BroxtenDigital
Becoming an executive comes down to understanding how the whole machine works, not just the task sitting in front of you, according to Beth Mach, co-founder and COO of Spacely Media. She put in more than 25 years in media before landing there, and what moved her career forward was a different way of thinking.
Beth Mach is co-founder and COO at Spacely Media, an advertising platform that focuses on premium offline channels: print, out of home, and venue sponsorships. I asked her on because she started out as an accounting major who needed a paid internship, and she still remembers exactly what it felt like to be the most junior person in the room.
How Do You Become an Executive?
Beth skips the ladder-climbing advice. "I think one of the big lessons I've learned is understand how the machine works," she told me.
That means you can't just do your one task and call it done. You need to understand the full campaign timeline: pre-launch, live performance, and post-campaign analysis. Each moment shapes whether you actually hit your goals.
People notice when you think about the whole arc and not only your part, and that moves you faster than any single project.
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What Is Operational Fluency?
Beth's term for this skill is operational fluency, which is really about understanding how decisions actually get made above your level.
"Understand how those decisions are made and you'll see your career move a lot faster," she said. It changes the way you talk to people, and lets you actually follow a meeting instead of just nodding along.
She wishes she'd learned it earlier. In practice it means paying attention to what influences a budget, a channel choice, or a client's yes or no.
Should You Move Cities for Your Career?
For work, Beth landed in New York, Chicago, London, Johannesburg, and Guangzhou. That's a lot of relocations. "I just knew that I wanted to travel as part of work," she said, and she kept raising her hand until someone said yes.
She doesn't think everyone has to do this. The core advice is to trust yourself about what makes you tick and then build your career in line with that, whether that means travel or staying near family.
Her take is you need a tight circle, a partner, a mentor, an old friend who will push you to go for it when you're the hesitant one.
How Do You Get Past Nerves at Networking Events?
Walking into a room of strangers still makes Beth nervous, and she's been doing this for decades. Her approach: take a minute to acclimate before you engage with anyone.
"Just set a little mini micro goal of that evening to go and talk to five people," she said. Come with a couple of interesting but generic questions ready, since most people like talking about themselves once you ask.
Assess what's happening in the room, ask your question, listen to what they say, then move on to the next person.
Watch the full conversation
Watch the full episode with Beth Mach on YouTube for more on getting fired, why she still calls it a springboard, and how she rebuilt from there.
Watch next: A 30-Year CMO on the Decision Framework Behind Every Job Jump
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