How would you like to see Anna Wintour in your office building fairly regularly? Pretty cool (albeit intimidating?), if you ask me. Well, while Tracy Eisenman, 29, worked at Teen Vogue, this is something that became rather “normal!” For over a 
year, Tracy held the position as Director of Integrated Sales at Teen Vogue, and she very recently started a new job at Goop. At the time of this interview, she was still with Teen Vogue, so the questions are based around that. Aside from Teen Vogue and Goop, Tracy has GQ on her resume, as well as WIRED. This girl has quite a career, and she’s not stopping anytime soon. She lives in NYC, works incredibly hard, but also has time to unwind at The Boom Boom Room. Keep on reading for what inspires Tracy, what she loved most and found the most challenging at her Teen Vogue job, her biggest ‘pinch me’ moment of her career, thus far, her favorite spots in NYC, and much more.
How long have you been working at Teen Vogue? What were you doing prior?
I have been at Teen Vogue for 1 year and 4 months. Previously I was at WIRED, fully immersed in a thought-leader brand. WIRED took pride in breaking news, like Edward Snowden’s whereabouts, as well as sharing economic theories, like The Long Tail and Crowdsourcing, that would soon be picked up as daily rhetoric.
What does a typical day in your life look like as the Director of Integrated Sales at Teen Vogue?
A typical day involves a combination of meetings with clients to talk through pre-existing programs, meetings with prospective clients to bring them into the pages/digital world of Teen Vogue and a mix of phone calls and emails. Some days we work on events that we have sold to our advertisers, like Teen Vogue Young Hollywood, which is an event in LA where young talent from different fields are celebrated for their accomplishments. All the American fashion brands I work with have their own marketing goals and have entrusted Teen Vogue to help them spend their marketing dollars in the most efficient way. Since Teen Vogue is a part of Conde Nast, there is no shortage of internal socializing that takes place in the building during the day. By night, I entertain my clients to keep up external relationships. Seeing people face to face is key!
Did you always know you wanted to work in sales at a magazine? If not, when did you decide this is what you wanted to do?
I did not. I actually fell into publishing after graduating from Tulane University in 2009. The economy was tricky to navigate at that point, so I dove into lots of different roles in the fashion world in NYC. After a few short stints at Ralph Lauren, Faconnable, a PR company, and interviewing everywhere, I landed a job at GQ. I was lucky to be connected with a friend of a friend who got me in the front door. Now, after 7+ years in publishing, I can say it was a very happy accident.
What is your favorite part about your job? Most rewarding? Most challenging?
I love the networking and the people I meet through the day-to-day hustle.
On the other hand, the most challenging is definitely figuring out how to constantly reinvent the wheel and keep our advertisers up to speed. Publishing has changed drastically over the past 10 years. Today’s readers are smarter, more savvy and want to challenge everything they read. So, from a business standpoint we need to ensure that we equip our partners to meet this consumer head on. At Teen Vogue we realize our girls are complex. Young women not only care about the correct technique to apply sparkly nail polish, but also how Donald Trump is gas lighting America and what they can do to make a difference. Both our advertisers and our editors want to be relevant, so it’s my job to carry out our edit mission to the advertising side and ensure that we put together campaigns that are ahead of the trends.
What’s been your biggest ‘pinch me’ moment of your career, thus far?
While seeing Anna Wintour in the building is always a trip, it’s typically a very quiet encounter… my true favorite would probably be a trip to Milan I took back when I worked for GQ. I was an assistant at the time, very new in the business, and I had a pay-it-forward type of boss who rewarded those who worked hard. She took me with her to Milan and I’ll never forget the moment she told me. I learned a year’s worth of knowledge in a week. Milan for men’s fashion week was a sneak peek into the inner circle. I knew after that trip there was a lot more to learn and publishing was where I would stay for the time being.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get a job on the sales side at a magazine?
Email everyone, have coffee with everyone and be nice!! You never know who is going to help you land your next job or your dream job.
What inspires you?
As an art history major, I am incredibly impassioned by the art world and by smart design. And, of course, I am inspired by all the strong and empowered women in my life.
What motto/quote do you always try to live by?
If you never ask then you’ll never know. It’s a personal motto, but I do live by it. I’m not afraid to ask for what I want because you just never know what will happen when you do.
What’s your favorite place in NYC and why?
The Standard High Line. Whether it’s The Standard Grill to grab a bite or the hotel, specifically the Boom Boom Room, for an epic night out. It feels like home for some reason. I went there when it first opened in New York and still love it just as much. Order a bottle of pink champagne and enjoy your stay!
What are 3 products you simply can’t live without?
Stan Smiths: Comfort first; 2 years in and still love those sneaks.
Dior highlighter: Highlighter is a new makeup obsession of mine; makes those cheek bones pop. 😉
My cell phone: How I keep up with both work and play. With my family across the country in Houston and Nashville, I couldn’t live without it and wouldn’t want to.
Thanks so much, Tracy!
Read past interviews here.