Meet Sue MacKay, Vice President of Marketing at Empire Communities

Sue has been a key partner in the development and execution of the real estate sales and marketing strategies across North America for over 17 years. Since joining Empire Communities in 2015, her team’s work has been recognized both locally and internationally through numerous marketing awards of excellence. As a passionate marketer, Sue has held leadership roles on both the agency and client sides, having had the opportunity to work on a diverse portfolio of real estate offerings. Sue is also an active member of the Toronto chapter of the Urban Land Institute having served a term as Co-Chair of Communications on the Advisory Board.

My first job ever was… A camp counsellor.

I chose my career path because… It evolved as I went, I chose my life and my career followed.

My proudest accomplishment is… My work/life balance, being a mom to two teen girls and being an exec at a fast-paced development company.

My boldest move to date was… Moving to Toronto from various less-urban locations.

I surprise people when I tell them… I guided a canoe trip in the Yukon and I climbed mountains in Ecuador.

My best advice to people starting their career is… Surround yourself with good people, start your day with a run and get dressed like you always have an important meeting, even on casual Fridays.

“Surround yourself with good people, start your day with a run and get dressed like you always have an important meeting, even on casual Fridays.”

My best advice from a mentor was… Proof-read, never ask the same question twice, do things that make you uncomfortable — like public speaking, don’t be late for meetings, be kind to everyone.

I would tell my 20-year old self… Maternity leaves don’t matter, it’s just the same when you get back. If you are good, you’re still good after a year off. Also, running is the cheapest form of therapy.

My biggest setback was… Setbacks are a state of mind.

I overcame it by… Changing my perspective and seeing things through a different lens.

Work/life balance is… Solid, but it takes effort and conscious choice. As life evolves, it’s harder to prioritize yourself. I make sure that I make time for people I like, I take my vacation time, and workout at the crack of dawn to fit it in – and then, I put in 100% at the office.

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know… I’m just as comfortable in the wild as I am at a boardroom table and day-to-day it’s hard to decide which I prefer.

I stay inspired by… Reading and watching as much as I can about marketing, innovation, technology and leadership, as well as meeting new people, putting myself out there and travelling as much as I can.

The future excites me because… I’m part of a progressive organization that allows me to push the limits, test new ideas, hire the best in our field and truly strive to always be better, innovative and best-in-class.

My next step is… To motivate and provide inspiration to my team so that they can continue to grow both professionally and personally and we can do amazing things that we are proud of and love to do.