Dara Treseder, SVP, Global Head of Marketing, Communications & Membership of Peloton
Stanford Graduate School of Business2022-05-10
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💫 Short Summary
The video features Dora sharing her journey of ambition and humility, transitioning from finance to marketing, emphasizing authenticity and learning from failures. The discussion covers the importance of leadership, continuous learning, and contribution in a professional setting. The speaker highlights the significance of taking real action over performative gestures in addressing social issues and building consumer trust. Peloton's focus on member experience and leadership through critical inflection points is emphasized. The importance of effective leadership, communication, and adaptability in challenging situations is a key takeaway.
✨ Highlights
📊 Transcript
✦
Dora's journey of ambition and humility instilled by her mother.
01:29Emphasizes the importance of impact and representation as a black woman in positions of power.
Aims to inspire and demystify stereotypes for others like her.
Discusses a career transition from finance to marketing.
Highlights the value of authenticity and embracing failures as learning experiences.
✦
The speaker shares their unconventional path to a career in marketing at Goldman Sachs.
03:54A partner at the company recognized their storytelling and creativity skills, steering them towards marketing instead of investment banking.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of leadership in shaping one's career path.
They highlight the significance of knowing when to stay or leave a job for personal growth.
The speaker prioritizes growth and learning in career decisions, balancing ambition and contentment.
✦
Importance of Continuous Learning and Personal Development in Professional Setting.
07:10Emphasizes the value of seeking feedback and bridging gaps in self-perception.
Stresses the importance of controlling reactions and focusing on what can be controlled.
Discusses the critical role of a CMO in marketing in the current volatile business environment.
Describes the speaker's job as leading global marketing communications and membership, covering all aspects of marketing.
✦
Importance of defining brand values and voice in marketing.
10:44Social media has shifted marketing towards brand conversation with buyers.
Brands should prioritize purpose over causes to stay authentic.
Peloton prioritizes fitness and aligns with issues related to improving lives.
Emphasis on taking action over empty speech in marketing.
✦
Importance of taking real action over performative gestures in addressing social issues.
13:25Brands should focus on internal actions before speaking externally to maintain authenticity and avoid backlash.
Authenticity and consistency are crucial in building consumer trust.
Perceived performative or hypocritical actions can alienate consumers.
Aligning actions with beliefs and ensuring internal work precedes external communication is key.
✦
Peloton's focus on member experience remains strong despite changes in the macroeconomic climate due to the pandemic.
16:49The company emphasizes serving members first and ensuring an engaging experience.
Peloton's founders pioneered connected fitness, offering engaging workouts from home.
The company continues to evolve and expand its offerings beyond home workouts, promoting an omnichannel experience.
Leadership within Peloton focuses on guiding the team through critical inflection points.
✦
Importance of being a people-first leader.
21:08Emphasizing treating others with respect and prioritizing their needs.
Maintaining honest and open communication with team members fosters trust and loyalty.
Navigating tough times by leaning into the team and putting people first.
Focusing on what can be controlled and making the most of available resources in challenging situations.
✦
Peloton's success story fueled by member testimonials on social media.
22:41Campaign showcasing member stories boosted morale among users and motivated employees.
Emphasized strategy of amplifying member voices and sharing positive experiences to shape narrative.
Importance of communication and over-communication highlighted, including weekly standup routine to connect with team during difficult times.
✦
The speaker stresses the importance of communication and consistency in leadership roles.
26:05Transitioning from entrepreneurship to management roles is discussed, emphasizing the importance of aligning with personal strengths and interests.
Lessons learned from shutting down startups are reflected upon, leading to satisfaction in pursuing a different career path.
The speaker acknowledges the support and mentorship from individuals like Joe DeSimone.
✦
Working with visionary leader Joe at Carbon.
27:57Impact of innovative projects like 3D printed shoes.
Importance of passion and dedication in pursuing ideas.
Need for founders to have a strong vision and inspire others.
Challenges of scaling a business and being a magnetic leader.
✦
Importance of curiosity and humility in investing.
31:33Value of asking questions and admitting what you don't know.
Black identity journey, complexities of colorism in Nigeria, impact of colonialism on self-perception.
Personal story of wanting to lighten skin due to societal pressures, negative reaction, realization of self-acceptance.
Significance of curiosity, questioning, and embracing one's identity.
✦
The importance of representation and visibility for black women in leadership roles.
36:17The speaker shares personal experiences of facing stereotypes and challenges as a black woman in the US.
Despite initial doubts, she works towards excelling and inspiring others, particularly black women.
Reflecting on Ursula Burns as the first black woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
Emphasizing the need for diversity and change in leadership positions.
✦
Challenges of race and gender in the workplace.
37:23Emphasizes the importance of mentorship from individuals who believe in and invest time in you.
Acknowledges the need for diversity in organizations and the resistance it may face.
Encourages asking tough questions and pushing for change.
Recognizes the sacrifices that come with advocating for inclusivity.
✦
Importance of understanding intentions in comments and focusing on improvement rather than disruption.
41:14Responsibility of being a steward in the community and the privilege of pressure.
Need to push through challenges for the sake of future generations.
Importance of a strong support system.
Significance of protecting one's peace and the valuable support provided by the Stanford community.
✦
Importance of Mentorship and Guidance in Career Development.
45:49Speaker shares a moment of imposter syndrome before their first CMO job, seeking confidence from mentor Rob Segal.
Emphasis on the significance of support and encouragement from others during critical moments in one's career.
Acknowledgment of the life-changing impact mentorship and preparation can have on an individual.
Reminder that everyone experiences a first time in their career and the value of mentorship in navigating such situations.
✦
Importance of Faith, Values, and Service in Life.
47:40Christian faith guides the speaker to live by values of love, acceptance, respect, and inclusiveness.
Emphasis on forgiveness, love, and respect in a world filled with uncontrollable circumstances.
Importance of being a servant leader and serving one's team.
Encouragement to prioritize what matters most and not lose sight of it, regardless of beliefs or perspectives.
✦
Importance of balancing work and family life.
51:01Prioritizing key events in children's lives, such as attending performances.
Setting objectives and goals, including annual marriage retreats with husband.
Making space for important moments through intentional planning and prioritization.
Highlighting the value of partnership in raising children and maintaining a successful personal and professional life.
✦
Importance of understanding and supporting employees during hard times.
54:36Open communication led to a successful outcome in a personal story shared by the speaker.
Being authentic, asking questions, and prioritizing people helped create a successful plan.
Balancing being an understanding leader with setting hardline expectations is crucial.
Putting people first in the workplace is highlighted as significant.
✦
The significance of empathy in leadership is highlighted, stressing the importance of understanding others' perspectives to make informed decisions.
57:12The speaker recounts a personal story about educating children on important topics such as the environment, showcasing the younger generation's strong commitment to equality, justice, and environmental issues.
The compassion and dedication of individuals towards causes they care about are seen as a source of optimism for a brighter future.
People who are passionate about specific issues are more likely to take steps to create a positive change in society.
00:00[MUSIC]
00:04Hi Dora.
00:05>> Hello, hi everyone,
good to see you, how nice is this for
00:10us to be here in person.
00:12>> Welcome back to Stanford.
00:13>> Thank you, so glad to be here.
00:15>> As you can see, we're all really
excited and grateful to have you here,
00:19but truly no one more than me.
00:21You might not remember this, but exactly
two years ago, I logged into a Zoom and
00:26you were my alumni interviewer.
00:28>> I remember, I do remember.
00:28>> [CROSSTALK] For GSB admissions, I
don't know what lies you put down on that
00:33paper but you've really-
>> I speak the truth.
00:36>> [LAUGH] On multiple levels,
you've really made this moment happen, so
00:40thank you.
00:41>> Thank you, I'm so
glad to see you here and thriving.
00:44>> [LAUGH] So then and now, so when you
interviewed me when I was entering the GSB
00:49or applying for the GSB and now, as I was
preparing to interview you, I reached out
00:54to a lot of friends in the industry and
I asked them, what do you know about Dora?
