S10-Ep32: Looking Back to Look Ahead - Ancestry’s CEO on Leadership, Tech, and Knowing Your Roots

Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Guest: Deb Liu, Ancestry President & CEO

You are who came before…personally and as a leader. Your ancestors have been shaping you for generations.

That’s one key lesson from Deb Liu, who heads Ancestry, the world’s leading genealogical service. Even though we like to think we’re completely self-made, we’ve been heavily supported by our teams and communities. But, more invisibly, we’ve also been shaped by decisions our ancestors made generations ago: when they immigrated, who they married, the jobs they worked, and more.

Deb discusses that and more with host Maureen Metcalf in this episode that looks back to help you look ahead.

Here's what Deb and Maureen cover:

1. The many ways your ancestors continue to shape you (and your leadership);
2. The growing role of AI in finding and preserving historical documents; and
3. Why, as a leader, Deb looks for out-of-the-box thinkers to join her Ancestry team.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

• Why Rare Leadership Is Well-Done at Omaha Steaks with CEO Nate Rempe
• Leading with Care & Purpose with Raj Sisodia & Sudhanshu Palsule
• The Future Is Yours to Create with futurist Rebecca Ryan

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re onTikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

Deb’s book is Take Back Your Power: 10 New Rules for Women at Work on how to overcome the obstacles women still face in the workplace – especially in tech. It’s in hardback at https://amzn.to/47OUO9E, and audio at https://amzn.to/3Y6EmOQ.

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8 . The audiobook version is now available at https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:

• Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A by Steve Robinson; it’s available in hardback at https://amzn.to/460LnmQ, on Kindle at https://amzn.to/3RVXhZs, and as an audiobook at https://amzn.to/3xPjBgn.
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Paperback = https://amzn.to/3VEl7cU, Kindle = https://amzn.to/45JGm1L, and audiobook = https://amzn.to/3RPhC2y
• Everyday Ubuntu: Living Better Together, the African Way by Mungi Ngomane. Hardback (https://amzn.to/48Doh6j) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/48YCRF4)
• Nerve: Lessons on Leadership from Two Women Who Went First by Martha Piper & Indira Samarasekera. Paperback (https://amzn.to/3tOtzg4) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/41OYdT5)

NOTE: As an Amazon partner, we may make a small commission from books you buy through these links.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko

Shaping a Very Positive Future: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership

Threads: @innovativeleaders

X/Twitter/Whatever New Name It Has This Week: @IL_Institute

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2

TikTok: @innovativeleadership

Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com

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About Our Guest:

Deb Liu joined Ancestry's helm in March 2021 as President & CEO and a member of the company's Board of Directors. Named one of Business Insider's most powerful female engineers, Deb has worked in the tech industry for over 18 years with previous leadership roles at PayPal, eBay, and Facebook where Liu created and led Facebook's Marketplace. She also led the development of Facebook's first mobile ad product for apps and its mobile ad network, in addition to building the company's games business and its payments platform, including Facebook Pay.

Now Liu is guiding Ancestry into a new chapter of growth and innovation – all to empower journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. Under her leadership, Ancestry is undertaking a bold vision focused on building a more inclusive experience. Where Ancestry has traditionally been Designed for Some, Deb is leading the company to Ancestry for All, where EVERYONE can see themselves and their families reflected in the product, regardless of family dynamics, race, ethnicity, and heritage. And the proof is in her business strategy – from the release of their inaugural Impact Report, to the acquisition of Geneanet, a leading French genealogy company, and strengthening Ancestry's executive bench, by hiring former execs from Amazon and Facebook and appointing a new female Chief Product Officer.

Actively involved with promoting diversity and women in tech, Deb is also the founder of Women In Product, a nonprofit to connect and support women in the product management field.