Women Of The C-Suite: Sherri Landry Of CEC Entertainment On The Five Things You Need To Succeed As A Senior Executive

Be true to yourself always. Recognize what makes you happy and what doesn’t and be OK making changes that give you happiness. Give yourself permission to do something different than what’s expected of you.

As a part of our interview series called “Women Of The C-Suite” , we had the pleasure of interviewing Sherri Landry.

Sherri Landry, Chief Marketing Officer of CEC Entertainment, is a strategic and innovative executive with nearly 25 years of brand experience driving business results in the CPG, restaurant, and family entertainment industries. Her expertise spans across brand development, marketing strategy, product innovation, and consumer insights. She has contributed to recognized companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee, Pizza Hut, T.G.I. Fridays, and Main Event Entertainment. Landry holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and an MBA in both Marketing and Finance from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I grew up in Durham, North Carolina. My parents were divorced and there was a lot of uncertainty, but the one thing that I always knew was that I was smart and so school became a place of comfort, belonging and consistency for me. It provided stability and affirmed, for me as a child, that I was important. I excelled in science and math throughout high school and college, and I expected to go on to medical school. But to my surprise, I ended up being really drawn to public policy, economics, and marketing.

I loved that marketing was analytical and strategic, yet still creative; there were no wrong answers. So, I ended up pursing an MBA in finance and marketing and went on to get my first job, post-graduate school, at Proctor & Gamble. When I look back, I didn’t know where I’d end up, but I just kept moving forward and exploring things I was interested in, which has given me a breadth of knowledge and greater perspective. Because of my willingness to try something new and learn something different I think I’m able to see business more wholistically. It’s been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t change it.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

I had applied for the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) position at Chuck E. Cheese in 2018 and didn’t get the job. Instead, they asked if I was interested in a similar position for another CEC Entertainment brand, Peter Piper Pizza. I accepted and made an impact quickly and was eventually offered my current role as CMO of CEC Entertainment, leading its full portfolio of brands.

That was April 2020, and I came in thinking, “Ok, how do I lead this company in the middle of a global pandemic?” Of course, at that point I had no idea the company would also face bankruptcy within my first six months on the job. In hindsight, having the opportunity to lead this company in a time of such uncertainty has really allowed me to assess what was currently in front of us and take a look at how we wanted to shape the future of this iconic brand moving through and past the pandemic. I know I’ll reflect on this time and realize it’s been the most critical moment in making me a stronger leader.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I’ve always been terrible with names. For me, a face is a face, and a friendly person is just that. When I first started at Proctor & Gamble, I would start my workday early. One morning I got in the elevator with a gentleman who said “wow, you’re here early,” and we started chatting. When the doors opened, he finally introduced himself as John Pepper, the CEO of the company. I was mortified. I had no idea. But from then on, he always knew my name and said hello to me. If nothing else, it just reaffirms that people are people. No matter your title, it’s your character that leaves a lasting impression.

I’m an author and I believe that books have the power to change lives. Do you have a book in your life that impacted you and inspired you to be an effective leader? Can you share a story?

I read a lot, but most of it is fiction. But the book that has inspired my work the most would have to be Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne. It teaches you how to identify your unique sliver of space in the vast sea of opportunity. I read it maybe 15 years ago, but I still apply many of the ideas today.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

You know, so many people will tell you about their champions from a professional perspective, but mine are personal. My success starts with my 5th grade teacher, Shirley Payne. This was a really transitional time in my childhood, and Mrs. Payne knew I had a lot going on at home, but that didn’t stop her from seeing my greater potential. She was always there to pick me up and push me to be better, far beyond academics. In college, Deans Martina Bryant and Caroline Lattimore took a group of us under their wings and were always our cheerleaders on the sideline, encouraging us in whatever we pursued.

And lastly, though certainly not least, there is Lena Johnson. Ms. Johnson was a custodian at Duke University, who also happened to be my sitter when I was a kid. In fact, she taught me how to walk and always shares the story of how I was “too fat to carry.” Whenever I’d succeed at something — even small things — she was quietly there supporting me. “That’s my girl,” she’d say. You don’t make it without that. So, I give credence to the women who saw something special in me and said, “We’re going to make sure you make it.”

As you know, the United States is facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

It goes without saying that diversity and inclusion in business helps improve strategic thinking. It helps you find that little sliver in the big blue ocean of opportunity where you can make a real impact. Because unless you’re forced to think differently, it’s easy to forget there are other frames of reference.

At CEC Entertainment, we recognize that families and children create many of their first memories together at our stores. We’re known for being the place where any kid can be a kid, and we take that to heart. It’s vital for our executive team, our support center, and our team members to come from different backgrounds and with different life experiences to create the most inclusive and authentic offering for all families.