00:59because I wanted to get some insights and
some intel, and the thing that kept coming
01:03back, there are three words, ambitious,
incredibly brilliant, and really humble.
01:08And I'd love to kind of go back to
the beginning because I think it seemed as
01:12though when people
articulated that about you,
01:14they're speaking to
the truth of your being.
01:17A lot of that's formed when you're young,
in your childhood, in your upbringing.
01:21So I'd love to know,
where does your ambition come from, and
01:25really what creates that humility
that people are so endeared towards?
01:29>> Well, thank you, thank you so
much for saying that.
01:31I have to give a lot of credit to my mom,
because growing up, I was that kid,
01:36I always dreamed big, that kid that
you're like, my gosh, stop, but
01:41I was always so excited,
I always dreamed big.
01:44And my mom would say to me,
Dora, I like your ambition, but
01:47don't forget to have
ambition with contentment.
01:51And that was something that meant so much
to me, and it's been my North Star right
01:55from when I was a child right up
until now, and always will be.
02:00When I think about that, it makes me
remember, no matter how high you are,
02:04be humble, and
no matter how low you are, be hopeful.
02:07Because things are never, you're never,
at least I'll say I'm never as amazing
02:12as I think I am, and I'm never as
terrible as I think I am, right?
02:16There's all that space in between and
so for me,
02:19it's been about how can I make
as much impact in the world?
02:23My ambition is not a selfish
ambition just about me, for me,
02:27it's about what it represents.
02:30I feel, there not a lot of black women
that get to great stages like this or
02:34be in positions like that and for
me, I'm trying to demystify that.
02:39My hope is that, black women who
are coming beside me, behind me,
02:43can look into, she can do it,
I can definitely do it, and
02:47that can kind of infuse them and inspire
them to go and achieve great things.
02:52And I'd love for, we need a world where
more people in positions of power reflect
02:57the population, and so I think about how
I can contribute to that in a small way.
03:02>> Well, early in your career,
you had a humbling moment,
03:06you described your career as
a failed career in finance.
03:09And you were just telling us a story in
the back about how that all kind of came
03:13to being that you've started
a career in marketing.
03:15So I'd love for
you to share that story with us now and
03:17then we'll talk a little bit more
about how you transitioned since.
03:21>> Of course, I'll keep it real
because it's the GSB, right?
03:24[LAUGH] So
I was going through a rotational program,
03:26one of those programs where you
rotate through investment banking,
03:30investment research, investment
management and sales and trading.
03:33And I had my heart set
on investment banking,
03:35because that was the thing that
everyone was doing at the time.
03:38And I was from Nigeria,
I didn't really know,
03:41I remember when I actually stumbled into,
I walked into a place where
03:46there had free food,
college students to pack some free food.
03:51And I show up in my yoga clothes, everyone
is in a suit, because this is actually
03:54a recruiting event for
Goldman Sachs, believe it or not.
03:57[LAUGH] And as I'm about to quickly leave
the room, this man walks up to me and
04:01he's a partner and
he's having a conversation with me.
04:03And he starts just asking me, he's like,
well, clearly you didn't plan to be here,
04:07and I was like, not really.
04:09And he starts having
a conversation with me.
04:11I tell him about what I'm doing,
04:12I'm leading a fashion show at Harvard
at the time called Eleganza, the other.
04:16And he was like, well, you seem
very entrepreneurial, very driven,
04:20this is a production with a lot of people,
that's management.
04:24Have you thought about getting into
finance, and I was like, not really.
04:26And he gave me his card and
he was like, contact me, and I did.
04:29And I ended up getting an internship,
that's how I fell into.
04:31So it wasn't so
much of something I had calculated,
04:34I was just kind of following the motion.
04:36And as I was going through this program,
this partner said to me, he said,
04:41you're good at investment banking but
you're great at marketing.
04:46And I remember when he first said that,
I was like,
04:49I don't know why I'm not quite taking
this compliment as a compliment.
04:53And I think it's because, he was telling
me, okay, this thing you're okay at but
04:57this other thing you're really great at.
04:59And when I took a step back and
I reflected on it, I realized it was true.
05:04I love the data driven
analytical aspect of finance,
05:08but I love storytelling,
I love being creative.
05:11And for me marketing,
05:13I blossomed there because that allowed
me to combine my passion, right, for
05:17data with my passion for telling stories
and kind of bring those things together.
05:22So yeah, once he said that, I've been
in marketing pretty much ever since.
05:25I doubt this man even knows who I am.
05:28And I think that's a reminder,
when you're in a position of leadership,
05:31the impact you can have on people's lives
by the things that you say or don't say,
05:35and I think about that a lot.
05:38>> One of the jokes that got said
about millennials is that we
05:41can't keep a job for more than two years,
present company included.
05:46And I think there's a lot of emphasis
that's placed on staying power, so
05:51being able to stay with a company for
decades, an entire lifetime, etc.
05:56One of the things that's really remarkable
about your career is it seems to me that
05:59you've always known when it's time
to either stay or when to leave.
06:02You always kind of make a transition at
what appears to be the right moments.
06:06And so I'm curious to know kind of how
do you assess opportunities as they
06:11come your way or
the ones that you seek out, and
06:14what are some of the principles that
guide you in that decision making?
06:18>> So, one of the things, I guess
the largest principle that guides me is
06:21the ambition with contentment
which I've talked about.
06:24But I also think about how I chase
opportunities that create other
06:28opportunities.
06:29I ask myself,
am I able to bloom where I'm planted or
06:34is this a time where I need to go to grow?
06:37And for me, if I'm still learning,
and I'm still growing,
06:41then I need to stay where I'm at and
I need to continue to bloom.
06:45But if the sunlight's gone,
and I'm not learning anymore,
06:49it might be time to go to grow.
06:51So I try to focus on that, not so
much how much money am I going to make, or
06:56is this company doing better
at this point in time?
07:00But I try more to focus on,
where can I bloom, where can I thrive,
07:04where can I contribute
the most that I possibly can?
07:07And for me, it's all about learning,
I'm a lifelong learner.
07:10And so I think as long as I'm learning, as
long as I'm able to contribute to the best
07:15of my ability, then I'm going to
stay there and I'm going to bloom.
07:18But when the sunlight's gone, I'm going to
say goodbye, I'm going to go to grow.
07:23>> [LAUGH] One of the things I've really
admired about you is how intentional
07:26you've been about
professional development.
07:28I think here and
just maybe in the Bay Area, more broadly,
07:31where there are a lot of startups,
07:32sometimes leadership is framed as
something that happens spontaneously.
07:36You're walking around one day,
you suddenly have a great idea.
07:40You then build a 5,000 people company, and
07:43suddenly you're in a crisis and
you have to lead through that crisis.
07:46But you've been really,
really intentional, and so
07:49I want to understand a little bit more
where that intentionality comes from.
07:52And also through your experience in
developing yourself as a leader, so
07:56coming to a place like the GSB,
seeking out an executive coach, etc.
08:00What have you learned about
yourself as a leader?
08:03>> So how many of you have taken
Touchy Feely, or going to take it,
08:06interpersonal dynamics?
08:08I see some hands in the room.
08:09I love that class so much, it was a very
painful class, but I love it very much.
08:13There's how you see yourself,
there's how other people see you, and
08:17there's how you think
other people see you.
08:20And sometimes there could be
a discrepancy between those three things.
08:23And I think one of the things that I
learned at Stanford in this interpersonal
08:28dynamics class was about the importance
of how to bring those things together,
08:34right, and create less of a gap and
a distance, right?
08:38because you don't want there
to be that much distance.
08:40There's always going to be some distance,
because that's just the reality of life,
08:43but how can you bridge that gap?
08:45And for me, I really focused and
08:48spend a lot of time thinking about
the impact that I can have on others.
08:53And really thinking and
trying to be quite intentional about how,
08:58I can't control what you do,
but I can control what I do,
09:02and I can control how I
react to what you do.
09:05And just really placing emphasis
on controlling what I'm able to
09:09control is what I kind of leaned into and
what I've really focused on.
09:14>> I'm switching gears a little
bit to your career in marketing.
