For over eight years, Perri duGard Owens has been the president and CEO of duGard Communications in Nashville, Tennessee. As an award-winning, strategic communications firm, DGC has been successful connecting the science of marketing with the messaging and strategy of public relations to meet in the middle of creativity for clients across multiple industries.
Owens states that she chose her profession in the 10th grade when she started INROADS. “It was there that I learned about being assertive and that I could blend my creativity, analytical skills and interest in science into this thing called marketing. It was mind-blowing.”
As a Black woman, what do you consider your superpowers to be?
As a Black woman, I believe my superpowers include being resilient and reliable, as well as having vision and discernment — especially with the ability to rapidly strategize the pros and cons of a situation in order to synthesize information to make a decision — while maintaining a high level of discreetness.
What key skills or qualities make you unique as an African American female leader?
The key skills and qualities that make me unique as an African American female leader, include an ability to operate from both sides of my brain. Regardless of race, women need to be able to speak to the financials — department budget or the company’s P&L — as well as communicate effectively, create and do. African American women already have to work extra hard to prove themselves, so being able to grasp both sides of a company’s equation, e.g., financials and creative, the more regarded you become as a resource to many, not just say a department head.
Continue reading on the next page.
