Redirecting.work
Thera Martens
Trusting the Pause
I had the privilege of working with Thera Martens at Visier for more than five years, and for part of that time she was my boss, a very good one! I’ve always admired her optimism and steady positivity, and both were very much present when we talked about this unexpected period in her life.
After more than two decades of career momentum, Thera found herself with something she had rarely had: time. Then her mother became seriously ill, and what might have been simply a career transition became something much more important. Thera chose to spend the final months of her mother's life with her.
Only afterward did she begin thinking seriously about work again. She wasn't rushing. She turned down opportunities that weren't right, reconnected with people she trusted, and began defining what she now calls her three Ps: product, people, and pay. She was giving herself permission to reflect on what she wanted from work at this point in her life before committing to another demanding leadership role.
Thera calls it trusting the pause. I think that's exactly what she was doing.
After six years leading the embedded marketing team at Visier, Thera reached a natural inflection point. The company was evolving its strategy and bringing in new leadership, and while she hadn’t planned to move on, she recognized it was the right time for fresh voices and new perspectives.
Soon after, her personal life shifted dramatically when her mother became seriously ill. The unexpected pause gave her the rare gift of spending every day of the last three and a half months of her mother’s life by her side. “The universe was thinking about me in an unusual way,” she reflected. Gratitude, rather than frustration, became her anchor. The experience underscored what she now sees as an essential truth of senior careers: external change sometimes arrives exactly when personal priorities need space to surface.
The transition process
Career-focused for more than two decades, Thera realized she had not taken more than two consecutive weeks off since graduating from university. The sudden stop was both jarring and restorative. Between caregiving and grieving, she leaned into reflection and began exploring what she calls her three Ps: product, people, and pay. The right role, she believes, will blend a product she can believe in, inspiring colleagues she can learn from, and fair recognition for the value she brings.
She is also embracing what I call “cocooning”—taking time to clarify what matters most instead of rushing toward the next job. “I had to be honest with myself,” she said. “I couldn’t give a company what they needed while also being a caregiver for my mom.” Turning down several offers this summer would once have felt impossible, yet it proved empowering.
As she regained energy, Thera re-engaged her network. Reaching out individually to past leaders and mentors, she found generous advice and encouragement. AI has become a quiet ally: she uses ChatGPT to research potential employers, synthesize interview notes, and shape thoughtful questions for executives. “The research that used to take days now takes hours,” she said, “but I never outsource the thinking. I feed it context, and it helps me sharpen my own insights.”
From recent interviews, she learned that senior-level conversations often center on the stories of the companies she’s worked for—their milestones and inflection points—rather than just her own achievements. That realization inspired her to map the arc of each business she’s helped build to illustrate her impact in context.
A former CMO mentor also encouraged her to develop a personal CMO Playbook: a concise guide to how she would approach recurring challenges such as funding rounds, acquisitions, customer retention, and demand generation. Building the playbook has helped Thera keep her skills sharp and reminded her of how she loves to learn by doing.
Current direction
Thera describes herself as a builder at heart. As she redefines her next chapter, she’s focusing on roles where she can roll up her sleeves within a company that has strong product-market fit, a mission she believes in, and a leadership team that values collaboration. She sees herself as a full-stack marketing leader, equally comfortable in strategy and execution, whose strengths lie in revenue marketing, partnerships, and scaling growth in B2B SaaS organizations.
Her learning mindset extends to the next generation. She regularly meets with students and professors from her alma mater, encouraging internships and early-career roles at a time when AI threatens many entry-level jobs. “AI workflows still need people to build them,” she said. “Graduates bring curiosity and speed I can learn from, even as I mentor them.”
Thera remains open to both in-person roles in Vancouver and remote opportunities globally. She thrives on travel, especially when meeting customers and partners face to face. For now, she continues refining her playbook and exploring options that align with her energy, values, and stage of life.
Advice to others
Thera’s guidance blends practicality with courage:
Take the break if life hands it to you. “I’ve never had more energy than I do now.”
Reach out to past leaders and colleagues. You’ll be surprised how many are eager to help.
Tailor your materials. Pair your strengths with the specific needs of each company.
Use AI as a research partner. Let it accelerate preparation, but keep ownership of the insights.
Tell the story of your companies as well as your own. Executives want to hear about business inflection points, not just personal milestones.
Revisit your values regularly. What satisfies your career appetite evolves over time.
Always take calls—even when you’re working. Staying attuned to the market helps you manage your value and growth where you are.
Trust your instincts. If the timing or fit isn’t right, it’s okay to say no—even to great opportunities.
Most of all, Thera emphasizes aligning choices with values. “At that moment, I knew my heart was telling me to spend time with my mom. And I will feel right about that choice for the rest of my life.”