09:19The business environment right now
just seems incredibly volatile, for
09:22lack of a better word, and I just think-
>> That is a good word.
09:25>> Yeah, [LAUGH] I think
the role of a marketing team,
09:29the role of a CMO has become so
critical at this time.
09:32It feels like a really exciting time, but
09:34also a really terrifying
time to be a marketer.
09:36But before we begin talking about that
a little more, I would like to know from
09:40you, especially knowing that at
different companies as a CMO means so
09:43many different types of functions,
types of responsibilities.
09:47How would you write your own job
description as it exists today?
09:51>> So I lead our global marketing
communications and membership team, and
09:54marketing kind of comprises of
every aspect of marketing, right?
09:57Product marketing, demand generation,
creative, consumer strategy and insights,
10:03and then our communications, internal
communications, external communication.
10:08A membership is really
the organization that focuses on
10:11our subscription business, right?
10:13Our membership is this, how we continue to
be a place that our members want to be at,
10:17show up at, and how we're engaging
them at the deepest levels.
10:20>> So I think my job is the full
spectrum of marketing, right?
10:24When I think about, how do I generate
interest and awareness, all the way to
10:29how do I capture that interest and bring
you into the fold, into the ecosystem.
10:35How do I nurture that, and then how
do I turn you into an advocate and
10:38someone who not only sticks around,
but you help bring other people in?
10:42So that's how I think about it.
10:44>> Social media has really changed what
marketing looks like over the past
10:48few years.
10:49I think, it's created sort of this
environment in which brands, especially
10:53consumer brands, are expected to be in
conversation with their potential buyers.
10:57To always be on, to have a voice,
to have a personality at times,
11:02if we think about brands, like Wendy's or
11:04some of these others that are very,
very active on Twitter.
11:08I think as part of that,
brands have become really embedded in
11:12the sociopolitical discourse that
happens outside of these media channels.
11:17And so I'm curious about what
challenges and opportunities that this
11:21expectation has created for brands and
how you address that at Peloton?
11:26>> So I think consumers
want to know who you are.
11:29>> That's just the world
that we live in now.
11:31And I think it's really important as a
brand that you're clear on who you are and
11:36what you stand for.
11:38I think that's really important.
11:40At the same time, if you stand for
everything, you stand for nothing, right?
11:44And if you talk and
comment about everything,
11:47your voice starts to
become background noise.
11:51So I think it's really important that
you're clear on what matters most to us
11:55and why,
some of you might remember that question.
11:57It's a good question for
a brand to ask itself, right?
12:00What's our purpose?
12:01Why do we exist?
12:03And then make sure that
you are standing up and
12:06having a voice in those issues
that are most relevant to you.
12:10But I like to say it to my team this way,
I'm like, we want to slay in our lane, but
12:15there is a lane.
12:16Think about what happens if you're driving
in a highway and everyone is just going,
12:20that is chaos, right?
12:22And I think as a brand, you can get into a
lot of trouble when you forget about that,
12:25because it's like, wait,
why are you talking about this?
12:28And it almost can be a distraction
to your actual purpose and mission.
12:33So I always say, we want to be
purpose-led not cause-led, right?
12:38Because when we're cause-led,
then we're all over the place.
12:40When we're purpose-led,
we're showing up for
12:43causes that are in line with why we exist,
what matters most to us, right?
12:47And at Peloton, we're about improving
people's lives through fitness.
12:50So whenever there are things that are in
that space, we want to show up there,
12:54we want to have a voice there.
12:55But if it's not directly connected to that
issue, it doesn't mean we're not going to
13:00take stances to help our employees and our
team members and different stakeholders.
13:04But you might not see us necessarily
being the loudest voice in the room,
13:09because I firmly believe if
you're not going to take action,
13:13you shouldn't speak, I believe that.
13:16Why?
13:17Because you're taking space of people
who are actually taking action.
13:22And I think it's performative, and
I don't think we should do that.
13:25I think if you're actually going to
speak about an issue, take action.
13:28If you don't have an action you can take,
maybe you should allow
13:31[LAUGH] the people who are actually
doing something about it for
13:35the attention of
the spotlight to be on them.
13:37So that you're not taking space away and
energy away from where the momentum is,
13:41and I think that's really
important as a brand.
13:44And then the last thing I'll say on this
issue, as you can see I'm very passionate
13:48about it, is that I think things
like this need to be inside out.
13:52What do I mean by that?
13:53You have to first start,
charity begins at home.
13:56You need to make sure that you're doing
the work internally before you start
14:01talking about things externally.
14:03Now, you will not be perfect,
no brand is perfect,
14:06because you will never get 100%
of everything done internally.
14:11But the work must begin internally.
14:13If you start talking about things
externally, that you're not doing anything
14:17about internally, that is actually,
I think, going to backfiring on you
14:21as a brand, and it can put you in hot
water and we've seen that happen.
14:24>> How do you balance that desire to be
a kind of personality through a brand or
14:29for a brand to be personable with also
the need to be able to grow your market or
14:34grow your customer base.
14:36So how do you balance doing so without
alienating potentially new customers?
14:42>> I think, that's a really good question,
and that's why I talk about your lane and
14:47when you're slinging it.
14:48I might not agree with you,
but I can respect you.
14:51Do you know what I mean?
14:52There are people you don't always
agree with, but you're like,
14:55that's a thoughtful perspective.
14:57I have a different point of view on this,
but I respect who you are,
15:00I respect that you're authentic, I respect
that you stand up for what you believe in.
15:04What people do not like is what they
perceive as being performative or
15:09hypocritical.
15:10Those are the two things that I think
really alienate and separate you as
15:13a brand from your consumer, when they
feel like you're not being authentic.
15:16So you're just telling me what
you think I want to hear,
15:19you're not necessarily
saying what you believe in.
15:22Or this doesn't really align
with how you normally show up.
15:26So I'm asking questions,
question mark, question mark.
15:28And I think that the best thing you can
do is how can you be authentic to your
15:33purpose?
15:33How can you be consistent about it?
15:35And how can you make sure that
anything that you're speaking about or
15:39you're talking about,
you've action to back it up and
15:41you started the work internally
before you started going outside?
15:45>> So you joined Peloton
at a really exciting time.
15:48The company was experiencing
a lot of growth.
15:51If you walked by the Presidential Center
at 6 PM any given night,
15:55you could see people in their
little windows doing a class.
15:59And now-
>> It's great.
16:00>> [LAUGH]
>> Thank you all for
16:01being Peloton members, it's awesome.
16:03>> And now things have changed at Peloton,
from the industry standpoint, or
16:08from the news standpoint,
is said to be struggling as a business.
16:13What are some of the things that you
believe that you will have to get right in
16:16your role knowing that in marketing,
16:18that growth is sometimes
a function of marketing?
16:20What do you believe you have
to get right in your role for
16:23this moment to be able to
continue to grow at Peloton?
16:26>> So I'll start with what has changed,
and what is the same, right?
16:30because I think that's important context.
16:32So what has changed is
the macroeconomic climate has changed.
16:36That has changed, right?
16:38There was a pandemic.
16:39[LAUGH] I don't know if you all remember.
16:41We were all stuck indoors,
and now that's changed.
16:44We're in a different context.
16:46So the macroeconomic context has changed.
16:49What has stayed the same is that people
still want to be motivated to lead
16:54a healthy, happy life.
16:56People still want an exercise option,
an option to move their body and
17:00care for
the mind that is going to inspire them,
17:03that is going to make
them want to show up.
17:07And one of the things that I think is
amazing about Peloton is that in spite of
17:12everything that it's been through,
and we've been through some things.
17:16It's been a wild ride, y'all [LAUGH].
17:18But in spite of everything,
our members continue to show up.
17:20And that is because our focus on
improving the lives of our members, and
17:25our focus on our member experience
continues to remain true.
17:29That continues to be our true north.
17:31That continues to be our north star.
17:33And I think that it's
important to remember that,
17:35because I think if we take our eye off
doing what's right for our members and
17:39putting them first, We can't do that.
