Tune in to Beyond Barriers for an enlightening conversation with Daina Middleton, a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience in global expansion and nurturing company culture. Daina opens up about her unique path to success, from riding horses in the vast landscapes of Oregon to spearheading innovative marketing strategies at Hewlett-Packard and Twitter.
You will hear how Daina's dedication to hard work and continuous learning has driven her career forward. She also shares practical tips on building strategic relationships, maintaining work-life balance, and fostering resilience in the face of adversity. This episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to learn from a leader who has consistently broken new ground and thrived against the odds.
Episode Highlights:
- Daina’s adventurous childhood in Southern Oregon and its impact on her leadership style.
- Her innovative contributions to performance marketing and participation-driven marketing strategies.
- The challenges and triumphs of maintaining authenticity in various corporate environments.
- Insights from her books "Marketing in the Participation Age" and "Grace Meets Grit."
- Practical advice on overcoming imposter syndrome, building strategic relationships, and balancing professional and personal life.
-
Highlights
The key moments in this episode are:
[00:00] Introduction to Beyond Barriers
[00:32] Networking with Authenticity
[00:30] Empowering Women in Leadership
[00:55] Meet Daina Middleton
[02:37] Daina's Early Life and Career Beginnings
[04:18] Transition to Marketing and Leadership Roles
[06:01] Authorship and Gender Differences in Leadership
[07:56] Challenges and Authenticity in Leadership
[09:45] Balancing Personal and Professional Life
[15:57] Resilience and Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
[26:18] Building Strategic Relationships
[32:02] Lightning Round and Closing Remarks -
Lightning Round
Q: What book has greatly influenced you?
A: Katherine Graham's memoir. She ran the Washington Post during Watergate, taking on the role only after her husband, who previously held the position, committed suicide. She managed this while navigating an era when women leaders were not widely accepted, and had to make critical decisions regarding Watergate.Q: What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
A: Taylor Swift, Anytime someone tells me that I can't do something, I want to do it more.Q: What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
A: Moxie.Q: What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
A: Embracing the idea of being a misfit has been transformative for me.Q: What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
A: Demi Levato, Confident. -
Quotes
Authenticity is the cornerstone of true leadership.
Daina Middleton
Resilience is about bending, not breaking.
Daina Middleton
You can't force a horse to do anything. You have to get it to think it's their idea. And so how do I do that with my team? How do I know enough about them to be able to come alongside and help them understand what I'm trying to achieve and get them to be part of the journey?
Daina Middleton
The CEO role, in particular, is really lonely. You can't vent to your team, but having a trusted group of individuals you can pull together from time to time to share and swap stories with can provide much-needed support.
Daina Middleton
-
About
Daina is an advisor, board member, consultant, and investor with expertise in digital marketing and media, global expansion, category creation, nurturing company culture, and accelerating growth across in early-stage companies and complex, highly matrixed organizations.
Daina has led rapidly growing businesses in highly competitive complex environments that demand continuous evolution and innovation. She has a decade of experience as a board member for public, private, PE and VC-backed companies.
Daina sits on the public boards of Marin Software (MRIN) and Palomar Insurance (PLMR) and serves on a variety of committees for each company and chairs the ESG Committee for Palomar.
She also is a board member for two private equity backed companies: The Level Agency (Dubin Clark), and Bond Brand Loyalty (Mountain Gate Capital). She is a former Independent Director for Madison Logic (2022 exit); and is a current advisor for three early-stage women-founded startups: MarketBeam, AdFontes Media and Seed and Spark.
Daina’s career began at Hewlett-Packard where she held roles in every marketing function, including leading advertising for HP’s $50B Imaging and Printing business globally. She led Innovation and Analytics at Moxie, including pioneering the paid social media practice and creating the global data measurement platform for Publicis clients globally. As CEO of Performics, she created the Performance Marketing category and grew revenues from $14 to $150 million in under 4 years. At Twitter, Daina led the B2B global marketing team resulting in a 40% growth in annual revenues. As a leadership consultant for Gryphon Investors, she was a coach for executives in 14 portfolio companies. She also served as the CEO of PE-backed Brand-to-Local company Ansira, and of Britelite Immersive where she oversaw the merger of two companies, merged two software platforms to create a first-of-its-kind experience management platform and led the sale of the company to a strategic buyer.
Daina is a well-known industry thought leader speaker and author. She authored two books: Marketing in the Participation Age; 2012; and Grace Meets Grit: 2016. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Oregon State University and is a member of OSU’s School of Arts & Communication Advisory Council.
Daina is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including 2019 Direct Marketing News Hall of Femme, Dallas Shining Star, American Advertising Association, 2013 Gold Stevie International Female Executive of the Year. She enjoys exploring the outdoors, wildlife photography, riding horses and fly fishing.