Porter Gale – VP, Marketing, Virgin America

This airline VP makes documentary films, climbs mountains and run marathons.

By Taylor Mallory

Porter Gale, vice president of marketing for Virgin America, joined the 3-year-old airline, a $157.9 million company named best domestic airline for two consecutive years by top travel publications, two years ago. She “stumbled into” documentary film-making in 1998, while working in New York in advertising. Her father died while her mother was battling breast cancer, so she “took some time off to adjust to everything that was happening and decided to make a film in honor of [her] mom – about young breast cancer survivors and ways to empower young women to learn about breast health education.” She sold her first film to Lifetime. And a film-maker was born. Next she created another documentary about gender identity called XXXY that played on PBS – as well as documentary-style commercials for Kohl’s and Country Music Television.

So how does film-making make her better at her executive day job? “In order to be good at this, you have to be a good listener, put people at ease and figure out their needs – essentially how to communicate with them so they will share their stories. That skill has served me well at work, too – listening to coworkers and talking to people about what they need. And storytelling is part of both film-marking and what we do to promote the Virgin brand.  It also really taught me how to extend a dollar.”

Here she discusses balance, simplicity, travel and thinking like a CFO regardless of her actual title.

PINK: What are your professional success secrets?
Porter Gale: The main thing is having passion and knowing you can accomplish anything. Before I became a filmmaker, I wasn’t exposed to a lot of technology or camera equipment. But I found that when I took the class and tried to do it, I could. It’s so important to try new things that aren’t already in your skill set. Otherwise you’ll never know what you could do. Another key has been manners, which many people don’t have. People who interview often don’t send thank-you notes or they show up late to interviews. That stuff is important.

PINK: What’s the best business advice you’ve gotten?
P.G.: Even though we’re starting to come out of the recession, it’s important to still be fiscally conservative. Someone told me even if your title is CMO or CIO, try to think like a CFO. What’s the bottom line – and how will this decision impact it? What’s the projected return on spend? Every dollar has to work hard. Our challenges are mostly external factors beyond our control – like gas prices, unemployment and what the competition is doing. So we have to be very lean and strategic.

PINK: How do you manage your Life/Work balance?
P.G.: I’m a single mom, so I try to stick to a routine. It’s good for my almost 8-year-old daughter, for both of us. If I travel for work, I try to do it on Thursdays and Fridays just for consistency. I try to leave the office at a set time every day, so I have time to give my daughter dinner and get her to bed, then work once she’s asleep if I have to. I let her know mom likes working – and that women can do powerful things. She’s proud of me and recognizes that the job gives us the opportunity to have a home and for her to get a good education and take piano lessons. She’s supportive. When I have to travel, I give her all the details (where I’m going and why) and at least a couple days’ notice. I would never spring it on her. She sometimes puts stuffed animals in my suitcase. I was in Florida recently. I took a picture of her toy in my hotel and e-mailed it to her, so she could see exactly where we were. She likes that. And she’s has shown interest in film-making. I’m starting to teach her how to shoot and edit. We’ll be making our own little films at home. She’s already quite the photographer. She brings her camera with her everywhere.”

PINK: What are some trends in business travel?
P.G.: Business travel was on decline with the recession, but we’re starting to see a bit of an upturn. The good news for travelers is that you can still get a lot of great last-minute deals and fares. In the past, you had to book two weeks in advance to get a good fare. That’s not always the case anymore. And most airlines are trying to create a better in-flight experience, allowing more connectivity (like wifi and places to plug in) for business travelers. It keeps you productive.

PINK: Where are your favorite places to travel?
P.G.: I really enjoy outdoor adventures, so I like going to Sun Valley for skiing or up to Tahoe, where my daughter and I camp and fish. My favorite trip ever was to Africa for six weeks. I went on safaris and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s a very unique culture with cool people.

PINK: What are your best tips for coping with jet lag?
P.G.: Drink lots of water. I stay away from alcohol on the plane, which can further delay sleep. And I get and stay on the local time clock, even if that means staying up late the first night to get on track. And fruits, proteins and exercise help. I try to take walks when I can to get fresh air.

PINK: How do you do to relax and rejuvenate yourself?
P.G.: I live in Morin County, a gorgeous area outside of San Francisco with mountains, beaches and hiking trails. On the weekends, my daughter and I do a lot of hiking. We also swim in the pool at our health club most weekends and have friends over for barbeques. We stay close to home a lot and keep our weekends pretty simple.

PINK: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
P.G.: I am a Scrabble addict. My sister and I play a lot. And I am a very active gardener. We have strawberries, watermelon and lots of flowers. People might not assume that about me. I lived in New York a long time and have high energy levels, so that probably seems like a contradictory hobby.

PINK: What is one personal goal you haven’t yet achieved?
P.G.: I want to write a nonfiction book someday, maybe a memoir or a business book. I have a lot of gratitude for all the interesting adventures I’ve had. I’ve biked across the country, had multiple careers, climbed mountains and ran marathons. And I like to write.