On the latest episode of "How The Fuck Did You Get That Job", we sat down with Heidi Anderson, a trailblazer who's gone from a small Danish town to the upper echelons of Silicon Valley. As the current CMO and CRO at Nextdoor, Heidi's journey includes impressive roles at Google and LinkedIn, where she played a vital part in driving these tech giants to new heights.
Heidi grew up in a tight-knit Danish community of just 100 people. But her curiosity and love for reading sparked dreams of exploring the world. Her path took her from the University of Southern Denmark to a life-changing gap year traveling the U.S., igniting a passion for the fast-paced, innovative spirit of Silicon Valley.
In this episode, Heidi discussed the ups and downs of navigating the tech world as an immigrant and a woman in leadership. She offered valuable advice for aspiring leaders, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships, staying resilient, and constantly growing. Heidi's story is one of embracing opportunity, pushing beyond comfort zones, and harnessing the power of community to drive positive change.
But before we get into it, be sure to catch the full episode here:
A: It was really my time traveling across the U.S. during my gap year before university that sparked my fascination with Silicon Valley. I was drawn to the pace, the innovation, and the people with these big ideas they were striving to realize.
When I later wrote my thesis on whether Silicon Valley could be replicated elsewhere, I knew I wanted to come and witness the rebirth of the tech scene post-dot-com crash firsthand. Landing in Silicon Valley, I immediately felt I belonged in this community of immense talent and diversity. I saw it as a place I could learn from tremendously while also hopefully making meaningful contributions.
A: I actually ended up at Google through a friend who was already working there. I wasn't necessarily looking for a role in sales, as I considered myself more of an introvert. But as my friend described the sales culture at Google, it really resonated with me.
She framed it as being about empathy, listening, and helping businesses grow through the power of technology. I was drawn to the potential for impact and the ability to deeply understand customers' needs. So I took a leap and joined the team.
Initially, I focused on building out Google's mid-market advertising business. It was an incredible learning curve, figuring out how to effectively scale and support a rapidly growing customer base. From there, I transitioned into working on the DoubleClick acquisition and integration, which exposed me to the world of display advertising and the strategic decisions behind ad tech monetization.
A: Starting in sales at Google, despite being more of an introvert, taught me so much about the importance of empathy, listening, and educating in driving business success. I learned to reframe sales as truly understanding customers' needs and helping provide solutions that meaningfully impact their businesses.
My time at Google also provided an invaluable education in the monetization of tech at scale, and the strategic decisions behind that. Having a front-row seat to Google's growth gave me insights I knew I could carry forward in my career.
Perhaps most significantly, being surrounded by exceptional leadership imparted lessons about fostering curiosity, building relationships, and bouncing back from failures. I realized the power of surrounding yourself with people you can continually learn and grow from.
A: After nearly eight years at Google and achieving the milestones I'd set for myself, I knew I was ready for a new challenge where I could continue to grow and make an impact.
What drew me to LinkedIn was the opportunity to help build out their advertising business from the early stages. I saw huge potential to shape a monetization model that could drive the company's growth while delivering value to customers.
Stepping into a leadership role at LinkedIn, my main focus was scaling the business thoughtfully and efficiently. This meant getting creative about resources, building robust business cases for investments, and developing my skills in influencing effectively.
I also learned so much from LinkedIn's leadership about putting people first, both in product development and in company culture. The emphasis on compassion, empowering employees, and aligning external brand with internal values really resonated and has shaped my own leadership style.
A: I wasn't actively looking to leave LinkedIn, but Nextdoor's mission immediately spoke to me when they reached out. The opportunity to help neighbors create stronger local communities and foster belonging was deeply meaningful on a personal level, having moved away from my own hometown community.
I was also energized by the challenge of helping Nextdoor scale its advertising platform and business model. The potential for growth was immense, with every person being a neighbor and therefore a potential user. I saw it as a rare chance to have a positive impact on a massive scale while stretching myself professionally.
Add to that the prospect of working under a female immigrant CEO whom I instantly connected with, along with an incredible board, and all the pieces just clicked. It felt like the perfect confluence of purpose, people, and potential for impact.
A: Taking on the CMO role in addition to my CRO responsibilities at Nextdoor was a natural evolution to drive tighter alignment between our marketing and sales efforts. By unifying these functions, we can put the customer at the center and create a seamless journey from brand awareness to business growth.
On the marketing side, I'm focused on developing a deep, holistic understanding of our customers' needs and translating that into compelling narratives and strategies. Taking on brand and B2C marketing has pushed me to keep learning and growing, leaning on the wealth of expertise within my team.
This customer-centric approach then carries through to my CRO role, where I ensure our sales team is equipped with the insights and positioning to authentically connect with customers and deliver true value. The dual lens of CMO and CRO allows me to identify synergies, align resources, and ultimately drive more impactful, cohesive go-to-market strategies.
A: First and foremost, make a genuine effort to understand the day-to-day realities and challenges of your sales team. Shadow calls, sit in on meetings, ask questions about their processes and pain points. The more context you have, the better equipped you'll be to provide meaningful support.
Make sure you're in lockstep on core messaging, positioning, and target audiences. Marketing and sales should be telling a consistent story across all touchpoints. Regular cross-functional meetings can help ensure everyone is aligned and working toward shared goals.
Leverage data as a common language between marketing and sales. Agree on the key metrics that matter most to the business and make sure you're tracking and reporting on them consistently. This helps foster accountability and a shared sense of ownership.
Most importantly, approach the relationship with empathy and a spirit of partnership. Recognize that you're ultimately working toward the same objectives and that each function brings unique value to the table. When marketing and sales collaborate effectively, the results can be game-changing.
A: My biggest piece of advice is to never set limits for yourself or allow others to do so. It's all too easy to come up with reasons why we can't pursue something, especially as women. But I firmly believe that if you have a dream, you can find a way to make it happen. It's about flipping the script from "why not" to "what will it take."
I also can't stress enough the importance of proactively seeking advice and building relationships. I've found most people genuinely want to help and offer guidance. Embrace that support, but stay true to your own dreams and goals.
Remember, hard things are usually the most worthwhile. Whenever an opportunity arises that pushes you out of your comfort zone, say yes. You'll be amazed at how much you can grow when you rise to the challenge.
So stay curious, stay resilient, and never stop learning and pushing forward. With hard work and a commitment to your own growth, you can build an incredibly fulfilling career while making a positive impact.
