Barb McGlothlin

I attribute my success to a personal drive to always perform at my best, continuously learn, and a commitment to being solution-oriented and driving to have a positive influence around me. But I would say that even with all of those core values, what's really allowed those to come to fruition is the managers and the colleagues along the way who believed in me and challenged me. I've been incredibly blessed and fortunate to work with wonderful team members throughout my career, and their support has been instrumental in my growth and achievements.

The best career advice I've received and really absorbed as part of every day would be to be a good listener, to listen to my colleagues. It's really important because it helps you build stronger relationships and make better decisions. Another piece of advice that I truly believe is you're only as good as the people you surround yourself with. I've been intentional about seeking out people who are smarter than me and can challenge me and bring perspectives I don't have, and finding mentors throughout my career. These principles have shaped how I lead and make decisions every single day.

I would start with stay curious and be open to different approaches and finding better solutions and continuously learning. I think back to my career, and something else I would recommend to young women entering is to find a mentor or a champion earlier, someone who will give them honest and constructive feedback along their journey. Another piece of advice would be not being afraid to fail. Perfection can get in the way of growth and opportunities, and that was something that I had to learn throughout my career. It's okay to fail because a lot of learning opportunities come from failing. I know my kids are now in their 20s, and as they're starting their careers, I tell them to find that right fit for you and make sure you're working with people you want to work with and who energize you and challenge you, because life's just too short.

One challenge that's top of mind is the rising fuel costs and transportation costs, and I know everyone's feeling it. In my area of CPG and the brands that I work with, we are an agency who's repping brands on Amazon, and they're all feeling the cost pressure, which means that they're going to have to increase their costs and cut programs. It's just a really challenging environment for CPG brands right now. These rising costs are putting significant pressure on the brands we work with and forcing difficult decisions about pricing and program investments.

I want to be someone people respect, trust, and can rely on. I want to be someone who shows up and follows through and makes the people around me better. Those values influence how I show up and lead, and the relationships I have, even in my personal life and work. The same instincts to be a good mother, nurturing, listening, advocating, and pushing people to believe in themselves definitely flow over to my team and the way I lead the team. Being trustworthy, reliable, and making others better are at the core of everything I do, both professionally and personally.