Episode Summary:
How do you go from filling in on a temporary research assignment at MTV Networks to leading global revenue organizations across some of the biggest companies in media? In this episode of The Seat, Ray Erickson sits down with Katy Loria, Chief Revenue Officer at GumGum, to explore a career built on curiosity, resilience, and servant leadership. Katy shares how an accidental start in audience research evolved into a 20+ year career spanning Viacom, Screenvision Media, FreeWheel, and GumGum. Together, they discuss the transition from seller to leader, navigating career setbacks, leading billion-dollar organizations, building high-performing teams, and why developing people has become the most rewarding part of her career. Whether you're an aspiring sales leader or an experienced executive, Katy's practical leadership philosophy offers valuable lessons for every stage of your journey
Chapters:
00:00 – Katy Intro
03:30 – An Accidental Start at MTV Networks
08:00 – Finding Her Voice in Sales
13:30 – Becoming a First-Time Leader
19:00 – Stepping into the CRO Seat
24:00 – The Servant Leadership Mindset
27:00 – Why the Valleys Matter Most
34:00 – Building the Next Chapter at GumGum
40:00 – What Great Sales Leaders Look For
47:00 – Lightning Round & Final Takeaways
Themes Discussed:
Keywords:
Katy Loria, GumGum, Chief Revenue Officer, CRO, Revenue Leadership, Sales Leadership, Advertising, AdTech, Paramount, Screenvision Media, FreeWheel, Leadership, Servant Leadership, Team Building, Mentorship, Career Growth, Women in Leadership, The Seat Podcast
Katy's Bio:
Katy Loria is Chief Revenue Officer at GumGum, where she leads the company's global revenue organization across North America, EMEA, and APAC.
A respected media and ad tech executive with more than 20 years of experience, Katy has held senior leadership roles at FreeWheel, Screenvision Media, and Paramount, building and scaling high-performing revenue organizations through periods of significant industry transformation. At FreeWheel, she led a 250-person organization responsible for more than $1 billion in annual recurring revenue. Known for her people-first leadership style, Katy is a passionate mentor and advocate for advancing women in leadership. She serves on several industry boards and is a member of CHIEF, She Runs It, and the Alliance for Women in Media. She holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Georgia and lives in New York with her husband, college-aged twins, and more pets than anyone fully agreed to.
Ray's Bio:
Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, exploring the early days, mentors, setbacks, and defining moments that shaped how they lead today. By day, Ray serves as VP of Sales at Cluep, where he leads the East Coast sales team, partnering with brands and agencies to leverage AI-powered audience intelligence across the open web. With more than 20 years of experience spanning ad tech, CTV, streaming, data, and digital media, he has built and scaled revenue organizations at companies including Samsung Ads, A Parent Media Company (Victory+), Conversant, and Intuit. He created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.
Social Links:
Instagram: @theseat.pod
TikTok: @theseat.pod
LinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)
Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)
Website: www.theseatpodcast.com
Listen:
Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / Pandora / Acast / YouTube
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