Face to face with Rebecca Van Dyck: leader of year?

Rebecca Van Dyck, head of consumer marketing, Facebook talks to Elen Lewis, editor of The Marketing Society about shoes, fear and making creative people feel safe.

What’s the smartest business idea you’ve had?

Inventing Croc shoes. Just kidding, that wasn't me.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Don't let fear be a deciding factor in your career.

What does bold marketing leadership look like?

Creating an environment where highly talented creative people can feel safe, so they can be wildly bold and take risks in their work.

What marketing lessons can other brands learn from Facebook?

Know thy self… (and market thy self internally). A strong internal culture translates to confidence and vision.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Two hours on the soccer pitch, every Sunday. Cooking without a deadline. Reading People magazine.

What would you say to your 17-year-old self?

Don't worry about the linear path. Instead collect experiences as if they are tools or treasures that you store in your backpack for future use. The more gadgets (experiences) you have, the better equipped you are for life's adventures.

Who or what has inspired you most profoundly in your career?

The pioneers and founders I have had the opportunity to work for and learn from: Jay Chiat, Dan Wieden, Phil Knight, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg (who isn't a founder of a business, but certainly a pioneer and thought-leader… or thought-founder).

What's the hardest thing you've ever done and what did you learn from it?

Come and work at Facebook. Until now I have worked on established consumer brands, who built their business with advertising/marketing as a pillar of their business model… At Facebook, all of this is so wonderfully new.

If you hadn't been in business what would you have been?
Something involving travel.

Tell us a secret.
I invented croc shoes. Just kidding…

Marketing Leader of Year 2013: cast your vote today

Voting closed on 17 May. Vote for Rebecca Van Dyck and then tweet us your thoughts @themarketingsoc #leader2013