Young Gun profiles takes a look at the young talent across the Australian advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector. Aiming to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Lili Donald: research and insights executive at LADbible Group
Time in current role/time at company:
I’ve been at LADbible Group for a year and a half. I was initially a freelancer for a year before transitioning into a full time role.
How long have you been in the industry?
This has been my first role out of university so a year and a half.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
This definitely wasn’t the original plan! I started university straight out of high school in a law/psychology double degree before realising law was not for me. I stuck with just a single psychology degree and finished feeling a little lost, not wanting to take the clinical or research route.
I had taken a marketing and sociology elective within my course and really enjoyed those so decided to continue studying with a Masters of commerce majoring in marketing, hoping to find a way to marry the psychology and marketing knowledge. I quickly became passionate about consumer behaviour and brand management. So when mid-way through my degree, I received a message on LinkedIn about a research and insights position at LADbible Group, I realised I couldn’t have found a better opportunity to combine my interests into one role.
Who is your right-hand who guides you day to day?
I can’t look past my manager Courtney Doddridge, who leads our small yet mighty LADnation insights team. From day dot since that LinkedIn message, we’ve bounced ideas off each other so seamlessly and I’ve learned a lot about how good data leads to great ideas. I do have to give a shout out to everyone within the LADbible APAC team as well. I entered as one of the youngest within the company and everyone has been so supportive in showing me the ropes of the media industry and helping me make an impact.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
I love that it’s so people-focused. From the people you work with day-to-day to your audience, it revolves so much around understanding how others think and keeping up with our forever changing society. At LADbible we’re obsessed with identifying what the social generation are searching for, inspired by and engaging with - I think it’s so cool to unpack what makes people tick and why.
And the biggest challenge?
While I love the fast pace, it can also be the hardest part to wrap your head around. Things change so quickly, especially in the world of social platforms, and you have to respond to stay relevant. While I do thrive on this and love that no two days are the same, you can often work long and hard towards something to then switch it up completely at the last minute. This has taught me so much about adaptability however, which is such a crucial skill in anything you do.
Whose job have you set your sight on in the future?
I’m in such an early stage of my career it’s hard to say yet. I have always found brand management or strategy really interesting so I would love to delve into that side of things. At the rate the media moves though my dream role may not even be invented yet!
Where do you turn for inspiration?
First and foremost my mother. She’s the most thoughtful, well spoken and intelligent person I know and she has been and always will be my biggest supporter. Her passion for her own job has also always driven me to pursue what I’m passionate about.
I also really admire Quinta Brunson. She harnessed social platforms and publishing in such a creative way and really speaks to the power of social media. As a black woman myself, she reminds me that there are no limits and continues to pave the way for so many creative and knowledgeable women of colour.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
This is a funny one, my initials are actually L.A.D so maybe it’s fate I ended up at LADbible.
In fives years’ time, I’ll be:
Working overseas, I’d love to gain experience in London or New York. Has always been a dream of mine to be a small fish in one of those big city ponds.
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