jay/day

From Carolyn Goodman ...

Don’t even ask me what I was searching for on Google, when I came across this website… amazing!

I worked at C/D in San Francisco from 1983 – 1984. I basically fast-talked my way into an account executive position with Fred Goldberg (I called him during lunch hour when his assistant, Rosalynda Estes (sp?) was at lunch and he picked up his own phone! Luckily I had written a “script” and got an interview.) He hired me on the spot after making me spend the day with 5 different C/D senior managers – Greg Somebody (DCS), David Yates(?) (Media), MT Rainey (Account Planning), Tom Tawa (Creative) and some research guy.

I don’t think any of those folks will remember me at all – let alone with fondness. Fred didn’t really know what to do with me at first. I had some experience as a copywriter, some media experience and some account service skills. I think he envisioned me “dropping in” and “helping out” when required. I was too young to appreciate that opportunity and focused, instead, on finding a “fit” where I could claim a position in the agency. I finally found one as an AE on the BusinessLand account (whew, am I old) and Holland America Cruise Lines. I worked for Marty Wenzell, who had just moved out from the NY office and Pat Somebody who ran new biz. I had no clue what I was doing and after 9 months took the few weeks pay that Fred offered to me to go away quietly.

Thank god I survived and even stayed with the business after that… went on to work at DDB Needham/SF, client side at Bank of America and 1st Nationwide Bank, Ogilvy & Mather Direct, Cohn & Wells, 360 Group… until I finally opened my own direct marketing agency in 2002. I’m still in the SF/Bay area, remarried (I should have seen the writing on the wall when Fred told me I should “take my own apt. in SF and give up the BART commute home every night because after all, with all my late nights at C/D, what was the point?”), with 3 kids.

As you can see I can barely remember peoples names from those early ‘80’s, but MT Rainey made a huge impression on me…

Carolyn Goodman