17:44So I think as a business, we've gotta
make sure that first and foremost,
17:48we are serving our members.
17:49We are making sure that we're providing
them with an engaging experience that they
17:53want to show up to every day.
17:54That's job number one.
17:56And as a marketer, I need to make sure
that my organization's doing everything
18:00that we can to support our members and
put them first.
18:03And then I think the other thing that
we're doing is we're making sure that
18:06people understand who we are and
what we do, and what we offer, right?
18:09When we first started out, Peloton, and
I give all the credit to our incredible
18:14founders who found this out to be true
before the whole world caught up,
18:18right, this idea of connected fitness,
right?
18:21I can get an engaging workout
from the comfort of my home.
18:24This wasn't really something people
thought could happen, and they built this.
18:28They created this category,
which I think is amazing.
18:32And now, as the world is evolving,
18:34how do we show how that continues to
expand in this new macroeconomic context?
18:41So we have to show that yes,
we were relevant in the pandemic, but
18:44we're still relevant now.
18:45That motivating incredible experience
that we provide you hasn't gone away.
18:49And I think we've got the Peloton bike,
we've got the Peloton but
18:53we also have the Peloton app,
which has outdoor running,
18:56has a variety of exercises, so
you don't have to only use it in the home.
19:00You can use it in the gym.
19:01You can use it on the go.
19:02And so being able to really tell that
story of how Peloton is really helping to
19:07drive and help people stay fit,
be motivated not only in one space, but
19:12in multiple spaces,
that omnichannel experience.
19:15I think that's really important.
19:17That's something as marketers,
that's job number two.
19:21>> So looking internally, how are you
leading the team that you had, and
19:25then also thinking about
the executive team as
19:28well through this critical
inflection point?
19:34>> Leadership, I think it's so funny,
because I think [LAUGH] everyone's like,
19:38leadership.
19:39>> [LAUGH]
>> Welcome to my TED Talk.
19:41>> [LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH] I think it's so
19:43easy to think you're a good leader
when everything's going great.
19:47Do you know what I mean?
19:48It's like, I'm a great leader.
19:50Well, maybe it's just
the macroeconomic context.
19:54I think it's harder to lead
when things are tough, right?
19:58And I think that's really where
who you are shows up, and
20:01the impact you can have on
other people's lives show.
20:04And I think my number one thing
is I'm a people first leader.
20:08I believe that to the core of who I am.
20:10I treat people how I want to be treated,
and
20:13that is fundamental to me in my life,
and in my work.
20:17And I carry that through
every step of the way.
20:20That means when I have to make tough
decisions, I make tough decisions the way
20:23I would want someone to make
a tough decision with me.
20:26It means when I have to communicate
difficult news, I communicate difficult
20:29news in a way I would want someone
to communicate that to me.
20:32It means when I have to encourage
someone to change, or try something, or
20:36do something different, I make sure that
I am putting their interests first, and
20:41I'm helping them see what's in it for
them.
20:44So I think having that,
because I think when things get tough,
20:47it's easy to take your eyes off
the people and focus on the problem.
20:51And actually, I believe that's when you
need to lean into your people the most,
20:55because you can't solve
the problems by yourself.
20:58Winning is a team sport [LAUGH].
20:59And in order to win, it means you need all
the people on the team to believe in what
21:04you're saying to rally around you,
and to come together to do that.
21:08And so I firmly believe in
putting people first, and
21:10that's something that I
continue to do with my team.
21:13I'm really proud of this, because in my
entire career since I've started managing
21:17people, I have never ever had anybody
who directly reports to me and say, hey,
21:21here's my resignation notice.
21:23It's never happened, because I always
have conversations with people.
21:28I always understand, hey,
how are things going?
21:30Are you blooming where you're planted,
or is this a time for you to go to grow?
21:33We have honest conversation.
21:35My team know they can rely on me.
21:37My team know they can be honest with me.
21:40And so because of that,
because I put them first, guess what?
21:45They also put me first.
21:47They think about me, and
they think about the impact.
21:50And not only do they put, but
they put each other first.
21:53And so it allows us to navigate tough
times I think in a much better way.
21:57The second thing that I think is really
important is controlling what you
22:00can control.
22:01There is so much you cannot control,
but guess what?
22:04There's so much you can.
22:06And how do you take
the assets that you have and
22:09do something with what you've got?
22:12I think so many times we felt well,
if only this could change.
22:15You know what?
22:16Can't change that [LAUGH].
22:18But there's a lot you can change.
22:19So how about we do a lot with what we had?
22:21I'll give you an example.
22:22I'm a storyteller.
22:23I told you heard the beginning.
22:25[LAUGH] One of the things that's
happened to us at Peloton is we have
22:29this passionate member base.
22:30I see some of them in the room.
22:32We're going to talk about your favorite
instructors after this [LAUGH].
22:34But we have a passionate member base.
22:36And what that means for
22:37us is as we've gone through
the different things we've gone through,
22:41our members have actually taken to
social media to tell their stories.
22:44So there was this phenomenon that was
happening, which was several members going
22:48to social media and saying, hey,
I was the biggest Peloton skeptic.
22:51Here's what I actually wrote
publicly on social media in 2018.
22:56I will never, ever use Peloton.
23:00This is an overpriced coat rack.
23:01Here's what I'm saying today.
23:03This thing has changed my life, y'all.
23:05[LAUGH] This is the best
investment I've ever made.
23:07They were publicly going to
social media to say this.
23:10And guess what?
23:11Many times, they were tagging me.
23:12>> [LAUGH]
>> And by the way,
23:13this was amazing therapy to
read at the end of the day.
23:15I was like, this is great.
23:17I'm not going to Twitter,
I'm going over here.
23:19This is amazing.
23:20And it was such a motivating experience,
because I was talking with my team,
23:25I had snotty, and I was like, what if
we just turned this into a campaign?
23:31And the whole team rallied,
it was amazing.
23:34It was the quickest campaign.
23:35Everyone was like, let us take this.
23:37And what is the campaign?
23:38It's simple, it's literally
the person's name, what they said,
23:42what they said previously, and
what they're saying today, that's it.
23:46That's the ad, and we put it everywhere.
23:49And it was remarkable.
23:50Not did it galvanize our member base, but
it was inspiring for employees as well.
23:53It was so great for people saying you know
what, there's always going to be skeptics,
23:57but there are also always
going to be believers.
24:00And it was such a magical thing,
and it meant so much to folks.
24:04And I think that's an example of I
couldn't control what everybody was
24:08saying, but I could shine a light on
something else that was being said.
24:13I could shine a light on what
our members were saying.
24:15I could amplify the voices of our members.
24:17So I think that's an example
of how you can look.
24:21Sometimes you gotta do a little
bit data mining, deep mining.
24:24But you can look at what you have,
what assets you have.
24:26You can use that to control the situation.
24:28And then third thing, final thing, I
won't judge GSB, keep it to three things-
24:32>> [LAUGH]
24:34>> Is communication, over communicate,
24:36I over communicate.
24:37Every week with my team, I have weekly
standup with everybody in my organization.
24:41It's my sacred time.
24:43The only time I miss it is if
there's something super important,
24:46urgent that I almost, my husband does,
he's sitting right here.
24:49Even when we're on vacation I'm like,
it's stand up time, y'all.
24:53And I'm getting in there,
24:54it's really important to me that I'm
connecting with my team every single week.
24:58Guess what?
During the hard weeks [LAUGH],
25:00I showed up.
25:01And I remember people on
my team said that to me.
25:04They were like,
we thought you were going to cancel?
25:07Because we were like, well,
is she going to show up today?
25:09Well, this going to be lit.
25:11I'm bringing my coffee to this.
25:12What's going on?
25:13But I show up.
25:15When it's hard, I show up.
25:16When it's easy, I show up.
25:17Holidays, I still show up.
25:19And I think it's really important,
how do you show up?
25:22Are you always showing up?
25:23Are you communicating?
25:24Are you sharing as much information
as you can with your team?
25:28>> While you were at Stanford,
like many of us,
25:31you caught the entrepreneurial bug,
and you started two companies.
25:35>> Yes.
