Tell us about your background:
The pattern that keeps repeating throughout my career: I keep getting trusted with more than the job I signed up for. I started in Marketing and took on Merchandising, Buying, Creative and E-commerce. At Victoria's Secret International, I owned Brand Marketing and then led the Merchandising strategy across International Franchise, Travel Retail, and Wholesale partner networks throughout Europe, the Middle East, LatAm, and Southeast Asia. Before that, at Bath & Body Works Canada, I led Marketing and Visual Merchandising and then took on Buying and Planning as well. At La Senza, I was hired to lead the Marketing brand repositioning, but ended up also leading E-commerce, Creative, and Visual Merchandising.
I love being constantly challenged to learn, grow, adapt, and lean on transferable skills. I put in the effort to figure out how a function actually works before I lead it, all the while knowing I can count on my team's expertise. Leading across functions has also made me good at breaking down the silos that build up in large, matrixed organizations, helping teams connect the dots instead of operating in isolation. Outside the corporate world, I co-founded Story Department, a boutique TV and film production company.
What do you wish you’d known when you started out?
Early in my career, I'd hold back in meetings, second-guessing my questions or opinions. I eventually realized my input was valuable and that holding back didn't serve me or my team. Be bold. Put yourself out there. Your contributions have value.
Best career advice you've ever received?
Lead from the front. For example, my team was struggling to get buy-in from another department for a major initiative. Leading from the front meant I needed to support my team by building a relationship with my counterpart there. Together, we worked through the roadblocks and got the buy-in we needed.
What leadership qualities are important to you?
Empathy: understanding your audience, adapting your communication style to who's in front of you, and knowing when to have a hard conversation.
Advocacy and mentorship: investing in people's growth and genuinely supporting their journey.
Curiosity: always be learning and evolving.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
Expanding my professional network. I’ve been fortunate to have advocates that sought me out for roles in the past. The brands I worked for were based in Columbus, Ohio, and while employed, I didn't prioritize networking because I was too busy doing the work. I'm now having to build connections in New York and that's one of the reasons I joined The Co-Lab.
How do you define success in your career, and how has that definition evolved over time?
I define and measure success by incremental growth, often as a product of navigating through challenging moments. Early in my career, I measured success by simply achieving a desired outcome. Over time that shifted: I think of growth as personal, not just professional, because who you are at work and who you are outside of it shape each other. That might mean pushing past the first answer or having the hard conversation instead of avoiding it, or it might mean noticing someone on my team outgrowing their role. The uncomfortable moments are where that growth happens, and what I ultimately believe elevates the quality of performance.
How has networking contributed to your professional growth and success?
Every role I've had came through someone who knew me and spoke up for me when it mattered. While I was working, networking felt optional, so I let those relationships go quiet. Now I'm deliberately rebuilding it, which is a big part of why I joined The Co-Lab.
What are your top networking tips for building strong connections in your industry?
Show up consistently.
Give your time generously to others.
A genuine DM to someone lands better than people expect.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joyce-macdonald
Instagram: @joycemacd
