Wisdom Unlocked 🔓✨ Career Lessons from Leading Women: A Conversation with Melinda Lee

1. Could you start by introducing yourself — your name and what you do?

I’m Melinda Lee — a Founder, Executive, Advisor, and Board Member. I work at the intersection of media, tech, and content, holding roles in law, television, IP licensing, international expansion, digital media, music, content strategy, media brands, and tech.

2. How did your career begin, and how did you get to where you are today?

I could say my career ‘officially’ began after law school, where my first job as a lawyer taught me skills like analysis, strategic thinking, and patience. But if I think about where it all began, it started much earlier… on the mat in the dojo, training in judo and karate.

I was one of those kids with way too much energy, and my parents, who had recently immigrated from Taiwan, decided that martial arts would be a great way for me to learn how to focus it. I was the only girl in judo class and one of the few in karate. Competing against boys and adults bigger than me taught me how to be strategic and resourceful. I wasn’t going to win on strength; instead, I had to be more flexible, agile, and fast. I had to observe how my opponents reacted and responded on the mat and adapt accordingly.

Kumite (sparring) was a crash course in planning, strategy, adaptability, using my strengths, and finding creative ways to score points, while kata (form) taught me how to laser focus my skills in a single, purposeful movement. It would take years to learn, practice, and master each kata. Without realizing it, I was developing the discipline and framework that would shape my approach to every career role I’d later take on.

Early on in my career, I thought success was linear: you get your formal education, start with an entry-level role, work your way up to the next position, and keep progressing until, eventually, you’re in a place to advise, maybe get on a board or two, consult, or perhaps even try a start-up.

For me, the journey didn’t unfold so neatly or in that order. My path felt scattered, and recruiters and hiring managers often thought so, too. They would question my focus, seeing my varied roles in law, tech, licensing, marketing, digital media, and content strategy as disconnected. But looking back, each role built on the last, preparing me for the next. Saying yes to these different opportunities created a solid foundation for roles I hadn’t anticipated, like general management and C-suite work; roles where it’s critical to understand how the moving parts make up a whole.

Over time, I discovered that I had accumulated a treasure trove of knowledge. My unconventional path helped me gain many of the experiences I was looking for in my career; it just hadn’t come sequentially and according to the plan that I had mapped out in my youth. Taking risks, saying yes when it wasn’t obvious, and trusting the skills I developed in the dojo formed my North Star and became a powerful guide in my career.

3. How have you seen the workplace shift since you started your career? What are the most significant changes you’ve observed?

The workplace has morphed significantly since I started, but in many ways, the shift feels like different chapters of the same story. I rode the digital disruption wave early on across a few different oceans — television, music, video, imagery, publishing. Each was disrupted and transformed by digital, and their workplaces needed to adapt accordingly. The legacy folks who resisted learning new approaches became territorial over their established workflows and were unwilling to rethink their methods and management styles, and eventually, they were left behind.

Today’s leaders must understand their product and how technology may evolve it. It’s not enough to just manage or delegate to the people who work on it. With technology constantly evolving, leaders must know how to do, understand people dynamics while they are operating during transformation, and coordinate the complexities of all the “doing.” This is the emerging leadership model: leaders who can adapt, engage hands-on, set the structure initially, and bring the right people together to navigate transformation effectively.

Another trend worth noting is the rise of gig workers and fractional executives — professionals either balancing multiple roles simultaneously or part-time. While this setup offers flexibility and may be necessary for some, multiple commitments can lead to a transactional, siloed work product rather than a cohesive one. The focus tends to be on completing specific tasks within set deadlines, but in execution, the workflow can start to feel like it’s coming from an operating system with too many tabs open — it does the job, but not optimally.

4. Conversely, what aspects of the workplace have remained constant in your experience?

Through all these shifts, one thing has remained constant: relationships matter. Building connections, finding mentors, and strong managers are as essential now as they were early in my career. Real human connections, honest feedback, and support from those with experience remain the foundation of growth and personal development across all industries facing disruption. This is especially important with the rise of gig and remote work.

Finally, adaptability and a willingness to learn are constants, regardless of your role or industry. Those who remain open to evolving their skills and perspectives are the ones who thrive. The tools we use may change, but a learning mindset and the drive to adapt to new environments are timeless qualities.

5. Storytime! We’d love to hear about a pivotal moment or decision that shaped your career. It can be a success or a challenge — what stands out to you, and how have you changed because of it?

One of the most pivotal decisions in my life was the leap I took away from what I thought was both my dream and my parents’ dream for me: leaving law to work as a freelancer at MTV Networks.

Like many first-generation kids of immigrants, I felt the push to pursue a career that guaranteed security and stability. I’d always loved media. I’d go to friends’ houses who had cable TV to watch MTV. To me, MTV was the coolest channel ever: music, culture, creativity, an identity. But I didn’t see many people who looked like me on TV, let alone in the industry, so I never thought working in media was an option.

So I took the secure route and went straight to law school after college, where I got a crash course in surviving and perseverance. At some point, becoming a lawyer — and achieving it before I turned 25 — became my dream. I was even offered the chance to train for the Olympics in Tae Kwon Do, but I felt I didn’t have the time to take a break from school to pursue it. When I finally became a lawyer, I realized that reaching a dream isn’t the end of the story; one doesn’t just live happily ever after, especially when you’ve outgrown your dream.

As it turned out, I didn’t like being a lawyer and was pretty miserable. Through my misery, I never forgot my childhood career crush on media and MTV. I didn’t have any contacts in media, but I knew it was my dream job, even if it wasn’t my parents’.

I didn’t have any contacts in the industry but I did have AOL so I searched for entertainment executives there; five people popped up! I wrote to all five, and miraculously, three responded. One of those three was an attorney who worked at MTV. After a few months of correspondence and answering my many, many questions, he agreed to meet me and told me about a freelance position at my dream company, MTV!

