Suzanne Mitchell is the Marketing Director for GoDaddy in Australia – a pretty demanding position with GoDaddy a major player in the tech game worldwide. Along with this role, Mitchell is the mother to two girls, so with Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, we asked her what advice would she give them, if they asked.
What advice would you pass on to your children if they ask you about what they should do for a career?
As a mother, I find myself giving endless streams of advice, and it’s that ‘secret winning formula’ for our childrens’ future that I think we’re all looking for. I have two young daughters, and when it comes to their future careers, it’s good to reinforce the importance of balancing their strengths with their passions.
Your career is a huge part of your life – you spend most of your waking (weekly) hours and most of your adult years at work. Therefore, it’s not enough to simply follow one or the other; I think the secret is finding the balance between what you’re good at, and what inspires you to get out of bed in the morning.
It can be hard to understand that balance when you think ahead to what your future career might look like, particularly when you’re young. Whenever there is uncertainty, I would encourage my daughters to speak to those closest to them for direction. Whether that advice comes from myself, other friends and family, or their role models, seeking advice from the people that know you best is a great way to get sound guidance.
It’s important that they also understand that they don’t need to decide their career path now. The notion and appeal of a job for life is dwindling and many of us will do a variety of things during our ‘careers’. So, as long as they find interest and joy in what they’re doing at any given time, that’s the most important thing.
Is there anything you would particularly say to your child if they’re female?
I have two daughters, yet I don’t believe my advice would differ depending on gender. No matter whether I had sons or daughters, I would stress the importance of staying true to themselves, not just in work but in all facets of their life. In a workplace, who you are as a person will play a role in your personal brand, and how you fit in with, and are perceived by, others. Ensuring that they’re authentic and true, yet also professional, will hopefully help my daughters develop long-lasting relationships, no matter where their career takes them.
In this digital age, I also think it’s very important for me, as a mother, to help educate and guide my daughters about the content that they share online and with whom they engage with online. Their personal brand now extends beyond simple in-person interactions. Their digital identity, even that which is developed at a young age, will likely play a role in the future, so it’s important to be conscious of it now and help to guide them through the digital world.
Are there things you would recommend they don’t do – especially if you have done these things and they didn’t work?
As a philosophy, I find it very hard to recommend against them doing something. When it comes to my daughters, I believe that they should be generally guided with a loving hand, but it’s also important for them to learn from their own experiences. As long as they’re happy, healthy, and have a great balance between their personal and professional lives, there’s no reason they shouldn’t experience all that an exciting career has to offer.
What overall advice for their happiness and health would you pass on to your children on this special day?
I think that one of the secrets to happiness is finding a way to integrate their life into their work. While it’s important to plan for the future, making the most out of living in the moment and being spontaneous will help them notice and appreciate those magic moments that happen daily. I would encourage them to find balance in everything that they do, both in their work and personal lives, and to stop to appreciate those special moments that come out of left field.
Suzanne Mitchell is the Marketing Director for GoDaddy in Australia, responsible for leading marketing strategy and campaign execution in the region. Prior to joining GoDaddy, Suzanne has held senior roles across enterprise, SME and start-ups, most recently as the Head of Marketing for Australian payments app. Beem It, owned by the Commonwealth Bank, NAB & Westpac.
GoDaddy is the company empowering Australian entrepreneurs by helping them build websites.
