Babylist’s Lee Anne Grant on the power of intentional focus

Ad Age is marking Women’s History Month with a series of contributions from guest essayists. Today, Lee Anne Grant, chief growth officer at baby registry platform Babylist, writes about prioritizing amid the constant flow of meetings, documents and deadlines. Intentional focus has been crucial in my career and in driving business growth. As the world is filled with more distractions and information, I want aspiring professionals to know how focus can lead to success. In school, we are told that “doing more”—more homework, more courses, more clubs, more sports—gets you further. However, throughout my career, I have learned that true success comes from focus. By concentrating your efforts, you can make a more significant impact, both professionally and personally. I started my career at Google in customer service and account management, speaking to hundreds, if not thousands, of advertisers a year. One day, I stumbled upon an advertiser experiencing rapid growth with an innovative business model, Groupon. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to be the client lead and focus on that relationship. As a result, they became one of the largest advertisers for the entire company, which was recognized by leadership and was an amazing professional learning opportunity for me. At PopSugar, I joined a small team with endless opportunities. Instead of spreading myself too thin, I dug into the data and discovered that one metric, revenue per visitor, mattered the most. I kept digging and again found that one partner could move that metric more than others. So I focused on creating a partnership with them, closed that deal—and the rest followed. At Babylist, one of our stated values is intentional focus. Throughout the past five years as chief growth officer, my focus has evolved. At first, it was growing our media business. Then, I upleveled our PR and brand strategy. Next, I conceived and launched our first flagship showroom. Every three to six months, I reevaluate where I am spending my time and write down what the top priorities are. I apply the same approach to leadership, helping my team prioritize and stay focused amid the constant flow of meetings, documents and deadlines. This has led to incredible results: Babylist is the category leader in baby, beloved by 9 million growing families a year, and a booming business that has exceeded $400 million in revenue and is profitable. This approach doesn’t just work in a professional setting. I also use it when thinking about hobbies, personal priorities and spending time with my family. In past years, my “one thing” has ranged from completing an Ironman to reading 100 books. This year, my husband and I are focused on buying a vacation home in the mountains with friends. We aren’t sure it will happen—but if we intentionally focus on it, we know we will prioritize it if the opportunity presents itself. Your career path will be uniquely shaped by your strengths and interests, but approaching it with a sense of intentional focus is key. As someone who has driven growth at Google, PopSugar and Babylist, I assure you that a clear direction will not only enhance your value but it will allow you to take the lead in life. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

Babylist’s Lee Anne Grant on the power of intentional focus

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