Leaving law to take a freelance role was a huge risk, one that came with a pay cut, no title, no benefits, and a lot of uncertainty. I agonized over whether to leave the firm, knowing that I’d let my family down and unsure if this leap would lead to anything long-term.

A friend helped me break down the decision, comparing the pay cut with the value of moving into a field I genuinely wanted to be in. We even added a “happiness multiplier” to calculate the risk-reward tradeoff that couldn’t be captured by salary alone. The result was clear: a job I genuinely enjoyed would be worth more in the long term than a higher title and salary in one I didn’t. So, I took the leap and left my job as an attorney for a freelance role working on a show called Rockstory. The show was canceled a month later, and I found myself without a job- the first of many lessons in the media business. Luckily, I’d made enough of an impression that they offered me a staff role on a different project.

This became my “career college” — my first introduction to the media world, where I learned about music and content rights, international business, and launching new media initiatives. It was also when the soft skills I’d developed in the dojo years before began to mature.

I grew my experience to include business strategy and general management in the tech start-up world, started my own company, and eventually returned to legacy media companies. This time around, I wasn’t trying to get my foot in the door anymore — I was hired to build and launch new products for media companies undergoing disruption. I introduced and scaled a new royalty-free licensing model for the music industry, set up digital businesses for publishers transitioning from print to digital, and led digital video studios during the “pivot to video” era. A few years later, I found myself back in the start-up world at BuzzFeed, leading content initiatives and strategies. The culture there reminded me so much of MTV’s early days; it felt like I’d circled the globe and returned home, only now with a wealth of “traveler’s tales” to share.

Choosing to work in an industry I loved over a conventional path set the tone for my entire career. Being in an industry I’m genuinely passionate about has been more valuable than any title or salary. Taking that leap taught me to embrace the unknown, and it showed me that changing paths doesn’t mean starting over — it actually opens up new doors that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

6. Navigating work-life balance can be challenging and often more difficult for women. How have you managed this throughout your career?

I’ve never really subscribed to the concept of “work-life balance.” Instead, I think of it as creating a whole-life balance. With technology blurring the line between personal and professional lives. Different technologies — whether it’s digital media, remote work tools, or generative AI — have transformed the way we approach both work and life. While these advancements make it possible to work more flexibly, they also challenge us to find new ways to maintain balance.

After working a decade in media, I had the time to look at my life and had a realization that made me uncomfortable. I was healthy, respected in the industry, knew extraordinary people, and lived in the city of my dreams. But, my life did not feel full. I hadn’t put in the time to build my relationships with my family, friends, and loved ones. I did not have whole-life balance.

After taking a breath and coming to this realization, I created a system for me to integrate my personal life into my day like it was my job. I started doing a weekly planning ritual every Sunday morning, where I set aside time to reflect and take a look at my short-term and long-term goals. Then, I’d map one thing a week that could help me achieve these goals into my calendar. It’s not just a to-do list; it’s an intentional way to see how each goal fits into the bigger picture of who I want to be and the life I want to design. This touches on everything that matters to me — career, family, friendships, fitness, mental wellness, and personal growth. This method brings a natural flow to my work and personal life rather than a strict divide.

If I had one piece of advice, it’d be this: take a little time each week to connect with your whole life, not just work. You’ll find yourself living more intentionally, keeping what matters most front and center.

7. We encourage everyone, particularly women, to seek mentorship and guidance from leaders in their fields. Who has been your mentor along your journey, and how have they influenced your career?

I’ve been especially fortunate to have great managers and mentors who were women, LGBTQ+, or people of color. They understood the unique challenges I faced and generously shared their perspectives — not only on the work itself but also on navigating company culture and developing others. My early mentors at MTV Networks, for example, shaped my understanding of media, organizational psychology, international business, and leadership. Later, investors and business partners in the companies I founded offered the support, insight, and feedback that helped me grow as a C-suite executive.

Kim Martin hired me as GM for video at Meredith Corp and was the first hiring manager who saw my varied career journey as an asset for the role. From her, I learned that mentors can also be “sponsors” and how vital sponsors are for cutting through the noise within many companies. Kim modeled attentive, intentional leadership at the C-suite level, and through her example, I learned that attention is one of the most valuable things you can give someone, regardless of their role.

Recently, I’ve also found invaluable guidance from industry leaders like Pearl Collings who founded a senior executive community- Power Women. She’s become an ongoing mentor as the media and tech industries continue to evolve, offering advice not only as an experienced operator but also as someone deeply attuned to the challenges senior executives face when navigating new roles and emerging issues in today’s landscape.

When I am a mentor, I look for follow-through and respect for the time investment we spend together, and I aim to pass on the same support and intentionality I was shown. My mentors and sponsors shaped my career, values, and approach to mentoring others so they too can lead with generosity and invest in the growth of those who follow.

8. What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self when you were starting?

I’d tell my younger self not to fear what the future might hold. I was in such a rush to jump to the end of the dream and become a lawyer as quickly as possible, and now, looking back, I wonder, “What was I in such a hurry for?” You can’t rush time, but you also can’t get it back. Sometimes, who you are meant to become simply needs time and life experiences. I’d reassure myself that there’s no single “right” path — each choice is a chance to experience something new and build on what I’ve already learned. The key is to fully embrace and learn from each experience without worrying so much about how it would fit into the plan.

I’d also tell myself that I had already learned many of the most valuable skills I’d need in the dojo — the power of observation, curiosity about people and their styles, discipline, strategic thinking, practice, adaptability, and execution. Those early experiences, combined with my North Star values, would go on to guide me in navigating both my career and life.