“See It & Be It”: Amanda DeVito of Butler/Till’s

As part of the 4A’s “See It & Be It” series focusing on gender equality & diversity, Amanda DeVito, Vice President of Engagement, Butler/Till in Rochester, NY, is a gay woman who’s leading a successful career in advertising. She serves on the board of the National Center for Employee Ownership and also worked as a sales manager for a local ABC-TV affiliate. Here she offers advice and shares her story.

Words of advice to young talent:

Since the premise of this is really gender equality and diversity, if I had to give advice to young female talent it would be: do your due diligence and don’t be afraid to ask for the right amount of money. Women are still paid 79 cents for every dollar earned by men. That is a gender wage gap of 21 percent. If you think about the traits of women in the workforce—yes, maybe a bit generalized, but you get it—they are team players, empathetic, honest, up for the challenge and hard workers. So, know that as a woman, you are going into the workforce with some awesome traits. And you deserve to get paid equal to your male counterparts! So, add this trait to the list that many men in my career have seemed to excel at. Ask for what you want. And know, you deserve it.

A moment of overcoming discrimination in the business:

When I hear the word discrimination, I immediately think of harassment or not getting hired due to your gender or sexuality. I am a gay woman and I have not had that issue from a hiring standpoint (as far as I am aware of). But, back in my early sales days, I have had a select group of clientele that were beyond inappropriate. The experience was horrible, but it quickly made me realize that discrimination in business doesn’t always have to be as obvious as one might think. There are many, many shades of grey. And I think we have to be very cognizant of what that shading can look like. Frankly, if we tell people to be on the lookout for obvious discrimination, we may actually be missing subtle, yet important signs of discrimination. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard women described as “emotional,” “bitchy” or “aggressive”… but I rarely hear that type of language when describing men in the workforce. I hear “passionate” and “forthright.” So, when we discuss discrimination we need to point out the obvious but also the not-so-obvious. And, over time, those too can become quite dangerous in the workforce.

Your first mentor and what that meant for your career:

Sue Butler, who started Butler/Till with Tracy Till, is by far one of the best mentors in my life. She has guided me throughout my career. Telling me when to pivot and when to push forward. She has challenged me and loved me in a way that has made me not only a better business person, but a better human being. Though I have known her for a good chunk of my professional career, it was really during the last five years that I have had the pleasure of seeing her in action. I have witnessed true vulnerability, strength, patience and a kindness that she showcases with her employees and clients. One of the best pieces of advice Sue has taught me: luck favors the prepared. She challenged me to be better prepared in every aspect of my job. Her motto was, “you will be lucky in situations if you fully prepare in advance.” And when I haven’t, low and behold, I tend to lose that luck. She still has “office hours” at the agency and I hear so many of our Millennials talk about how great she is. They may not work with her on the day-to-day, but they get a wisdom that will never leave. She is always accessible and willing to guide. If I didn’t have her in my career, I know my path would have gone off course. Thanks Sue for being my FEMtor! (my female version of MENtor)