Meet Our New Content Strategist, Madie!

Hello, hello!

I’m Madie Szrom and I’m thrilled to join Kicks Digital as the team’s Content Strategist. I come from the agency world, with a brief hiatus working in-house for a family of brands. I went to school for journalism and creative writing and love infusing the two when it comes to writing for brands. I believe strategy builds strong content and can’t wait to help our clients tell their stories with compelling, distinct messaging. 

What 3 traits define you?

Considerate — It genuinely upsets me when anyone else is upset—yes, even strangers. So I’m always trying to ensure everyone from friends and family to clients and prospects feel appreciated, respected, and taken care of. It’s just my nature.

Funny — Give it some time and before you know it I’m cracking jokes left and right. As a major fan of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Catherine O’Hara, and most of SNL’s alumni, humor is something that gets me through the day, helps me build connections with others, and just makes life worth living. 

Curious — If I don’t know the answer to something, I’ll go down a rabbit hole to find it. Whether it’s what’s under the deep blue sea, how environmental factors impact the brain, or what grapes are used to make Sangiovese, if I’m interested in it, I’m going to be researching it until I can give you a full report. 

If there was a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast? 

Oof, that’s a tough one. I love films and I love so many actors so this could take a while… But for now, let’s say I’d love Florence Pugh to play me despite looking nothing like me and I’d want it directed by Greta Gerwig because she’s an amazing storyteller, and I could learn a thing or two from her. Or Paul Thomas Anderson. His films are unlike many out there. Or... (just kidding).

What is your favorite place in the world? 

Italy. I've only been once a long time ago, but I'm half Italian and the culture has always been a source of curiosity and adoration for me. There is something about the pace of life there, the attention to beauty and detail found in cafés to cathedrals, eating is a production to be appreciated not rushed, wine and coffee are daily considerations and sipped with intention—it's almost romantic. And the scenery is more stunning than anything I could dream up. Part of my family still lives in Lucca near the northern coast, so visiting again is high on my travel list.

What are some of your favorite spots in Indy? 

Bluebeard without question is my favorite spot in the city. The food, the vibes, the drinks, the patio, the people—it’s just the bees knees—which they happen to make perfectly there. A close second is Crown Hill Cemetery. It has to be one of the most beautiful places within city limits and the hill with James Whitcomb Riley’s grave at the top is one of the highest points in Indy. On clear, sunny days, the view is absolutely perfect.

If you could learn anything, what would it be? 

I would love to play the drums, learn Italian so I can visit my family and speak their language, and play the piano—which I’m currently trying to reteach myself. Oh! And screenwriting. I'd love to learn how to write for the silver screen.

If you weren’t in Marketing, what would your career path be?

I’m an avid museum-goer and almost went into museum studies so I could work for the Field Museum in Chicago. If I wasn’t in marketing I could see myself as a curator for a natural history museum. Or a reporter for Rolling Stone, but we’d have to go back in time to the golden years for that. 

How do you define success? 

For me, success is feeling confident in what you’re doing, laughing through the hard times to appreciate the good ones, being able to drive home smiling, and knowing that in some way you’ve made a positive impact on someone other than yourself. Life is way too unpredictable to define success with tangibles.

Most importantly- what shows are you watching, what podcasts have your attention and what music has your ears?

I’m a repeat offender for shows and movies. I’ve watched Mad Men twice in its entirety, rewatched 30 Rock more times than I’m comfortable admitting, and probably watch IT three times a year. (The old version with Tim Curry. If you have three hours, I'll explain why.) I’m a true crime and ghost story kind of gal, so Crime Junkie, And That’s Why We Drink, and Spooked are podcasts I always have on rotation, but I'm also a big fan of This American Life, Invisibilia, How Did This Get Made?, Stuff You Should Know, and Science VS. When I’m feeling musical, which is pretty much always, I’ll throw on Ariel Pink, Alex Cameron, The Strokes, The Black Angles, or throwbacks from the 50s and 60s—to name a few.