Despite her degree in mechanical engineering, Melanie Allen’s path into footwear ran not through design but through marketing.
Brooks‘ chief marketing officer spent years following the instinctive path from her degree, with engineering and research-and-development roles at Procter & Gamble. A reverse-mentoring initiative at the company eventually led to a pivot to marketing after a general manager got to know her and thought she’d be strong on the brand team.
Allen looks back on that switch as one of the most difficult moments in her career. Not only did it involve taking a step down in seniority, but she had to trust that the skills she had developed would translate.
You May Also Like
Related Stories
Today, she realizes the decision to move was harder than it needed to be. “It’s not a career ladder, it’s a career lattice,” Allen said. “The idea is you can take all these different pathways to get where you want. Just trust your gut and say, ‘You know what, this is the right path for me.'”
The non-linear path kept Allen at P&G for another four years in marketing roles before spending nearly seven years at Starbucks where she rose to vice president of marketing. A move from one Seattle stalwart to another has now seen her at Brooks for nearly nine years.
Because mentorship inspired such a pivotal moment in her own career, Allen makes the practice a priority through formal programs at Brooks and by participating in forums to both make her a better mentor and provide women with opportunities for growth within the industry.
She believes progress is being made for women. For instance, looking back on her first time at The Running Event, she said the gender composition of the trade show has become less male-dominated. And looking forward, she may see her daughter Jordan join the industry as well — but with a more direct relationship between engineering and shoes.
Her daughter is currently working on a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, and her thesis is on the differences between the Hyperion Elite 4 and 5 super shoes.
A version of this article appeared in the June 1 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 3, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.