It’s 2019 and still, men outnumber women in positions of power and authority in the business world. But that isn’t the case at OUTFRONT.

Michele Erskine has been with OUTFRONT for over 15 years. In that time, she says the welcoming and open environment was always conducive to learning and growing. She credits this company culture for her rise to success, having always been given the chance to develop further in her career with each position she took within the company.

Erskine says while she is grateful to be a female CEO, she is most happy about why she was chosen for this role – and it has nothing to do with gender! “What I appreciated in the des- cription of the role, is that it really felt like it was for someone who could be collaborative, build a team culture and really work with everyone to move the ball forward. I was being given the opportunity to do this my way, as myself, and that was just great,” she explains.

Erskine says OUTFRONT is a company that truly values and appreciates qualities that not all other companies do. She says her ability to be understanding, listen to her team and work in a collaborative manner are all skills that helped her become the CEO of the company – and they’re all skills she got the chance to work on and develop throughout her career at the company.

In addition, Erskine was really overwhelmed by all the positive support she received from fel- low female colleagues, both in Canada and from OUTFRONT’s American office. “I hadn’t thought of it as a female thing, but I got so many emails from Canadian and US employees saying how great it was to have a woman in this position,” she says.

Account Director Sophie Rémillard also agrees that Erskine was the right choice for the job. “During my job interview, my meeting with Michele Erskine was instrumental in my career choice. If I was unsure earlier, after this meeting it was clear, I absolutely wanted to come to work at OUTFRONT.”

Rémillard says Erskine’s qualities as a person and as a CEO have made her an inspiration to Rémillard and the rest of the team. “Personally, I have great confidence in her, in her abilities. I want to go beyond, to go further, to be the best of myself while remaining authentic and honest,” Rémillard says. “She is accessible while being both soft and firm when it is necessary. Her great determination makes her an exceptional president. She invests in her employees which reinforces the sense of belonging to OUTFRONT.”

Erskine says she has tried to cultivate an environment where those who want to grow and succeed can do so with ease. She also credited the company’s former CEO for her growth as an OUTFRONT employee and wishes to provide the same mentorship for her team today.

So what is Erskine’s advice for the businesswomen of tomorrow? “Choose something that you are passionate about if you can. You might not know right out of the gate but be ready to course correct. You have to be prepared to change paths. I made some changes along the way,” she explains. “Ask for opportunities. Don’t just sit back and wait for them to come to you. People admire someone who wants to do more.”