Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
What is your name and title?
Linh Judin, Founder and Managing Director at Open Lock Marketing.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
My main role is to grow revenue and profit by creating, developing, and executing robust digital marketing strategies for new and existing clients. Working with both B2B and B2C clients worldwide, I’m responsible for managing my global staff to ensure all projects are successfully delivered.
How did you get here? Please share any quick stories from past work experiences.
Determination, luck, and support – that’s how I got where I am now. I say “luck” because I realize that I’ve been blessed with meeting people who believe in me and gave me a chance to succeed.
In your opinion, what’s the #1 decision or move you’ve made that has helped advance your career?
The #1 decision I’ve made that has helped me advance in my career is believing in myself. There are things that can be taught and learned but knowing your self worth and valuing your own time are two things you have to figure out on your own.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this past year?
The most important lesson I’ve learned this past year is the importance of balancing work and life. When things get busy or when there are a handful of projects with overlapping deadlines, it’s easy to get caught up in work. As a mother of 2 young children, I struggle with my own guilt of not being ‘present’. This past year taught me the importance of prioritizing and delegating tasks so that I could balance my work and life better.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
Not being taken seriously.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
I have a handful of mentors that are near and dear to my heart. To me, mentorship means a mutually respected relationship where both parties are learning from one another. Typically, the mentee seeks advice from the mentor (who is generally more knowledgeable or experienced) but I find that there are times where the mentor learns new things from the mentee — things such as patience and perspective.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
Knowledge is key. Immerse yourself in whatever field it is that you’re passionate about so that you can bring the information, your opinions on the matter, and your value to the table.
What is one thing companies can do, big or small, to help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions?
To help create an environment that advances women into leadership positions, companies can lead by example and have women in actual leadership positions.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next year?
One thing I hope to accomplish in the next year is company growth. I’d like to see our team grow by 25%.
Is there a cause that is particularly close to you? If so, why this cause and how did you get involved?
There are so many different causes that are close to me! Prison reform, professional development, and children education are all causes that are particularly close to me. I used to volunteer with Year Up, Reading Partners, and Students Rising Above because I wanted to leave the world in a better place through our children.
When did your company join Pledge 1%? What does your impact program mean to you?
I started the application in 2019 but didn’t get a chance to ‘activate’ the membership because I couldn’t find a time (within my timezone) with the interviewer. I’ve always admired Pledge 1% and what it stood for. Even though Open Lock Marketing is not “officially” part of Pledge 1%, we’ve been donating 1% of our time to help local communities get more brand exposure by helping them create and execute campaigns.
What do you like to do outside of the office? Any interesting (or unique) habits or interests?
I find new ways to entertain my kids and I’ve also started an e-commerce website selling baby toys.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
Permission Marketing from Seth Godin
What’s been the one (or two!) things that have helped you navigate this past year? Any tips or tricks to dealing with remote work?
If you have to share an office, invest in some noise cancelling headphones 🙂
