HERstory: Margaret Kelsey, Director of Marketing, OpenView

Margaret Kelsey is a B2B SaaS marketing leader with a background in Product-Led Growth companies. She’s a builder of strategic brand and content programs, and currently is the Director of Marketing at OpenView.

Before OpenView, Margaret was Director of Brand & Creative at Appcues. Previously, she built content programs for InVision’s design community for 3.5 years and has roots in painting and PR.

Follow Margaret on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About 4.5 years into my career, I found myself in a role and industry I loved as a content marketer for InVision. There, I had my first taste of leading a team as an interim manager for a short period of time. I found myself energized by thinking of ways to inspire and connect the fully remote team.

But it wasn’t until another 3.5 years later at Appcues where I was offered the opportunity to not only lead a team, but build one from the ground up.

One very unique obstacle I’m facing right now is returning to (now remote) work as a new mom with limited access to childcare in the midst of this global pandemic.

The Motherhood Penalty is a real thing—and was so long before this crisis.

I’m trying to balance showing my team that I’m indeed a mom with an infant at home with showing them that I’m capable of doing the work needed for the role. That means sometimes I join a zoom meeting with my son strapped to my chest, using his changing table as a standing desk. And then immediately doubt myself and wonder how it was perceived by others on the line.

So, I’m working on that balance, which I think will come from giving myself a lot of grace during this time, too.

I’d recommend asking yourself a few questions:

If you answer yes to those questions, I’d stay. Being able to go deep and solve real problems is vital to both your skillset and your resume.

But if the answer is no—to even one of those questions—it’s imperative that you make a real effort to find somewhere you want to be.

Life is too short to be uninspired at work.

I would have read Radical Candor the moment the ink was printed on the page. That book changed my life and career.

Probably creating The Product Led Growth Collective at Appcues with my brand and creative team.

The creation of the site was a labor of love—emphasis on the labor part. But the result is something that is not only great because of its value to the company, but for the community, too.

I had a drink with Guy Fieri once (humble brag from when I used to be cool) and, since then, have loved to use his reaction GIFs in Slack convos. They are really exceptional, and I find them very useful.

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