Style Spotlight: Leading Lady {Billee Howard}

As co-founder of a fast paced start up, I am constantly networking and meeting phenomenal leaders in business. Having our "Style Spotlight" Blog series allows me to interview these various leaders and share their stories, advice, personal local love and style notes! Most recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Leading Lady, Billee Howard. A mutual friend of ours introduced us, and I am forever grateful for the introduction. I am inspired by Billee's career journey, her innovative approach towards business, fearlessness and genuine support of other women in business. Read below to learn about the dynamic, Billee Howard.

{ABOUT BILLEE HOWARD}: Founder + Chief Engagement Officer of Brandthropologie, a cutting edge communications consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals to produce innovative, creative and passionate dialogues with target communities, consumers and employees, while blazing a trail toward new models of artful, responsible, and sustainable business success. She is a veteran communications executive in brand development, trend forecasting, strategic media relations, and C-suite executive positioning and has a top team of business strategy consultants that create Brandthropologie. Billee was the winner of PR Week’s 30 under 30, and 40 under 40, as well as being selected for the Media Professional of the Year Award twice.

{SS}: Please share your brief career journey and what are you currently up to?

{Billee Howard}: Beginning my career as Press Secretary for the President of the Philippines and his cabinet at the age of 22, I developed a global market perspective from early on, and understood that the third world would not be third much longer. Switching from politics to business with a focus on how CEO’s can drive culture, I joined Shandwick at age 25, and launch their National Financial Media Group. When Weber bought Shandwick, making Weber Shandwick the largest PR firm in the world, I was named EVP, and co-founded their Global Strategic Media Group, handling global communications for leading brands.

I joined Allison+Partners in 2011, and launched Brand Innovation Lab, dedicated to using cultural cues to transform corporate and executive brands into true innovation for such clients as DreamWorks Animation, and Fast Company.

With an eye toward marrying my unique insight for creating winning platforms, narratives and corporate positioning campaigns for some of the world’s top consumer brands, and decades of experience in trend forecasting and consumer behavioral patterns, I founded Brandthropologie, as well as Brandthropologie’s Mojo Risin’ Studios, for which I serve as Executive Producer.

I am also the Author of We-Commerce: How to Create, Collaborate, and Succeed in the Sharing Economy.

{SS}: You are quite accomplished and it's very inspiring… who inspires you in the business world?

{Billee Howard}: My mentor, Diane Perry. At an early age, among other things, she helped me understand the importance of confidence in the business world. Also, Ginni Rometty, inspiring how she has transformed IBM from a sluggish ocean liner into a culturally relevant speedboat.

{SS}: Where do you get your daily news fix?

{Billee Howard}: Breaking news on Google, NYT, Vice, Buzzfeed

{SS}: Your secret to work/life balance?

{Billee Howard}: I make sure to go to live concerts regularly. I have been really enjoying Billy Joel as Artist in Residence at MSG. In fact I have been to about 10 shows over his run there over the last 3 years! Each show is different. It's extraordinary and a great creative release to rock out with friends to music that has such great memories behind it. I also just saw John Mayer step into lead the Grateful Dead new iteration Dead & Company and it was awesome. This collaboration is a great example of how innovation today marries the best of the present with the best of the past.

{SS}: In regards to your personal style, do you have a signature accessory?

?{Billee Howard}: I always wear a leather cord around my neck and a different gold or silver dangling necklace. I love bracelets, watches and I also always wear anklets year round. They make me feel like it's summer all year long. My accessories are the pieces I use to bring my personal story to life.

{SS}: A few items in your "Styleshack" that you can't live without?

?{Billee Howard}: Black leather jacket, black skinny jeans, a pair of sexy heels, a pair of sexy boots, boyfriend jeans, flip flops, and an Hermes belt.