistent enough (some might say stubborn enough!), I can find a way around any obstacle and toward any goal.

Why are you good at what you do?

In my role as both a business owner as well as one of our agency’s chief marketing communication strategists, I need to be good at both the 30,000-foot strategic thinking as well as the on-the-ground tactical execution. Our clients want “big” ideas. They need ever more innovative ways to get their message out to the right target audience using an array of communication tools. But those strategies can only drive results if we’re good at the execution. So I need to be able to mobilize our team to get things done as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Fortunately, I have a passion for both brainstorming the ideas as well as driving the results.

Professionally, what has been your greatest victory? Your biggest defeat?

I’m proud of many of our business’ accomplishments. But I get no greater satisfaction than looking around at our many talented, caring, fun employees who pull together every day to get things done for our clients. It’s a humbling responsibility…knowing that these people are investing so much of their lives in helping us grow this business. Building this team has been my greatest accomplishment.

My biggest defeat was doing a fabulous job for one of our favorite clients, then not being able to “win over” new management and ultimately losing the account. It was such a heartbreaker to know that even though the results had been outstanding, that wasn’t enough to earn a shot with the new management.

When the stress level gets too high, what’s your secret remedy?

The best stress relievers in the world are my two dogs. I’m so fortunate that they get to come to work with me every day. It’s definitely one of the biggest perks of owning our own business. They never fail to make me laugh.

How have you tried to balance your career and your personal life? Is there an example or two you can share?

That’s a constant struggle. What works best for me is scheduling time do things that take me out of my day-to-day world and give me an opportunity to experience new things with friends and family. Like going to One-Day University, where my husband and I get to hear from great professors across all kinds of disciplines, which always inspires great conversations afterwards. Or buying season’s passes to Hartford Stage and the Connecticut Forum, where we love being exposed to new art, new ideas. Or going to cooking class, something I’m not very good at, but have fun trying.

What advice would you give to young women just starting their careers?

Our business is growing, so I do interview a lot of people. And I’m surprised how many younger people focus on what they’re going to “get” out of a job. They ask about the salary, the bonuses, the vacation time, the title, etc. Don’t get me wrong…all that IS important. But ultimately I see that employees are most satisfied by what they have the opportunity to “give” to their job. So I encourage young people to really think about the special talents they have…and then look for a career, a job, an employer where they’ll have the best opportunity to use those talents and be appreciated for them. A place where they can contribute to something greater than themselves. That’s when you’ll love your career.