Elevating the 1.7 Million Entrepreneurial Voices on Shopify

The best advice Amy Hufft ever received was “you can reinvent yourself at any time” but it’s hard to imagine the smart, innovative, genuine leader as anything but. Before she became head of global brand marketing and communications at Shopify, a major e-commerce platform that hosts entrepreneurs’ online stores, Amy’s career spanned from magazine editorial to agency life with a stop at Columbia University for her MBA. Today, she works with entrepreneurs but she was more than ready for this role—having worked with numerous founders over the years and empowered from the resulting inspiration, passion and mentorship. To learn more about the leader who humorously describes herself as a “well-rounded dinner guest,” check out how Amy sets an example of positive work-life integration for her team, has overcome typecasting as a gay woman in the workplace and why she’s nostalgic for old-school business lunches. ADWEEK: How did you get to where you are today? I started my career in magazine editorial, which—from the outset—gave me an intuitive sense of what makes a great story and how to capture attention succinctly. Eventually, I got my MBA at Columbia, which was the best decision I’ve ever made. It gave me the financial and business acumen to be a better marketer, as well as an incredible network of classmates. From there, I was lucky enough to work with incredible brands at a series of agencies, which was like going to school all over again. Tell us about what you are doing now. I’m responsible for telling the world about Shopify. Ultimately, it means elevating the stories of the 1.7 million merchants on our platform, each of whom have their own unique, inspiring journeys. During the pandemic, we saw so many amazing stories of entrepreneurial resilience, which highlighted how Shopify became a lifeline for so many businesses. We launched initiatives like Empire State Digital in partnership with New York State and collaborated with Operation HOPE, launching the 1MBB program to help create one million Black-owned businesses by 2030. Our current focus is to shine the light on retail businesses as they open their doors and celebrate the independence of those who fought through such a difficult period. How do you foster strong professional relationships as you grow in your career? At the beginning of my career, I approached networking like it was just another part of my job. I would make lists of companies where I wanted to foster relationships and I would almost never let a work exchange go by without suggesting lunch or a drink. That was natural in New York City in my 20s. Now, I’m much less formal about networking. I belong to a couple of organizations and, at least once or twice a month, I try to check in with former colleagues and connections in the industry. I also try to never turn down an invitation to chat. I’ve learned you simply never know what value one introduction can bring. The pandemic made me so nostalgic for the old-school business lunch or after-work drink that I’ve re-committed to starting this more often as we ease back. What’s one way you’ve invested in yourself that’s had the most impact over the course of your career? What about within the past year? I’m an avid reader, not just of business books but a wide range of fiction to nonfiction. Reading is how I get my inspiration, where I find my mental reprieve and what makes me a well-rounded dinner guest. Of course, it also helps me stay fresh on what makes great storytelling. Shopify offers all our employees in-house coaching. It was really hard to add an extra hour of video to my week during the pandemic, but I forced myself to double down on my sessions and it paid off tremendously. I have a terrific coach who has really helped me see myself and my goals. Don’t put pressure on yourself to fit into someone else’s idea of 'balance.' How do you view work-life integration, especially now, and what advice can you share with others who may be struggling with it? As a leader, it’s critical to model the right behavior for your team. I do my best to take time off and shut down, so my team knows that it is not only okay but it is part of the expectation to help them be better leaders themselves. The best advice I can give is to find the solution that works for you. Don’t put pressure on yourself to fit into someone else’s idea of “balance.” What works for you, works for you. Can you recall a situation where you've dealt with typecasting in the workplace? And what advice do you have for other women on how to overcome typecasting at work? As a gay woman, I’ve dealt with typecasting on two different levels. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve had to correct the well-meaning question of “how did you meet your husband” to "my wife.” It certainly reinforces how much we allow surface attributes to determine our perception of others. My solution is to assume positive intent and hope that person walks away a little smarter from the interaction. And I use it to remind myself to be better at acknowledging and understanding my own bias. At the Root of Marketing at Cameo: Human Connection What’s one tip you can share or something you’ve learned on how to handle salary negotiations or raises? Timing and approach are everything. It’s important to look at compensation through a long-term lens and holistically as part of your overall career goals versus a short-term money grab. I’ve often seen people make the mistake of using one big win as the reason to aggressively negotiate and that inevitably falls flat. Instead, have the patience to build a foundation of success and trust, be armed with clear data and facts and discuss it in the context of both your goals aligned to the company’s goals. Who has helped you in your journey and how did they help shape your career? I’ve been lucky to work with a number of founders through the years. They’re passionate, complicated, brilliant people to learn from but it’s not for the faint of heart! You have to be in it as much as they are. Shopify encourages an entrepreneurial mindset and has a lot of founders running side hustles, so in addition to getting to learn from Shopify CEO Tobi [Tobias Lütke], our President Harley [Harley Finkelstein] and our other executives, I feel like I get mentorship from almost everyone I come in contact with at the company! What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve ever received? You can reinvent yourself at any point in your life. Someone told me this in my 20s when I was essentially trying to map out the rest of my career and life. I revisit it all the time when I’m feeling stuck, burnt out or uninspired. It reminds me that achievement doesn’t mean a straight, singular path that can’t change. You can pivot, step backward or sideways, or stop for a moment if you like. What matters in that advice is the “you” and we all have so many different facets of ourselves that we can tap into through our career and life. What does success mean for you? I feel very lucky to have two generous, loving parents who gave me a lot of opportunities and instilled a high sense of self-worth. Making them proud has always been the underlying motivation behind my ambition in work and my constant effort to be a decent human being. Beyond that, success is having a team that is healthy, happy and feels supported.

Women Trailblazers

What it Takes to Elevate the 1.7 Million Entrepreneurial Voices on Shopify

Head of global brand marketing Amy Hufft talks valuable life lessons on typecasting and leading by example on work-life integration

Luz Corona

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Luz Corona