>> [LAUGH] Did you want to speak about
25:39that?
25:39>> Well-
>> [LAUGH]
25:42>> [LAUGH] Well,
25:42you then went on to build really
big global brands, Apple, GE.
25:46You were at Carbon, now you're at Peloton.
25:49Many of us are in the stages of deciding
whether or not we want to build or join.
25:54And I'd love to kind of know
a little bit more about your
25:57experience to making that decision for
yourself.
25:59Whether you would pursue what you were
building while you were at Stanford, or
26:03join another company.
26:05>> So the way I think about it,
I think about impact, right?
26:08You can have impact.
26:10You can have small impact, and
you can have really massive impact.
26:13And I remember when I first started,
when I was thinking I was going to be
26:17an entrepreneur, my husband said something
to me which was very interesting.
26:21He was like, I feel like you really
enjoy the management perspective more
26:26than the founder stuff,
going around fundraising.
26:29I was very nervous.
26:30I didn't want to take money from anybody.
26:32I just wanted us to continue
to pour our money into it.
26:35That's not really how it works.
26:36>> [LAUGH]
>> But I love the management piece.
26:41I love the marketing of it.
26:43And so I started to have real
conversations with myself, because I think
26:47that's when at the GSB, during my class,
everybody was like, what are you doing?
26:51I'm starting my own tech startup, want to
come work for me and be my co-founder?
26:55>> [LAUGH]
>> It was literally like,
26:56everyone was doing it.
26:58So I didn't want to miss out.
27:00I was like, I don't want to miss out.
27:01I don't want to be the loser of my class.
27:04Okay, I'm going to start something,
Cool Whip-
27:05>> [LAUGH]
27:06>> Shopping, something.
27:08>> [LAUGH]
>> And
27:09I think the lesson I learned there is
don't do what everyone else is doing.
27:14Do what's right for you.
27:16And for me, I remember it was very
actually humiliating when I first shut
27:20down all my startups [LAUGH],
because I would run into people and
27:24be like, how's my startup?
27:26Mine's still going, by the way.
27:27I hired my third engineer.
27:28>> [LAUGH]
>> And I'd be like,
27:30I shut down my startup and I got a job.
27:34>> [LAUGH]
>> And I was so humiliated.
27:36But guess what?
27:38I'm really happy about
the path that I took,
27:41because it was the path that was right for
me.
27:43And I'm sitting here because one of
my bosses and mentors, Joe DeSimone,
27:47is over there.
27:48Hi, Joe, show Joe some love, y'all.
27:50Joe's amazing.
27:51He's a professor here, too.
27:52>> [APPLAUSE]
>> And I got to work for
27:56amazing people like Joe.
27:57Joe was the founder and CEO of Carbon,
and he hired me as his CMO.
28:01That was an amazing opportunity, right,
28:04to work in creating this
category of 3D printing.
28:07We have the largest use case of a 3D
printed consumer product out in the wild,
28:11with these Adidas 3D printed shoes.
28:14And it was incredible to do that.
28:16And for me, what I've realized is,
I don't yet have an idea that I'm like,
28:20if I don't do this idea, I'm willing
to give everything up for this idea.
28:26So for me, it's like, well,
when I meet people like Joe,
28:29incredible people who have those ideas,
I want to contribute to that.
28:33I want to help them build that.
28:34And I think for me,
it's about how can I have the most impact?
28:39And so far for me, it's about making
the most impact by being where
28:44I need to be at any given point in time.
28:47And for me, it's been joining these
incredible companies and helping scale and
28:50grow them as a marketing leader.
28:52So it's okay if you're not starting
a company, you'll be all right.
28:57>> On the side, you do invest in
people who are starting companies.
29:02And so from your perch now as a brand
expert, I'm curious to know what signs
29:08do you look for when you're evaluating
a company or a startup, and you want
29:13to declare them as having the right
mix of brand, product, strategy, etc?
29:19>> The passion of the founder.
29:20I just told you what I didn't have,
those people.
29:22I'm like, yep, those people.
29:24The people who I need to build this,
29:26I'm willing to give
everything up to build this.
29:29I believe in this so much, that I'm
willing to put everything on the line for
29:33this, that passion, because guess what?
29:35Your founder journey is not like this.
29:37That's not how it works.
29:38You might start out great with that
great press article that comes out, and
29:42then your consumers don't show up.
29:44And then you get product market fit.
29:46The unit economic model breaks down.
29:49But then [LAUGH], you know what?
29:51We got the unit economics to work.
29:53All scaling is really hard and
really hard.
29:55The journey is not linear.
29:58It's like a jungle gym.
29:59But if you have someone with passion,
I think that's really important.
30:02The second thing is, is this
someone that people want to follow?
30:06Do you know what I mean?
30:07You know that those people,
like Joe, people you love,
30:09you want to work for them?
30:10You're like [INAUDIBLE].
30:11When I'm excited,
my husband is sometimes a little too.
30:14When I'm passionate about something,
I'm working for it, right?
30:17I'm in it.
30:17And there are people who inspire you,
people who motivate.
30:20Not everyone has that gift.
30:22I think that's really important
to have as a founder.
30:24Because not only are you the idea
creator and generator, but guess what?
30:31You're the first CMO, and
you're the first head of sales.
30:33You need to recruit and
attract people to that idea.
30:37So having that magnetism, being someone
that people are willing to like, yeah,
30:41you know what?
30:41I'm going to take a risk, and
come join me on this adventure.
30:44I think that's really important.
30:46And then the third thing is curiosity.
30:50When I'm looking to invest and
I ask questions, and
30:53the person has an answer to everything,
I'm not going to invest.
30:58Because the reality is,
there are many things we don't know, and
31:01we need to be comfortable saying,
you know what?
31:03I don't actually know that.
31:05But I'm going to go and
I'm going to learn and
31:07I'm going to get back to you about that.
31:09And guess what?
If they actually get back to me,
31:10they get extra bonus points.
31:11>> [LAUGH]
>> Because many people say that they
31:13don't follow up.
31:13>> [LAUGH]
>> But it's that curiosity,
31:16not thinking you know everything.
31:18None of us know everything.
31:19I feel like we live in
the age of backseat drivers.
31:22My god, I read this tweet,
one tweet, and I know everything.
31:26Backseat drivers will drive
you off a cliff, believe that.
31:29>> [LAUGH]
>> Backseat drivers who drive you
31:32off a cliff.
31:33So I think it's really important that
people are curious, they're willing to
31:36ask questions, and they're willing
to admit what they don't know.
31:40And it's okay, because I think people who
are humble enough to say you know what,
31:44I don't know everything,
I don't know that.
31:46Those people always are more successful
than people who think they have all
31:50the answers.
31:52>> I want to switch gears and
talk about identity,
31:54because I know that racial justice and
31:56gender equity are issues that you are
incredibly passionate and supportive of.
32:00You are so interesting to me,
32:03because you had to learn what it
means to be black, in America.
32:08Many people might believe that being black
or black identity is a monolith, but
32:12in Nigeria, where you were born and
where you grew up,
32:15doesn't really exist as an ethnicity.
32:17There are 500 other ethnicities,
and black doesn't show up there.
32:21In London or in the United Kingdom, where
you went to school and then in the US,
32:25that's really where like this racial
construct started taking shape.
32:29I'd love for you to share with us what
that journey was like for you and
32:34what were some of the lessons
that you learned as your
32:37identity mutated across these borders.
32:39>> It's so funny, because growing up
in Nigeria, Yes everybody was black,
32:46but there was colorism, which I like
to think of as a shade of racism.
32:50And growing up, I wasn't light skinned,
but I wasn't in Nigeria,
32:56I wasn't dark skinned, I was in the middle
and my older sister is dark and
33:01almost everybody I met, we met will
always say, Tara you're so light and so
33:07pretty and that and they would miss they
would look at my sister and they would.
33:14And I remember growing up just
hearing that over and over again.
33:21And Nigeria is a former colony, right and
it's amazing what that does to you and
33:26what that can do to your mind.
33:28And, I should have never
told this story before.
