Influential Woman · Marketing Consultancy

Stephanie Tatum Wagner

Founder, Good Street Strategies

Dallas, TX

3Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Southern Methodist University (SMU) Degree Double Major in Marketing and Sociology Member Greek Life (during university)

Her Story

About Stephanie

I started my career in marketing 12 years ago, and for a while I was freelancing and doing consulting work on the side of full-time employment. About two years ago, I experienced a layoff and also welcomed my first son, and the combination of all those factors happening at once became the catalyst for me to formalize what I had been doing on the side into a business - to create something of my own. That's how Good Street Strategies was born. My focus is on brand strategy and marketing strategy, and I work with purpose-driven businesses and nonprofits - organizations that have a meaningful mission and want to do good in the world. The name comes from that focus on doing good, with a play on Main Street, because I'm working with smaller organizations versus large publicly traded brands. My days involve a combination of client meetings, brainstorming sessions, and gathering input from clients, along with the heads-down work of developing strategy, which includes research, analyzing trends and market data, and looking at all the factors that could be influencing a specific client's business before putting together my recommendations. Last year, I had the additional role of leading a local women's business group here in Dallas, and being selected as that regional leader for this city where there are so many successful and admirable women business owners was something I was really proud of.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Stephanie

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think it's internal motivation that just comes from my family - my family values and my family background. I came from a family of a lot of small business owners, and I started working in some of those businesses at a very young age, and so I just kind of always had that go-getter attitude, and yeah, was just very motivated to make something meaningful out of my path.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

I think just to take the right next step - you don't necessarily have to know the end goal, but if it feels aligned in the right direction, then just taking that one step is all you need to get started.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say to just trust their instincts and have courage to do those bold steps. I think we have all the tools we need, it's just eliminating the doubt that sometimes blocks our path.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The challenges are just keeping up with the pace of technology and how much that has influenced marketing and advertising. Everything is surrounded by data and AI, and oftentimes clients feel like they don't understand how to utilize all of these technology pieces for their brand, so just keeping up with that so I can be that advisor to them is a challenge. As far as opportunities, I think there's the other side of that same token - technology has given us the ability to build brands much easier today than before, so it kind of levels the playing field for those smaller businesses who might be able to create campaigns and get it out in front of the right people a lot quicker and a lot easier than they could have in the past.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Making an impact on the community, the larger good of society, is really important for me. But also, just having fun and enjoying the process while you're doing it - not getting too stuck in the weeds, but taking some time to have fun along the way.

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