Maryam Simpson on Strategy, Storytelling, and Building Brands That Last

In today’s fast-moving marketing world, standing out takes more than clever copy or eye-catching ads. It takes strategy, empathy, and a clear sense of purpose. Maryam Simpson has built her career by blending all three.

From her early days creating homemade magazines as a kid in New Jersey to leading purpose-driven campaigns at EverNova, Maryam’s path has always been guided by one idea: understand people first, then build something that speaks to them.

“Marketing is about empathy,” she says. “You have to understand people deeply enough to create stories that move them to act.”

Her work proves that thoughtful strategy and creativity can go hand-in-hand–and that quiet focus often drives the biggest results.

Early interests in design, storytelling, and tech

Maryam Simpson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and raised in Edison by a civil engineer father and an English teacher mother. Growing up in a multicultural home, she learned to value both structure and storytelling.

As a kid, she made digital collages and mock magazines using her family’s first home computer. In high school, she joined the yearbook club, ran for student council, and won a DECA regional marketing strategy competition in her senior year.

Those early experiences built the foundation for what would become a strong and steady marketing career.

Starting out in the industry

Maryam earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Communications from Rutgers University in 2014. While in school, she interned at a small ad agency in Princeton, where she discovered her interest in digital marketing and how people respond to content.

After graduation, she began her career as a Marketing Assistant at Garden State Financial Services. There, she worked on email campaigns, managed social media, and tracked market data.

Her ability to turn insights into action helped her get noticed quickly.

“Even then, I liked the mix of numbers and narrative,” she says. “You can’t build trust without both.”

Making an impact at BrightLeaf Media Group

In 2017, Maryam moved to BrightLeaf Media Group in Jersey City. The role pushed her into bigger projects with higher stakes.

She worked with healthcare, retail, and tech brands, focusing on campaigns that needed strong messaging and smart performance.

One of her standout projects was a rebrand for a regional hospital network. Her team’s work increased online patient engagement by 43%.

Another campaign–a social influencer partnership for a skincare client–helped triple monthly product sales.

Maryam also built a content strategy that boosted SEO traffic by over 200%.

“That was when I started to see how small shifts in message and timing could make a big difference,” she says.

Blending data and purpose at EverNova

In 2021, Maryam took on a new challenge at EverNova, a sustainability-focused consumer brand based in Hoboken. Her hybrid role puts her between marketing and product development, where she helps align brand voice with customer values.

She works closely with teams to ensure that every campaign reflects EverNova’s environmental mission while still hitting key performance goals.

“People care about what a brand stands for,” she says. “But it has to feel real. That’s where strategy and storytelling come together.”

Maryam uses her background in SEO, analytics, and branding to build campaigns that resonate—and deliver.

A personal philosophy rooted in empathy and action

Maryam doesn’t just talk about impact–she lives it. Outside of work, she mentors young marketers through LinkedIn groups and volunteers with Girls Who Code NJ and Habitat for Humanity Hudson County.

She also runs a travel and photography blog called The Urban Lens, where she captures moments from city life and nature escapes.

Her personal routine includes yoga, journaling, and coffee shop visits around Hoboken–small rituals that help her stay grounded and creative.

“Stillness fuels creativity,” she says. “That’s when the best ideas show up.”

Recognition and ongoing growth

Maryam’s work has earned her recognition in her field. She was named one of NJ AdWeek’s Top 30 Under 30 Marketers to Watch in 2020. In 2021, she won Best Social Media Campaign at the New Jersey Marketing Excellence Awards. In 2023, she spoke at the Women in Digital Marketing Summit in Newark.

Her focus now is on continuing to grow–learning from every campaign and staying curious about what people need.

“Marketing is never finished,” she says. “It’s always evolving. You have to stay open, stay sharp, and keep asking better questions.”

Final thoughts

Maryam Simpson didn’t get here by chasing trends or going viral. She built her career through clarity, patience, and a deep understanding of people. From her start in local agencies to her current role shaping brand strategy at EverNova, she’s shown that big ideas often come from listening closely and working with care.

In a noisy market, her work reminds us that the strongest brands are built with purpose–and that success comes when you combine data, story, and empathy at every step.