In this second edition of the How 2B Fearless series, we sat down with Sydney Mulligan, who is not only a Fearless 50 member, but a Marketo Champion and a former Raleigh MUG Leader. Sydney shares what being a fearless marketer means for her and what that has meant for her career.
What does fearless marketing mean to you?
Fearless marketing means being unafraid to take risks. To quote everyone’s favorite science teacher, Ms. Frizzle, “take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” (we can all still learn from the Magic School Bus, right?). Taking risks can be scary, but always remember: it’s marketing and any mistake you make is not going to kill anyone. Own up to your missteps and learn from them, that’s how you grow and are fearless!
Who is a fearless marketer you look up to and why?
I look up to Dory Viscogliosi a lot. She is well respected for her technical skills, and she knows how to stand up for herself and what is right. Even beyond those admirable traits, she is an incredible mom and friend. Dory was the first person to teach me the phrase “fake it till you make it”, which has become a bit of a motto for me! I am a better marketer, friend and employee for knowing Dory.
How did your career start out in marketing?
In college I was having a hard time deciding between majors – Public Relations or Information Technology. I decided to just do both, which was crazy, but ended up being so valuable in getting me where I am today. I started out working for a small Financial Services marketing agency doing both web development work and marketing work.
How did you get to the point you are at in your career today?
When that company decided to migrate from ExactTarget to Marketo, I was dubbed the “Marketo Queen” and put as the point person on our migration and learning everything about the tool. From there, I worked for a few different companies with varying levels of Marketo maturity and learned a ton. There were several distinct moments that I had to step up and be fearless in taking on roles and responsibilities that I could have easily said “I can’t do this” or “I am not qualified.” I think a big part of being a fearless marketer is boldly stepping up in challenges and having enough confidence in your skills to know you’ll figure it out on the way. I’ve been with Etumos since 2017 and am loving working in all different types of instances and solving all different types of problems.
What have you learned from other members of the Fearless 50?
I have learned technical skills and best practices (especially from some of my fellow Fearless Champions), but I’ve also learned how to grow my career, take pride in my work, advocate for myself and be a better employee.
What are three pieces of advice you would give to the next generation of fearless marketers?
#1.) Fake it till you make it! Obviously, you should never lie about your abilities, skills or experience – but don’t let fear stop you from taking a great opportunity or trying something new.
#2.) Give back as much as you take. You may feel like you are surrounded by people who know everything and you couldn’t possibly have any new knowledge to share, but that isn’t true! Everyone, regardless of experience, is still learning. Answer questions on Community if you have value to add, give colleagues your time to help them with issues or problems they are having.
#3.) Network, network, network! Step out of your comfort zone, go to networking events, go to Marketo User Groups and introduce yourself to people. You never know who you will meet, or who will be a helpful connection down the road. You may even meet some of your best friends!
About Sydney Mulligan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymulligan/
Community Page: Sydney Mulligan
Check out the rest of this edition of the Fearless Forum here: Video Link : 2584
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