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WHO SHE IS: Jennifer Nuckles, Chief Marketing Officer, Plum District
LOCATION: San Francisco
SUCCESS STORY: Channeling my passion for consumer marketing with my love of being a mom — I get to lead initiatives to understand the Plum District mom and offer irresistible finds that she both loves and needs
WORK SCHEDULE: Full time, though I arrive at work after dropping off my three girls at school
KIDS: 3 daughters, ages 8, 6, & 4
SANITY VICE: Light reading – from catching up on news in People magazine to the latest dystopian trilogy
BEST TIME-MANAGEMENT TIP: Setting up an assembly line on Sunday nights to make 3 days of lunches for 3 kids at once
GO-TO TECH: I can’t live without my iPhone and I use it for everything — checking email, scheduling work meetings, texting to arrange play dates for my girls, and taking calls from the car
WORK-LIFE BALANCE? I’m about an 8. I know myself and my limitations, and recognize that I get fulfillment by being challenged professionally. This makes me a better mom when I am home, and means I can focus on my family.
Five Questions for Jennifer
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1. Plum District helps businesses reach the mom market. Are there any interesting trends you’re seeing that you’re excited about for 2014?
I’m really excited that Plum District is growing. We’re an e-commerce platform and media property focused strictly on moms and their needs, here to spark the sort of connections that make mom’s day — with products and inspiration — each and every day. We’re now at 2.2 million moms, which means we can offer bigger brand names and better savings to our members. We’re already featuring summer camps for 2014, have launched Plum Finds (products we’ve discovered that you never knew you needed but now you can’t live without!), provide free coupons, and for the first time last week featured a Disneyland/Disneyworld family vacation package!
2. You run a big team and have three daughters, plus you have a decent commute every day. What’s the secret to making it all work for you?
I grew up in large companies and made the transition to small a few years back. I was looking for a fast-paced environment where I could make a huge impact. Fire drills occur daily in start-ups, but because we are small we also provide flexibility. So while I often log on at night, I am able to be with my girls during morning drop-off. I never take this flexibility for granted, as I found it less common in larger organizations.
3. You went to Harvard Business School and when we met we talked about how many women with MBAs stop working. Do you think there’s anything that could help reverse this trend?
I see a lot of my business school friends leaving the workforce and becoming independent consultants. It’s really hard for families to balance both parents working outside of the home, lots of kids and the resulting schedules, and commutes. When both parents are driven professionally, I’ve found that it’s helpful to find one job with a little more flexibility, and independent consulting provides that, as well as the professional challenges and compensation.
4. Plum District is technically a startup. Does the company do anything unique or innovative in terms of supporting employees and finding work flexibility?
We are a small team, so every body really matters to the company. That being said, there are many people who work alternative schedules, for a variety of reasons – child related or not. We don’t value face time as a company, and instead really just look for the work to be done. Everyone on the team is “in it to win it” so we offer the flexibility of working on their own terms.
5. What advice do you live by as a working mom?
“LEARN from the past, LIVE in the present, BELIEVE in the future.”
