Putting a Passion to Work
by K.C. Neel -- Multichannel News, 11/16/2008 7:00:00 PM
Vicki Lins has spent most of her career as the only woman in the room. But rather than dwell on the challenges of that situation, she has thrived in it and actively tried to create opportunities for women coming up behind her.
Lins, who started her cable career at advertising interconnect Adlink in Los Angeles, was recently named chief marketing officer of Canoe Ventures. She had been moonlighting as acting chief marketing officer for the advanced-advertising consortium while serving as senior vice president of marketing and communications for Comcast Spotlight.
Women In Cable Telecommunications is honoring Lins with its Woman to Watch Accolade, singling out her leadership talents and various contributions to her company as well as the industry, said CEO Benita Fitzgerald Mosley.
Lins has always reinforced her commitment to excellence — in herself and in others, Fitzgerald Mosley said.
“As a woman, you can either shrink to fit, or you can celebrate your differences and use your voice,” Fitzgerald Mosley said. “Vicki has chosen the latter and has succeeded in an environment that has long been dominated by men.”
At Comcast Spotlight, Lins oversaw marketing, including brand strategy, advertising, public relations, promotions, creative services and internal and external communications. She also ensured consistency in the company's message by leading a vertical marketing initiative between corporate staff and the sales force in the field.
At Canoe Ventures, she will be in charge of marketing and communications. In both cases, she is the lone woman in the room of top executives, yet she remains undaunted.
“I love what I do,” Lins said. “To be effective and successful, you have to have passion. I keep doing what I am doing because I have a passion for it. And I try to share that passion with others.
“I've always been a big advocate for women inside and outside Comcast. Men are good at helping other men by coaching and counseling them and creating opportunities. Women haven't always been that good at that, and I think we can all help each other.
“Leadership opportunities like the Betsy Magness Institute have created that kind of network for women and they are invaluable,” she added. “Being part of that group has made it easy to call another Betsy Magness graduate, ask for help and get it immediately.”
There are definite differences when it comes to working with men vs. women, Lins said. Men often have a different language than women when it comes to business, she said, and women need to figure out ways to better communicate with them.
“Some would say that is unfair,” she said. “I would argue that you're just talking to a different audience. For instance, when I am making a sales presentation, I may use different terms and put emphasis on different things than I would if I were speaking to my staff or my friends or my family. You have to be savvy about it and I haven't let being a woman get in my way — not by me or anyone else.”
Lins warns that it's naive to not recognize the differences between men and women in the workplace. “But you can't let it dominate your day or affect the way you handle your job. You have to not let it get in the way of your work and you have to be creative,” she said.
Lins has long mentored women in the industry, has been actively involved in organizations including WICT and is a graduate of the Betsy Magness Institute. She has been honored by several publications and organizations for her contributions to the cable industry and her last two bosses can't say enough about her skills and talent.
“Vicki has been the premier marketing and branding expert in spot cable for the past decade,” said Comcast Spotlight president Charlie Thurston. “Her contributions to Adlink, Comcast Spotlight, and Canoe Ventures have been outstanding, and I am thrilled that she is being recognized.”
Added Canoe Ventures CEO David Verklin: “Vicki is a tremendous talent that deserves this recognition by WICT as a Woman to Watch. She already has played an important role in the launch of Canoe Ventures, and I look forward to working with her in the future to change the way America uses and watches television.”
Organizations such as WICT and the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications are doing important work, Lins said. But the industry's female population has a long way to go before it reaches parity with men. “It really doesn't ever get any easier,” she said. “Being a woman in business matters as much today as it did when I was 22 years old and getting out of college. We are catching up. We just have to be diligent.”
For instance, Lins has long fought for pay equity for women and has mentored women in the organization, although she said she's never had a formal mentor in her career.
“I've learned a lot from the people I have worked for though and I am a good watcher,” Lins said. “I am honored to be named a Woman to Watch. It's an accomplishment I am proud of. There are so many talented people in the advertising sector, and it's a huge opportunity for cable as a whole.
“I am proud of the vertical organization I've created here and of the wonderful collaboration we have. We have created visibility and career opportunities for women here and not everyone has done that. I've been in this business for a long time, but I'm just getting started. I'm not doing what I thought I would be doing six years ago. I never thought I'd leave L.A. I was happy at Adlink. But I am thrilled with the way things have gone.”
No related content found.
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
