What does it take to build a successful career in an industry that didn’t even exist when you started—and to continue evolving as the business scales, transforms, and accelerates?

In this episode of Candid with Candidates, Jennifer Hahn sits down with Mark Heitke, Head of Commerce Media Strategy at Symbiosis, a DoorDash company, to explore his unconventional career journey and the leadership lessons gained along the way. From studying film and learning to code, to helping build Best Buy Ads into a leading retail media organization, to joining a 17-person startup that was ultimately acquired by DoorDash, Mark shares how adaptability, curiosity, and honest self-assessment shaped his path.

Mark offers a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of retail and commerce media, the realities of leading through constant change, and the personal shifts required when moving from large-scale corporate environments to fast-moving startups—and back into a global tech organization.

Key topics include:

• How retail media emerged and scaled before it had a formal identity
  
  
• Leading teams through ambiguity, pressure, and organizational change
  
  
• Navigating the transition from enterprise environments to early-stage startups
  
  
• The difference between ownership, influence, and leadership at scale
  
  
• Redefining work-life balance as alignment across career and family
  
  
• Why honesty—about what you want and how you work—matters in interviews and leadership
  
  
  

Whether you are an executive, emerging leader, or professional considering your next career move, this episode delivers thoughtful insights on leadership, growth, and building a career aligned with both ambition and reality.

🎧 Listen now to learn how clarity, adaptability, and purpose can drive both career success and organizational impact.

Guest Links:

Connect with Mark Heitke : https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheitke/
Explore DoorDash : https://careersatdoordash.com/

Next Steps:
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For more behind-the-scenes stories and career advice follow Jenn on LinkedIn