Name: Bethany Mach

Title: Chief Operating Officer

Oranisation: Spacely

Spacely

Beth Mach is the Chief Operating Officer for Spacely where she focuses on building a martech start-up operating plan, an inclusive and empathetic culture, a market-competitive place to work, and sustained protocols and practices to beat today’s workplace norms. Alongside Spacely, Beth is a resident moderator and speaker for The Room, an events company that cultivates senior marketing conversations through intimate dinners, and Cheerleader-in-Chief for Compliant, a consumer privacy compliance technology.

Beth brings over 20 years of experience driving business building media and communications solutions for Fortune 500 brands across a range of categories including Financial Services, Retail, Consumer Package Goods, Technology, Entertainment, Quick Service Restaurants, and Automotive with leading marketers such as American Express, LVMH, Procter & Gamble, Goldman Sachs, Nokia, Keurig Dr Pepper, Applebee’s, Jaguar Land Rover, TrueCar, Ford, Stellantis and General Motors.

She has previously held leadership roles at global media and advertising agencies including, President of Dentsu X/Luxe, Chief Digital Officer at Initiative, Managing Director of Global Media at Huge, Global Client Lead at Mindshare, and SVP, Global Digital Director at Starcom.

Beth mentors young advertising professionals, serves on several advisory boards such as Spacely and Women in Automotive and is a participating member of professional organizations such as Chief and The Room. Beth holds a B.A. from Walsh College and is pursuing a Certificate of Management Excellence through Harvard Business School.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Bethany's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

The ability to manage up, laterally, and down at the same time with the right level of exposure, consistency in communications, and thoughtfulness in delivering the message to differing audiences.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I've spent 28 years in Marketing, Media, and Advertising and worked up the ranks by seeking opportunities to step into management situations giving me challenging situations to lead teams to success or resolution. I also have worked hard with coaches, mentors, and advisory groups to help me understand how to look at issues, situations, and relationships from different lenses opening my eyes to how others might react to my actions and style.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

- Personal time is key - Coffee, Read, Meditate and Exercise

- Take a few moments to reconnect with messages/emails from the day before unanswered or needed fresh attention.

- Meet with my executive team each morning for 15 minutes to set the stage for the day and problem-solve together.

- Work the meeting schedule throughout the day with a lit candle to create a sense of calm.

- Ensure I eat every couple of hours, step away from my desk every hour, and drink enough water.

- Close the day out with an understanding that not everything may get accomplished yet know the hard things have been addressed.

- End with personal time like dinner with my husband...

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Speak up and own it. I'm reminded every day to not let issues go unspoken and to share my perspective in order to resolve and not let resentment build.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

There are several books, especially over the last 5 years, that have impacted my thinking, approach, and response.

- Mindset by Carol Dweck

- Bring Yourself by Mori Taheripour

- Own it by Sallie Krawcheck

- How Goodness Pays by Batz/Hillen

- Winning with Accountability by Henry Evans

- Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Each of them has given me moments of pause to think about how my actions create reactions. There are way too many of the moments to recount... Read them and I bet you too will pause and think through your own moments.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Ask questions, a lot! Ask questions, don't be afraid. My mantra is "If you don't ask, you don't know."

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

A single story doesn't capture all that has created meaning for me so I will sum it up simply with I have learned more from the relationships and feedback from those who have worked for me over the years than anything else. The continual connection to people whom I have impacted, positively and negatively, is what has helped me assess and grow to become the leader I am today. I have found that even unfavorable times and relationships create the opportunity to evaluate and adjust for future experiences and not repeat mistakes. As long as you listen to what is being said, ask clarifying questions, and take action to become a better person and leader, you will be ahead of the game!