Voice of Experience: Marlene Mitchell Gordon, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Burger King Corporation
by Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)
Like many successful women, Marlene Mitchell Gordon, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of Burger King Corporation has, struggled to find a proper work-life fit. “A few years ago, I was a total workaholic, and never made any time for myself. I began to feel the negative physical effects, which made me take a step back and make some changes in my lifestyle. I realized that life is not all about work.”
“I wish I had understood early on the importance of balancing your personal life and your career,” she added, “I always thought marriage and family would come later in life, but I got married right out of college and had my first child when I was in law school.” She credits a friend and mentor from law school for with helping open her eyes to the difficulties that lay ahead. “[My friend, a pioneer in her field] took me under her wing and helped me understand what life is like as a lawyer in a big firm. When I was pregnant and had an ‘I can do it all’ attitude, she told me that I didn’t understand what motherhood was yet and helped put it into perspective for me.”
She recognizes that this sort of challenge is women face regardless of industry or profession. “I believe that one of the barriers for women in the workplace is that we are the primary caretakers, but yet we still strive to progress our careers. It’s an obstacle and a challenge we need to overcome.”
After graduating from Northwestern University School of Law, Mitchell Gordon worked for two years in commercial litigation at a Steel Hector & Davis in downtown Miami, FL as an associate in the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group. She left the firm to join the in-house team at Blockbuster Entertainment in Ft. Lauderdale, where she was hired to “do little bit of everything.” She stayed with the company for several years, seeing her way through the merger with Viacom, a promotion to senior corporate counsel and a relocation to Dallas. She then went to work for Republic Industries, Inc. (now known as AutoNation), whose subsidiaries include National Car Rental Services and Alamo Rent-A-Car as Senior Counsel, Marketing, Advertising & Intellectual Property for a few years until she was courted for a position with Burger King Corporation (BKC).
“A headhunter approached me about a [senior attorney position in marketing] at BKC, and I decided to make the move and work in the fast food industry. “
Fast forward 12 years. Mitchell Gordon is now Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, responsible for the global trademarks function, with a primary focus on marketing. She says of the career in the industry: “I wasn’t necessarily looking to get into the food industry…I just kind of fell into it. I knew nothing about the industry at the time and, honestly, it has been nothing like I thought it would be. It was and is so much better and my career has been very rewarding.”
Mitchell Gordon credits a male mentor with giving her the career advice that has proven most valuable to her in her career. “[He] taught me that I had to do some self-promotion…It’s harder to do that as a woman. You are your own best kept secret. You have to let people know what you can do…I think men are better at doing that sometimes than women are. Although young women now are more confident, they need to realize there’s nothing wrong with self-promotion.”
Her advice to women in the industry is to develop strong communications skills. “You need to confidently articulate your point concisely and in a way that people can understand. When you believe in something, be confident and argue for it if necessary. We call them ‘fierce conversations’ in marketing. It’s OK to have disagreements but it’s how work through them that matters. It’s not about the person you’re speaking with; it’s about the problem you’re trying to solve or whatever goal you’re trying to accomplish. Learn that everyone is different and will have different points of view. Agree, disagree and listen. Have a willingness to be flexible and stay motivated.”
Says Mitchell Gordon: “There will be lots of ups and downs in your career, but you always have to make the best of what you have and where you are.” She added, “If I truly believe there’s something I can do, then I’ll do it. I can always find ways to go around barriers and achieve my goals.”
Mitchell Gordon takes full advantage of her personal time these days, reading, taking photographs, and traveling. “I especially love visiting Italy. I love the food, the people and the history. I’ve also been to France, Mexico and all over the Caribbean. I love traveling with [my husband and two sons] and spending time with them. We plan a trip every summer.” Mitchell Gordon continued, “I know now that you really have to find a balance in life to make it all work. Now I am focused on the right priorities.”
