Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Tilt.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
While in high school, I told my mom I wanted to be an entrepreneur when I grew up. I don’t recall what fed that inspiration, but perhaps it was my self-fulfilling prophecy. I had a few steps before I got there, though.
I’ve held positions in four professional settings that have defined my career over the past 25 years and led me to where I am today. I started in radio industry promotions, then worked at a small public relations firm which was purchased by a global communications marketing firm. I moved on to a small branding agency based in St. Louis that wanted to open an Atlanta office so my taste of leadership and business operations began. Finally, in my fourth role, I took the leap into entrepreneurship and launched Full Tilt Consulting, a marketing consultancy based in Historic Roswell. It’s the venture with greatest impact for me and my longest tenure as we begin our 13th year in business.
My professional path has been paved with big moments created for big brands, famous people, and institutional icons. I relish those memories, as they shaped my work ethic, adaptability and grit at a very early age. I’ve been fortunate to lead some of the most momentous happenings in Atlanta’s recent history: imploding The Omni Coliseum with Ted Turner to birth Philips Arena and a new NHL team; launching the original Music Midtown to bring national attention to our thriving music industry; laying the red carpet on two blocks of Peachtree Street for international celebrities attending the Planet Hollywood opening that would help revitalize Atlanta’s downtown area; repping The Fox Theatre and its amazing programming for 10 years; and convincing Atlantans a circus called Cirque du Soleil would still be entertaining even though it didn’t have elephants or clown cars. Each new experience helped me expand my professional capabilities, along with my creativity, strategic problem-solving and passion for my work.
As I grew confident in my creative skillset and made more business connections, I found myself identifying how I would do things differently if I were leading things. I met with a long-time mentor, who had been an independent marketing consultant and business owner for several years. As I was talking about what I was looking for in my next role, she encouraged me to stop looking for the right fit and instead, create it. More than a decade later, I see that as the turning point in what has moved from an exciting career to a completely fulfilling one.
I wear a lot of hats now, and I love every one of them. I’m in charge of my firm’s brand and business direction, chief counselor to our clients, and constant seeker of extraordinary team members and new business partners. I’m also a wife and mother, and love that my daughters see me as a strong role model for women in business.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a remarkably smooth road for Full Tilt (knock on wood!). That said, running a business is always about managing the challenges and obstacles that come with it, it’s what makes things exciting. A continuous challenge for me is also our greatest opportunity – building and maintaining a strong bench of talent. We always want to attract team members who have something of value to add and who would find value for their professional journey in joining Full Tilt. It’s a continual cycle ofdiscovering talented individuals who mesh with our culture, who find the timing right to join us and who can best support our roster of client partners.
For young women starting on their career path, I strongly advise actively seeking out a diverse group of people you trust who will give you honest professional counsel. They can be formal mentors and advisors or trusted colleagues and friends whom you respect, admire and consider to be successful. Engage with women of different backgrounds and learn their stories to gain fresh perspectives and insights you won’t get by only staying in your lane, focused straight ahead.
My female professional network has helped to shape me as a business owner and a marketing professional from the time I was in my twenties. I sought their advice through each phase of my career, adding to my tribe along the way. They have helped me crystallize the idea of starting Full Tilt, of the kind of mentor and leader I want to be, and how I can give back to the communities that are so important to me. And for that, along with all the great advice I’ve received over the years, I’m so grateful for their friendship. So, it’s important for me to pay it forward. I’m always available to chat over coffee and enjoy getting to meet others in various stages of their careers. Even when I’m the one offering advice, I take something away from every conversation. The important thing is, keep having those conversations!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Full Tilt Consulting – what should we know?
Full Tilt is an award-winning firm that provides marketing communications strategies and services to a robust roster of organizations. Our clients are momentum organizations ready for a business partner with marketing expertise to help them grow and overcome business challenges. By understanding where a company is in its life cycle, we collaborate to identify goals and create custom strategies for capitalizing on opportunities and solving problems.
Our team includes brand and market strategists, cultural researchers, media relations experts, social media specialists, content writers, designers and others who are passionate and skilled at using marketing to move business forward.
Success looks different to each client, so our approach is based on achieving results that will matter most to each business. With strategy driving our work, we may be involved with thought leadership marketing, internal communications, press/media, website development, social media, special events, employee collateral, and more. We recently added another couple of awards to our shelves with acknowledgement for work done on behalf of the North Fulton Chamber to address the current and projected talent gap in healthcare workers.
We are energized and honored to do meaningful work for extraordinary organizations in many fields. What we most love about the work we do is that our clients consider us business partners. We flip marketing upside down and look at as a business strategy instead of solely a tactical arm, which allows us to have greater impact on their bottom line.
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
– Patrick Lencioni’s “The Ideal Team Player” because building a strong team is what can make or break an organization.
– NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” podcast because sometimes I just need to laugh for a good solid hour.
– Atlanta Business Chronicle so I know what’s going on in Atlanta business.
– My daughter recommended the app, Insight Timer, for guided meditations in the morning, before bed, or even during the day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fulltiltconsulting.com
- Phone: (404) 388-7047
- Email: lisa@fulltiltconsulting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fulltiltatl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FullTiltConsulting/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FullTiltATL
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fulltilt/
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