Leah N. Petrunak

I attribute so much of my success in life and who I am to my family and the values they instilled in me growing up. My parents taught me grit, humility, and the importance of treating everyone with the same respect, regardless of their title. My dad used to always say to me and my sister, "I don't care if you're scrubbing the toilet or running the whole damn company, you give it 110% every single time!" That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career. To me, leadership isn't about status; it's about character, work ethic, and how you treat people.

The best career advice I've ever received came from my boss, Bradd Everly. He once told me that one of his most important responsibilities as a leader is to prepare me to one day do his job even better than he ever could. That mindset completely changed the way I view leadership. Today, I try to lead my team with that same philosophy by investing in their growth, encouraging them to take on new challenges, and helping them become the best versions of themselves. As an employee owner, I believe that I have a responsibility not only to contribute to the company's success today, but to help develop the next generation of leaders who will carry it forward.

The biggest piece of advice I'd give young women, especially those entering a male-dominated industry, is to stop waiting until you feel ready. Raise your hand anyway. Some of the opportunities that shaped my career were the ones where I didn't have all the answers. I simply said yes, asked a lot of questions, worked hard, and figured it out along the way. Confidence doesn't come before the opportunity. It usually comes because you took the opportunity.

I'd also tell them that your reputation is one of the most valuable things you'll ever build. Skills can be learned, and industries evolve, but if people know you're dependable, honest, collaborative, and someone who follows through, they'll continue to invite you into bigger conversations. That's been far more important in my career than any title I've ever held.

Also, don't be the center of your own universe and only focus on YOUR job and YOUR responsibilities. Learn how the business works. Get to know people in every department. Understand what challenges they're facing and ask how you can help. Some of the best opportunities in my career came from projects that had nothing to do with marketing. They came from solving problems, bringing people together, and making someone else's job a little easier.

Finally, don't let anyone else define what you're capable of. There will be times when you're the youngest person in the room, the only woman in the room, or the person who feels like they don't belong. Don't let that stop you. You don't have to be the loudest voice to be an influential leader. Leadership is earned through trust, integrity, consistency, and a willingness to step forward when it matters most. Titles may open doors, but trust is what keeps them open.

The values that guide both my personal life and my career are faith, integrity, humility, and service. I believe in always doing the right thing, even when it's the harder path or when it comes at a personal cost. My faith reminds me to continually pray for God's will to be done rather than my own, trusting that His plan is always greater than anything I could create for myself. I also believe leadership is ultimately about serving others, treating everyone with dignity and respect, and leaving every person and every organization better than you found them.

I believe that success isn't measured by the titles you earn, but by the lives you impact, the integrity you uphold, and whether you remained faithful to who God called you to be.