Senior Director, Digital | JackRabbit, The Finish Line, Inc.
Wendy is the Senior Director of Digital for JackRabbit by day; amateur photographer and Disney fanatic by night. She has a passion for data, traveling and running half marathons in costume.
EDUCATION & DEGREE(S) ACHIEVED: BS, Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Information Systems.
BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT TO DATE: Launching JackRabbit.com last September. Creating a new site, with a new brand, end-to-end meant thinking through our long-term vision while also paying attention to the details. We have grown the business from nothing into something in less than a year and it feels good to sit back and take it all in.
BEST ADVICE I WAS GIVEN OR THAT I WOULD GIVE: Hire people smarter than you. At first, this suggestion seems counter-intuitive if you’re competitive by nature and think the best way to the top is by proving your value. However, having a team of people who excel in areas you don’t, allows you to make progress much more quickly than on your own.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE OVERCOME: Having to walk away from relationships to stay true to myself. Saying goodbye is never easy and often means short-term pain for long-term gain. I’ve learned so much from these relationships, and they have made me a more compassionate person today.
WHAT WOULD YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE: To be known as someone who builds others up. Whether it’s my team or my friends/family. If I can inspire others to be a better version of themself, then I will be happy.
WHAT OR WHO HAS ENABLED YOU TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL: I am extremely fortunate to have access to a leadership team at Finish Line and JackRabbit that care enough to develop and inspire me every day. I have to give a shout out to my boss, Imran Jooma, who is the smartest person I know. Under his leadership, I have learned so much about our industry and myself.
MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNED: Being a successful leader is not about doing it all yourself; it’s about knowing when to give up control to someone who can do it better than you.
BIGGEST LIFE LESSON: I can get through anything. Even during the toughest times.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN TWO WORDS: Devoted Achiever
