Caroline Shusta

Director, Marketing, Gordon Brothers

Biography:

Cal Shusta leads the marketing function across the firm, including strategy, brand management, public relations, advertising and digital marketing. In 2015 and 2016, Cal led the firm’s global rebrand, uniting five legacy sub-brands into one and executing a coordinated launch across 25 offices, seven business units and four continents. As part of this initiative, she also managed the development of the firm’s rebranded website, consolidating four sites into one and optimizing the user experience.

Cal began her career at Gordon Brothers in the valuation practice as an appraisal writer, prior to transitioning to the marketing function, where she held multiple roles and was promoted to director in 2017. She has supported many of the firm’s largest communications initiatives, including the acquisition of AccuVal, Gordon Brothers’ entrances into Australia and Brazil, and the launch of multiple sector-specific initiatives in energy and technology. She has also contributed to the success of many of Gordon Brothers’ transactions, implementing integrated marketing plans for the sale of assets worldwide.

Cal holds a B.A. from UMass Amherst and an MBA from Boston University with a con- centration in marketing. She is a member of the Marketing and Women in Commercial Finance Committees of the Secured Finance Network. She is also a member of the Turnaround Management Association and INSOL.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

Early in your career, it can be intimidating to advocate for your positions around more experienced people. However, you’ve been hired to do that. In order to make an impact, you have to put yourself out there and take a risk. My advice to those just starting out is to trust yourself. Ask a lot of questions and speak your mind. This will help you learn and build confidence.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

I wish I spent less time worrying about not getting it perfectly right. Engaging in an iterative process and evolving my position over time has been far more important than starting out perfectly. Our rebranding was a great example of this. No single contribution made that what it was. It was the process of refining ideas that was so critical. It can be messy and I had a tendency to avoid that early on, but that has actually been where some of the best work of my career has come from.

What kind of role has mentoring and/ or sponsorship played in your career? 

I was fortunate to have some exceptional managers and mentors that encouraged me to take on new challenges. I’m incredibly grateful for that support and I try to pay it forward. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

Most of my career has been spent at Gordon Brothers and that has been a great benefit. The firm is large enough that there are a lot of opportunities, but also small enough that I’ve had access to those opportunities and to people of influence within the community to guide me. Many professionals of my generation have bounced around a lot, especially early on in their careers. I’ve been fortunate to have been able to grow and evolve in one place. Over that time I’ve developed strong bonds with people I admire and I don’t think that’s as common in other environments or when changing jobs frequently.

At work and in my personal life, I’ve also been fortunate to have been surrounded by strong women that have made their own way. They have been very positive role models for me in terms of how to approach life and career.

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

As long as there’s opportunity, I think ambitious and bright people will flock to the industry. Beyond that, staying competitive with other industries as workplace culture evolves is important. Diversity of leadership is a big part of that, especially when it comes to cultivating the next generation of female leaders. Having balance at a senior level sends a signal to junior employees that this is a place where you can make a difference, that this is an industry where you can build a career up to the most senior levels.