Diversity, equity and inclusion are key priorities for the organization in 2022.
But DEI has to be more than just a buzzword — it needs to happen at every level of an organization, starting at the top.
Companies that rank in the top quartile for gender diversity in their executive teams, McKinsey found 25% more likely Possess above-average profitability.
The impact was greater for organizations led by racially diverse professionals; they were 36% more likely to outperform the least diverse companies financially.
In practice, what does it look like to be truly inclusive, to support diversity and equity in a real way in the workplace?
I reach out Rachel HeseltineVice President of Customer Growth Trader Interactionasking about her recent experience of coming out to colleagues (and the world).
In this interview, Rachel shares what she’s learned about leadership during the transition, how her colleagues and the company can support her, advice for underrepresented professionals in SEO, and what it takes to grow into an executive role .
Stand out in SEO
What was your biggest challenge in transitioning to Rachel from Simon, a fairly well-known male SEO professional and speaker/writer?
Rachel Heseltine: “When I announced my transition at TI, I wrote a note to read to my team and share across the organization.
Here’s a quote from that note:
I know this might seem like a big deal to some people, but not to me. That’s who I am, but essentially I haven’t changed. The only thing that has changed is that the clothes I’m wearing now don’t have enough pockets.
The biggest challenge is almost on my mind. “What will people say?” “How will they react?” “Will I be accepted or rejected?” – All valid questions, but all the things that are holding me back.
I told my CMO about my situation in November 2019, but asked her to keep it a secret until I was ready.
I didn’t start letting friends know until the end of 2020, and I didn’t talk to the rest of TI about it until August 2021.
Then, a full announcement was made to the company in early January.
I’ve gotten so many lovely messages from employees all over the company, some of which I don’t even know.
As for my personal rebranding, I did have to change my Twitter username, which meant I immediately lost my verified status. Clearly, Twitter believed I was a different person.
Then just change my name in various places (and legally through the court system).
I didn’t go back to where I’ve written or spoken before and asked them to retroactively change the reference to me. That was my old name, this is my present name.
Of course, my old domain name 301 was rachelheseltine.com. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be an SEO. “
Are there any welcome surprises along the way?
Rachel Heseltine: “I had a few friends who I was hesitant to tell them, not sure how much they would take.
Everyone showed support and positivity.
Several others in the SEO community have offered me their support since I went public on Twitter and LinkedIn. “
Learn to lead with empathy
What new perspectives have you had on life and leadership during the transition?
Rachel Heseltine: “Well, given that much of my transition journey has been done against the backdrop of a global pandemic and many companies have moved to remote work, I think we all have a new perspective on life and leadership in this new world.
We measure personality traits using a tool called Insights and use it informatively to determine how the best people work and work together.
I took this again last month after the last one in May 2018.
My biggest difference is that I lead with empathy now, rather than the motivation of 2018 (although that’s not far behind).
But it makes sense given how remote living in the office and a more fragmented workforce have turned inward rather than pre-pandemic.
You really need to pay more attention to the different signs when you can no longer “fast drive” past someone’s desk.
We also use a tool called Ring/Allie; Ring for victories and Allie for anonymous feedback – we keep an eye on both.
Every quarter, skip-level meetings are held across the company (we pioneered this in marketing).
This is another excellent base of regular contact with employees you may not meet regularly to get their perspective on how things are going, any issues they have, opportunities they see, tools they want, and how they Satisfaction with career direction (in the age of the ‘big quit’ it’s crucial to know if you want to save someone before it’s too late). “
actually supports DEI
What advice do you have for underrepresented professionals in SEO – those who may be experiencing discrimination or fear of retaliation, if they actually show it?
Rachel Heseltine: “Look for your supporters – people you can rely on, people you can reach, people who are willing to reach out to you.
you’re not alone.
There are other people in the SEO industry who are in the same boat as you.
For example, there is an LGBTQ+ SEO slack group that I’ve been a part of for a few years.
Find a therapist you can talk to, one who has experience with your situation. They’ll understand the appropriate steps and how quickly to take them based on your situation and a good working knowledge of your state’s protections.
Take a look at your company, what are they doing?
After the summer of 2020, TI formally established the DEI (Diversity, Equality, Inclusivity) committee.
That and the work they’ve done through this committee has shown me that once I notify them, my company will work with me in a positive, supportive way during my transition. They did it. “
Grow as an SEO leader
What path brought you to your VP position, and what advice do you have for junior SEOs aspiring to lead?
Rachel Heseltine: “I’m the VP of Consumer Growth, responsible for integrating SEO and SEM for our marketplace sites (RVTrader, CycleTrader, etc.) and reseller sites, content marketing, PR, corporate communications, and social marketing.
Basically, if it involves getting the consumer’s eye on a website, that’s my field.
I joined Trader Interactive (TI) about four years ago after leaving a similar position at a former sister company.
Before that, I worked at HPE and was (at one point) Senior Director of Running SEO for 135 AOL O&O sites like TechCrunch, Engadget, Huffington Post, etc.
I’ve held several other roles before this, and in my previous life before SEO (before 2005), I was a Smalltalk developer.
Don’t be afraid to take a step back in your career and look for the right opportunity.
I went from director of a boutique agency to lead SEO manager at AOL with a 20% salary drop.
I did this because of the opportunity at AOL – working with a well-known large publishing site and a large, established SEO team – that I knew would help me grow as an SEO.
Within two years, I was promoted to Director of Audience Growth, and after three years, I was promoted to Senior Director. “
What’s in your SEO toolkit?
What cool new SEO/AI tools are you using or excited to try?
Rachel Heseltine: “Every day, we use the usual suspects for scraping, competitive analysis, etc.
However, when it comes to new tools, Ryan Jones, SEO & SEJ author, recently updated some of his tools, I really like his free Ngram tool.
I’ve been using it to help identify areas for improvement on our site.
All you do is take your keyword list, say the keywords that other tools show you ranking on page 2, plug them into this tool, and see what the commonalities are.
It then goes back to your spreadsheet looking for those specific keyword combinations, and you can start developing your strategy. “
What’s next for Rachel in SEO?
You have major SEO achievements. Is there anything else you want to achieve in your career?
Rachel Heseltine: “I’ve been fortunate enough to be named a winner over the years, and at TI we were named Best Internal Team at the 2020 Global Search Awards and won several other awards at the 2020 US Search Awards.
But it’s not just me; it’s not even just my team. It’s always the whole organization; it really takes a village to build, support, and grow an SEO team.
For my future, I just want to keep improving TI’s digital profile and my team members.
I hope those who have worked with me think that I have had a positive impact on their careers and that they themselves will do it for the next generation they manage. “
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Featured Image: Courtesy of Rachel Heseltine/Trader Interactive
