Women Leading Tech: Why Linktree’s Jessica Box Leads From The Back, Not The Front
Did you know B&T’s second-ever Women Leading Tech Awards are just a couple of months away? In the lead up to this year’s awards, we will be chatting with last year’s winners to find out what they’ve been up to since claiming their trophies.
Today we’re talking to Jessica Box, who took out the Mentor prize in our 2020 awards. Jessica is the managing director of Girls in Tech Australia and more recently, she has also joined social tech platform Linktree as Head of Growth.
Have you got your entry in for the 2021 Women Leading Tech awards? Be quick! Entries close soon. For more info click here.
What was your initial reaction to winning this award?
I firstly couldn’t believe that a remote awards ceremony could feel so much like a physical one! But I was humbled and grateful for the recognition of the ladies and male champions behind Girls in Tech Australia who made it possible. We have 100+ volunteers around Australia, so I excitedly shared this with them in recognition of their contribution to transforming gender equality in tech.
We know that a lot has changed in the world since you entered into the awards last year. What has changed for you professionally?
In April last year, I joined social tech platform Linktree as its Head of Growth. Linktree democratises the discovery of content by connecting followers to their entire online ecosystem — not just one feed. Since the pandemic we have grown immensely, from 4 million users at the start of the lockdown to now over 11 million, with an average of 30K sign ups per day.
In that time we’ve transitioned into a distributed workforce, which has been a terrific challenge. Maintaining team culture and mental health has truly been front and centre and as we’ve scaled from 12 to a team of over 65, it’s been critical to ensure we have the tools and initiatives in place to prioritise employee wellbeing and enable open communication.
Alongside Linktree, I’m continuing my work at Girls in Tech Australia as its Managing Director. My role involves leading a community of women who are passionate about connecting and inspiring the next generation venturing into tech. Having worked in the tech sector for the last 12 years and leading growth at one of Australia’s fastest growing startups today, supporting and empowering Australia’s diverse tech workforce remains a huge passion of mine and I’m excited to continue driving change in a thriving tech ecosystem through both Linktree and Girls in Tech.
Do you have a technologist hero? If so, who is it and why?
I completely idolise Whitney Wolfe Herd. I vividly remember reading this article in Forbes and thinking “I want to be her when I grow up” (being nearly her age at the time!).
How she goes about business is creating a new generation of not only dating apps, but CEO’s and equal boardrooms.
She has built empowerment into Bumble’s brand ethos of “make the first move” which is now translating across industries and transforming a typically male-dominated seat at the table into one of diverse thinkers making better choices in business.
How does your role combine creativity and technology?
Balancing creativity and technology is key to my role at Linktree. As Head of Growth, I sit at the intersection between traditional marketing and product development, which requires me tapping into both my analytical brain and my creative brain in perfect unison.
Beyond simply driving user growth, my team’s objectives include listening to our global community, continuously finding innovative ways to address their product needs and working cross-functionally to create change across the entire customer lifecycle. It’s challenging and involves constant experimentation, but the freedom to test new tactics across channels and within the product itself to discover what works is truly rewarding.
What do you do to develop your leadership style?
Day to day, listening to feedback from my team is crucial for me to develop as a leader. I have standing agenda items in our 1:1s so we have a two-way dialogue around areas for improvement, which also removes the fear factor of feedback only being for a “formal review” on both sides.
This all hinges on cultivating a leadership style that rewards the behaviours we value as a company and builds a culture based on trust.
Outside of the workplace, I’m a huge fan of podcasts and audiobooks to learn from leaders who have been there and done it before, as well as the incredible board at Girls in Tech Australia who I lean on often for sound advice.
Do you believe leadership is a learned skill or is it something that comes naturally?
While leadership can definitely be learned and cultivated, people have different leadership styles and understanding how we are naturally inclined to communicate in a team setting is a vital first step for creating meaningful outcomes.
In male-dominated environments, it can sometimes feel difficult to operate from a place of empathy and vulnerability, so, as a woman in tech, I’ve always been really conscious of supporting all voices within my teams. My personal leadership style has always been to lead and nurture from the back — to lay a clear path forward, but then listen, observe and raise my team up for their successes.
What will be the biggest innovation of 2021?
It’s exciting to see how marketers, tech companies and users alike are changing their approach to data. Not only are marketers utilising data in new ways to uncover insights about their products and audiences, but they are using these insights to drive effective change.
Alongside the integration of data to power decision-making, customers are becoming increasingly aware of their own data and the power that data has for businesses. Privacy, transparency and ownership around data ethics is an emerging trend and the portability of data between services will likely become a requirement from the user.
For us at Linktree, the ethical use of data is not a trend — it has always been core to our product ideology and we remain committed to protecting our users’ privacy first and foremost. We’ve always been candid about never selling user data and it’s great to see change and increased awareness in this burgeoning area.
Latest News
Enjoy A Hahn Solo… And May The Fourth Be With You
This May the fourth Hahn will celebrate alongside Star Wars fans rewarding their passion via a giant Hahn travelling solo through the sky. It’s the one day of the year when all sci-fi fans rejoice and giggle to themselves and Hahn in partnership with Thinkerbell, UM and Affinity is celebrating with an out of this […]
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.
Perry ‘Pez’ Lazaris Named New National Hit Network Announcer
Why is it mandatory for the media to only publish the nicknames of people in radio & underworld crime figures?
Before Adland: Garry Dawson’s Journey From Teacher To Marketer
Here, the Hopeful Monsters marketer talks his shift from the classroom to the room wherever marketers congregate.
Scott Cam Urges Tradies To Prioritise Sun Protection
The Block host promoting sun protection to tradies. Also, don't try getting into the RSL after 6pm wearing high viz.
PubMatic Study: Advertising On Retail Media Is 50% More Effective Than Social Media
New study finds retail media 50% more effective than social. B&T says two-for-one Tim Tams trumps the lot.
From MOWING to life GROWING: Jim Penman launches ‘Life Coaching’ services
Can't decide on getting the hedges trimmed or finding a deeper meaning to life? You're in luck with this new venture.
Budweiser Brazil Turns Songs That Name Drop The Iconic Brand Into Spotify Ads
It's strange that Budweiser never found a market among beer-swilling Aussies. Then again, neither did the fluffy duck.
Effie Worldwide Strengthens Board With 6 New Members
B&T hopes everyone's wearing their Maseur sandals at the Effies, as it's standing room only at the next board meeting.
Special Enlist A Penguin Named Nigel In Latest Energy Campaign For Contact
Special unveils Nigel the penguin in work for energy provider Contact. Apparently Percy the peacock was booked.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & George Miller Ignite Sydney For Epic Mad Max Launch
The Mad Max film franchise is Australia's cinematic gift to the world. That & Chris Hemsworth's near perfect cheekbones.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Always thought you could do with better 3D immersive measurement? Happy days are ahead here.
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.