Black History Month Spotlight: Austin Sellers

Austin Sellers is an Associate Director, Digital Solutions on our client services team and has been with Cadent + AdTheorent for more than three years. In this role, Austin does an amazing job providing the sales team with strategic support to secure new business and grow high-value accounts, as well as develops customized solutions that drive impact for our clients. 

To learn more about Austin and how he celebrates Black History Month, check out the Q&A below.

What does this year’s theme, ‘Empowered Through Knowledge,’ mean to you personally? 

“Empowered Through Knowledge” is such a profound theme. To me, it’s about fostering the intentional sharing of resources, opportunities, and hard-won lessons (both the trials and the triumphs) to create a foundation of understanding and growth. For Black Americans, our history has often been subject to erasure, leaving gaps in our collective narrative. This theme serves as a call to reclaim those stories, to ensure they are preserved, celebrated, and learned from. 

Knowledge is transformative and powerful. By embracing our past and honoring the wisdom it holds, we illuminate the limitless potential of our future. “Empowered Through Knowledge” is not just a reflection of where we’ve been, it’s a declaration of what we can achieve as we continue to build a future rooted in empowerment, equity, and excellence. 

How do you celebrate your heritage and contributions to your workplace during Black History Month and beyond? 

I celebrate my heritage by actively patronizing Black- and BIPOC-owned businesses, volunteering in my local community with organizations that I love, and studying the works of Black thought leaders both past and present.  

However, I believe the most impactful way I celebrate is by prioritizing my mental health and rest. Taking time off and using my FTO to focus on myself and my community. As small as it may seem, rest is an act of revolution that a lot of my ancestors did not have the luxury to take. I believe it is my duty and honor to step into the opportunities they fought for. 

What advice would you give to the next generation of Black leaders entering the workforce? 

Here are the six pieces of advice I would give to the next generation of Black leaders: 

1. Dream up the impossible. The future is what we design together. 

2. Create a vision built with compassion and playfulness. 

3. Network across—don’t just network up. Your peers will grow alongside you. 

4. Your career is yours. Always be in the driver’s seat of your professional journey and advocate for the development you deserve. 

5. Be a safe space. Community is everything and something as simple as taking care of each other with grace and understanding can unlock new opportunities. 

6. Know who you are and stay true to yourself. 

Learn more about life at Cadent and see available roles on our Careers page.