Sara Malo President /COO LinkUnite Vice President of Partnerships Lead Generation World, Contact.io & AFFY Expo
Sara Malo
President /COO LinkUnite sara@linkunite.live
Vice President of Partnerships Lead Generation World sara@leadgenerationworld.com
What makes you passionate about supporting women as a Female Power Player?
The mission behind LinkUnite is simple. We are here to support women in their career journeys. We are here to help women grow and succeed and be their biggest fans. LinkUnite was founded because Amanda and I didn't have this level of support earlier in our careers. We are building the tribe we always wanted for ourselves. You have been an incredible figure and connector in the performance marketing industry for decades!
For those that don't know you, can you give some background into your career history, how you got into what you do, and what you have worked on?
Affiliate Summit, Affiliate Ball, Virtual Digital Expo, Lead Generation World, Link Unite, etc. 1 response Sure thing! Over 20 years I got my start in this industry as an Affiliate Manager. I launched the program after attending an Affiliate Summit cruise! Yes, Affiliate Summit was a cruise way back when. I started getting certified, attending seminars and learning all I possibly could about affiliate marketing and search engine optimization. I took a short time off from the industry after having my two children. At that point Affiliate Summit was looking for a marketing person and 7+ years with the original team was absolutely amazing. During that time I learned so much in this industry. I moved from marketing to Client success and business development. Since that time I have worked for almost all the Events in the industry as the "secret sauce"! Affiliate Summit, Affiliate Grand Slam, Affiliate Ball, Virtual Digital Expo, MailCon, Lead Generation World, Contact.io, AFFY Expo and co-founding LinkUnite.
As the current President of Link Unite with the incredible founder Amanda Farris, can you tell our readers a bit about Link Unite and how they can get involved in this fast-growing and supportive women's group? (What it is, membership, upcoming events.)
LinkUnite is a collaborative movement of women and men alike aimed at uniting communities and the greatest minds in marketing and wider industries. We aim to bring together the brightest minds to elevate the careers of women and promote business for our members and ambassadors. We launched our mentorship program and educational series so we can keep this industry thriving, we will have LinkUnite III our in-person private Event in Park City Utah this September and we recently launched a membership program. LinkUnite is your global sisterhood community. We support our members personal growth, career development, goals and dreams. We would love for any women looking to invest in themselves to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/linkunite
What type of people are you looking to connect with and what can you help them achieve?
Women in marketing and technology for LinkUnite. Or simply any women who want an amazing support system in business. I also look to connect with any companies in this Industry who would find value from the Events I work on. Everyone knows what an incredible professional you are but tell us a bit more about you as a person. 1 response First and foremost I am a single Mom of two amazing teenagers; Molly & Shane. They are two incredible humans that teach me so much. I am a big time family person. I have nieces and nephews in their 20's and all their friends even call me Auntie Sara. I am very close to my parents and my two older brothers. I try to be a role model and support the youth where I live. I am heavily involved in non-profits. I Chair a local scholarship committee and I am President of the athletic boosters and member of the hall of fame committee. I love to hike my dogs at least once a day. I have ran 4 Marathons, 2 in Boston! I love to travel and take my kids to new places.
What is something you notice is shifting in your industry?
I am seeing the shift in more companies hiring women leaders. More women entering c-level positions. This was not the case 20 years ago. We are having CEO dinners where 50% are men and 50% are women. My Clients like Ringba spearheaded this initiative. I am seeing more women winning industry awards. We still have a long way to go but it's happening! It's time for the women to shine on! Share a favorite quote of yours and why. 1 response "Be a good person" Susannah Rayburn. Suz started as a Client of mine many moons ago and now is a close friend. She often says just be a good person and although this seems so simple it's not always the case. You never know what people are going through personally and professionally. Being a good person goes a long way!
What are some fun memories you have from various trade shows and events you have been involved with and what advice would you give to others attending company trade shows?
Oh boy I could go on for days. I have ran and attended so many Events, too many to count. I have made so many friends over the years so it's almost like a reunion every time an Event is happening. I have been able to travel all over the world in some cool places like Dubai. We work really hard but are also lucky to have the opportunities we do. My advice is talk to anyone and everyone. Keep an open mind and you won't believe how much you can learn! What trade shows and events are coming up this year that are worth attending? 1 response Contact.io, AFFY Expo, LinkUnite and Lead Generation World
How do you approach building and maintaining relationships with sponsors? What are some effective techniques you've used to secure long-term partnerships?
