Interview with Glen Ellen Brown, VP of Brand Development at Hearst Company

Here's a story I did on Glen Ellen Brown, VP of Brand Development at Hearst Company. Very impressive energy-- she calls herself a 'passionista.'

Published on womenworking.com June, 2009

Strategy for Success: Unleash Creativity

Glen Ellen Brown
VP Brand Development
Hearst Company

“I guess you could say that I'm a left and right-brained person," says Glen Ellen. Though she was educated in fine arts, she knew early on to combine her creative abilities with business savvy. She enrolled in Chase's financial training program. "I made a pretty dramatic 360-degree turn, but I knew that I'd be more effective with a tangible understanding of how business works."

From that point on, Glen Ellen made it a point to align herself with "forward-thinking companies," such as Grey Advertising, The Walt Disney Company, IMIX.com, and ultimately Hearst. "I wanted to be taught by the masters in companies that have a mind to innovation and exploration. Those things fit for me."

Glen Ellen is responsible for bringing Hearst Magazine titles (currently 19 are published domestically) to life by developing products or experiences that increase a consumer's engagement with those brands. In a recent project, she helped to produce a furniture collection and line of sweet and savory specialty foods as an extension of Country Living magazine's "come home to comfort" brand positioning.

Glen Ellen's Tips for Unleashing Creativity

Be active.
"I like to participate. You've got to love a challenge. I'm pretty interested in sports and I try them all on--from skiing, to tennis, to fly-fishing, to kayaking. I think exercise does a lot to enable mental agility."

Take grounded risks.
"Follow your instincts. When your inner voice is fairly grounded, you know you can apply smart thinking and reasoning to an opportunity. If you feel it's an idea that should be pursued, explore it, but don't do it on a whim."

Make your environment work for you.
"You have to know a fair amount about yourself and then define your path. Think seriously about what motivates you, what is your personal style, and where you do your best work. Find the best connections for how you can contribute and succeed."

Get out there and explore.
"I spend a fair amount of time just looking at things, seeking diverse exposure and capturing the experience mentally; whether it's being with a particular demographic or being in a different store. I think there's a lot to be said for travel--it frees you from focusing on all the stuff that happens at your desk. It forces you to deal with lots of different stimuli."

Be open-minded.
"If you're so regimented in the outcome, you're never going to see the possibilities. Look for people that think differently, and ask for their opinions. It takes an ability to suspend judgment before you evaluate things. That's how you stay creative."

Don’t be immobilized.
"When someone disagrees with your idea, don't be disabled. Get a real understanding of what you didn't accomplish and why they didn't agree. Then go back at it with a better plan. Use it as a way to change your direction and an opportunity to think differently. Sometimes you need to think about life like sports. You're going to get another 'at bat.' There's a fabulous continuum that allows you to try it again. Learn from errors, and keep moving forward."


SPOTLIGHT ON GLEN ELLEN:

FIRST JOB: "An assistant art director at Skiing magazine."

A SMART RISK: "A lot of people might not think my dot-com move was a smart risk. It may not have had the upside like it did for the people that went to eBay, but every component was worthwhile. It was such an important new way of life and of doing business. I needed to be fully immersed in something as entrepreneurial as that was."

ON "WORKAHOLISM": "I'm not a workaholic, but I'm a 'passionista.' I love what I do and it engages me fully. It's fluid and creative and has a positive impact."

FAVORITE TV SHOW: "CSI."

A GET-AHEAD SECRET: "Don't wait for your annual review to ask how you're doing. Sit down with your boss and acknowledge that you've met the goals that were set for you and you'd like to establish new goals. Keep the dialogue fresh and current and quantify those metrics."