45. Equality Media + Marketing
Equality Media + Marketing was created by founder Marilla Akkerman to reshape how work happens in the media and marketing sector. See their Smart50 rank.
Revenue: $7.3 million
Growth: 28%
Founders: Marilla Akkermans
Head office: Richmond, VIC
Year founded: 2018
Employees: 17
Industry: Marketing & Advertising
Website: equalitymedia.co
How Equality Media + Marketing started
Marilla Akkerman, whose brilliant career in advertising spans nearly two decades, had her first child in 2016. When asked to return to work early, she realised a part-time salary would not reflect the full range of skills she brought to the workplace. This prompted her to rethink her career path. Instead of accepting a diminished role, she chose to leverage her experience and skills to create her own custom-designed workplace, Equality Media + Marketing.
Growth
While her business doubled in size during its first three years, Akkermans stayed committed to understanding her clients’ businesses, while providing genuine care and accountability. She became a key adviser for clients reorganising their strategies in a changing business environment. Throughout 2022-23, her pragmatic approach to advertising allowed her to focus on short-term outcomes while keeping the future in sight. During that period, she and her team managed 63 advertising campaigns and contributed to almost $1 billion in property sales.
Where to next
In the next 12 months, Akkermans intends to continue to create workplace policies that people need, with a particular focus on the career development of women. Workplace flexibility is still paramount, but she is also determined to ensure that young women entering the industry get the boost they deserve. Now, Akkermans is developing a paid internship program, helping young marketers to gain the experience they need to propel their careers.
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