Nancy Laster: A True Leader in Advertising

[Womens Fund Admin]

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into the marketing/advertising business? What prompted you to start your own business?

I moved back home to El Paso in 1979 from Dallas, where I had been the Public Information Director for the PBS television station there. My degree was in journalism, but I had been more involved in public relations and advertising while I was in Dallas.

After interviewing with every major advertising agency in El Paso, the only job I was offered was the receptionist position. I wasn’t looking to just get my foot in the door – I was looking to use my skills, and I was pretty dejected to find that there were very few women in the advertising business in El Paso. In one of my interviews, I met with the creative director of an agency, and we eventually started Laster & Siegel together. That was back in 1980! He eventually moved away from El Paso, and I merged with another agency to form Laster & Miller. Then in 1996, I decided to go on my own and formed The Laster Group.

You’ve established a successful business. What would you say is the secret of your success?

One thing – the people I work with. I pride myself in hiring employees who are smarter and more talented than I am. They have made us what we are today. If you surround yourself with good people, you are more likely to be successful.

Do you have any favorite product, project or client?

Of course, I have to say that all of my clients are my favorite! But the one project that I take the most pride in is the Savings Challenge that we helped develop for GECU. It has taught people in our community how to get out of debt and start saving money. The program has gone national and has put GECU on the map in the eyes of other credit unions. GECU’s VP of Marketing, Musette Bracher, was just named Texas Credit Union Marketer of the Year. It’s a success story that touches many lives.

What are the greatest challenges you face in your business?

We are constantly re-inventing ourselves. Keeping up with technology, especially in our business, is critical. Our advertising has become much more interactive as we explore different ways to use the Internet to the advantage of our clients. Finding the right talent is also a challenge, especially since we prefer to hire locally and keep jobs in El Paso. We have made the commitment to invest in technology and train our staff so that we remain competitive.

What advice would you give a woman interested in starting her own business?

It’s very lonely at the top. Find yourself a great partner – someone you trust, whether male or female – to help share the responsibilities. Two heads are better than one, and each of you can bring a different perspective to challenges and opportunities. I’ve done it both ways – by myself and with a partner – and I will always choose to have someone accompany me on the journey. The disappointments along the way don’t seem quite as bad, and the triumphs are twice as meaningful!