Just as hard to mow

I wondered what a midlife crisis looks like when it happens to a woman.
A bit of cursory investigation on the interwebs came up with an article from Time Magazine from 2005. Not really what I was talking about but interesting nonetheless.


The bit I really liked is the line that says "women are natural marketers". Now that is something I can really get on board with.
Marketing can be a pretty rough gig. I used to joke with my team about getting first year marketing lecturers to start with "Everyone stand up. Now sit down anyone who is interested in making lots of money, getting constant praise, or being supported and nurtured in a job that has big budgets. Those of you still standing up ask yourself, and you handle when it all goes right and you get none of the credit and when it all goes wrong it is all your fault? If not, sit down. All of you still standing – welcome to marketing, and good luck!"
That being said, there is nothing quite like the first time you see a supersite billboard that you brainstormed, budgeted for, built into a IMC and you are getting measurable results from. That's a sight that really warms a girls heart.
Now that is the other thing I really like. Results. I am probably lucky (in more ways than one) that I was not working in the hey day of advertising in the late 50's or the mid eighties, because I am pretty mean with the budgets. I want to see OUTCOMES. Without a goal, a measureable one – all this is just pointless busy work.
Setting goals in marketing plans can be a challenge. I have found that business managers want to reach all the goals, but don't wish to expend the budget to do so. So I have been known to write goals on a corresponding sliding scale, just so they can get the picture. Conversely – trying to impress that twice as much budget will not necessarily deliver twice the goal, and that there is a minimum spend to reach any goals at all.
Makes all this marketing malarkey sound like a serious job doesn't it?
What do you guys think?