Katelyn Watson, Vice President of Marketing at IfOnly, Texas Native, and a Believer in Working Outside Your Comfort Zone

For those of us toiling away daily at one (or two, or even three!) jobs, the thought of a lovely, mind-bendingly memorable reward – such as a hot air balloon ride over the California coast – seems very far off. Well, Katelyn Watson, the Vice President of Marketing for IfOnly,  the company with the motto of “extraordinary experiences for good” that bestows just such once-in-a-lifetime thrills on its high-paying customers, gets to deal with those sorts of things all the time. Originally from Dallas, she now lives in San Francisco, where IfOnly is headquartered, and takes a three mile walk through its winding hills to and from work.  Once there, she uses a lot of data-driven analytics to determine how to best reach potential customers.

She is a believer in getting out of your comfort zone, a daily imbiber of kale-pineapple-almond milk smoothies, and a fan of both Mark Twain’s How to Tell a Story (which she thinks is helpful in business), and The Secret, which extols the idea that what you put out to the universe comes back to you.  She has strong, forthright thoughts about what constitutes a good leader, and suggests the sensible interview question of “Tell me what you would do if you worked here.“ For her marketing role, Watson tracks many variables, including click-thru rates, and has worked with others to amass a database of over half a million potential IfOnly customers.

Can you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
I started my career on the ad agency side, which allowed me to learn how to execute well, and then took that knowledge to brands like La Quinta and Shutterfly and to startups Kabbage and IfOnly.  I never want to be an executive who only delegates and never executes, this is why earlier- stage companies work for me; not too early though — I do best when there is product market fit, a great product, and the company is looking for a next level of growth.

What does a day in your shoes typically look like?
A 1.2 mile walk to work through downtown SF. Starting the day with a status of how well we did the day before, and looking at metrics to understand where we are going for the month – i.e. are we on track, and where do we need to adjust.

Then I spend many hours in meetings making decisions on topics from things like how are we going to introduce a new category to briefing our PR team on a new launch. I close the day with the 1.2 mile walk home (sometimes with a workout on the way home, but not as often as I should be doing), stopping in some shops on the way while talking the day over with my mother, or keeping up with friends back in Dallas. Right now we are hiring so I spend lots of time looking at resumes!

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning and the last three things you do before you go to bed?
Morning: Look at my calendar to prepare for the day. Have a solid breakfast. Talk to my significant other about what’s going on that day (we are both VPs of marketing, so there is a lot to talk about!).
Evening: Do not look at my phone for two hours before going to bed. Have a nice wind-down time doing something creative (reading, watching a thought-provoking show, writing, learning something new). Anything beyond this is a bit personal : )

What is your breakfast of choice?
During the week a kale, pineapple, and almond milk smoothie. On the weekends some chicken and waffles or Eggs Benedict will do the trick….shared of course!

What keeps you energized and motivated at work?

• • • Outsiders getting excited and talking about what we are doing like press or industry veterans.
    • A great team that challenges me and asks questions.
    • Always staying on top of the latest technologies, trends, platforms, and celebrities of course.

What is the favorite part about your job?
That I don’t have to worry about work life balance. I can focus on work/life integration, which is much more fun when you are doing something that you love.

What and who inspires your work?
I am inspired by doing something that enriches people’s lives in some way and has real meaning. Our experiences are what define us, so IfOnly makes a lot of sense. I am also inspired by Richard Branson. He has over 400 companies, many of them leading brands and top places to work, and yet he somehow seems to not take himself too seriously, and still have a lot of fun. His philosophies are inspiring; he is “a fun junkie,” a master delegator, and a visionary. He says, “If you’re not having fun, then it’s probably time to call it quits and try something else.”

Also, my significant other has gotten me into Tony Robbins. Watch a few of his YouTube clips and everything seems so simple, and gives you a new perspective. He is a big believer in changing your current physical state to change your mental state — and as simple as it sounds, it works!

What is your favorite leisure activity after a stressful workweek?
Other than traveling, we love to explore the city via sfcityguides.org. They have over 200 walking tours given by locals, many times historians or retired teachers, so they aren’t corny like other tours. A quick drive to Napa or Bodega Bay are also other great alternatives. 

How does your culture/background influence your work?
I came from a family or independent, hard-working parents who did not think they were owed anything by the world or from anyone. I am also an only child, and I think that fueled my independence. I don’t expect anything from anyone, but believe that if you get help, or something from them, it is a bonus and a favor that should be returned.

I was taught by my mother that everything is a privilege and it has kept me grounded in my work, even when selling balloon rides over Everest to billionaires and hobnobbing with socialites!

What was your very first job?
As a cashier at Toys R Us. It actually taught me a lot about marketing! When I was sixteen, I always dreamed of being in marketing for one of the large toy companies like Mattel. I thought I could at least make the packaging and coupons more effective after staring at them all day!

Favorite job you’ve ever had?
Being a sous-chef to my mother. I didn’t get paid for it though – well, except for a college education and learning a lot of great social survival skills!

How many times have you changed your career direction?
Never. When I changed my major in college from vocal performance to marketing, that was the decision and I never looked back.

Three questions you like to ask during an interview to know if the candidate (or job) is the right fit? 

• • • “Why do you think you are the right for the company?”  This gives you a great idea of their passion for the role. Without passion it will never be the right fit.
    • “Tell me a few things that you would do if you worked here, based on your current knowledge.” Here I look for some ideas and knowledge that is incremental to my own or the team. If the interviewee only states the obvious, then s/he may not be the right person.
    • “How would your closest friends (and coworkers) describe you in three words?” This gives you a great idea of how they may work with others, and also tells you what they think they are good at.  

What are the most important qualities of a good leader?

• • • A strong leader sets the vision, and lets their team run with it, while providing the resources to do so, whatever those responses may be. They empower their team.
    • Also, leaders need to be able to take the blame with grace and learn from it. A good leader is always 100% to blame, even when something is not their fault, because it is always your fault when you are the leader, and you need to figure out how to fix it the next time.
    • Leaders also need to have compassion for people and be able to see things from multiple perspectives, no matter what their view may be. They need to know when to selectively use the “leader” card vs. when to work as a member of the team.
    • A leader needs to always do what is best for the company, never making things personal. Always ask the question: “What’s best for (company name)?”

What advice would you give women starting their career?
Be confident! You know what you are doing – and even if you don’t, fake it!

What book would you recommend for women just starting their career?
As cheesy as it sounds, I love The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and of course Lean In is kind of a staple. Someone handed me How to Tell a Story by Mark Twain and that is a great quick read that will help you focus on telling a good story.