Welcome back to our “6 questions” series where we ask someone 6 career-centric questions about themselves.
This week we’re chatting with Chrystina Woody Train, the founder of Buckshot Marketing.
What is your current title and what does your job entail?
I’m the founder of Buckshot Marketing. We specialize in partnering with early-stage and legacy brands on: marketing, creative, strategic partnerships, event programming and honestly anything else our clients need to get to the next level. I’d spent the majority of my career as an agency veteran in Los Angeles working on global brands on large-scale marketing campaigns for more than 15 years. I had the privilege of leaving agency life and entering into the startup space, which led to Buckshot Marketing shortly thereafter.
If you had to describe Buckshot Marketing in 3 words, what would they be and why?
Effective, Fun, Real.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned throughout your professional career?
There’s nothing to it, but to do it – and I mean that with gusto.
I realized when I left a successful start-up to start my own business, I had to actually go full force into MY business as opposed to trying to hold on to my notions of a full-time job and what I had been conditioned to. Once I really let got and started fully leaning into Buckshot – success happened. I was wavering and a good friend turned to me and said “is you or ain’t you?” and it stuck.
What is something most people wouldn’t expect about your job?
The importance of being on the scene and I don’t mean in a cheesy networking event type of way, but just to be present at relevant events, experiences and moments so that people remember your face and your personality. Likeability leads to good business and likeability comes from shared in-person moments. Even if you stay just for 15 minutes, work the room, drink water and dip; this goes for whether you’re an intern or the CEO.
What is your favorite project that you have recently worked on?
I would say it’s the projects where good work leads to good works and I am in a position to elevate the voices of black women in a meaningful and authentic way, like our work on the Teen Vogue Summit, Instagram Share Black stories initiative and the Girls Build Summit.
What is your biggest advice for someone trying to get a job at Buckshot Marketing?
Be ready to work on projects that you’re passionate about. If our team doesn’t WANT to work on it, we don’t, regardless of the MONEY – we are doing this for THE CULTURE.
Chrystina Woody Train has more than 17 years of experience leading global marketing, storytelling narratives and brand campaigns for the likes of: Disney Consumer Products, Verizon, Samsung, Microsoft, and General Motors. She has worked with leading agencies such as Edelman, Weber Shandwick and Porter Novelli as well as partnered with brands like: The Honest Company, VidCon, StyleHaul, Beautycon, GoldieBlox, Hourglass Cosmetics, and Real Techniques. Her recent mission-based work on the Girls Build Summit, Teen Vogue Summit and Instagram’s Share Black Stories initiative made headlines. @TheWoodyTrain on Instagram.