Representation is extremely impactful. When I first started at CEC Entertainment, I had three people come into my office on separate occasions and tell me that I gave them hope. They were older than me, people that had been at the company for a while but having a Black woman in a leadership position was such a strong symbol of opportunity for them. Unless and until people see others like them in positions of power, they won’t understand that they have a voice, that they won’t be dismissed simply because of how they look — and that’s powerful. Fostering that sense of self-worth in your employees has a pretty incredible impact on the output of work, too.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

The #1 most important thing is being purposeful. You have to create the proper infrastructure that allows for inclusivity and representation, but you must do it with purpose, otherwise all is lost.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

Fundamentally, I think that every person, regardless of their position, is responsible for excellence. There is no position that is not critical to the success of a company. What is unique, however, is the accountability and decision-making power that executives hold to actually propel the business to the next level and continue to grow. This requires a broad set of knowledge so that we are able to consider all aspects of the business and give the appropriate direction to reach our goals with excellence. It also comes with a solid foundation and team, who must think strategically and then execute with excellence. As a leader of a high performing team, it is my job to motivate them, empower them and guide them so we can all be successful.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

The most common myth, I think, is that executives don’t do much of anything and that we are out of touch. In my experience, as we set the vision and goals, we are taking into consideration costs, impact on the team, impact on the topline, resources and capital, etc. We also listen to our teams and employees, asking for feedback, digesting that feedback and working to implement where we can. Once we’ve done our due diligence and align on our objectives, we then begin communicating the vision and building the plan. We play a crucial role in motivating the full team to help get the job done. Ultimately, the company’s ability to succeed is on all of us. Because of that, we work harder than you can imagine to ensure we are moving forward, together.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Historically, professional women who choose to have a family have a very different boat to row. I’ve made many decisions about jobs I couldn’t take or events I couldn’t attend because of my kids and my role as a mom. These decisions have absolutely impacted my career growth, whether intentionally or not. In addition, disparity in pay continues to be a pervasive issue and often times we simply don’t realize it exists. I’ve run into it head-on and if it weren’t for other women supporting me and bringing it to my attention, it would have gone unnoticed and uncorrected.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

It’s been surprising (in a good way!) the amount of coaching and mentorship I provide that’s unrelated to my actual job. People are people, and we all have things that weigh on us beyond what we do at work. So, when we ask someone to bring their whole self to work, we have to be prepared to support them beyond their everyday tasks in the office.

Is everyone cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

It’s critically important to not create architypes of what ‘success’ looks like. There are so many ways to achieve success, and it often looks different for different people. In today’s world, with a global economy, endless amounts of creativity and ever-evolving technology, you can do just about anything. No one would have thought that a little girl from Durham would be the CMO of a billion-dollar brand. And thinking about my journey, there are so many reasons why I shouldn’t be where I am, but with the willingness to take a risk and the desire to learn, along with a bit of chance and a lot of hard work, anything is possible. None of us can predict the future — nor should we try to put limits on people’s ability to achieve. What we can do, and all should be doing, is setting the example and helping others pave their way and further their career. Building high performing teams and a culture within our organization is what helps create a successful business, and in turn, a successful employee.

What advice would you give to other leaders to help their team to thrive?

Your team is important, critical to your success. Recognize the diverse perspectives that each person on your team brings to the table. Leverage them. Our differences are what make us strong, and from a business perspective, are often what help us thrive.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. The road will not be a straight path and that is OK. Empower others and be empowered by others — you will fail and you will succeed. The key is to assess, course correct and go back to it.
2. Compare yourself only to you, not to your peers.
3. Mentors and coaches are critically important to help you achieve your goals. You must have people championing you every step of the way.
4. Once you have the job, it is not your job to prove that you’re smart enough to be in the room. Rather, it is your job to elevate your thinking and figure out where to go next.
5. Be true to yourself always. Recognize what makes you happy and what doesn’t and be OK making changes that give you happiness. Give yourself permission to do something different than what’s expected of you.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I think it’s truly important to encourage and celebrate one another’s accomplishments, even at the smallest level. Having a cheerleader on your side makes a world of difference for someone. For a little girl from Durham, a 5th grade teacher and a college custodian made a huge impact. And that’s part of what I love about my job now, not only am I able to help encourage my team, but CEC Entertainment helps families celebrate life’s little moments together each and every day, which has a greater impact than we’ll ever know.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I don’t usually think of people in this way. There are a lot of people I’d love to spend more time with, including the mentors that have helped me get to where I am today. Those would be the people I’d love to sit down with again to thank them for their support and pushing me forward.

If I had to choose one person, from a business perspective, it might be Cynthia Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. She has risen to the top ranks of the sports world, typically male dominated. She has clearly mastered the art of learning, has a willingness to take on new challenges, and by all accounts has been true to herself along the way.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Of course, thank you for chatting with me!