Influential Woman · Marketing

Hava Maloku

Senior Digital Marketing Manager, LinkedIn

Elk Grove, CA

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Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Undergraduate degree in Finance (Iowa) Degree MBA Degree Doctorate in Marketing Cert Doctorate in Marketing

Her Story

About Hava

I started in online marketing in 2008, right when everything was beginning in the digital space. I had finished school in finance, but seeing what the world was going through during the financial crisis, I knew finance was not going to be the right field. I ended up in marketing by accident, but I loved it. I've worked in different roles for major companies like LegalZoom, Expedia, and spent the last 10 and a half years with LinkedIn, where I managed the premium product from the email marketing side. My day-to-day involved developing the strategy behind campaigns running to millions of users, including both acquisition campaigns to get more people to sign up for premium and retention campaigns to keep them engaged. The biggest campaign I sent was to 65 million people, which is a huge responsibility because one little mistake can impact millions and hurt the brand of the whole company. What I love about online marketing is that it has a flavor of analytics, the creative part, and the psychology behind understanding what draws people in and makes them convert. I also have a doctorate in marketing and have done lots of conferences and features in the past. I was named one of the 100 Most Influential Women by Minnesota Kind magazine. Now I'm starting my own marketing agency, using all the expertise I've gained through the years, and building my personal brand with my 46,000 LinkedIn followers. My goal is to empower other women to reach their full potential.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Hava

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would say not giving up is what I attribute my success to. The journey is so long, and there is always more to be done, and by just thinking positively, not giving up, you get to that goal. I come from Kosovo originally and I'm a war survivor. I was a refugee when I was [AGE], got a scholarship to come study in the United States, did my undergrad in Iowa, and then came to the Bay Area with just a suitcase to pursue my dreams. I always believed in myself that I can do a lot, that I have a lot to give to this world, that I can be that role model for other women. My message would be, don't fall down. There is so much more. We have challenges on the way, but we have to overcome, we have to just be strong and continue, because life is beautiful, and life is worth living it. At the end of the day, your legacy is in the lives that you've impacted.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Sometimes we cut ourselves short, especially as women. We don't lean in - I love Sheryl Sandberg. We're always really difficult on ourselves, and we think, oh no, we're not good enough, oh we still have a lot more to go, oh no, we don't deserve that promotion, we don't deserve that title. But we do, and if we just put ourselves out there and show our authentic self, we can get so far in our career. For example, when I applied for the job at LinkedIn, one of the requirements was that you be really proficient in SQL, and I was, but I wasn't maybe a 10 out of 10. I was maybe like a 3 or 4 out of 10. But I still applied, and in the meantime, I went and learned as much as I could before the interview, and put myself out there, and got the job. People like to see other people, the struggles, the good and the bad. By being authentic and sharing your expertise, but also sharing your journey, you can build your brand and empower others.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Being authentic is most important to me, because at the end of the day, people like to see other people, the struggles, the good and the bad. I don't feel it's authentic anymore if you're paying to be featured - it's against who I am and what I stand with my brand. I believe in empowering other women to reach their full potential, and I want to be that role model for other women. I always believed in myself that I can do a lot, that I have a lot to give to this world. At the end of the day, your legacy is in the lives that you've impacted. I get lots of messages from people saying thank you for sharing, I resonated, thank you for inspiring me. Because of you, I went and did my master's, or I'm a working mom and I didn't believe I can get this job, but because you shared that, I went ahead. This is my highest personal achievement - having those messages from people.

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