When Maryam Simpson started making homemade magazines on her family’s first computer as a child, she didn’t know she was laying the foundation for a career in digital marketing.
But her love of design, storytelling and technology has never waned. Today, she is an experienced marketer based in Hoboken, New Jersey, helping brands grow with strategy, empathy and data.
From launching rebrands to tripling customer sales, Maryam’s work speaks for itself. But behind every campaign is a mindset focused on clarity and connection.
“Marketing is about empathy,” she says. “You have to understand people well enough to create something that moves them.”
Let’s take a look at how it got here – and how it’s changing the way marketing is done.
From Edison to Rutgers: Early Signs of a Storyteller
Maryam grew up in Edison, New Jersey, in a home that combined technical logic and literary curiosity. Her father was a civil engineer. Her mother, originally from Iran, was a high school English teacher. This mix piqued her interest in both structure and story.
At Edison High School, she joined the yearbook club, student council and DECA. In her senior year, she won a regional marketing strategy competition. But even before that, she was experimenting with ideas – creating digital collages, redesigning logos and exploring how images and words are connected.
This curiosity led her to Rutgers University – New Brunswick, where Maryam Simpson received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications in 2014. During college, she interned at a boutique advertising agency in Princeton and found her niche in the digital space.
“I liked how quickly everything happened,” she says. “And I loved how strategy and creativity could work together.”
First jobs and rapid growth
Maryam’s first professional role was as a marketing assistant at Garden State Financial Services. It was a medium sized company but the experience was great. She created email campaigns, managed social media and tracked analytics.
“This taught me how to balance daily work with long-term goals,” she says. “And how to communicate across teams.”
In 2017, she joined BrightLeaf Media Group, a digital agency in Jersey City. There she worked with clients in the healthcare, retail and technology sectors. She didn’t just participate – she led.
One of her biggest achievements was renaming a regional hospital network. The project increased online patient engagement by 43%. She also launched a social influencer campaign for a skincare brand that tripled monthly sales. Another special feature was a content strategy overhaul that increased SEO traffic by 200%.
“Those were turning points,” she says. “I learned to combine performance with purpose.”
Targeted leadership at EverNova
In 2021, Maryam took on a hybrid role at EverNova, a sustainability-focused brand based in Hoboken. The job combines everything she is passionate about: storytelling, analysis, product messaging and values-based marketing.
She works closely with product development teams to ensure that what the company says matches what it does.
“People want authenticity,” she says. “If there’s a gap between what a brand promises and what they do, they’ll spot it. Quickly.”
Your role is part strategy, part content and part research. And it reflects their broader belief in meaningful marketing.
Skills that have an impact
Maryam’s toolbox is extensive. She has knowledge of SEO, brand identity, social media strategy, content creation and data analysis. She uses HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Ads and design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and Canva Pro.
But what really sets her apart is the way she uses these tools. It’s not just about increasing clicks. It’s about building trust.
“It’s easy to make noise,” she says. “It’s harder to create something that people really care about.”
She also mentors younger professionals online, answers questions in LinkedIn groups, and offers advice on careers in marketing.
Recognize and give something back
Your work has not gone unnoticed. In 2020, she was named one of the “Top 30 Under 30 Marketers to Watch” by NJ AdWeek. In 2021, it won Best Social Media Campaign at the New Jersey Marketing Excellence Awards. In 2023, she was a keynote speaker at the Women in Digital Marketing Summit in Newark.
Outside of work, Maryam volunteers with Girls Who Code NJ and Habitat for Humanity Hudson County. She teaches digital skills, helps with community events and supports local causes.
She also runs a travel blog called The Urban Lens, where she combines her love of photography, cities and nature. It’s a place where she writes about everything from café culture in Lisbon to hiking trails in upstate New York.
The mindset that drives everything
Maryam is the type of marketer who listens first. It combines data with emotions. She builds with purpose and isn’t afraid to challenge the standard playbook.
She doesn’t chase trends – she builds stories that last.
“Marketing is not about selling,” she says. “It’s about the connection. That’s what sticks.”
In an industry full of noise, Maryam Simpson stands out for one simple reason: she knows how to make things clear.
