Carmella Cadusale

I attribute much of my success to being willing to do things before I felt fully ready. I’ve learned that fear and doubt are part of growth, not signs to stop.

For a long time, I thought confidence was something you eventually reached. But hearing successful people openly talk about imposter syndrome made me realize it doesn’t necessarily disappear. You just learn to trust yourself enough to keep going anyway. Over the last 10 years, I’ve proven to myself that I can succeed even when I’m uncomfortable or uncertain. Some of my biggest opportunities happened because I chose courage over waiting until I felt completely confident. I think that perseverance, adaptability, and willingness to keep showing up has been a huge part of my success.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was to do work that, on the first day of your retirement, you can look back on and feel genuinely proud of.

Not just the titles or accomplishments, but the impact you made along the way. That advice also came with the reminder to give yourself grace. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to have moments where you question yourself. But those moments are part of building a meaningful career.

For me, that impact has taken shape across healthcare, medical devices, manufacturing, and industry associations. Whether it’s supporting technologies tied to patient care, helping organizations communicate more effectively, or helping businesses grow and evolve, I’ve always been drawn to work that moves something forward in a meaningful way.

And I've learned that lot of meaningful work is invisible work. The end user may never know your name, but you still played a role in improving an experience, solving a problem, or helping an organization make a greater impact. That’s the kind of work I want to look back on and be proud of.

I would tell young women to do it scared. Do it nervous. Do it before you feel completely ready.

A lot of technical industries, healthcare, manufacturing, medical devices, and B2B spaces can feel intimidating, especially if you don’t see many people who look like you or lead like you. But you do not have to fit a certain stereotype to belong in those rooms or to make an impact there.

Some of the most meaningful careers are not perfectly linear. Mine certainly wasn’t. I truly believe the best opportunities often come from following your curiosity, staying open to learning, and being willing to take chances on yourself.

I would also tell young women to take up space unapologetically. You can be collaborative, creative, empathetic, strategic, and still be an effective leader in highly technical industries. Those qualities are strengths, not weaknesses.

Most importantly, know your worth. You do not need permission to believe in your ideas, your perspective, or your ability to contribute. Sometimes being the first example for someone else starts with simply walking into the room and deciding you belong there too.

One of the biggest opportunities in SMB marketing right now is that smaller businesses finally have access to tools and platforms that used to only be available to large corporations. Digital marketing, AI-driven search, social media, and thought leadership have created a more level playing field for companies willing to be strategic and adaptable.

At the same time, the biggest challenge is standing out in a crowded and constantly changing landscape. SMBs are often expected to market like enterprise companies without having enterprise budgets or teams, which means marketers have to be incredibly agile, creative, and intentional.

On a personal level, I also think there’s still a challenge for young women entering technical and B2B industries. Sometimes the hardest part is believing there’s space for you in rooms where you may not see many people like yourself. But I’ve learned that you do not have to wait for someone to create that space for you. Some of the most impactful careers are built by people willing to walk into unfamiliar industries, learn fearlessly, and bring a different perspective to the table.

Integrity is one of the most important values in both my work and personal life, along with doing work that feels mission-driven and meaningful.

People often think marketing is just social media or creating collateral, but especially in healthcare and technical industries, it’s so much deeper than that. Earlier in my career, I supported a program in Ghana where doctors performed more than 8,000 cataract surgeries for patients who otherwise had little to no access to eye care. My role focused on logistics, outreach, and marketing support, but I was still part of something that genuinely changed lives.

That perspective has stayed with me throughout my career. Even though my work is tied to strategy, revenue, and growth goals, there are always real people on the other side of what I do. Whether it’s supporting clinical trials, helping launch medical technologies, or helping businesses grow in ways that strengthen their industries, every piece contributes to a bigger purpose.

I’ve learned that impact is not always loud or visible. Sometimes it’s a ripple effect. My hope is that at the end of my career, I can look back and know the work I did helped move things forward in a meaningful way, even in small increments.