Google’€™s No. 1 Girl

The search engine Google is so universal, it’s a defined verb in both the Oxford English and Merriam Webster Collegiate dictionaries.

That’s due largely to Marissa Mayer. The 36-year-old Wisconsin native is a head decision-maker for the more than $150 billion company and the brains behind such projects as Google Instant and iGoogle.

Mayer is often the one fielding tough questions from the public and the media – not easy when you’re representing a company with nearly 25,000 employees in more than 100 countries. And while her job requires her to always look to the future, she credits an old-fashioned strong work ethic as her key to success.

Mayer talked to PINK about finding your rhythm, her love of old movies and the importance of encouraging women in technology.

PINK: Do you have a positive outlook when it comes to professional career women today?

MM: I am incredibly optimistic about professional women right now – particularly women in technology. We’re lucky that at Google we have an environment that fosters and promotes women. I think that’s wonderful. All across technology, we’re dealing with companies that are very young. Because they’re young and fast-growing companies, they have a lot of opportunities for women to participate, advance and ultimately make a difference.

PINK: What’s a personal goal you have yet to achieve?

MM: I started so many products and companies inside the company of Google that I think it will be nice to actually start my own company at some point. At the moment I am so interested and challenged by my work at Google that I have no desire to leave. But I do think it would be great to start my own.

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By Caroline Cox