Investing in our Employees: Thumbtackers Share Biggest Takeaways from Mentorship with Melanie Series
At Thumbtack, we believe that empowering others begins with empowering our team. Fundamental to this belief, is our commitment to the career growth and development of our employees. One way that we’ve recently supported these efforts was through the introduction of our “Mentorship with Melanie’’ series, led by Melanie Margolin, Thumbtack’s Chief Legal Officer. Melanie believes deeply in the power of connection, and has spent her career elevating others and growing her diverse network of professionals, friends and mentees; relationships that she believes are the touchstones to being a better lawyer and leader.
Throughout the series, Melanie drew from her 25+ years of business and legal experience to provide Thumbtackers across all levels and departments with advice on everything from designing their careers and solving business conflicts to learning how to embrace authenticity in the workplace. We chatted with a few Thumbtackers who attended the series about their biggest takeaways and how they’ve implemented Melanie’s advice to advance their own careers.
Ali Villarente (she/her), Senior QA Analyst, The Philippines
What were you looking to take away from the series when you joined?
Ali: I joined the mentorship series intending to develop my leadership skills. I was looking to get insights and advice from an experienced leader like Melanie and also get her perspective on the challenges and opportunities I might encounter as I move forward in my career.
What was the piece of advice or biggest takeaway that stuck with you the most?
Ali: One of my biggest takeaways from the “Mentorship with Melanie” series is that leadership is not just a role or a position — it’s a mindset and a set of behaviors that can be practiced by anyone. What resonated with me the most is that a great leader doesn’t dictate or micromanage, but instead, empowers and supports their team to make their own decisions and take ownership of their work. I learned that being a good leader means putting others first, being committed to the success and well-being of the team, and focusing on helping them achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
Coming out of the series, what goals do you have for your career over the next year?
Ali: My goal over the next year is to build a strong relationship with my colleagues and develop my leadership skills. I aim to establish an open and supportive communication style that fosters trust and respect.
Cris MacPherson (he/him), Trust & Safety Specialist, Connecticut
What were you looking to take away from the series when you joined?
Cris: I was hoping to come out of the “Mentorship with Melanie’’ series learning how I can become a more impactful leader. From the interactions I have had with Melanie before the series, I could tell that she is the type of leader I would like to become.
What was the piece of advice or biggest takeaway that stuck with you the most?
Cris: One of my biggest takeaways from this series is that we are in charge of our career paths, and it’s never too late to go after the career you want. Melanie said she believes the vast majority of jobs can be learned or taught, and we have to take chances in our careers. Even if you do not meet every qualification for a job posting, you bring your unique skills to the table and can still be qualified for the position. Every job will have an acclimation period where you develop the skills you need to be successful for the role, so don’t let fear prevent you from trying
Coming out of the series, what goals do you have for your career over the next year?
Cris: Inspired by the conversations with Melanie, I started a career journal with set goals focused on how to improve myself. I took it to heart that I should start developing my network and have set time aside weekly to go on LinkedIn and look for like-minded professionals in my industry to connect with. Since the series, I have more than tripled the size of my network; with a goal to have over 500 connections by the end of the year. I have also been taking an active role in trying to find a mentor, as this is something that I have never done before. My goal is to have a mentor as soon as possible.
Kamala Gopalan (she/her), Staff Recruiter, SF Bay Area
What were you looking to take away from the series when you joined?
Kamala: Melanie is very knowledgeable, approachable and a fantastic leader! We are very lucky to have her here at Thumbtack. When I heard she was doing a series on mentorship, I jumped at the opportunity to participate and get her perspective on everything leadership.
What was the piece of advice or biggest takeaway that stuck with you the most?
Kamala: I learned a ton throughout the course of this series but one thing that stood out to me was Melanie’s advice on how to take a holistic approach to designing your career. She advised setting aside a portion of your day to work towards your career goals — whether that is networking or taking courses.
Coming out of the series, what goals do you have for your career over the next year?
Kamala: I have always had a hard time striking that balance between career, family and my own needs. I wondered how other successful leaders like Melanie do that. This series helped me realize the importance of being present in every moment and focusing on the task at hand by deciding the priority for a given day. I realize now that it is impossible to focus on everything at once.
As we closed out our “Mentorship with Melanie” Series, we found that Thumbtackers took away incredibly valuable lessons that will impact how they manage everything from networking and taking charge of their career plan, to developing their leadership skills. We’re grateful for Melanie’s leadership and look forward to bringing Thumbtackers together for even more mentorship opportunities in 2023.
Interested in a career at Thumbtack? View our current openings at thumbtack.com/careers.
