Randi Zuckerberg on why success is about more than just passion

From serving as the Marketing Director for Facebook for 6 years to starting her own company, Zuckerberg Media, Randi Zuckerberg has had her fair share of success. Fortunately, she loves to chat, and is more than happy to share the secret to it with others.

1. Take the leap

   It was really hard to leave Facebook. I had a fantastic job at the best company in the world but there I was, going around telling women to start their own companies and be entrepreneurs but I wasn’t walking that walk. When I got my first taste of creating my own intellectual property it was the most incredible feeling in the world.

2. It takes more than passion

   There’s a magical formula when it comes to being a successful entrepreneur. It’s equal parts passion and data. You need the passion because it’s a rollercoaster ride, but you also need to be able to walk into a room and explain with numbers why someone should invest in you.

   So many people pitch me and they’re like, ‘I love this’, ‘I’m passionate’, ‘I want it’, and that makes me want to give them a high five, not open my chequebook. 

3. Put things into perspective

   We live in this world where basically every day is a performance review of what we look like and what we’re doing. Someone once told me that you’re never as good as they say you are, but you’re also never as bad. So, don’t let the good news go to your head and don’t let the bad go to your heart. That advice really struck with me and it put things into perspective.



There’s a magic formula when it comes to being a successful entrepreneur: it’s equal parts passion and data.

4. Work–life balance isn’t realistic

   When I wake up in the morning there are five things – work, sleep, family, friends, fitness – and I get to pick three of them to prioritise. This little saying has really helped me through the past 10 years.

   Instead of trying to put pressure on myself to be well balanced every single day, it helps me understand that it’s okay if I’m a little lopsided. Everything sort of balances out in the long run.

5. Take a break from tech

   Being unplugged is when I’m most productive. I try to take 2 to 3 hours out each day. It’s hard but what I’ve found is that no one has their most creative ideas or changes the world when they’re glued to a screen answering emails all day. It’s always in those couple of hours when I’m either going for a jog, reading a book, or even in the shower that I come up with my best ideas.