Closinglock Career Growth & Development

What new skill or role did you want to learn? Explain why this was important to you.
I have had a few conversations with my manager about eventually leading a team of my own once there is a large enough need. My only previous management experience was as a kitchen manager at a summer camp during college, which came with many lessons learned. The idea of managing a professional team without formal experience was daunting. It was clear that I needed to learn and prepare for when that opportunity arose, which is why I’m grateful that Closinglock provides tools and resources for those currently managing teams or who have expressed an interest in doing so in the future.

How did your employer help support this time of learning?
Starting this year, Closinglock began offering a leadership training and development cohort for all managers and future managers. We work with Matt Hunt from Team Performance Consulting to develop essential leadership skills, improve team dynamics and prepare us for the challenges of managing and leading effectively.

What was the outcome of this experience? How did it impact your future growth in your profession?
We are still in the middle of the training, but it has already proven to be incredibly valuable. A manager can truly make or break someone’s experience at a job and I would never want to be the reason someone no longer wanted to work here. Knowing that our executive leadership team prioritizes developing strong, well-rounded managers gives me confidence in our company’s direction and makes me even more committed to growing my own leadership abilities.

Describe your career journey so far. What skills or experiences have you acquired along the way that have helped you get to where you are now?

My career has always been about building things. I started in sales at Olympia Media Group, where I was employee number 15 and developed sales (a must for everyone) and leadership skills as I was tasked with building out a sales team. From there, I became the first marketing hire at several other high-growth startups, including OwnLocal and Opcity, which was later acquired by Realtor.com.

At OwnLocal, I gained a crash course in startup marketing, producing a high volume of work, managing stress and juggling competing priorities, developing grit and a can-do mentality. At Opcity, I became more strategic, balancing immediate growth with building long-term infrastructure. Those experiences, combined with later work at Realtor.com, gave me a unique blend of agility and sophistication. Startups taught me to be scrappy, resourceful and results-focused, while a larger organization showed me the importance of cross-functional communication, process discipline and managing bigger budgets. It taught me that communicating the value of the work was just as important as the work itself. Together, they’ve shaped me into a leader who can both build from scratch and scale with impact.

What support did you receive from individuals or resources that helped you step into a leadership role?

I wouldn’t be where I am without the mentors and leaders who pushed me forward and asked too much of me before I was ready. Early in my career, I had a CEO who brought me onto the executive leadership team when I was still quite junior. That gave me exposure to decision-making early on and instilled confidence that I belonged at the table.

I’ve also benefited from peers who modeled strong leadership—especially women who showed me how to lead with both strength and empathy. At each company, I’ve sought out cross-functional partners who were willing to share knowledge and give me a seat at the table.

Beyond individuals, I’ve relied on continuous learning such as taking courses, attending conferences, reading a lot of leadership books and investing in professional development. I’ve learned that stepping into leadership isn’t just about being the expert in your domain, it’s about building influence, setting vision and explaining the what, why and results around what you do. Having supportive leaders and resources gave me the space to grow into that role.

Book recommendations: “Lean In,” “How Women Rise,” “Multipliers,” “Making of a Manager,” “Ride of a Lifetime,” “Obstacle is the Way.”

How do you encourage other women on your team to become leaders themselves? Are there any stories you can share that showcase how you’ve done this?

My leadership style is based on empowerment and transparency. I give my team autonomy to own their projects, while creating clear strategic direction and removing roadblocks so they can succeed. I’ve found that high performers want two things: to do important work and to be recognized for it. I set high standards, but I also make sure to provide thoughtful feedback and opportunities for growth.

One way I encourage women on my team to grow into leadership is by intentionally giving them visibility with executives and cross-functional partners. I’ve had team members who aspired to management, so I involved them in leading meetings, managing agencies and networking within the organization.

At Closinglock, we had an incredible content marketing manager who showed a natural talent and ability for larger storytelling, brand strategy, public relations and corporate comms. I was able to promote her to Senior Brand Manager and provide her with more responsibility. She's thriving in this new role, gaining more executive exposure and driving real results for our company. It's been a win-win and I’m lucky to be in the position now to provide others with opportunities I had along the way.