Welcome to Working On It, marie claire Australia’s series asking CEOs, founders, experts and trail-blazers the big (and not so big) questions about how they work.
We couldn’t imagine kicking off this series with anyone other than Jane Huxley, CEO of Are Media (publisher of marie claire Australia). She’s the first female CEO of a company that speaks to millions of Aussie women every day, and tells Working On It about her rule for switching jobs (follow the most interesting path), the future of media, her morning content hit list, and the time-saving guide she follows to getting ready in the morning.
MC: What’s your career advice to other women?
JH: I could write a book on advice for other women, mostly based on lessons I’ve learned the hard way. But there is one crisp piece of advice I was once given that has really proved to be invaluable for me. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK. We have a tendency to build stories in our minds about what could be, should be, might be…. It’s important to remind yourself to always look for facts and evidence when you are spiralling. Things inside our heads are almost always worse than things in reality. It has served me well many many times, when I just go back and think about what is actually true, versus what I think might happen.
MC: Media is an ever-changing landscape — print, digital, social, podcasts, TikTok. What do you think the future of media is? And what’s your advice to women wanting to future-proof their career in this industry?
JH: The purpose of “media” is largely unchanged. Media exists to inform, influence and inspire people. The currency of media is content. What we are starting to see more clearly are dimensions of content – from real to fake, from breaking to evergreen, from user generated to professional journalism, from editorial to advertorial – and the list goes on. The future of media will be a tide of these dimensions – and it will continue to change and pivot as audiences do. If you want a career in media, other than being passionate about the topic, there are a few attributes that would serve you well: resilience, the ability to work with ambiguity, flexibility, and teamwork. If you want a long career, I would add in a healthy dose of self awareness, grit and a strong “village” of people around you to hold you steady in that tide.
MC:You’re the first female CEO of Are Media, publisher of some of the most iconic titles for Australian women (including marie claire Australia). What difference do you think it makes to have a female leader at a company speaking mostly to female audiences?
JH: It’s hard to believe that that sentence is true, but there we go. When I was considering the role initially I was reflecting on my own “journey” with the brands and titles that had influenced me, pretty much my whole life growing up in Australia. Then it dawned on me… I AM our customer. I LOVE our products. I absolutely believe that what we do here, even if it is just giving our customers a short break from their everyday lives, makes a difference. I am inspired by our activist agenda, where we use our collective voice to bring awareness and action to issues that matter the most to our audiences such as coercive control, financial fitness, (stop) the Tampon Tax, and we are currently focused on homelessness via our Unhoused campaign, working with advocates for more resources and accessible housing.
Our brands are iconic, and as the current custodian, I feel a great responsibility to ensure that we continue our mission well into the future.
marie claire Australia: What is your current role and how would you describe a typical day?
Jane Huxley: I am the proud CEO of Are Media, the company that publishes the title you are reading amongst many other celebrated brands you would be familiar with, online and in print. There is no typical day, but I usually split my time between our customers, our team, our channel to market and also the creative people and teams that work hard, putting our content out into the world. We work fairly flexibly at Are Media, so being able to integrate work and life is not as hard as it once was. My family is used to the ebbs and flows of two working parents by now, so we all just make it work.
MC: How did you get here?
JH: It’s been a roller coaster….and by that I mean not a linear path. I have what headhunters used to call a “classic TMT” career – Tech, Media, Telco, but honestly I took the most interesting jobs I could find at the time, and got my head down and worked as hard as I could. I have an absolutely genuine love of learning new things, so I know that curiosity has also been a driver in some of the more courageous choices I’ve made.
What was your first ever job?
Like most people of my era I was a checkout chick, working at Payless Thornleigh. It feels light years ago, and our big differentiator was that we packed for the customer. Groundbreaking at the time! My first “real job” was at Microsoft whereI joined the technical support team, as a support engineer for DOS 5.0. And that statement if nothing else will age me! There were only around 40 people in Australia when I joined, and I stayed for 16 years.
MC: And what was your worst ever job?
JH: I can honestly say that I have valued and enjoyed all the jobs I’ve been in. There is no doubt that there are bad days or even weeks in any role, and there are always parts of a role that are harder than others. I believe that mindset plays a critical role here, as well as a natural optimism that things will always get better. I honestly think that if you are miserable at work, you need to go and pursue something else. Life is too short, and we spend too much time at work to hate it.
MC: How do you deal with your inbox?
JH: Years and years of practice and discipline. I feel anxious when I have more than 50 messages (I know, it’s crazy). I practice the “four D’s”. Do, dump, delegate or defer, which I think was a technique that came from Microsoft all those years ago. I have a personal email address as well, which I use for all the “stuff I read” – a regular morning ritual for me (I know, its sad). Before I get out of bed I’ve usually read 5-6 updates – the SMH, The Squiz, Hustle, Morning Brew, Visual Capitalist, Broadsheet and Letters of Note. I am a voracious consumer of content in the morning!
MC: And how do you deal with burnout?
JH: I dream of my next holiday, and then I book it. I find having a goal on the horizon is always something to focus on. On a more frequent basis I like to walk as much as I can while listening to podcasts. My secret shame is true crime! Once you start listening it’s hard to stop. Current faves are The Teachers Trial, Liar Liar, Redhanded, and on the lighter side The Off Menu Podcast, Table Manners and a business fave is Pivot.
MC: What have you bought that’s made the biggest difference to your productivity?
JH: A stand up desk really helps me – I sit in meetings so much that when I am back at my desk I like to stand. Also I “triple screen”, with two monitors and a laptop screen on my desk. I usually have email, teams and whatever I am working on showing at the same time. Noise cancelling headphones as I sit in an open plan, near busy meeting rooms!
MC: Describe your power outfit.
JH: Perhaps embarrassingly, I don’t have one. I am all about function, comfort and cutting down on decision making in the morning. If I could wear the same thing every day I would. Most days I am in jeans, boots and whatever works for the weather. I love a shortcut: keratin in the hair, “Trinny” on the face, and the same perfume for the last 20 years. Now I think about it, are you sure you want me in marie claire? (Editor’s note: we definitely do!)
MC: What’s your current work bag?
JH: See above. A large practical black leather tote, and inside it – a Marimekko market bag, and a cross body bag (for walking). To be honest I mostly just walk around with my phone tucked down my waistband. Everything I need is on that one device. I know I am a disappointment to you, and I’d be very open to addressing the prior two questions!
MC: WFH or office?
JH: Both. I try to work 4 days in and 1 day out in a week, although we practice Activity Based Working here which gives added flexibility, for those times when you need a blend.
MC: BYO lunch or takeout?
JH: Both. I usually do a Woolies run on a Monday morning for either salads or soups for the week, then by the end of the week I have my go-to fave, Won Ton Noodle Soup. A hug in a bowl.
MC: What’s on your desk right now?
JH: Three screens, a “J” mug, water, Aesop hand cream, headphones, notebook, Trinny lipgloss, four pens, tissues, post its, iPad, phone, notebook. Utility all the way.
MC: Email sign off?
JH: Changes every time. On a Friday it ends with “Let’s do it all again next week…”
More from Working On It
- How the head of the Cartier Women’s Initiative gets her job done
- How the founder of cult jewellery brand By Charlotte gets her job done
- How Uber Australia’s new general manager gets her job done
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