33:31I don't even know why I'm sharing this,
maybe I'm all emotional in the GSB.
33:36But, I remember growing up,
there was a time where I was,
33:39I felt I wanted to make my skin lighter.
33:41I went to the store and
didn't have a lot of money, so
33:44I bought the worst possible cream.
33:47I put it on my skin.
33:48It was awful.
33:49I had a complete allergic reaction.
33:51I literally transformed my skin into,
I don't know, I looked like a leopard.
33:56It was not good.
33:57And I'm glad that actually happened,
because I was like, you know what?
34:02Better to be one color and look great,
so not ever going to do that again.
34:06And, but, I learned a painful lesson,
when I was very young, but
34:11I was glad I learned that lesson.
34:14But when I came to the US,
it was interesting,
34:17because I remember someone referred to me,
the dark skinned girl and I was like, who?
34:22And it was like, you're talking about me?
34:25I remember that was actually my very
first vivid memory, where I was, wow,
34:30I'm now the one,
I'm now the dark skinned person.
34:34And then, I also just, all
the experiences I had of walking through
34:39sites like Harvard Yard and, people
wondering if I went to school there.
34:45And those experiences, or people thinking
I was the cleaner, or I actually
34:50had to do dorm crew, which is if you
went to Harvard, you know what that is?
34:55It's where you clean
the dormitories of kids, and
34:58many times it's
the underrepresented minorities,
35:02cleaning the dorms of our rich white
counterparts, and that can be painful and
35:07it can be and I remember just going
through these experiences and
35:11just realizing when I walk out the door,
nobody cares where I am.
35:16I'm just black.
35:17I'm a black woman in America.
35:19What am I going to do about that?
35:21And I remember asking myself,
what am I going to do about that?
35:25At the time, I didn't really have much.
35:27[LAUGH] I didn't.
35:28But I thought to myself, well, how about
I try to do the best with what I have?
35:33I'm going to a great school.
35:34How about I try to be the best
leader that I can be and
35:38try to model what it's like to
excel as a black woman in business.
35:42That's what I'm interested in and
that's what I've tried to do, and that's,
35:47that's my passion.
35:49That's why I show up every
day no matter how hard it is.
35:55For many people, I'm the first
black female boss that they have.
35:59And I think about that, what do I want?
36:04I think, well,
some people are going to walk in here, and
36:06they're going to not have any assumptions.
36:08Some people are going to walk
up with some assumptions.
36:11[LAUGH] What can I do to change that?
36:14What can I do to impact that?
36:16I think about that a lot.
36:17And so for me, my journey has been about,
how I can help elevate black women,
36:22how and women of color in general
in the United States, and
36:26how I can use my platform to show and
demystify.
36:31And many people say, you know what?
36:32If you're a young black girl,
you know what, it darkens or
36:35you could definitely do it.
36:36[LAUGH] I just really try to
inspire people and show people,
36:39because you can't be what you can't see.
36:41And I think it's important to see that.
36:43It was really important for
me to see Ursula Burns,
36:48first black woman,
CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
36:52That meant so much to me.
36:54I've never even met her.
36:55I talk about her all the time.
36:56People think we're friends.
36:57No, I've never met her, love you.
36:59You invite her from the top, let me know.
37:02[LAUGH] Yeah, but you meant so much to me.
37:04And now here we are in 2022,
there's still only three,
37:10Ursula Burns, Ross Breuer,
Cassandra Docket.
37:15That's it.
37:17It's 2022.
What are we going to do about that?
37:19I ask myself that question.
37:23>> That intersection that you
described of race and gender,
37:27you spoke to a little bit and
your response, is so nuanced and
37:32I think, I sit in the same place and
especially in the US,
37:36it comes with so much baggage,
and so what did you have to
37:40unlearn about that identity in order for
you to be successful?
37:47>> When I first started out,
I don't want to talk about anything black,
37:52I don't want people to see me as
the trope of the angry black woman.
37:57>> So like I want to just be
easy peasy Dara, calm, neutral,
38:01okay to be around,
never gets annoyed about anything.
38:06And I wasn't really showing up as myself,
38:08because I'm sure you've already seen
I'm pretty expressive, passionate.
38:13And so I was just like,
don't say anything,
38:16don't do anything, don't be weird.
38:18And I just was like a shadow of myself.
38:21And I remember this incredible boss
that I had and he was amazing.
38:28And he is gay and and he's other and
one day he pulled me aside and
38:32he was like we other people come,
let's have a little talk.
38:36And he said you could be yourself.
38:38I'll let you know if you get to fun.
38:40How about that?
38:41And that was amazing to me, right, to have
someone that I knew was looking out for
38:45me and
he understood what I was going through,
38:48how I was trying to navigate these spaces.
38:51And that's why I think mentorship is so
important.
38:54And it wasn't the CEO of
Goldman Sachs that was mentoring me.
38:58I feel like a lot of times I
get notes from people, hey,
39:01I would like you to be my mentor.
39:03And sometimes I reply, and I'm like, have
you asked any other black women in your
39:07organization or anybody you know
that has shown an interest in you.
39:10I think sometimes we think we need the top
of the leaderboard, to be our mentor.
39:15And sometimes you don't, that's, it's
actually who cares about you the most,
39:20just that's who you should be your mentor,
who believes in you,
39:23who wants to invest time in you.
39:25And I learned so much from him,
39:27it helped me realize that I
could show up more as myself.
39:32Guess what,
I also realized there's a cost to that.
39:35When you're the person
that makes the comments,
39:38wouldn't it be great if
we have a diverse slate?
39:41There's some people who
are not going to like that.
39:43It's going to upset some people.
39:45When you make comments about, hey,
can we make sure that we're promoting,
39:50because I think about recruit,
retain, promote and protect.
39:55Cause guess what,
everybody says they want diversity.
39:58When you add a diverse person to
an organization, guess what happens?
40:02If it's like a transplant, you add
an organ that the body wants to reject.
40:08It's just the truth,
because it's a lot easier,
40:12it's easier when we're all the same.
40:15It's easier when we all
think the same thing.
40:17It's harder when we have different
perspectives and points of view.
40:20It takes work.
40:22Are we willing to do the work?
40:23We should all be willing to do the work.
40:25And I think what I've done is,
well, what I try to do every day is
40:29make sure that I'm that voice in the room,
that I ask those tough questions,
40:34that I push those issues,
doesn't come without a cost.
40:37But what I've also learned is
that there's a time and a place.
40:42And as a black woman,
40:43what I've realized is many times people
want to know are you really on the team?
40:51Say that again.
40:52People want to know if you're on the team.
40:54What do I mean by that?
40:55People want to understand,
why are you making that comment?
40:58Are you making that comment
just to be disruptive, or
41:01are you making that comment
because you want us to be better?
41:05So what I try to do is make sure do
everything that I can to make sure people
41:10understand I'm on the team, but
I want us as a team to get better.
41:14And that's how I try to navigate.
41:16It's not easy, and I don't do it well all
the time, but that's how I try to show up.
41:21>> As one of the few black execs at
Peloton and also in the tech industry,
41:25just more broadly, I'm certain that you
get pulled into a lot of conversations,
41:29where it might not really fall within
your scope as the marketer, but
41:33it's so core to your being.
41:36I'm curious about how you manage
the weight of that responsibility of being
41:40a steward on behalf of your community,
41:42whether that's black women,
immigrants, etc.
41:46And what do you believe that others
allies could be doing better to help so
41:53that you don't have to shoulder so
much of that?
42:01>> Well, there's a saying,
it's not my thing, but I love the thing.
42:05Pressure is a privilege.
42:09Pressure is a privilege,
I think about that.
42:11For the hard days and during those hard
days, I remember I'm here for a reason.
42:19I literally told myself, Dora,
pressure is a privilege.
42:23And when you are in
a position of privilege,
42:25what are you going to do about it?
42:28So I say, if I think this is hard,
how much harder is it for
42:31people who aren't yet
where I am in my career?
42:36So I can't be like, this is too hard.
42:38You know what, I told myself,
grow up, life's hard.
