TheBridge profile: Lauren Maffeo
Name: Lauren Maffeo
Current city: Bethesda, MD
Current job: Associate Principal Analyst at GetApp, a Gartner company
Past job: Content Specialist at Aha! - a fully remote SaaS company based in Silicon Valley
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Compass Coffee in Rosslyn. The Red Eye (cold brew with two espresso shots) is my go-to!
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. I started my career in tech as a journalist covering the sector. I learned how to start with the end user (aka the reader) in mind, then work backwards to learn about the intricacies of each technology I covered. In other words, I led with the societal impact these technologies were having. That skill has been hugely valuable throughout my career as a tech marketer and analyst.
Q. Job advice in three words? Do it scared.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech / innovation and regulation? GetApp covers trends across a range of cloud software markets for small and midsize business owners. We also cover emerging tech (like AI and blockchain) to help readers learn how they can use these technologies to solve business problems. Over the last year, GDPR legislation in Europe has had a huge impact on how SMBs can communicate with customers. I think we'll start seeing more legislation of data mining in the States as a form of consumer protection, which could have deep long-term impacts for SMBs as well.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Consider the impact your technology has on the people who use it. Proactively speak with your users to learn their pain points, and consider how you can fulfill their needs within the confines of your strategy.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Time is the most precious resource you have. Don't waste it by spending so much on debate that you let opportunities pass you by.
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? My favorite business book is "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. The book's premise is that managing your energy leads to top performance and contentment. Over the past year, I've done a much better job paying attention to when my energy levels rise and fall. This helps me know when I can be most productive and when I should rest.
Q. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself in the beginning of your career? "You're going to achieve more than you think is possible, but your life won't look the way you think it should now. Have more faith that things will work out, and don't take rejection so personally."
Q. What's one piece of advice you are still trying to master? "You are not your productivity."
Q. If you had to live in another city, which would it be? Vancouver, British Columbia; it's breathtakingly beautiful. I also lived in London for two years, and it'd be hard not to go back if I had the chance.
Q. Last time you were completely unplugged? On a flight back to DC from Boston a few weeks ago. I never use WiFi on planes; I use that time to read, listen to podcasts, or get some rest.
Q. Morning routine? I'm a night owl who's productive at night and slow to rise, so I start my day by drinking coffee while I check emails and Slack messages from home. Then, I commute to work off-peak so the Metro's not as crowded. I'll gladly be the last one out the door each night if it means I can sleep in each morning.
Q. How do you unwind after work? I love to run and try to do so at least three times a week, along with core yoga or a HIIT workout each week.
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