20 Questions With Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Global Chief Marketing and Content Officer, Cinemark

Wanda Gierhart Fearing is the global chief marketing and content officer of Cinemark. She’s also a Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) member! In this member spotlight, we asked Gierhart Fearing a series of questions about both her professional role and personal life, including the woman that inspires her, her leadership style, her advice for the next generation of female leaders, and much more.

1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
   I recently read “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara, who was the general manager of the famous Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York City. In the book, Guidara details how the team thought through the entire customer journey in order to create “unreasonable” hospitality and ultimately become one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. It was a really fascinating and insightful read, and that pursuit of excellence was inspiring as we at Cinemark are refining the customer experience at our theaters.
2. What’s a tip you have for proactively leading a remote or hybrid team?
   I learned early on in my leadership career that connection is critical for building team unity and trust — and, of course, everyone working from a different space adds an additional layer of complexity to building that rapport. A few things I’m sure to do are to hold consistent meetings, whether virtual or in-person; engage our team with fun out-of-office activities; bring everyone together for a full department meeting each quarter; and regularly celebrate each other’s work.
3. What’s a mistake you made early on in your career?
   Oh gosh, you need me to just pinpoint one? Mistakes are such a natural component of career growth, but I think as long as you learn from each one that they’re not truly mistakes. Being open and willing to be vulnerable, asking questions and seeking genuine answers is such a key driver of growth, and I think I may have waited too long to build that support group and ask questions of those around me early on in my career.
4. What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
   The most rewarding yet toughest part of being a leader is managing a team. I’m so proud of everyone I work with — the Cinemark marketing and film team are truly industry leaders. The work they make happen astounds me daily. But with a large, successful team comes the difficulty of being as available to everyone, and I always want each of my conversations to go just a little bit longer or dig in a little bit deeper.
5. What’s the best way you motivate team members?
   Praise! Who doesn’t love a tangible compliment about their work? Sometimes we can take for granted the success of our colleagues because of their consistent exceptional work, so their achievements are not a surprise. I think it’s important to praise your team regularly, even for those items that may seem less important.
6. What woman inspires you right now and why?
   I’m inspired by so many women daily and the impactful changes they’re making in the world, but none more so than my daughter. She’s about to start law school at Vanderbilt University and has become a driven, hardworking young woman with her own vision of what she wants to achieve. It’s been so rewarding for me to see the influence I’ve had on her as she forges her path ahead.
7. What are you looking forward to the most for the industry over the next year?
   I’ve been in this industry a long time, but I’m excited to see how consumer preferences continue to rapidly evolve in this current experiential economy. It’s always inspiring to see how my team is able to leverage data and feedback we receive from our guests to pivot and ensure we’re always delivering the exact moviegoing experience they want.
8. What’s one thing you look for when interviewing a job candidate?
   Curiosity! I look for people who are not only hardworking but also truly desire to learn and grow.
9. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
   Oh my, the past couple of years have brought about some major changes for me! From getting remarried to becoming an empty nester, I’ve had to learn how to reprioritize and find a new sense of balance between my personal and professional passions.
10. What’s your favorite podcast?
    I really enjoy listening to NPR’s “How I Built This,” where inspiring entrepreneurs discuss how they’ve built some of the world’s most iconic brands.
11. What values are most important to you as a leader?
    I cannot underscore enough the power leaders hold as mentors to those around them. As someone who is immensely grateful for the mentorship I’ve received throughout my career, I purposely strive to provide team members new experiences and visibility that can propel their growth and ultimately make us a stronger team across the board.
12. What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
    I feel lucky to have had such a varied career across multiple facets of retail, and by far my favorite part has been getting to work alongside so many different kinds of people. I’m a big proponent of collaboration and the knowledge and insight you can gain by being exposed to different viewpoints and approaches. It’s one of my favorite parts of leading such a large team!
13. What practices or boundaries have you implemented in your personal life to create more work/life balance?
    As a leader, it’s important to me to set a good example to my team by acknowledging personal responsibilities and priorities while also striving to create great work. I intentionally plan out quality time with my family and friends through travel and other personal passions and encourage my team members to do the same. I believe personal enrichment is essential to us all showing up as our best professional selves.
14. How would you describe yourself in a single sentence?
    I’m a very driven and passionate C-suite executive who also has zest for the arts and culture that make life vibrant.
15. What’s your favorite app?
    I love Audible, Spotify, and Blinkist. All keep me entertained and well-informed during my various travels.
16. What do you do to recharge?
    I adore traveling, not only to experience beautiful new landscapes and cultures, but also to observe trends and study people to see how consumer trends vary throughout different parts of the word. My husband is a celebrity chef, so of course trying new restaurants both here and abroad is also a must-do!
17. What is your biggest accomplishment?
    Although I’ve been met with many challenges and achievements throughout my life, raising my daughter as a single parent while also being a C-suite executive in a high-pressure job has to be my biggest accomplishment. Seeing the successful young woman she is today and how much of an impact she has on those around her has made all the hard times worthwhile.
18. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
    Don’t be afraid to take risks. This has greatly impacted me through each step of my career, driving me to step outside of my comfort zone. Only when we take risks do we learn something new. I’ve gotten so much more out of everything I do when I’m not afraid to jump in headfirst.
19. What gets you up in the morning?
    Getting to do what I love and work alongside such fantastic people gets me excited for the possibilities each day can bring. And, of course, getting to indulge in delicious food and wine alongside my professional chef husband always helps!
20. What do you like most about being a member of Women in Retail Leadership Circle?
    It’s inspiring to be surrounded by a group of successful women pushing the industry forward. Networking is an invaluable tool that can help propel careers, especially amongst female leaders. I’ve learned so much from the other members — and those women I’ve worked alongside — that I’ve been able to apply to my own career.