42:42Keep pushing, because I have
a daughter who's six years old,
42:46I want my daughter to be dealing
with different things, right?
42:51I don't want my daughter
to be dealing with this.
42:52I don't want my daughter to be
having these same conversations.
42:56So that means I have to be
willing to do the work.
43:00And I'm willing to do the work,
and I do the work.
43:03Doesn't mean it doesn't get tough.
43:05That's why I think you
need a support system.
43:07I have my amazing husband who's here and
my sister, and my family, and my friends.
43:12And my mentors Rob Segal,
I don't know if you're here.
43:15Rob, yeah, I have a good Rob story.
43:17We're going to come back to that.
43:18I'm going to tell you that one,
it's a good one.
43:20And I have these people that
support me and love me, right?
43:23And so I have a support system.
43:25That's really important,
because you know what, it gets hard.
43:29And some days I'm going to go home and I'm
going to cry, and I'm going to be like,
43:32this is really, really hard.
43:34And I need someone,
a people to remind me of who I am and
43:38why I'm doing what I'm doing.
43:40So I think that support system is so key.
43:43And I think that's
something that the GSB and
43:45the Stanford community really provides,
right?
43:48My very best friend in the world,
I met at the GSB.
43:51And my husband and I, we have a Zoom call
with her and her husband every Sunday.
43:58And she's my sister, my support system,
we talk about everything.
44:02So I think having a support system is so
key and so important to navigating that.
44:07And then the third thing I'll
say is protect your peace.
44:10You have to protect your peace.
44:14I remember the very first time
a press article was written about me,
44:18I was so proud.
44:19I was so excited, I emailed it to my mom.
44:22My mom was like, really great, Dora,
44:26you're never as great as they say you are.
44:30>> [LAUGH]
>> That sounds like a Nigerian mother.
44:31>> I know, it sounds like
a Nigeria mother, yeah, exactly.
44:34All the emphasis, you are never
as great as they say you are.
44:38>> [LAUGH]
>> That's where the humility comes from.
44:42>> But you're also never as
terrible as they say you are.
44:46God is still doing work with you.
44:47Literally what she said to me, verbatim.
44:50I remember it,
I think about that a lot, right?
44:52And I think that's really important,
because when you're doing the work that
44:56you're going through,
you get criticized, right?
44:58Are you doing enough?
44:59Are you doing too much?
45:00For some people, you're never
doing enough, for some people,
45:04you're always doing too much, right?
45:06And then there are people who are like,
yay, thank God for those people, yay,
45:11right?
45:12And you got to navigate all of that.
45:13And so for me,
it's about protecting my peace and
45:15making sure that I don't allow those
backseat drivers to drive me off a cliff.
45:20>> My final question for you.
45:22So you alluded to this earlier,
there's the infamous question
45:25on the GSB application,
what matters to you most and why?
45:28How did you answer this ten years
ago when you were applying?
45:31And how would you answer this now?
45:34>> That's a really good question.
45:36I'm going to answer it.
45:37First, I'm going to tell you my Rob Segal
story because I think it's really
45:40important.
45:41>> [LAUGH]
>> He's sweating right now.
45:43>> He's like why,
why is this happening right now?
45:44No, I think it's really important.
45:46It's really important.
45:47There's a lesson here.
45:49Before my first CMO job, this is the big
deal, my first ever C-Suite job.
45:54I was interviewing for it.
45:56And I was like, I need someone to talk to.
45:58Rob, do you remember this?
46:00And I'm like, wow, SOS,
could we have a conversation?
46:04He was on a plane flying somewhere.
46:07He was like, what time is it?
46:08I'm going to get on phone,
I'm going to call you.
46:10He called me, had a conversation,
gave me that confidence.
46:13I say that because it's so important
to be there for each other, right?
46:17And that was so critical for me.
46:20At the time I had imposter syndrome,
I was definitely ready for the job.
46:23But guess what?
46:23I'd never done it before.
46:26I like to say, there's a lot of half
baked people walking around looking for
46:29fully baked people, some of those people.
46:32There's a first time before you do,
all of us have a first time.
46:34Now I've been a CMO multiple times, but
there was the first time someone was
46:38going to give me that shot,
give me that opportunity.
46:41Sue Segal, incredible woman who gave
me that first shot, amazing leader.
46:46I needed the confidence to
know that I could do that.
46:50Rob gave me that confidence.
46:51He sat with me.
46:52He listened to me.
46:53He helped me prep.
46:55Invaluable, changed my life.
46:58You never know when you're going to
change someone else's life.
47:00So when someone in the Stanford
community reaches out to you, SOS,
47:04don't ever be too busy.
47:06I think about that now, by the way, when
people reach out to me, I remember Rob,
47:10and I remember hey, I'm not too important.
47:12I'm not too busy to be there for
my friends and
47:15be there for the people that matter to me.
47:18Okay, now I'll answer your question.
47:19>> [LAUGH] Thank you.
47:21>> So, what matters most to me and why?
47:24I wrote what matters most, and
Derek Moulton, thank you for
47:28accepting me to the GSB,
[LAUGH] he's over here.
47:31And I wrote, what matters most
to me is my Christian faith.
47:36And it's because it gives me
the strength to live by my values,
47:40was what mattered most to me then,
it is what matters to me most to me now,
47:44it is what will always matter most to me.
47:47My values of love, of acceptance,
of respect, of inclusiveness.
47:52I talked earlier about treating people
how I want to be treated, there's so
47:56much in the world we can't control.
47:59But I think many times sometimes
we forget about forgiveness.
48:03If we forget about love,
we forget about respect.
48:09And it's always about what my way,
my view, my perspective, my thought.
48:14And for me, my faith reminds me
not just to think about myself,
48:19but more importantly
to think about others.
48:24And as a leader my faith inspires
me to be a servant leader.
48:30I tell my team I want to serve you,
I'm here to serve you.
48:34And for me that's what matters most.
48:37And at the end of the day when I
talked about that protection of peace,
48:41[LAUGH] Right,
48:42we're all going to go out in the world I'm
sure I sit here all this amazing people.
48:46Maybe you'll hire me and
you going to build great things and
48:51you're going to do great things.
48:53And I think it's really important not
to forget, for me it's my faith, for
48:56you be something else, right?
48:58One of my friends is an atheist
like I don't get this whole thing,
49:01I'm like that's okay.
49:02For you, it's going to be something else.
49:04But whatever matters most to you and
why don't ever forget it, and
49:08don't lose sight of it.
49:10>> Thank you Dora you
are truly remarkable.
49:13And I knew that when you interviewed me.
49:15[LAUGH] We're going to turn
to some audience question.
49:19>> Hi, Dora.
49:19First of all, thank you for being here.
49:21My name is Melanie.
49:22I'm an MBA too.
49:24I also wanted to say a big thank you to
your family I actually went to life when I
49:28was 6 years old.
49:29>> My God.
[LAUGH]
49:30>> That was a really big transition for
49:33me when I was moving from London, and
I used to cry a lot at the school and
49:39your mom used to make pancakes for
me in the house.
49:43[LAUGH] So thank you so much.
49:44They're all my favorite.
49:46But my question is one about family life.
49:50And I know that men don't often get this
on this stage, but it's so important.
49:54Yeah, it's so important for us.
49:56As black women in the school we often
talk about that there aren't enough
49:59leaders in front of us that can talk
to us about our lives outside of work.
50:03And so I wanted to talk to you about,
how you balance everything but
50:08not just that how you are very intentional
about, the qualities in your home,
50:14looking after your kids, raising that
family in the US as an immigrant.
50:20There's so many questions in this but it's
really just about balance and family and
50:24the choices that you made.
50:27>> I'm also interested in
the answer to this question.
50:32>> [LAUGH] That's funny.
50:32That's my husband, he likes jokes.
50:35So, look,
I'm going to keep it real, right?
50:42There is no balance in my life,
there is only harmony.
50:45Many times, I'm on a balance sometimes.
50:49It's been a year for me.
50:50I don't know if the year
I bet it's been a year.
50:53And you know what?
