The Visionary Series: Haley Lierman
A longtime pioneer in the augmented reality industry, Haley is the Director of Marketing at Mira where she and her team bring cutting-edge AR technology to the frontline workforce worldwide.
Haley’s passion for the potential of the augmented reality industry is unmatched. She has worked at a variety of companies in the space and is a true wizard at leading teams and mentoring those around her. As the Director of Marketing at Mira, she is not only using AR solutions to help enable workforce training around the world, but she is also blazing a trail for women in leadership in a highly technical field. (She’s also definitely going to have to write a book one day!)
Let’s hear from Haley!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? And what was your path to your current career?
When I was six, I decided that when I grew up, I wanted to be an author. My father unintentionally extinguished that flame by impressing upon me that “authors don’t make enough money to live”, and subsequently “neither do librarians for that matter” (keep in mind, this was pre-JK Rowling). Looking back, I understand his perspective at the time. He and my mother were struggling in their early 30s with three rambunctious, sticky kids of their own, and wished for nothing more than a financially stable, comfortable life for their children.
Since then, I’ve considered many completely contradictory potential career avenues and dipped my toes in a variety of alternative futures - from being a professional snowboarder (one too many concussions deterred that cold fantasy) to an entertainment publicist (it turns out I don’t care about celebrities, at all) to my current career in the field of augmented reality. I’ve worked at Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and consulted freelance - abroad and in the United States. Some of these paths I chose, some were the result of paths I distinctly did not choose, and some were, of course, more or less chosen for me as a result of a series of decisions I’d made that came to fruition over time.
I’ve been in the field of AR for over 5 years now (just prior to the launch of Pokémon GO) and continue to be inspired by the work I do every day, as well as my amazing team. So for now, that’s where I intend to stay. All of these opportunities were a result of hard work, networking, and perseverance through the various ups and downs that one experiences throughout one’s career, as well as the support of the many people in my life who believed in me, often more than I believed in myself. And for what it’s worth - I’m writing again. It turns out my current career and writing a book are not mutually exclusive endeavors.
What are you most excited about in your space/industry? What's most transformative in AR? What are you most worried about?
While I’ve worked at Niantic on the consumer side of AR, my passion has always been on the B2B front. Mira, where I currently serve as Head of Marketing, offers a cloud-based SaaS solution that enables the frontline workforce to more effectively perform equipment or process inspections by providing real-time access to work instructions and remote personnel - with the help of augmented reality. In sum, and in the words of our VP of Product, Mira focuses on bringing two superhuman qualities to frontline workers: omnipresence and omniscience.
What’s incredible about this is how new technology, such as our Prism Pro Headset, can completely renovate major industries that greatly impact society in every way, such as manufacturing, government, and AEC. AR-supported solutions can quickly onboard and train employees, increase safety, facilitate compliance, and significantly reduce the need for travel in industries that typically require onsite inspection, auditing, and maintenance. What’s more, it can also help more senior members of the workforce, whose previous jobs have become obsolete, transition into new roles with reduced friction. And of course, the cumulative reduction in travel will result in a massive decrease of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, leaving us a cleaner world for the next generation of innovators.
What’s been the most interesting or inspiring experience you’ve had (both before your current job and the path you've been on to get to where you are)?
During my tenure at a previous company, our then CMO, one of the most inspirational figures in my career, quit after only a year. He had uprooted his life and left a lucrative position as the Head of Brand for a massive, international company to take this position - so I was surprised (and saddened) that he was so willing to leave. When I asked him what propelled him to go, he expressed that his management style, which was highly empathetic and democratic, was not shared by our then CEO, and how important a positive culture was to him. I had never seen someone leave a job without finding a new job to lean on, and especially not for a reason that felt so intangible. I didn’t even know that was a realistic option.
