Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alberlynne “Abby” Woods. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Alberlynne “Abby”, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I love this question! While I have often found myself in spaces were it appears that I am the only Black American female, I never really see it that way at all. Wherever I am, I am very intentional about the fact that I am representing so many people. Beyond my mother and father and my entire family’s lineage, I also represent each and every person who has been placed in my path who has helped me along my way. I consider all of them to be my village. Some of these people were there to elevate me and give me a chance, while others were there to tear me down and cause me to learn great lessons. Many will say that when they meet me, I am a big personality. It is not lost on me standing 6′ 1″ feet tall or walking besides my husband who is 6’7. I feel comfortable in most rooms because I have a lot of wind that has been blowing in my sails for many moons. I draw on my experiences (good and bad) over the years to help move conversations forward towards progress. When I speak with or meet with others, I realize that they also come representing their village, their family lineage, and their experience of life. For us to come together for a moment in time means more than any of us really ever can imagine. I believe that there is more room for us to be successful and effective by offering grace, listening, learning, and bringing every part of our past to create the future.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In July 2023 my Co-founder and husband, James Woods Jr., encouraged me to step into the role of CEO and President for Quartermain Media. I previously held the title of Producer/Chief Creative Officer while he held the CEO baton. In my new role, this makes Quartermain Media Woman-owned and Black-owned. I intend to build upon our company’s history of being visually powerful storytellers for globally recognized brands such as Google/YouTube, Meta, Twitch, Microsoft, and Disney. As we enter 2024 and look towards the future I feel compelled to use our experience providing high quality video products backed-up with strategy and intelligent creativity to help ALL kinds of brands (small, emerging, large, and global). So I am excited to share that we are shifting gears. Firstly, we have begun to offer more than video production and YouTube channel expertise by adding on a suite of services for advertising and marketing. We want to make commercials, billboards, digital ads, plus curate impactful experiential events to attract new and loyal customers for the brands that we work with. Secondly, we are moving our headquarters from California to Mississippi. While the west coast remains the birthplace of Quartermain Media, we are excited to become a national service provider for the southern, eastern and mid-western regions of the United States. All of this progress aligns perfectly with our call to have brands and advertisers to join us at the intersection where art meets analytics, creativity, and tons of brilliant wonder.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. We have never believed in putting pressure on creativity. 2. We allow creativity to flow from our passion and we find inspiration all around us.
3. We have resilience and determination, but we also embrace our weird quirks and creative intellect that we believe offer a specialized blueprint for success.
My advice to those who are early in your journey, learn to count it all joy. In the beginning, you will fail. You will be fired, you will be laid off, you will lose. These instances will not break you. They will be the most valuable lessons on how to do better the next time. Allow yourself grace to grow because oh, the places you will go.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
We are always looking to partner and collaborate with the creative underdogs of this world who understand the value of storytelling. We are not afraid to work with people who have zero experience to help guide them through what can be a traitorous road. We pride ourselves on having more interns and freelancers on our payroll than we do full-time staffers so that we can stay abreast of the latest trends and have fresh perspectives on our conversations. It also helps us to have a national reach unlike many others in our field. We love working with college students who may be worried about their creative career path, too. We don’t just give people a gig, we help them with their resumes, offer professional development, and offer a safe space to ask questions they might otherwise be afraid to ask. Now, you will work hard and we will stretch your mind, and if you stick with us, you will also thank us for it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://quartermainmedia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quartermainmedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ATribecalledquartermain
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quartermain-media/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz2XK1lVk0v05gB6M5hG5HQ
- Other: https://cuetheculture.com/
Image Credits
First photo and one with Abby in red: Photo Credit: Teal Moss
