When I first embarked on a change from corporate communications and marketing to product marketing, I didn’t realize I would find a path of learning, pride, and resilience. In fact, I didn’t even see it coming! Thanks to an old friend in the industry, he saw my resume was a fit to join the marketing team at McGraw Hill. The education industry. I’ve always loved education, but didn’t realize the impact I could have until I really dove in—head-first. In the industry of ed tech, we always say it takes about three years to really get your footing. Well, at year two, I decided to take on a bigger portfolio… and at year four-and-a-half, I decided to move from a specific product to our award-winning, industry-leading platform.
Navigating Change
This month marks seven years in this industry and I believe I can say I’ve almost mastered the art of adaptation. Four job titles, seven managers, three corporate layoffs. With time, comes change, and with change we can choose to be stagnant and content—or we can choose to look at how far we’ve come on our journey. We hear about the “seven-year itch”. Some look for greener pastures at seven years. I think it’s a time to reflect and forecast. At the seven-year mark, we can lose our footing or embrace the path ahead.
Innovation and Growth
With the fast nature of our world, I’ve seen technology evolve during the past seven years—and I have witnessed teamwork to improve processes and ultimately see our company rise with the launch of new tools and updated user experiences. Our platform team has a bright future, and I’m thrilled and #redcubeproud to be on the cutting edge of the implementation to improve outcomes for future generations!
In these seven years, I’ve also had a personal journey. McGraw Hill has been the constant during a time of growth—becoming a wife in 2019, a mom in 2021, and welcoming baby #2 in 2022. Becoming a full-time working mother is a journey in itself! (Especially when they don’t sleep.) Being part of a growth culture that is supportive of my new-ish role as a working parent is by far one of the most important benefits I have. A culture of pride, flexibility, and celebration of one another is a value you can’t find just anywhere.
In reflection and celebration of seven years—both personally and professionally—I’m grateful for culture, change, and the future.