Humans of Lob: Julie Ginn

Humans of Lob is a project dedicated to getting to know our Lobsters on an individual level. We sat down with our Vice President of Demand Generation, Julie Ginn.

If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be?

Tenacious, which I think of as the blend of determination, persistence, and grit.

What do you work on here at Lob?

I’m responsible for demand generation at Lob, which is the area of marketing that focuses on creating and nurturing interest in our software. My team launches marketing campaigns and tactics to drive potential customers to the next stage of the sales funnel. This includes activities like distributing content, running advertising campaigns, managing social media and email marketing, and analyzing data to understand customer behavior and preferences. Really it’s all about generating leads and sales opportunities for the company. It’s insanely fun.

What is something that inspires you? How does it guide you?

The way my daughter adapts, learns, and overcomes obstacles every day inspires me. Because of her, my definition of what I admire in a person has changed. Let me put it this way: I appreciate what people accomplish but I’m inspired by what they overcome to get there.

Tell us about a moment in your life that changed your perspective.

After my daughter was born, I was paralyzed by the uncertainty of parenting a child with special needs. Then I had this moment when I realized I could choose to let that fear define me, defeat me, or strengthen me. I’m glad I choose the latter.

The interesting thing about that moment is that it made me realize there is no such thing as good news or bad news. Things happen and how you react to them, what you choose to learn from them, and whether you let them defeat or strengthen you matters more. I now think all of the people and events of my life are there because I’ve drawn them there. What I learn from them is up to me.

It’s been 17 years since she was born, and every year of my life has gotten better. Not always easier, but always better.

Do you have any go-to comfort movies, tv shows, or activities?

I love reading. Books are magical to me. Whenever I feel isolated in my struggles, I read a book. Reading has taught me that the events that test me the most are the same things that connect me with all the people around me. When I need comfort, I curl up with a good book, hot tea, and my little mutt.

What season makes you most nostalgic and why?

For me, September always feels like the start of a new year. My husband is a teacher and my daughter is in high school, so this always feels like the beginning of something fresh. Fall reminds me of all the other first days of school, mine and my daughter’s. All of those days seemed so ordinary at the time but then I string them together in my memory and they become something magical. Back-to-school season makes me very nostalgic.

If you could switch lives with anyone for one day, who would it be? Why?

I’d love to walk in Taika Waititi’s shoes for a day. I think his mind probably holds the ultimate answer to the universe but he’s too distracted by shiny things to be bothered by this knowledge.

How did you get into demand generation?

About 20 years ago, I was working at a small healthcare company. I had just finished a full rebrand and my team was celebrating. It was late at night and as I was leaving I passed by our CEO’s office and he called out to me and said, “Hey, we just launched this new product and we need help driving interest in it. Do you think you can help?” I think I nodded then went home and had a panic attack.

Luckily I was good friends with our mailroom guy and I knew he was an amazing and talented illustrator. I immediately hired him to create custom artwork for a series of direct mail pieces and within a few weeks, my first demand generation campaign was off the ground. The second the first salesperson thanked me for bringing in leads, I was hooked.

Looking back now, I’m pretty sure the CEO just randomly hollered at the first person who walked by his office but I’m glad it was me.

What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?

A kind colleague told me to never apologize for needing what I need to be who I am. That was more than a decade ago and his words have served me well. Whenever I find myself feeling bad about needing quiet time to recoup my focus, I remember his advice and I take the time for what I need. It was quite a gift he gave me.

When you were a child, what was your dream job?

This isn’t going to surprise anyone, but I really wanted to write books. I was one of those kids who couldn’t get to school on time because I stayed up all night reading "The Hobbit" or the "Tales of King Arthur." I loved how I was transported to Middle Earth or Camelot. Do you ever think about how surreal reading a book actually is? You stare at marked slices of trees for hours, hallucinating vividly. It’s so cool.

Do you have any hidden talents?

A few years ago I tried painting for the first time and I was shocked at how well it turned out! I painted a self-portrait, and I was having a really good hair day when I did it. Feel free to use this as my headshot.

Curious what it's like to work alongside people like Julie Ginn? Learn more about life at Lob by visiting our careers page.