A year later, after a series of detrimental and financially irresponsible management decisions, the company culture continued to take a downward spiral (as he had predicted) and I followed suit. I quit that job with no other opportunities lined up. I began consulting, moved to San Francisco, and shortly afterward, took a 90-day consulting gig in Botswana. My career has continued to positively progress since then. Could I have predicted how well that situation would have turned out? Absolutely not. But sometimes, when you reach a point in your career where you wake up unhappy more days than not, the best option might be to opt-out altogether. You might gain a refreshing sense of self-control by deciding to drastically shake things up and have some faith. This knowledge has served me since then and continues to remind me that I’m free to make decisions, as is everyone - even if those decisions may seem scary. The results might surprise you. They’ve always surprised me for the better.
You’ve done work for promoting women in the communities you've been a part of. Can you talk about what fuels your passion for mentorship and what you’re most proud of?
I am inherently a huge fan of underdogs. And unfortunately, for my entire existence, and for thousands of years prior to that, women were, and still frequently are, considered “lesser than” their male counterparts. This proves true across almost all nations and cultures, and yes, even the most liberal, forward-thinking environments (despite significant progress made by Suffragists, RBG, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift).
Since I began my career pre-#metoo in the Entertainment industry, I bore witness to and was often a target of the casual sexual harassment on display during those times. And though blatant sexism is less prevalent, ingrained bias and genderized expectations, though neither sensible nor scientific, are broad and persistent. They’re also much easier to disregard, especially in the workplace.
Because of my many negative experiences as the target, I’ve always tried to find ways to support the women who are following in my wake and ensure them a slightly easier journey in every way that I can. I’ll help review their resumes, prep for interviews, teach them to set proper boundaries, advocate for them internally, and most importantly, remind them to always ask for more than they think they deserve. Because in truth, the most revealing insight I’ve gained from my work mentoring is that women rarely see themselves and their abilities accurately. And even if they do, they’re unsure how to be champion themselves successfully. Candidly, I still struggle with imposter syndrome, I’m not sure that will ever change. Nonetheless, as I rise in my career I’m able to have a stronger influence on my male counterparts, highlighting areas of inequality in the workplace and helping them overcome their unintentional, but harmful, biases. Mira has been incredibly supportive of these efforts, and I’m excited to see the changes we make together.
As for a moment I’m most proud of, there are so many; from one of my mentees becoming a high-level staffer for Jill Biden to another winning 30 under 30. Playing a small part in their path to these achievements is incredibly rewarding. But overall, the most gratifying feeling is watching my mentees become mentors themselves, and embrace a similar attitude toward leadership. If you treat your employees like they’ll make a positive difference at that company, and in the world - they will.
If you’re looking for some incredible reads I often recommended regarding the disparity of men and women, both in the workplace and otherwise, take a look at:
A Brief History of Misogyny: The World's Oldest Prejudice by Jack Holland (fun fact: the book is not brief either)
What Works for Women at Work: Four Patterns Working Women Need to Know by Joan C. Williams and Rachel Dempsey (my boyfriend bought and read this after our first date)
And the hilarious but accurate: How to Be Successful without Hurting Men's Feelings: Non-threatening Leadership Strategies for Women by Sarah Cooper
Who are your mentors? How and why do they inspire you?
I have never had one consistent mentor along the way - at least not yet. However, I have had a series of incredible mentors throughout each stage of my career. My most recent being from Niantic: Courtney Power (General Counsel), Richard Lee (Head of B2B Marketing and one of my previous bosses), Lauren Nunes (now Vice President, People Business Partners at Twitch), Yennie Solheim (Director of Social Impact) and so, so many more. And now I’m fortunate to be returning to a previous mentor at Mira, Paul Sells, who internally I refer to as mybestfriendPaulSells at all times.
There are common characteristics that they all share which I hope to emulate: kindness, intelligence, integrity, humility, patience, and a knack for radical candor. They give timely, effective, and fair feedback. They care deeply about their team and hold themselves to high ethical standards. They respect others, criticize rarely (which is different than providing feedback), and show appreciation often. They approach problems with potential solutions and a collaborative attitude. They aim for balance, employ boundaries on their time, and know that family should always come first. They’re self-aware and true to their authentic selves. And on top of all of those incredible qualities, every one of them can make me laugh, which, at the end of a hard day, can cure a multitude of problems. I’m nowhere near their level of mentorship, but I’ll keep working on myself until I am. And maybe make a few people laugh along the way.