Linda Pan’s parents moved from China to Saskatoon, Canada--making Linda a first-generation citizen. They persuaded Linda to follow a path similar to theirs: electrical engineering. So she did. After two engineering degrees and a handful of hard family conversations, Linda talks about how she transitioned from electrical engineering to media business, attended Harvard Business School and climbed the ladder at MRC and Netflix. Today, Linda is the general manager of SundanceNow Doc Club and Vice President of Business Development at AMC Networks. Similar to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, Sundance Now Doc Club offers a place for both longtime documentary lovers and those new to the genre, to stream classics and new releases. Learn how Linda, your video clerk on the Internet, curates and stocks the shelves and makes the business decisions behind what the new streaming service offers.

I have realized in my years of working with all different types of people, that airtime is not equivalent to thinking time. Sometimes you just need to be heard and say something. You don’t need to over think it, over analyze it. It’s just important to tell people how you think. And over time you grow to be comfortable putting your voice out there and developing your own style. The most important thing is to just speak up.

— Linda Pan





















RELATED LINKSLinda Pan on Twitter Join SundanceNow Doc ClubSundanceNow Doc Club on FacebookIra Glass’ curated documentary list Variety: Susan Sarandon and Linda Pan talk about Doc Club Name: Linda PanCurrent Gig: General Manager of SundanceNow Doc Club and Vice President of Business Development at AMC NetworksCurrent City: NYCDOB: 6/1982What are you listening to now? StartUp podcastWhat books changed you? "The Stranger" by Albert Camus and "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.Who is your career role model? Sheryl SandbergWhat is a tool you can't live without? WunderlistHow do you take your coffee? With a dollop of creamWhat's your spirit animal? My dog. He reminds me everyday to take joy in the simple things in life.MUSIC FEATURED IN SHOW: Our featured MusicMaker this week is Casey Dienel, of White Hinterland. Learn more about Casey here.Songs featured from KAIROS album CataractThunderbirdIcarusMoon JamBow & ArrowSongs featured from BABY album Begin AgainMetronomeNo DevotionDry MindBabyRing The BellDavidOthers:LunirascibleHung On A Thin ThreadCLIPS FEATURED IN SHOW:Modern Times: Charlie Chaplin (Eating Machine clip)1950's Westinghouse TV Commercial 19501978 Panasonic VHS CommercialCinema Paradiso (trailer)NEWS: Netflix Splits DVD Mail Service Into QwiksterNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: Wildebeests DocumentaryStop Making Sense (Documentary about The Talking Heads) CREDITSPRODUCED by Elaine Sheldon and Sarah GinsburgSOUND DESIGN by Billy Wirasnik