Ibotta Talks

An interview with Anna Schroeder — SVP of Client Partnerships

Women at Ibotta (W@): Anna, thank you so much for joining us! You were actually one of our first W@ interviews two years ago... and today we get to interview you after you've stepped into a new leadership role! What are 3 factors that helped develop your growth?

Anna Schroeder (AS): Thanks for having me! You always ask such fantastic thought-provoking questions!??I am so thrilled for the opportunity to lead the CPG Client Team, particularly at such a pivotal point in time for our business.?

I have two children: Jacob is in 4th grade and Joshua is in 1st.?As part of their school curriculum they are studying and practicing a "growth mindset" which, candidly, I wasn't very familiar?with prior?to?their homework.?As I was working with them one evening on an assignment it struck me that being in sales and account management has uniquely prepared me for growth?opportunities,?specifically through?the daily practice of a growth mindset. There is no such thing as reaching the summit. You are always growing, learning, stretching, trying new tactics. Sometimes you fail, sometimes you succeed--and both are okay as long as you are constantly learning and applying that learning to the next challenge, contract or negotiation.

W@: Something we have discussed lately is discovering your personal brand?— or embracing your "superpower." How would you define your personal brand? How does that impact the way you position your authentic leadership style?

AS: I love, embrace and champion superpowers! In fact, I see my primary role as a leader at Ibotta to help my team and partners know and understand their own superpowers. Once they understand them, it's also my privilege to work with them to amplify and magnify those strengths.?That can take many forms--it can be working to more deeply understand what motivates a team member or celebrating and recognizing a unique approach or success--and then sharing that out with the rest of the team so they can learn from each other.?I have always embraced a leadership?style and a personal brand that is transparent and authentic. I want to help my team stretch and grow beyond what they even thought possible.??

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W@: With January around the corner, W@ will be putting a focus on wellness at every level. What are some things you do to support your holistic health (mental, physical, financial, etc)? What is one wellness habit you wished you had started doing earlier in your career?

AS: Holistic health and wellness is a topic that I'm passionate?about.?For me, mental and physical health are intertwined and need to?be a priority. Most mornings start with?a run and/or a HIIT/bootcamp class--before helping to get the kids out the door for school. Over the years I have realized that it is regular, consistent exercise that helps me manage stress and be able to give my best to my team and family.?Financial health is also an important topic and one that likely doesn't receive the attention it deserves. I am fortunate that while I was young my dad owned a financial planning and wealth management business.?My parents instilled in both me and my brothers the need to be financially literate from an early age--we talked about money, budgeting, saving and investing often.??One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that the sooner you start investing the greater the return--the power of compound growth. This applies to all aspects of holistic health: physical, mental and financial.

W@: Something you are known for is always celebrating wins, big and small. What are some ways that you actively celebrate wins with your team? How has that evolved throughout your time as a leader?

AS: Celebrating wins is simply the best part of my job! There is nothing I love more than to recognize and celebrate wins. That can be everything from a simple note of acknowledgement to a shout out at Tuesday Stand Up. I've even been known to wear a Unicorn hoodie on a?CPG stand up to announce some last minute wins.?Over time, however, I've come to understand that not everyone wants to be recognized in the same way. So when I'm onboarding someone new onto the team I'm very intentional about asking how they like to be recognized (publicly, privately, via email, shoutout) and then do my best to honor that request.