What They’re Saying

“Jani isn’t just someone who helps with resumes and cover letters (though she does that, too, and knocks it out of the park). She helped me figure out what my actual career goals and most competitive skills were, and then how to position myself and my experiences most effectively to make those goals happen. I always joke that she’s Chicago’s strategy fairy godmother, but it’s true—she knows everyone, everywhere, and is a champion of crafting meaningful relationships in the pursuit of getting smarter. She not only got my resume in front of the right people, she was a phenomenal resource with interview prep, and almost three years later, is still always on call for advice, mentorship, and guidance. She’s not just one of the smartest planners I know; she’s a phenomenal friend and human being. Anyone would be lucky to work with her or for her.”

Rachita Vasan
Strategist at Leo Burnett | 2019 ColorComm Fellow

“Jani is passion, empathy, insight, and strategy. She is a great partner and a pleasure to work with. She utilizes effective frameworks to communicate Planning insight to other teams and that get the creative team moving in a clear direction (She is a great writer, which is a plus). Her enthusiasm is infectious. I truly enjoy partnering with her!”

Marty Canniff
SVP ECD at Intouch Solutions

“Jani is an incredibly talented, collaborative and passionate professional with an unmatched understanding of verticals from CPG to food to health and beyond. She excels at unearthing insights and audience segment behaviors that help effectively link communications efforts to business objectives.”

Carlye Gardner Fallon
Corporate Reputation Builder + Protector | Strategic Communications + PR Consultant

“When I ran the side dish business for PepsiCo, Jani was the strategist behind a breakthrough new campaign that contributed to a reversal of business trends from -9% decline to 14% growth. Since then, she has become a valuable advisor and source of great ideas to solve my marketing challenges. While serving as director of marketing at Feeding America, I ran into her on the train commuting to work. We talked shop. I was puzzling over how to ramp up our digital marketing efforts in a resource-constrained non-profit environment. She suggested finding a digital ad shop that wanted to prove they could do big brand advertising. This was a brilliant suggestion which I acted upon, and found an excellent digital-first ad shop who created a blockbuster socially-fueled digital campaign for us that became the model for future campaigns. Jani is an energizing strategist, keenly attuned to the business need, who brings simple, brilliant ideas that unlock growth.”

Stephanie Rath
Vice President, Marketing and Brand Management

“Jani and I were strategic partners at Intouch Solutions. I was the lead for client services and she was the head planner on our team. She is a teacher and a mentor and is a great addition to any team. Her energy is infectious and inspiring and I really enjoyed working with her. She dedicates all of herself to every project she touches and you can count on her to be with you every step of the way.”

Kelly McCoy
SVP, Client Services at Intouch Solutions

“Big thoughts, big passion, big energy. Jani brings it all to every assignment she works on. She challenges you to look at the human problem and come at the creative from that space. If you need to build a brand that has meaning and connects with people, you need Jani.”

Joanna Friel-Wimmer
VP Group Creative Director at Intouch Solutions

A self proclaimed “idea hampster,” Jani is a tireless solver. Her desire to get to the hidden base of patient needs made her a uniquely empathic healthcare planner. And her advocacy for our strategic planning discipline + process helped Intouch Chicago achieve integration after many years of failed attempts. I have had many planning partners over 20 years, Jani is the easy favorite. I would highly recommend her to anyone who needs help unlocking the hearts or minds of humans.

Angela Tenuta
Executive Vice President, Client Services at Intouch Group

“Jani brings so much to any company, she would organize these amazing salons and bring high profile creative people like Bob Odenkirk (personal hero) to talk to us, which did so much for the culture of BBDO. She's also super smart, has great insights and a great attitude, her laugh is contagious and she's one of the most sincere, fun and kind hearted humans I know.”

Jaime Villalva
El “Bad Hombre” of Advertising | makejaimericagreatagain.com | Associate Creative Director at Droga5

Jani exemplifies creativity and passion. She is tireless. She is a constant fountain of inspiration. I worked on a project with Jani that went on far longer than expected, yet never did she fluster, show signs of wear, or give up the fight to find the best, most inspired solution. She's a collaborator, a strategic leader, and a force to be reckoned with. Jani is someone I'd take on my team any day of the week.

Anne Weber
Chief Strategy & Client Happiness Officer at Glantz Design

“What’s the one thing we’re trying to tell people?

Answering this question with strategic precision and finely honed prose that inspire creative ideas versus inundating them, Jani is among the very best planners I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

Jani’s innate curiosity about people, cultural influences and the details of daily life that generate the social currency required to motivate purchase behavior is invaluable in this age of convergence and information overload.

Her knack for cutting to the chase with a positive, collaborative approach to problem solving, her genuine joy for the creative process, and her consummate can-do attitude proves infectious among the entire team striving to do the best possible work.

What’s the one lead planner I would love to have on my team? The answer is simple: Jani Westcott.”

Gregory Oreskovich
Writer/CD at Public Inc. Ideas for the Common Good

“Working with Jani is inspiring. Her passion for the business infectious. When Jani kicks off a campaign or project it is never ordinary. Creatives and account execs are sure to be jolted out of typical thinking and on to pursuing something extraordinary. Clients get briefs that clearly express consumer insights rather than corporate cliches. Beyond her job, Jani contributes mightily to a businesses' cultural. Her energy seems boundless and lifts everyone's performance around her. Any business would benefit from having Jani on board.”

