Sage U Fireside Chat: Miriam Paz Maor
Sage is an organization filled with outstanding communications professionals who bring a diverse background of experience and expertise. We leverage this depth of knowledge through our Sage U program, an all-learn, all-teach model, to assist our team’s continued growth.
Our latest Sage U Fireside Chat Q&A series features Miriam Paz Maor, Senior Account Executive on the marketing team at Sage Communications, who discusses the path that led her to Sage and the lessons she’s learned along her journey.
Q&A highlights:
What are the events that led you to be where you are today? What inspired you to enter this industry?
As a child, I was always creative—drawing, crafting, writing poetry, and making custom cards. I was particularly drawn to drama, enjoying school plays and drama clubs. I received the most positive feedback through my impressions and skits, which further fueled my creative inclinations. However, after high school, I was initially unsure about my career path. I did my compulsory military service in the Israeli Defense Forces and later attempted to enroll in Tel Aviv University’s acting school. Although I didn’t get into the acting division, I studied theater arts theory, which I soon discovered I didn’t enjoy. I dropped out and worked at a bookstore, where I ran the English department and supplemented my income with house cleaning.
My interest in graphic design was sparked by a fellow reservist who was studying the field. I learned about graphic design and realized it was something I could pursue. I enrolled in a technical art college to build a portfolio and successfully applied to a prestigious graphic design program in Haifa. After graduating, I worked as an art director and designer in various agencies in Haifa. After moving to Toronto in 2009, I began working for a local Israeli community newspaper, which led me to a role in a local Israeli-owned marketing agency where I eventually became the Production Manager.
Over time, I transitioned to a Canadian creative agency working on Walmart Canada’s national flyer, which was a high-pressure role. I later managed a variety of academic journals at the University of Toronto Press, which provided a steep learning curve in academic publishing. The challenges of remote work during COVID-19 and the associated difficulties led me to seek new opportunities. Luckily, that was exactly when I found Sage.
I know you were excited to share with the team the best piece of advice you've ever received in your career, so I think we'd love to hear what that would be.
The most valuable professional advice I've ever received is to get comfortable with the word "no." Some view "no" as an absolute and discouraging response, leading to setbacks and burnout. However, it's important to remember that "no" may not always be final. It could mean "no, not right now," or "no, not in this way, but perhaps another approach could work." Don't let these rejections demotivate you. While some "no's" may be non-negotiable, others may present a steppingstone or a catalyst to grow, change, learn, and improve.
After working at both small and large companies, how is it working for a mid-sized agency like Sage?
Sage has a unique corporate culture. I haven't worked at a company with this kind of culture before, and it is remarkable. Sage sees employees as whole human beings, not just as cogs in a machine or people on an assembly line. Sage invests in the growth of their employees, and this is something I value. Sage wants to set employees up for success, not for failure. A prime example is that Sage has thrived since COVID; we're staying remote when most companies require employees to return to the office. This is an excellent example of the difference between Sage and other companies, and I appreciate it.
Could you share something that maybe Sagers here wouldn't know about you just from working with you? Something they may be surprised to learn.
When I was 21, I co-hosted the 2nd Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, while I was a student at TAU. The festival was attended by a large local crowd as well as many visiting film students and filmmakers from other countries. In its first years, the festival operated on a shoestring budget, and because I was a native English speaker, they asked me, "Hey, would you emcee this?" and I said “Sure!” I had to translate all the intros and opening remarks into English, and I co-hosted with an Israeli student who did the Hebrew, which was wild. The 26th TISFF will be held this year from August 14-20.
Another thing you might be amused to learn is that I am licensed to teach high school in Israel. My graphic design college offered two options for coursework. You could do graphic design strictly, or you could do graphic design with a minor in education. I chose the latter. This meant I had a full course load in design and an education course load, including child psychology, early childhood development, lesson planning, art history, etc. I have yet to use my teaching license, but it’s nice to know I have something to fall back on should the need arise!
