DC Thomson boss Rebecca Miskin has shared her top tips for women’s business career success.
She cited hard work, luck, resilience and always being willing to put her hand up for projects as the all-important factors behind her own achievements.
DC Thomson is home to some of Britain’s best-loved and trusted brands in news, radio and magazines.
I’ve always had a pretty unpredictable and unplanned career.”
Rebecca Miskin, CEO, DC Thomson
Ms Miskin has been the family-owned group’s chief executive since December 2021, having joined the firm as chief strategy and transformation officer in summer 2020.
Describing her “bumpy” route to the top during an International Women’s Day interview for radio stations Original 106 and Kingdom FM, she said: “I’ve always had a pretty unpredictable and unplanned career.
“I’ve joined companies where I have respected those who have interviewed me and felt that I could learn a lot from them, but where I also felt I could add value to that mix of skills.
“I suppose that’s always been the key deciding factor in where I have gone and why.”
Ms Miskin whittled down her achievements to the following key ingredients:
- “A big dose of good luck” mixed with hard work.
- Believing in herself and finding someone who believed in her.
- Putting her hand up and volunteering – “that always goes a long way”.
She added: “I have always tried to enjoy work so have always, hopefully, brought a sense of fun and put my hand up for things.”
And further explaining how her career path led to Dundee-based DC Thomson, she said: “I knew the family, I respected the family, I loved the brands.
“I really enjoyed meeting members of the team and I felt I could learn a lot.”
She said she also believed she had skills that could help DC Thomson “flourish”.
For #IWD2024 let's step forward in solidarity & help forge an inclusive world for #women🌎 Collectively let's call out stereotypes, challenge bias & end discrimination. Let's uplift & celebrate women's achievements. #InspireInclusion 👉https://t.co/CE787vsOiR Image:MelanieArt #LA pic.twitter.com/TWG4osvo6T
— Women's Day (@womensday) March 8, 2024
Asked what career advice she had for other women, she said resilience was key.
She explained: “So often, I applied for jobs and didn’t hear back, didn’t believe I would get them or didn’t think I had the skills.
“So be resilient – you have many more choices than you think.
Women are often experts at balancing emotions and thinking, she said, adding: “Don’t shy away from that. Use that to your advantage.”
Ms Miskin said learning about finance helped her “understand and be ahead of” business issues.
And on other essential qualities, she said: “Be kind, be creative. Go the extra mile – it pays off.
“Others don’t necessarily know more.
“Don’t fear failure. If you don’t put your hand up or if you don’t try, you will never know. You’ve got so much more potential than you believe that you actually have.
“And pay it forward – if you help others, they help you.”
Mum and ‘nana’ key influencers
So, who are Ms Miskin’s own role models?
She said: “Firstly, and it sounds a bit corny, but my mum.
“My mum juggled multiple jobs, running the household, having a family. She went to live in a country where she didn’t speak the language and she learnt the language.
“I grew up in a small village in Italy and my parents had to go out there and deal with a different culture. They were very brave.”
Another key figure in her life is her “nana”, who taught her that you can “live life whatever your circumstances”.
Women of inspiration
From a professional perspective, the people she most looks up to are tennis icon Billie Jean King (BJK) and actor Kate Winslet.
On 39-time Grand Slam title winner BJK, Ms Miskin said: “I didn’t know her at all but when I worked in tennis I met this dynamo of a woman who was extraordinary in terms of energy.
“You walked out of the room feeling that you could do anything.
“And then I looked her up and found out all the things she had achieved. She’d won Wimbledon, she’d campaigned for equal pay, she’d set up the women’s tennis tour.
“She was inspirational and I’ve followed her ever since.”
Women’s champion Winslet has frequently spoken out about body shaming.
The Titanic star exemplifies how “We should all use our voices to defend what matters and to celebrate all the great things about life”, Ms Miskin said.
Media powerhouse
DC Thomson’s news publications include Aberdeen-based titles The Press and Journal and Evening Express.
The group also publishes The Courier and Evening Telegraph, both based in Dundee, as well as The Sunday Post.
Magazines include The People’s Friend, Stylist, Puzzler and the iconic and much-loved Beano.
Conversation