David Boensch
Creative Lead / Art at BTP Unite

“I was supervised by Jani on a number of projects, but ultimately I was mentored by Jani as she has the wealth of knowledge we planners all hope to acquire. Jani managed me with expert counsel both indirectly and directly in my time at BBDO. I am inspired by her ability to create delicate order from chaos, steward a brand as if the captain of the ship, and apply frameworks to derive the richest insight and strategy to help brands define a solution for even the most complex situations. Mostly, however, I am in awe of Jani's passionate drive for bringing explosive creativity in to our everyday lives through her incredible work with the BBDO Creative Salons, of which she chairs and organizes.

It is hard to talk about Jani without smiling. She just has that affect on you. There is no doubt in my mind that my life and career as a planner will be better because of my time sitting across from her. I quickly noticed after working with Jani that she will become one of the most compassionate, thoughtful, intelligent folks I will probably have the opportunity to work with. Ever.”

Eddie Revis
Vice President of Brand Marketing, Strategy & Media at Chobani

“Working together on the Quaker Foods business, I had the opportunity to play “archeologist” with Jani uncovering insights and trends that changed consumer attitudes toward food. She positioned our client to be ahead of cultural waves that informed both their messaging and product innovation. Jani’s strategic leadership on new product launches within the weight-loss and all-natural segments anchored our internal team, inspired creatives, and helped our clients win. With tenacity and energetic spirit, she makes the hard work look easy. I’d pick Jani for my team any day (even the long and weekend ones)!”

Tiffany Dixon Kerr
Director of Marketing, Visit Austin

“Jan is a planner with a creative soul. She consistently brought energizing, under-the-skin insights about our target audiences, and fresh perspectives on the marketplace as a whole. She really knows how to provide the creative team with an inspiring springboard. Working with her was always a high energy partnership of sharing and building on ideas to give clients the best strategic and creative product.”

Elaine Love Bragg
Vice President, Executive Creative Director at TPN

“Jani's creativity, energy and passion for her craft make her a joy to work with. She's incredibly insightful when it comes to understanding consumers and brands, and always serves up her thinking with wit and style that never fails to delight and inspire her audience. When fresh thinking is required, I would want Jani in the room every time.”

Barbara Werner
Freelance Brand Strategist, Account Planner

“I had the very distinct pleasure of working with Jani Wescott at BBDO and I must say, a pleasure it certainly was.

Jani is one of those all too rare people in the ad business - a deep, creative thinker and warm, caring spirit combined with an energetic and infectious personality. She brings a unique and creative sensibility to all aspects of the planning discipline, bringing ideas to life in ways that stimulate, inspire and energize all those she works with. If only there were more like her.

But that's not all, Jani has a very warm and generous spirit. She's a wonderful manager of people because cares about them and gets satisfaction from mentoring and inspiring others at all levels.

In writing this recommendation I'm reminded how much I enjoyed working with Jani and sincerely hope I get the opportunity to do so again - if you have the chance take it - you'll be very glad you did.”

Murray Hardie
Strategist

“Working for Jani was great. She possessed a clear understanding of what she wanted and need, all while being open to new ideas. She puts those who work around her at ease and comfort with her addictive personality and her approachability. Not only was she a great leader but also considered both creative and analytical solutions to her in depth problem solving.”

Olivier Tse
Director, Marcom Strategy at Electronic Arts (EA)

“Jan is an outstanding strategic thinker and has a great ability to clearly and succinctly communicate her ideas. She is a pleasure to work with.”

Dan Woodard
Consumer Insight Specialist at Woodard Strategy and Research

“Jani is a strategic thinker who approaches each and every project with a passion that is infectious. She always brings a thoughtful perspective and is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get the work done.”

Kristin Glunz
Executive Account Director

“Jani was a breath of fresh air for our client and team when she joined us. She brought new perspective and unique way of looking at our young adult consumer and the AT&T Wireless business. She developed a framework to help all of us understand how best to approach our target, and she was convicted to assure that we got it right. She managed through a lot of layers of acceptance and buy-in in her first true 'planning' position. She has boundless energy and a can-do attitude, and we wouldn't have experience the success we had without her.”

Tina Ingall
Founder, Brand Strategist at The Twig Group

“Jani was our planner when I worked at AT&T Wireless and she was at Frankel. I have found her to be one of the most creative planners I have worked with - she really helped us build the AT&T brand with the Youth market by giving us some great insights into the target, and some excellent recommendations on how to keep up with their ever-changing trends. She was passionate and very fun to work with - she can really help build brands.”

Marie LaPlante
Chief Marketing Officer at Learning Resources

“Jan has an uncanny ability to cull through a wealth of information and turn it into key insights that can guide a team's thinking and lead to some very distinct and impactful communications/marketing efforts. She always seems to raise the level of a team's thinking. All this, and she's a joy to work with.”

Ben DiSanti
Co-Founder, Managing Partner at DiSanti, Hicks + Partners

“Jani and I partnered on research during an exciting period for Millennials-- the crazed excitement as youth had their first cell phones and then discovered text messaging. Though she and I--much like the Millennials we worked with--are now several generations of cell phones older, Jani still strikes me for her: tremendous enthusiasm; sharp understanding of the youth market; keen analytical skills, translating research findings into insights and actionable takeaways for marketers; contagious energy; versatility with different audiences; simply good fun to be around.”

Dan Drath
Principal at Colloquial Insights