Honestly just be myself and honest. I don't change who I am just because it's work. We want our Clients to get values from our Events and ROI. Before I even have a call with a new Client I make sure I learn about their business. This way I can give them advice on what Events they should be attending. I truly want Clients to get the most they possibly can attending our Events. A friendly face and smile goes a long way.
What are some of the challenges or obstacles you've seen women face within the business world?
How would you recommend overcoming these challenges? 1 response Women haven't had the opportunity to be on the same playing field as the men in this industry. However, LinkUnite is slowly but surely changing this. We have also had very few women speakers on panels etc. over the years. With amazing Event owners like Michael Ferree we are making a change. We are giving women so many more opportunities and turns out these women have so much to offer!
What do you do for fun when you're not working?
I love nature and sunrises. I hike, walk and run as much as possible. I love an afternoon listening to acoustic music or attending a sports game. I am a big Boston fan!
How do you maintain a work-life balance while managing a demanding career? What strategies do you employ to prevent burnout and prioritize self-care?
I am a huge believer in work/life balance. The thing about working from home is your computer is always staring at you. You can work 20 hours a day if you wanted too. I have a great routine that I truly try to follow every day. I rise extremely early in the morning. I love the mornings and the peace they bring. I hike my two dogs Luna and London for at least an hour. We often see the sunrise and it's a great start to my day. I am relaxed and it gives me time to mentally prepare for my day. Because of my early start I am often working before most. I try and force myself mid-day around lunch to either go for a short jog or walk and get away from the computer. Even if I take a call as long as I am moving and walking. It's important I stay focused during the day so come 5/6pm I can start shutting down. I want to be present for my family and friends like I am for my career.
Can you share a specific example of a time when you had to overcome a difficult situation or make a tough decision in your role? How did you handle it, and what lessons did you learn from that experience? Or, if you were to describe your professional journey in terms of a roller coaster, which specific parts of the ride would represent the challenges, successes, and exciting moments you've experienced?
I have had many challenges along the way. A lot of times in the past 20 years I wouldn't even be spoken too because my title wasn't c-suite. I wasn't invited to the special dinners or happy hours. Early on it would bother me but at one point I just said I am better than this and stuck it out. Now instead of worrying about the invites we just create the dinners and happy hours ourselves! When Affiliate Summit was acquired by Clarion Events in July of 2017 my entire team was let go. This was my work family and it was pretty hard for all of us. I ended up staying with Clarion as a consultant and worked with them until Covid. A lot of changes were happening with the Team and I was figuring out where I fit in. I then won an AFFY January 2019 in Las Vegas and I knew no matter what I planned to stay in this industry. From that point on I knew I was here for the long haul. I was going to make a name for myself no matter what. That is around the time Amanda Farris and I began talking about LinkUnite. Amanda was with LeadsPedia, a Client of mine!
What are some emerging trends or changes you foresee in the performance marketing industry? How do you adapt to these changes and stay ahead of the curve?
Gosh this industry changes by the minute. I try to keep myself educated on all the things (digital, performance, affiliate, lead gen, pay per call etc.) and I am on Linkedln 24/7 watching everything happen. I try to follow new companies and connect with as many people possible.
What always puts a smile on your face?
Watching our LinkUnite tribe members succeed in their careers. Watching them win AFFY awards and finally get the recognition they deserve. There is no better feeling!
What are your future goals and aspirations? How do you plan to continue growing and making an impact?
I am really focusing on the LinkUnite mentorship program and the education piece of this mission. This industry needs new fresh people coming out of college. It's important we educate these new generations all things digital and performance marketing. Most people don't even know this world exists! I can see this growing where I am placing several mentees every year. https://www.linkunite.live/link-mentor-program/
Have you had any mentors or role models who have influenced your career? If so, how have they helped shape your approach to business and leadership?
Jeannine Crooks Partner Acquisition & Development at AWIN Global. She was one of the first industry people I met. She is just down right brilliant. I often look to her for industry advice and she attended our first LinkUnite event in Arizona. She is an amazing woman and if the readers don't know her I highly recommend connecting with her.
If you could trade places with any fictional character for a day, who would it be and why?
Wonder Woman. Although some days with my schedule I feel I am actually her in real life!
Do you have resources or goodies you can share with the group? Perhaps a list of trade shows or a link to something that you love to use?
LinkUnite is actually working on a resources page on our website linkunite.live to offer to the industry. This will include all the relevant Industry Events to attend and so much more. so stay tuned for that!