To Create Your Own Destiny: Carmella Johns-Andruk
An amusing vignette from Carmella Johns-Andruk’s early childhood reveals some clues that help explain her professional success.
Carmella’s four older brothers whispered excitedly as they invented an elaborate prank to tease and also scare her, if possible. Determined to use her limited resources to her advantage, she announced, “You can do anything you want to me, but if I survive, I’m telling mom and dad.” Stunned by their grade-school sister’s intuitive understanding of the complexity and value of relationships, and her ability to articulate this effectively, the brothers disbanded. Carmella survived, and there was nothing to tell mom and dad, this time.
Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, the youngest of five children and the only girl in the family, Carmella learned early in life to cultivate relationships and advocate for herself. She had a flair for marketing and sales with a design component, inherited partly from her parents. Her father, who worked in marketing and sales, was outgoing, driven, and full of charm. Her mother was accomplished in the creative arts.
Carmella Johns-Andruk
Carmella’s first job after college frequently took her to Los Angeles, which felt like home from her first visit there. The entertainment industry had been part of her world growing up, since her father also managed her older brothers’ band that opened for headliner artists including Credence Clearwater Revival and Johnny Winter. Working a room with his ready smile and firm handshake, he was effortlessly engaging. Carmella paid attention.
Eventually, Carmella relocated to LA. While visiting a friend at Capitol Records, she was introduced to the vice president of the company. Chatting about the company’s needs, they connected and she was offered her first job in the entertainment industry. “Every person you meet is important. Every conversation is an opportunity to build your network, make connections, and learn from people,” says Carmella. “The right job will come at the right time, and it will often come through the network you’ve built.”
Carmella worked with many well-known celebrities at Capitol Records. Her most treasured experience was meeting Paul McCartney, who happened to be alone in a conference room on an upper floor of the building. She chatted with him for a few minutes and took some pictures, and then observed his interactions with other people for the next several hours. McCartney was refreshingly personable and kind in the way he spoke with everyone. That this icon was as gifted in personal relations as he was in music resonated deeply with Carmella.
Being successful in any business requires personal investment. “No job can be just eight-to-five. Care enough about your role to continually check in,” says Carmella, who took advantage of every opportunity to educate herself about the business, watching news and listening to podcasts to find work connections, and asked for feedback on projects, making changes whenever necessary.
In 1993, Carmella’s boss asked her to accompany him as his assistant when he left their company to start the Warner Brothers network. She agreed to do this for one year, after which time she said she expected to be promoted into a position they would determine together. The next year, Carmella became the director of affiliate marketing, managing custom graphics packages and corporate events for advertisers and affiliates. “Speak up for yourself—nobody is going to do it for you,” she says. “I was given the promotion because I knew I had more to contribute and I had the courage to start a conversation.”
Carmella’s ability to cultivate relationships of respect and collaboration led to executive positions in consumer products at entertainment giants Warner Brothers, Twentieth Century Fox, and NBC. Her personal investment in each project and her ability to engage people helped her build a network of support around her strategy and operations efforts in brand recognition, licensing and marketing. She later started her own agency focused on business development for artists and manufacturers.
With nearly thirty years of industry experience building partnerships to create compelling products, Carmella is now developing relationships with corporate and institutional partners to create compelling and mutually beneficial opportunities for the Huntsman School, its students, and corporate partners. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her thoughts on networking, communication, and personal investment, as well as how to build brand recognition and cultivate meaningful professional success, with students.
Some of the wisdom Carmella offers is more contemplative. “Every day, whatever decision you make, it’s the right one. It’s meant to lead you to whatever you’re supposed to be doing. Be open; go outside your comfort level. Be kind to others, and be kind to yourself. Remember that life is a wonderful adventure. Find joy in what you do.”