50:55Work has come first a lot of the year,
and I'm so
50:58blessed that I have an incredible
husband who also has a career.
51:01So we're dual career,
couple of dual career family, but
51:05it's not my job to raise the kids.
51:07It's our job.
51:09We're thinking about that and
we're looking at that.
51:12And guess what, sometimes when things
are really crazy for me, he's like, okay,
51:15I'm lead parent now.
51:17Okay?
51:17So you're not just going to breathe in
here with your 30 seconds of thoughts and
51:21breathe out and
51:21make the pancakes so I want to make
the pancakes you just said pancakes.
51:24So that's in my head.
51:26And I think that's really
important that partnership.
51:29It is so key and so important.
51:32But the other thing too is
I tried to do with my kids,
51:35I have a daughter who's six and
a son who's four.
51:39And my daughter who's six, she kind of
understands things a little bit more now,
51:42as I have conversations with her,
Hey, what's really important to you?
51:44She's got a musical
coming up on ME in May.
51:48It's very important to her,
it's in person.
51:53You can join on zoom but it's in person.
51:57As she said to me, mommy, this is in
person and I want you there in person.
52:03>> [LAUGH]
>> You don't know my daughter Zoey,
52:07I say if you do you're like yes ma'am.
52:09I'm going to show up there in person.
52:11But she has that ability.
52:14She knows I've created that space
where she can express herself.
52:17And she can tell me what she needs,
so I know what's really important.
52:20So guess what there's something really
important happening on my job and
52:23I'm like, I'm going to be in person, at my
daughter's school that day, that is not,
52:27there is nothing.
52:29That is going to keep me
away from being there.
52:31Now am I at every, she has gymnastics,
am I at every single gym?
52:36No, I'm not.
52:36I'm not going to lie.
52:38I'm not going to sit up here and
tell you that because it's not true.
52:40I'm not at all her little,
I'm not at everything.
52:43But the things that matter to her,
I'm there.
52:45And I show up for that.
52:46So for me, it's about I kind of think
with objectives and key results.
52:50So I have my objectives and my goals.
52:52The things that are important to me and
I do that another one with my husband,
52:56every year we try to go
to a marriage retreat.
52:59We try to do it every year.
53:02No matter how challenging it is,
we make space for that.
53:05It's an objective.
53:06It's important.
53:07We sit there, think about our vision.
53:09What are we going to do.
53:10We plan we're intentional.
53:13That works for
us doesn't work for everybody.
53:14Not everybody needs this.
53:15Some of my friends are like why?
53:17Not necessarily.
53:18We love it, works for us, right?
53:19Do what works for you.
53:21But it works for us that intentionality
and so for me, it's about creating those
53:25space, being stubborn about the things
that matter most to my family and
53:28making sure that I prioritize that.
53:30The other things there's no balance,
like I said [LAUGH] There's harmony.
53:38>> One more?
53:39>> Hi.
Thank you for being here.
53:41You're really captivating.
53:42So it's been awesome to hear you speak.
53:44I'm different from the family
life going back to organizations.
53:47I think one of the things that my
prior organizations struggle with,
53:50especially during the pandemic is
unexperienced athletics as well.
53:54As how much leniency and understanding
do you give to your employees,
53:58in hard times and
whether that be in their personal lives or
54:01at work and you seem like you're
exceptional at managing teams.
54:05How do you balance being an understanding
leader with hardline expectations on work,
54:09showing up like you've said.
54:11And expectations that your team
display grit and determination that
54:15are concomitant with being in
an ambitious workplace environment.
54:20>> So
answer that question with this story.
54:24Every one is going through a journey,
even if you don't know it and
54:30you don't know what that journey is.
54:33And for me,
having constant communication and
54:36being open with my team and
keeping it real.
54:39I really tried to keep it raw, don't do
it well, perfectly 100% of the time, but
54:44I always tried to show up as my authentic
self, and I always try to keep it real.
54:48And what that means is I ask questions,
and the people that work for
54:53me that are closest to me know,
they can tell me exactly what's going on.
54:58So I was talking to someone who worked for
me at a job and
55:04the person told me, hey,
the person had a very big job.
55:10And they were like, this job right now,
for what I'm going on in my personal life,
55:16this is a lot and I don't know if it
makes sense for me to keep doing this.
55:21We had that open and
honest conversation, right?
55:26And that helped me understand
wow this is a lot.
55:31How can I support this person?
55:33And so I started to think
about how I could support and
55:37make sure that they have the team
around them to support them and
55:42I'm able to support them but
ultimately, the person decided,
55:47I'm not sure that this type of
job makes sense for me anymore.
55:52And I remember when he
called me to tell me,
55:56I was very nervous and
I would like talk him out of it, I didn't.
56:02I asked him why.
56:03And when he explained to me, he said.
56:06When I first took this job,
I worked till 10PM that day, and
56:11I haven't stopped and
it's been several years.
56:16I have young children and
family that live abroad, but
56:19I just I need something different.
56:21It made sense to me, right?
56:23And so I asked him, well,
what do you want to do?
56:25And he said, I ultimately want to leave.
56:27And I was like, how soon?
56:28And we talked about it and we worked out
a plan, a beautiful plan that worked well
56:32for me, for him, for
the organization, for the company.
56:35And I think this comes back
to being people first, right?
56:38Ultimately, I'm like,
56:39what is in the company's best
interest is a lack of disruption.
56:43Right, that is ultimate for a leader this
big, that is ultimately what is best for
56:47the company.
56:48But it's also what's best for him.
56:51So, how can we work together on
a transition plan that is going to
56:54make sense?
56:55I think often what happens is, and
by the way, I'm guilty of this.
57:00I think we're all guilty
of it in some ways.
57:02We don't always put ourselves
in other people's shoes.
57:05So, we want to do the most expedient
thing, not always the right thing.
57:09And I think that's where as leaders
you can make a bit of a difference.
57:12Is when you ask yourself, actually,
if I was in this person's shoes,
57:15what would I want someone to do?
57:18How would I want someone to treat me?
57:20And then do that.
57:25>> Thank you, Clara.
I don't know,
57:26we'd like to close view from the top
with a lightning round of questions.
57:30>> Wow.
57:31>> So, I have a few for you.
57:33Is it better to be an RJ Miller scholar or
friend of RJ Miller?
57:38>> Friend of RJ Miller.
57:40See you in Vegas.
57:42>> [LAUGH] [APPLAUSE]
>> What was the last song you sang out
57:46loud?
57:48I know you love singing.
57:51>> I got a feeling tonight's
going to be a good time.
57:55It's always a good day to have a good day.
58:02>> Tunchi or Cody Rigsby.
58:04>> Both, trick question, both.
58:07I love all our guests equally.
58:09>> Ahem, and then my last question,
what are you most hopeful for?
58:15>> I am most hopeful for
the future of the world.
58:19It's inspiring to me when I hear my
six year old or even my four year old.
58:23The other day we're having dinner and
we asked,
58:26we're trying to teach our children
how to have conversations.
58:29So, we have these little cards and
we ask everybody a question.
58:31And it's like, if you have to give
a speech, what would it be about?
58:35My four year old said,
it would be about painting the Earth.
58:41>> I know very interesting, right?
58:42Tell me more.
58:43>> And I asked him, later that day I
talked to him about it, and he was like.
58:47because I really care about the Earth.
58:49And I really care about the environment.
58:51And it's just a simple example
into the next generation.
58:55They care so much about so
many important things.
58:58Like I said, when I was when
I was four it was Cheetos or
59:01whatever snack they had in Nigeria.
59:02I don't even think they had Cheetos
because I don't know what it was.
59:05But, it's this generation cares so
much so deeply about equality,
59:09about justice,
about the environment, right?
59:12About things that really matter,
and I'm hopeful about that.
59:16Because you know what?
59:17When people care about something,
they take action and
59:19they do something about it.
59:21And that means that the world is going to
continue to become a better place.
59:26And that leaves me hopeful and inspired.
59:29>> Clara, that was excellent, thank you.
59:31>> Thank you, thank you all so much.
59:38>> [APPLAUSE]
59:41[MUSIC]
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