Chicago – November Member of the Month, Burcu Sahin

Hometown? Istanbul, Turkey

Current job title and company? Senior Global Marketing Manager at Beam Suntory

 Describe your career journey. I started my strategy and brand building career at Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis. When my work visa (H1B) got unexpectedly denied by the US government, I was forced to leave the country, which has been a career-defining moment for me, because it pushed me to dare to dream and learn from other cultures around the globe. Since then, I worked in 3 different continents. I worked for BBDO Worldwide based out of its Istanbul, then Dubai, and then Chicago office, providing strategic leadership for global brands including Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo’s Lay’s, Ruffles, Cheetos, MARS’ Snickers, and SC Johnson’s Ziploc and Raid across NA, EMEA, LATAM and APAC. Along the journey, I also co-created a brand from scratch for a new breed of Lebanese restaurants in Gurgaon, India. Since June 2017, I have been working for Beam Suntory to coach and inspire its marketers around the world to transform the way they think about innovation and brand building. I am grateful for all the experiences and people that helped me get to where I am today and excited about where my journey takes me next.

Which three words would you use to describe your personality? Persistent, Empathetic, Creative.

 What committees/programs are you involved in with She Runs It? Mentoring Committee, Mentorship Program.

How has participating in the mentoring committee helped with your own personal and career development?  I have met so many great, like-minded people with different backgrounds, whom I mentored and also from whom I could seek advice on my both personal and professional development. It is just so great to stay connected to the wonderful women network and know that I can somehow give back to the community as a mentor or a mentor-mentee matchmaker.

Name a woman who inspires you and why.  Brené Brown. She inspires me to show up, rise strong, and dare to lead. As Brene says, “You can choose courage or you can choose comfort. You cannot have both.”

What do the words “She Runs It” mean to you? “She Runs It” means that she can do anything in this world. “No” is not an answer for her, and she didn’t come this far, to only come this far. So, watch out!

Your social handles: 

Instagram: @burcuxi

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/burcusahin/