Maryam Banikarim: Navigating Career Chaos & Betting on Yourself | Fast Company

Career disruption is a defining feature of the modern economy, and navigating the complexities of leadership—particularly in the C-suite—requires a unique blend of resilience, adaptability, and self-belief. Maryam Banikarim, former Chief Marketing Officer of Univision, Gannett, and Hyatt, and host of the podcast The Messy Parts, offers a candid perspective on these challenges, drawing from a life marked by significant upheaval and a career built on embracing change. Her insights, recently shared on the Rapid Response podcast, highlight the often-unseen “messy parts” of high-level leadership and the importance of betting on oneself even when facing uncertainty.

From Revolution to the C-Suite: A Foundation in Resilience

Banikarim’s journey began in Iran during the 1979 revolution. She was separated from her parents at a young age, remaining with her grandmother while they pursued education in the United States. This early experience, she explains, instilled a fundamental ability to adapt and rebuild. The experience wasn’t necessarily traumatic, she notes, but rather simply the reality she knew. This early exposure to instability, coupled with the later loss of her father during a windsurfing accident while she was in college, forged a resilience that would become a defining characteristic throughout her career. “I only know messy,” Banikarim stated in the podcast interview, “But what I also learned as a result is how to pick myself back up pretty quickly.”

This ability to recover quickly isn’t simply a matter of personal fortitude, but a developed “muscle memory” for navigating difficult transitions. While she acknowledges that no one *wants* a complicated journey, she believes that facing and overcoming challenges builds a crucial capacity for bouncing back. This perspective is particularly relevant in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, where disruption is increasingly the norm.

Finding Opportunity in Disruption

Banikarim’s career trajectory is itself a testament to embracing disruption. She recounts a pivotal experience early in her career, taking a job at Ammirati Puris Lintas that quickly proved to be a poor fit. Rather than attempting to “solve” a problem that was fundamentally unfixable, she made the difficult decision to depart. This decision, while initially terrifying, opened the door to transformative opportunities. “If I hadn’t walked away from that job, I wouldn’t have had a pivot in that moment that really became transformative for my career after that,” she explained.

This highlights a common paradox: the desire to demonstrate competence by solving problems can sometimes prevent individuals from recognizing when a situation is beyond repair. Walking away, particularly for high-achievers, can experience like a failure. However, Banikarim’s experience suggests that recognizing when to pivot—and having the courage to do so—can be a critical catalyst for growth.

The Politics of the C-Suite and the Importance of Self-Reliance

Banikarim’s experiences as a CMO at NBCUniversal, Gannett, and Univision provided a firsthand view of the often-turbulent dynamics within the C-suite. She recalls being warned by an HR representative upon joining NBCUniversal that she was entering a particularly competitive and challenging environment, a place where “the mean kids” held sway. She also recounts a team meeting where she was directly informed that she had been hired after a series of firings, and another comment suggesting her position was among the least desirable in the organization.

These experiences underscore the political realities of high-level leadership. Success in the C-suite often requires not only technical expertise but also a keen understanding of power dynamics and the ability to navigate complex relationships. Banikarim’s story suggests that a degree of self-reliance and a willingness to bet on oneself are essential for surviving—and thriving—in such environments.

Her function at Gannett, where she was the company’s first CMO, provides a concrete example of this. She is credited with repositioning the company and its brands, including USA Today, and revitalizing employee morale, ultimately contributing to a significant increase in the company’s stock price (from $13 to over $30 a share). This success wasn’t simply about implementing a new marketing strategy. it was about rallying internal support and establishing a clear sense of purpose.

Purpose-Driven Leadership and Brand Building

Banikarim’s approach to leadership is rooted in a “purpose-driven” philosophy, influenced by thinkers like Simon Sinek, Jim Collins, and Roy Spence. She emphasizes the importance of defining an organization’s core purpose and aligning its brand and actions accordingly. As Global CMO at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, she focused on transforming Hyatt into the most preferred hospitality brand, fostering loyalty and community among high-end travelers. This involved mobilizing colleagues, launching new brands, reimagining loyalty programs, and forging strategic partnerships.

According to her profile on the Iranian American Women Foundation website, Banikarim is a “fearless force for change” with a proven track record of building successful brands. Her expertise extends to transformation, purpose-based branding, multicultural marketing, and women’s leadership. She is sought after as a thought leader and speaker, helping organizations evolve and become more purpose-driven.

Navigating Chaos and Seeking Hope

Banikarim’s unique perspective is also shaped by her upbringing in Iran during a period of revolution. This experience, she suggests, has informed her ability to discover hope even amidst chaos. While the podcast interview touches on her insights into the current Middle East conflict, it primarily focuses on the broader theme of navigating disruption and uncertainty.

Her story isn’t about avoiding messy situations, but about developing the resilience and self-awareness to navigate them effectively. It’s a message particularly resonant in a world characterized by constant change and increasing complexity.

Looking Ahead: Embracing the Inevitable Mess

Banikarim’s career and current work suggest that the ability to embrace “the messy parts” of life and leadership will only become more critical in the years to come. The increasing pace of disruption, coupled with the growing complexity of the global landscape, demands a willingness to adapt, rebuild, and bet on oneself. Her podcast, The Messy Parts, offers a platform for exploring these themes further, providing insights and inspiration for those navigating their own challenging journeys. The ongoing conversation, as highlighted on her Instagram profile, centers on her personal journey of emigration and the search for belonging, themes that resonate deeply with the broader experience of navigating change and finding purpose.