Noora Raj Brown knows what it feels like to be uncomfortable, but she has never let it stop her. Whether it's been learning on the job or pushing unconventional conversations into the mainstream, Noora is on the front lines of what it means to be an entrepreneurial marketer. As Executive Vice President of Brand at goop since 2016, Noora has been instrumental in working with Gwyneth Paltrow to transform goop from a newsletter and multi-brand site into a full-fledged brand (and not a celebrity brand.) As a member of the executive team, Noora oversees brand and integrated marketing, corporate positioning, talent outreach, television production, social media, influencer marketing, and press strategy for the goop brand and all initiatives. She also serves as chief spokesperson for the company and CEO. Prior to goop, Noora worked in various creative industries, most recently at Time Inc, where she led communications for their fashion and style brands, including InStyle, People StyleWatch, XoJane, and Wallpaper*. She is also a founding board member of political engagement organizations I am a Voter and Commit2Change.
In this episode, we dive into what makes a strong brand, and the mental filter Noora employs to decipher what's on brand for goop. We talk about the importance of hiring experts and giving them the autonomy to do their best work, why you should be learning all the things you don't find interesting, what she looks for in a hire, and why if you want to succeed, you need to be useful. We also discuss what it's like to work for one of the most famous women in the world and how feeling lost in your career is natural but can also bring the gift of time and self-reflection.