Career Advice Told by Marketing Leaders

“Advice I remind myself and offer to mentees is if you have a seat at the table, don’t be afraid to use your voice. Be courageous in sharing your point of view. Say the things other folks are afraid to say. If you’re not gonna use your voice, let someone else who will.”

–Kelley Walton, Head of Brand, Product & Integrated Marketing at Amazon Music

“The best career advice I was given along the way was from my mentor, Rebecca van Dyck. She encouraged me to collect experiences that help me become the person I want to be— opposed to a calculated path to success. Take the next big experience if it’s the one that you want to collect. Successful careers don’t happen to people; you must manage them and be proactive.” 

– Brian Irving, VP of Global Marketing at Meta Reality Labs

“Take the stretch opportunities, and, more importantly, seek them out. Don’t talk yourself out of the next opportunity. If it’s being presented to you, it’s because someone believes you can do it. What do you have to lose? Some of the best successes in my career have come from taking opportunities that have made me nervous. But that’s when I learned the most and was able to accomplish the most.” 

– Deirdre Findlay, (former Global CMO and Head of Consumer Revenue, Condé Nast) CMO, McAfee

“As we develop in our careers, we must become masters of marketing. However, as you begin to move forward, what is most important is the time you spend on yourself.

Purpose-driven individuals become purpose-driven leaders who drive purposeful brands and businesses.  

Investing in yourself and figuring out who you are and what you want is not a luxury, and it’s not self-indulgent; it’s the most important thing you can do. You must invest time in yourself to be your best self for your family, team, organization, and society.   

That me-time, self-reflection time, and let-me-figure-out-who-I-am time is the most selfless investment you can make. The people you serve deserve the best YOU. That starts with looking inside – any transformation, whether business or personal, begins and ends with you.” 

–Antonio Lucio, Founder, 5S Diversity 

“Regardless of your KPIs as a marketer, the most important metrics are those that help the business acquire customers, retention rates, or deeper engagement. Understanding your direct line to revenue is the biggest key to driving your career.”

–Jacqueline Woods, CMO of Teradata

The key for me was figuring out how to package and vocalize what I see in culture from an economic standpoint. Once I packaged it in terms of value to the business, and top and bottom-line growth, the CMOs and CFOs started to perk up.

–Daniel Cherry III, SVP & GM at adidas

“I like to remind myself and the team of the notion of Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, ‘Do something you are afraid of every day.’ When you are afraid of something, there is a reason. When you embrace your fear, confront it, and get on the other side of it, I think you will be proud of yourself. At the end of the day, we only live this life once. So what are you going to do with your time today to make a difference, fulfill yourself, and impact someone’s life?” 

–Stephanie McMahon, Former CBO, WWE 

“Chase experiences, not levels, title, or pay. All those things will come. If you are dangerous enough across the modern CMO spectrum, you’ll be in demand. Don’t worry about the next move or two moves from now. Think ten moves from now. Play chess, not checkers.” 

– Vineet Mehra, CMO, Chime 

“Being a woman in business, it always feels like you have to try harder, be smarter, do more, and work later. It wasn’t until I realized that I was being my harshest critic that I was able to cut myself a little slack.  I focused on what I did well, played to my strengths in terms of the assignments I took, and how I represented myself at the table.  It wasn’t until then that I started to succeed.” 
 
– Alice Milligan, CMO at Morgan Stanley 

“There’s so much innovation and newness happening in marketing that if I had any advice for someone that’s starting his or her career in marketing or even in mid-level, it’s to learn and make something happen for yourself. Our Director of Metaverse Marketing is a case and point. This person literally educated themselves on what was going on in this crazy brave new world. He’s an expert, but he also is the first to admit that no one is an expert in this. Learn every day. Do homework. Roll up the sleeves.”  

– Craig Brommers, CMO, American Eagle Outfitters 

“I like to tell people that we are on a finite timeline; our lives are here and gone tomorrow. Success shouldn’t be based on the house you have, the watch you’re wearing, or the car you drive; it should be defined by how much change and impact you can make, using your platform, to leave better opportunities for the next generation. One voice added to the mix can create a vast ripple effect.” 

–Walter Geer III, Chief Experience Design Officer, VMLY&R