Aya Kanai on Leveraging the Power of Outsider Thinking to Change Industries, Letting Your Past Experiences Guide You as a Beginner, and Why Peer-To-Peer Mentorship Should Not Be Undervalued

Aya Kanai has done what most people don't know how to do— change industries. Over twenty years, she rose through the fashion industry ranks, with experience as a Fashion Director at publications including Cosmopolitan, NYLON, Women's Health, and Teen Vogue, ultimately becoming Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire. But then Aya started having the desire to evolve. She was genuinely curious to understand how the tech platforms that impact our lives daily shape their own narratives. Connecting the dots between fashion and tech was possible because of her expertise in visual storytelling. Today, Aya is the Head of Editorial and Creative for Google Shopping, where she oversees the development and execution of merchandising and consumer content. She was previously the head of content and creator partnerships at Pinterest.

In this episode, Aya takes us on her journey from her college days, where she trained as a Puppeteer, to that junior year college moment when she wanted to put off getting a job and instead applied for an experimental puppet theater fellowship. That opportunity would take her to Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Japan, and the UK, with the only rule that she could not have her feet on American soil for that entire year. That experience taught her to be courageous, independent, and resourceful in challenging circumstances; remember, there were no cell phones or laptops! Aya explains her transition to tech, how she remained fearless while tackling her new experiences, and what she has learned from her peers. She also shares why it's okay to be a beginner and that at various points in your career, you will be a beginner again and again, for better or worse, so you better start getting comfortable with it.

Aya Kanai has done what most people don't know how to do— change industries. Over twenty years, she rose through the fashion industry ranks, with experience as a Fashion Director at publications including Cosmopolitan, NYLON, Women's Health, and Teen Vogue, ultimately becoming Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire. But then Aya started having the desire to evolve. She was genuinely curious to understand how the tech platforms that impact our lives daily shape their own narratives. Connecting the dots between fashion and tech was possible because of her expertise in visual storytelling. Today, Aya is the Head of Editorial and Creative for Google Shopping, where she oversees the development and execution of merchandising and consumer content. She was previously the head of content and creator partnerships at Pinterest.

In this episode, Aya takes us on her journey from her college days, where she trained as a Puppeteer, to that junior year college moment when she wanted to put off getting a job and instead applied for an experimental puppet theater fellowship. That opportunity would take her to Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Japan, and the UK, with the only rule that she could not have her feet on American soil for that entire year. That experience taught her to be courageous, independent, and resourceful in challenging circumstances; remember, there were no cell phones or laptops! Aya explains her transition to tech, how she remained fearless while tackling her new experiences, and what she has learned from her peers. She also shares why it's okay to be a beginner and that at various points in your career, you will be a beginner again and again, for better or worse, so you better start getting comfortable with it.