Caroline Taylor: Showing Up, Staying Honest, and Ready to do Her Best
Written by Meg Hale Brunton
Caroline Taylor has been in the marketing field for forty years, having started her career working with Coca-Cola as their office manager in the 1980s. “It morphed into calling on some of the major grocery and convenience store chains and that led into the marketing arm of the company,” Caroline explains of her professional journey.
While working at Coca-Cola in the 1980s, Caroline found herself in what was a very male-dominated industry at the time. “I can’t speak for today’s Coca-Cola, but back then it was difficult for women to excel and be able to grow and develop in what was then a male-dominated industry,” she says of her experience. When she later moved into broadcast media marketing, she discovered that there was nothing holding her back from conquering her goals — except for herself. Determined to succeed, the career transition empowered her to do better, to be better and to excel as an individual. “Women in particular do very well in [broadcast media] because they are such good multitaskers,” Caroline points out. “It has been my privilege to work with many wonderful women over the years.”
Ever a lover of marketing, Caroline believes marketing is the “secret sauce” needed to set your business, service, or product aside from the competition. Business owners so often look at marketing as an expense, but the most successful businesses today look at marketing as an essential part of their growth plan. “When both parties show benefits, that’s the beauty of marketing. It’s a true partnership.”
Twenty years ago, Caroline branched out into her own marketing agency, Southern Marketing Group. “I started [the agency] as something I could grow on my own, and it’s now taken me into my retirement years,” she says. “It was more out of necessity than anything else. I needed an avenue that was separate and apart from iHeart Media that was more broad-based in its capabilities.” Over the years, Southern Marketing Group has grown into a consulting, event-organizing, media-buying, and digital marketing agency.
As a professional, Caroline says she holds herself to the highest standard possible and prioritizes honesty and integrity in all her interactions. “Raise your hand when you make a mistake. People appreciate that,” she says. She also stresses the importance of being prompt. “I once heard that if you’re early, you’re on time, if you’re on time, you’re late, and if you’re late, you're forgotten,” she says. “Time is our most precious commodity. Learn to respect yours and that of the people around you.” And last but not least, “value the relationships you work so hard to build. In 20 years you won’t remember the big deals, but you will remember the people that helped you achieve them.”
In her role, Caroline loves getting to meet people and helping them to grow their businesses. “I love meeting the customers and helping them meet their growth goals,” she says. “I love creating a plan that helps them meet those goals, and building relationships is the best part of the job.”
While she is proud of her professional success and enjoys her job immensely, Caroline has experienced incredibly hard times. She lost both her mother and husband to Alzheimer’s Disease within the same seven-year period. “That was an enormous responsibility, but it humanized me more than anything ever could,” she recalls. “It made me appreciate them and the impact that both of them had on my life. It also gave me a better understanding of how awesome the people I was working with were because they supported me every step of the way.”
Caroline has since remarried, lives on a working longhorn cattle ranch with her husband Bill Taylor, and has 2 step children and four grandchildren. She says that her favorite way to spend her free time is with her family and on the lake.
For other women, aspiring to get into the marketing world, Caroline recommends patience and determination. “Don’t expect instant success. It’s going to take time,” she says. “It’s going to take a lot of work.” Each and every day, Caroline continues to show up — on time, and ready to do her very best.
Caroline P. Taylor
President, Southern Marketing Group
Mobile: 828-691-3071
Email: southernmarketinggroup@outlook.com
1005 Cane Creek Road, Fletcher, NC 28732