When we first started Props, we made a commitment to hire only "A-players." These are individuals whom we believed would bring a high level of intensity, commitment, talent, desire, and integrity to our company.
While skills are important, we also wanted to determine if they possessed the A-player attitude or as our CFO inquires, "Do they have substance, style, and grace?"
Here are the A-players who are being promoted at Props - all of them were among the very first individuals to join our company:
Alyssa Clark is now Vice President of Props
When we informed her that she was going to become a vice president, she asked, "Of what?" and we replied, "Of the entire company!" Alyssa is accountable for effectively managing all client relationships at Props. This encompasses client success, paid media, reporting, creators, and content. (Technically speaking, she isn't responsible for the tech team but collaborates closely with them.) Alyssa is and will always be an A-player. Above all else, she excels at assisting others in becoming A-players as well.
Megan Matera is now Director, Client Success
Almost every time we introduce Megan, we work in the fact that she graduated college in just three years. And that she was a classically trained ballerina. There are very few people who can say these things. And Megan is among the very few. She began her journey at Props as an intern, swiftly grasped our unique model and approach, mastered it, and now she plays a crucial role in helping our clients implement Props to drive exceptional outcomes.
Malcolm Mead, Jr. is now Senior Manager, Media and Business Intelligence
When we asked him, "What was your strategy to win the NJ state high school ski championship?" Malcolm responded in his typically calm and matter-of-fact tone, saying, "Show up. Win." Since Malcolm uttered these profound words, "Show Up. Win." has become our mantra at Props, second only to "Never give up." Malcolm, who also started as an intern, is now responsible for running paid media at Props and uncovering critically important insights into how and why we outperform.
In Props, we have developed a truly distinctive and efficient creator and content marketing platform. Our team of A-players know how to utilize it for the benefit of our clients.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
For regional banks, advertising is fraught with some of the most stringent rules in marketing. Laws such as the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) require specific disclosures in promotions for loans, credit cards, and other financial products. Adding to these legal mandates, platforms like Facebook and Google impose “Special Ad Categories” for financial services, restricting the use of advanced targeting tools like lookalike audiences or detailed demographic segmentation.
The impact is clear: compliance-heavy messaging disrupts engagement, creativity is stifled, and marketing costs rise as cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-lead (CPL) escalate. For many regional banks, this combination of constraints makes reaching their ideal customers a frustrating and costly endeavor.
Props offers a transformative way for regional banks to overcome these challenges through a unique combination of creator-driven storytelling, strategic paid media promotion, and robust compliance solutions. Instead of promoting financial products directly, Props shifts the focus to authentic, lifestyle-oriented stories that resonate with audiences and inspire them.
These stories are published on the bank’s website (or a special landing page) and, critically, promoted through the creators’ social media handles. Publishing lifestyle content through creators’ handles bypasses the restrictions of “Special Ad Categories,” drives more engagement and click-throughs, and unlocks advanced targeting options. This allows banks to connect with high-intent audiences more effectively while reducing costs.
For example, rather than running a traditional ad for a home equity line of credit (HELOC), Props might collaborate with a creator to share a story about how homeowners can fund renovations—building trust and engagement without triggering compliance-heavy disclosures.
One of Props’ greatest advantages lies in its ability to sidestep disclosure requirements by avoiding direct product claims. Instead of advertisements laden with legal disclaimers, Props content centers on engaging narratives that educate and inspire. These stories provide value to audiences without overwhelming them, creating a cleaner, more effective path to engagement.
A creator might share how they used home equity to remodel their kitchen, illustrating a real-life application of financial tools while staying free from the burdens of compliance-heavy messaging. This approach not only eliminates the need for complex disclosures but also keeps content relatable and audience-focused, fostering trust and credibility.
Audiences are more likely to trust people over brands, and Props ensures this trust by selecting creators based on their expertise and storytelling ability, not their follower count. Creators are chosen for their ability to craft genuine, relatable narratives that resonate with specific audience segments.
Whether it’s a business owner sharing entrepreneurial insights or a parent discussing family finances, Props focuses on the quality of the story rather than the creator’s popularity. By publishing these stories directly on the client’s website, Props ensures that the bank owns the engagement and benefits from first-party data collection. Paid media promotion guarantees that these stories reach the most relevant audience with precision and scale.
Brand safety is paramount for financial institutions. Strict regulatory standards and a heightened need to maintain trust often prevent banks from collaborating with creators. Recognizing these challenges, Props developed Ollie—a proprietary AI-driven brand safety tool that ensures campaigns remain compliant, transparent, and aligned with institutional values.
Ollie reviews years of creator content history, continuously monitors posts in real-time, and flags potential risks using advanced AI. Its capabilities include detecting if a financial offer is being made or if financial advice is being given—two critical triggers that can complicate compliance for creators in regulated industries. By categorizing flagged content as low, medium, or high risk, Ollie empowers banks to avoid pitfalls while enabling creators to craft compelling yet compliant narratives.
This innovative approach ensures banks can confidently embrace creator storytelling, knowing that campaigns will uphold their values and meet regulatory standards. By bridging the gap between brand safety and creative freedom, Ollie empowers financial advertisers to connect authentically with audiences while navigating one of the most regulated industries in marketing.
Props has consistently delivered impressive results for its financial clients across consumer banking, mortgage lending, credit cards, secure cards, life insurance, auto insurance, and wealth management. Props takes responsibility for delivering actual, measurable business outcomes—a key reason for its rapid growth.
For regional bank CMOs, Props offers an unparalleled opportunity to navigate advertising regulations while driving measurable results. By avoiding restrictive ad categories and using creator-led storytelling, Props enables access to advanced audience targeting tools that improve reach and engagement.
Its compliance-friendly strategies reduce advertising costs and create cleaner, more effective campaigns. With Ollie’s oversight, banks can run creative campaigns confidently, knowing that regulatory standards are being met. Props’ focus on authenticity builds trust with audiences, while its full-funnel strategy ensures seamless progression from awareness to conversion.
By leveraging paid media through creators’ handles, Props ensures that each story achieves both the reach and relevance needed to deliver measurable results. For CMOs seeking to transform their marketing strategy and connect authentically with their audience, Props offers a proven path to sustainable growth and success.
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