Teresa Lin, Creative Strategist at Facebook & Instagram
Teresa is a Creative Strategist at Facebook and Instagram which basically means she works with brands, big and small, to push the creative possibilities of advertising across Facebook’s family of apps. She’s working on reinventing what commerce, culture, and communities can look like in our digital world. You know, she’s just a brand strategy mastermind, in other words.
As a child growing up outside of Austin, Teresa loved all arts; painting, drawing, pottery, and fashion. She went to Tisch because of her love of fine art but realized she was more interested in the intersection between art and commerce rather than making art. After undergrad and a couple of years working in freelance events, marketing, and editing she pursued her MA in Marketing, with a focus on brand strategy at Northwestern. She spent the next decade at some of the biggest advertising agencies running global brand strategy for companies such as JP Morgan and Proctor Gamble. She spent much time abroad in Asia helping companies expand their footprint in the international global market.
Style, travel, and art are just a few of her hobbies and you get this awed impression immediately upon speaking to her. I first met Teresa at a Soho House retreat in the Berkshires. I was instantly captivated by her cool-girl style and demeanor. Her slim petite stature may fool you because she is packed to the brim with energy and most likely dressed in a very cute outfit. She can be on her phone checking in on work emails right before jumping on the stage for a little karaoke. She’s smart and fun.
It’s apt that Teresa works in social media because she is often the social director for her friends. Pre-lockdown on most evenings after work, and her workout, of course, you most likely would find Teresa at a gallery opening, art show, an event, or checking out a new restaurant. She famously created a Google calendar to share all her upcoming events with her less socially able friends, like me, to come along should we get some of her energy. She is one of those women who makes you wonder how she does it all.
What is your secret to living a high-vibrancy life?
Maximize & compartmentalize. I try to make a concerted effort to maximize every minute of my time and be strategic with where and how it's spent. For example, I love going on long walks while listening to meditation or educational podcasts. It's such a great way to get your steps in, mentally and physically!
As I get older and encounter more stressors, I really try to compartmentalize issues or problems so they don't completely overrun my mind space. Can you solve it now? If not, table it. Allow yourself a certain amount of time to ruminate and move on
Who is a woo-woo working woman that you admire and why?
I so admire Carolyn Everson, Facebook's VP of Global Marketing Solutions (and my boss, many many rungs down). I always say she's the Kelly Ripa of our organization; so authentic, so empathetic, and such a champion for the employees. Carolyn's especially "woo-woo" because she set up our company's FUEL program, which is all about promoting a better work/life balance and protecting both your physical and mental health. I especially appreciate how frankly she speaks about that latter aspect in being open with her own mental health and encouraging more people in senior leadership positions to do so as well.
How do you balance work, wellness, and spirituality?
Balance to some extent is an illusion, just like "having it all"! I think it's about being at peace with what and how you're juggling everything on your plate. With regards to spirituality specifically, I think worship or prayer doesn't always need to be a big, formal event! It can take place through a podcast, while I'm waiting for the elevator, etc. Find stillness in the small moments, sometimes they're the sweetest.
What is the best professional feedback you’ve ever received?
Stay happy, stay hungry, stay humble.
Are there any professional skills or life behaviors you wish you’d developed or learned earlier that are essential to your success now?
It's OK to have sharp elbows and claim credit for your work. I think women struggle with this one big time and one we all need to collectively overcome.
How do you handle new projects or initiatives that you haven’t had experience handling before?
Be open. Humbly talk to and learn from others who might be able to inform this experience. But that said, I do think there's a certain element of "fake it 'til you make it" and that's totally OK!
What is one thing someone who works for you can do to really impress you?
Follow through. It's hard to come by these days.
On the flip side, what can someone who works with you do to lose your confidence?
Little lies. The little things add up and are a bigger indicator of someone's values and integrity.
Any secrets to confidence in the workplace?
Identify and read up on your weaknesses or insecurities (e.g. imposter syndrome, presentation anxiety). The first step to solving something is to identify and name it, then you work through it.
Was there any one significant event that moved you onto the path of becoming the woman you are today?
I had a really tough run back in 2018- divorce & death in the span of 3 months. While it rocked me to my core, it also made me resilient and so grateful to all of my friends and family who came out of the woodwork in support, showering me with their love and care. There's that corny mantra "You're stronger than you think you are". I always laughed at it during fitness classes but it came back to me over and over again during that time period. I love a line from a Mary Oliver poem “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
I always want to learn more about__________?
Anything art-related (collecting, mark-making, history, curation).
In my free time, when I have any, you can usually find me __________.
On my power walks with an iced coffee in hand!
Most people don’t know that I really enjoy__________?
Cooking podcasts
How do you reset after a challenging day?
Exercise- anywhere, any form. it so takes me to my happy place. Endorphins are a real thing... and it's free!
Advice to the Woo🖤Wooo Working Women out there figuring out how to live their best high-vibrancy life?
I have two pieces of advice. First, create a Board of Directors for yourself! High-functioning companies all have one; consider assembling one for your life. Pull together a smart, vibrate, diverse collective of family, friends, and colleagues you can tap into and check in with, to objectively help you through big milestones and decisions in your life. Secondly (and one I battle with every year), obsess less over your age and milestone birthdays. It's so much wasted energy and anxiety! And when I look back, I inevitably realize how "young" that number really was.
