up with the easily remembered tagline,
“It’s Ryder or it’s wrong.” Her love for
the psychology of how people make decisions and the elements used to build a
brand serves her well today.
For college, Roberts chose her hometown University of Michigan, then in
1998 headed west to the “enemy school,”
Michigan State University, where she
earned a master’s degree in advertising,
emphasizing research and consumer behavior. Following that, she spent 10 years
at the highly regarded BBDO advertising
agency in Chicago working on major consumer accounts. When her first child was
born and job demands and related travel
took its toll, she decided to take a different path. Her husband, who traveled extensively for his job, could live anywhere
close to a major airport.
So the family packed their bags and
returned to their Michigan roots. The
move also enabled Roberts to learn more
about being a mother for her two young
sons from the best teacher and role model
she knew: her mother, a “stay-at-home”
mom who rarely had time to be home as
she was busy raising four kids, volunteering at schools, and committed to charitable
work. She calls her mother and father the
“world’s best grandparents” and the people, along with her boys, who have most
influenced her career decisions.
“My parents raised me to give 110
percent to everything, and when you are
exhausted you give a little bit more,” says
Roberts. “And that is whether it is your
career, athletic team, or, first and foremost,
your children.”
Moving to Molly Maid
Before long, Roberts was ready to once
again practice her marketing moxie. She
joined Molly Maid as director of marketing
in 2007. Management quickly recognized
her talent, and in 2008 she was promoted
to vice president of marketing.
Under her leadership, Molly Maid elevated, enhanced, and energized the brand’s
online presence. Roberts redesigned the
company’s website, embraced social media, and initiated an online campaign that
increased lead generation 150 percent
and resulted in double-digit sales growth
for several years. These strategies would
prove critical in helping carry Molly Maid
successfully through a sluggish economy.
Roberts continued to rise through the
“My children
are part of my
life. They are
part of my
work.
They are—every
part of me.”
ranks. She was called on to set marketing
strategy at Service Brands International as
vice president of marketing, and in 2012
was appointed to the top spot at Molly
Maid. Her greatest professional triumph,
however, came as she was going through
her most personal, “hardest and saddest
loss.” Roberts and her husband, who had
been separated for three years, had formally decided to end the marriage. Her
boys were 10 and 7.
“Divorce is one of those things that
nobody wants for their children and themselves, but sometimes it is unavoidable,”
she says. “When that happens, you can be
an adult, you can be a professional, you can
be a parent, and you can take those things
and say, ‘I am going to make decisions based
on all three that are going to benefit my
children.’ We made a personal commitment to make life as positive as possible.”
Roberts says she has emerged from
divorce grateful for a new relationship
with her ex-husband that is focused on
“forgiveness, partnership, and friendship”
and a mature approach that she believes
has benefited their children. Like many
parents who are no longer a couple, they
juggle sche