We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Domenique Comparetto. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Domenique below.
Domenique, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
I’d always been passionate about travel and kept a running list of places I wanted to visit, even as a child. I remember learning about different countries in 5th grade, specifically Australia. We had a guest speaker come into class who had studied abroad in Australia, and she shared her experience with us as well as facts about the country and her favorite parts of the culture. Immediately, Australia took the number one spot of travel destinations in my eleven-year-old mind.
I grew up surrounded by a lot of encouragement and freedom. It’s a combination that has given me the confidence to take on a variety of opportunities throughout my life. My parents always celebrated my wins and helped me figure out a new approach when things didn’t quite go my way. They were very accommodating to my curiosity and found ways for me to learn about any interest I had. It was a perfect setup for a lifelong desire to try new things and maintain an exploration mindset.
When I was fifteen, I learned of a travel group for teenagers that presented an opportunity to visit Australia. I knew I was going. I don’t think I even asked my parents if I could go. I told them I was applying and all the steps I would need to take to get there. I submitted my application and was accepted. I made a budget, strategized a fundraising campaign, opened a bank account, found out how to get a passport, presented my mom with a list of immunizations recommended by the US State Department, and asked her to schedule an appointment with my pediatrician. About six months later, I boarded a plane, not knowing a single person in my travel group or at my destination.
At the time, I didn’t think much of the process. It was something I wanted to do, and there were a series of steps I needed to take to get there. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned how nervous my parents were about letting their kid travel to the other side of the world alone before she even had her driver’s license. Looking at the situation from the lens of an adult and looking at the level of responsibility most teenagers possess, I see how that can be terrifying for parents.
Fortunately, there was a lot my parents did right. They taught me that I’m responsible for my own life and if there is something I want, it’s up to me to get it. They also engrained in me that I am smart, capable, and I can do anything if I’m willing to work for it. And they stuck to that even when it meant allowing solo international travel as a sophomore in high school!
Those lessons were second nature to me. Because of this, nothing about the process seemed daunting, scary, or out of the ordinary. I realize now what a big accomplishment that was at my age, even though it seemed completely and naturally within my capabilities at the time. This approach to the world has been the cornerstone of my professional life.
In my work and in my professional life, I continue to benefit from those lessons and the confidence I gained from them. I look at challenges as a series of steps I need to go through to reach the desired goal, and nothing is out of reach. I think confidence and curiosity are the best gifts you can give to a child because it let’s them pursue the life they want, rather than a life they feel they are given.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
In undergrad, I studied art. I’ve always had a strong creative side and wanted to explore that more. I enjoy making art and I enjoy appreciating and studying art, but I also have a very analytical side. I found it challenging that in making art, there is no right answer. I always want that feeling of checking off boxes and confirming things have been done correctly.
After some time and career exploration, I found the balance I had been looking for in marketing. There’s a lot of problem solving involved and a strong need for creativity. There is a focus on how things are designed for communication that incorporates the principles of visual art. But there are also boxes to check. There are required elements that can add to the challenge, and when marketing meets its intended goals, there is a sense of “getting the right answer”.
I’ve found this especially true working with Altered State Productions. The agency is staffed entirely with individuals who are artists first. We also happen to be brilliant marketers with savvy business minds. It makes the work so rewarding because everyone on the team is vision driven with a desire to push boundaries and make artwork while accomplishing business goals. I won’t say this combination of passions doesn’t exist elsewhere, but the balance I find at Altered State meshes perfectly with my work style.
Hearing from our clients, it’s definitely an approach that’s desired in the industry. You can buy a campaign that is data-backed to create a certain range of results, but it will often feel lifeless, and it can easily blend into the noise of the consumeristic world we live in today. You can also find artists that create wonderful and compelling work, but it may not always have a clear objective, so the results will often be mixed. Working with an agency that combines the logical approach with an authentic artistic vision is a rare find.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
When it comes to managing a team and maintaining high morale, a key factor is truly understanding each team member individually. Recognize their strengths and what they enjoy about their work. Identifying and leveraging these elements aligns tasks with team members’ capabilities and gives them a sense of fulfillment and ownership in their roles.
Giving team members the autonomy to make decisions based on their professional judgment can lead to better results than you could have predicted. The power of a team comes from a variety of perspectives. Empowering team members to include their own vision enables them to contribute in the most effective way.
Recognizing the type of work each individual enjoys is crucial as it allows them to grow and develop in these areas, often leading to surprising and impressive outcomes. On the other hand, when tasks they might not enjoy as much are inevitable, clear communication about the significance of these tasks and their contribution to team goals is important. No one wants to feel like they are wasting time on work they view as irrelevant. Striking a balance here can help minimize resistance.
Supporting individual team members in the way they find most beneficial is another cornerstone of good team management. Anticipating their needs and providing the necessary resources before they ask not only improves productivity but also boosts their confidence. Once your team is set up for success, reducing micromanagement to a minimum enables team members to expand their responsibilities and take pride in their contributions.
Effective team management is about understanding and respecting individual team members while maintaining a clear focus on collective goals.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
As I mentioned previously earlier, a part of me has always felt comfortable with the certainty of checked boxes and the assurance that things are done just right, according to plan. This approach defined much of my professional life – learning the rules, identifying best practices, and then continuously optimizing.
It worked well for me until I began working with start-ups. The start-up environment requires an entirely different approach. You often don’t have a set list of rules or precedents to follow. Many times, you’re charting new territory, initiating projects that are firsts for the company. It’s like stepping onto a path that’s still being paved.
You have a wide range of creative freedom, which is something I love. But it also means working without the usual guardrails. It’s both exciting and a little nerve-wracking at times – you have the space to innovate but without the safety net of established guidelines.
I found myself learning to navigate projects with a sense of ownership and initiative rather than relying on pre-established standards. This transition wasn’t easy; I definitely felt some discomfort and anxiety while I learned to adjust. There were moments of second-guessing and uncertainty along the way, for sure.
But as I grew more comfortable with this flexibility and adaptability, I began to appreciate and even enjoy this way of working. It’s a dynamic environment where learning and growth happen in real time. You’re not just following a blueprint; you’re creating it. This shift in approach didn’t just change how I work; it changed how I think. It opened up a new perspective on problem-solving and innovation, where the absence of a roadmap became an opportunity to explore and create rather than a limitation.
This experience at the start-up was a pivotal moment in my career. It taught me the importance of being agile and responsive because things really are always changing anywhere you go. It reinforced that while structure and planning are valuable, there’s also a significant place for improvisation and creative thinking. It’s a balance that continues to influence my approach, both professionally and personally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alteredstateprod.com/profile/domeniquecomparetto/profile
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Image Credits
Image Credits: Altered State Productions