Professional Q&A: Judi Startzman

Judi Startzman has served as the Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma since October 2021 and has lived in Edmond since the early 2000s. She has 25 years of experience in marketing strategy and execution, but her most important role is being a mom.

Q: Do you live in Edmond, work in Edmond, or both?

A: Edmond has been my home for the past 15 years. It’s been such a wonderful place to raise my boys, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I office from home most of the time, so I guess technically, I do live and work in Edmond.

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school?

A: I was born in Westlake, Ohio, and spent most of my childhood there. My family moved to Noble, Oklahoma, in the 80s, and I graduated from Noble High School in the 90s. I attended the University of Oklahoma, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with an emphasis in advertising.

Q: What did you do prior to getting involved with Girl Scouts?

A: In addition to working for Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma, I have a consulting business where I provide strategic marketing support for small-to-medium-sized businesses. Previously, I served as VP of Strategic Marketing at VI Marketing and Branding for 15 years. And before that, I was an Account Supervisor at Jordan Associates for eight years. My marketing experience spans all industries, from national cellular and educational brands to regional banks and restaurant chains and everything in between.

Q: How did you get involved with Girl Scouts?

A: My connection to Girl Scouts was through a former co-worker. He knew they needed marketing support and made an introduction that turned out to be a perfect match. I worked for them as a contractor, and they were a client of mine for a little over a year, at which time they asked me to join the leadership team as CMO.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: With Girl Scouts, I love being a part of an organization focused on building girls of courage, confidence, and character ready to make the world a better place. On the marketing consulting side, I enjoy offering results-based marketing solutions to smaller businesses that can’t necessarily afford to work with a large agency. At the end of the workday, I know what I’m doing matters, and it makes me want to work that much harder!

Q: What’s something you’re passionate about in your personal life?

A: I am most passionate about being a mom, and it’s the most important title I have. I have two amazing boys, Noah (10) and Luke (6), and they provide me with such joy and laughter each and every day. We love to watch movies, ride bikes, bake special treats, and even have frequent living room dance parties. I was blessed to have an incredible mom who said, ‘God put her on this Earth to be a mom,’ and I feel the exact same way!

Q: What do you like about Edmond?

A: Edmond is like a big small city in my opinion, and that’s what I like the most. Pretty much everything I need is just a short drive from my house, which makes life super convenient.

Q: What is your number one tip for other professionals, either for work or life in general?

A: My number one tip for working professionals is to protect your work/life balance and make sure you take time to recharge yourself. I’ve had ups and downs on this topic throughout my career, but I’ve finally landed at a place where I realize the one thing we can’t get back in life is time. Time with our families, our friends, and even by ourselves to just sit and recharge. Rushing through life and not taking time to enjoy the sweet moments is pretty short-lived and isn’t what makes me feel accomplished. I am now very selective on what is worthy of my time, and I don’t feel guilty saying no.