Leader Spotlight: Leveraging AI to elevate personal brand building, with Karen Brophy

Karen Brophy is a veteran product and media executive with leadership roles spanning major players like Hearst, Nexstar, and Gannett. At Hearst, she served as President of Digital, overseeing product, design, and engineering across a portfolio of top-performing media brands. At Nexstar, she led digital product transformation for the largest local broadcasting group in the U.S. Karen’s career also includes key product roles at Gannett and Tribune, where she helped shape the digital future of legacy media.

In our conversation, Karen shares smart, tactical advice on navigating career pivots, building a side hustle, and using AI as your secret job-search weapon. She also gets candid about burnout, boundary-setting, and what it really takes to stay energized in product leadership.

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How to tell if product is really driving the business

When you’re evaluating a new product leadership opportunity, how do you assess whether a company is truly product-led or if product is treated more like an execution function?

These days, as I've been doing fractional and consulting work, I’ve noticed some clear differences. In many companies, especially in SaaS and other tech-forward startups, product is genuinely empowered. The company knows what product is, and what product is supposed to do. When folks in my network explore working at B- or C-stage startups, they often meet directly with the CEO and the director of product. That signals that product is taken seriously, and that the company really relies on product to grow its business and its audience.

But that's not always the case. My last two full-time roles were at large media companies — Nexstar, the biggest broadcaster in the U.S. and owner of The CW, and Hearst Newspapers. In both cases, product didn’t even exist as a function before I joined. I had to build it from the ground up, alongside engineering and analytics.

In media companies, product often ends up being more about execution. You’re not always driving strategy, even as a CPO. A lot of that depends on where the role reports. I've seen heads of product reporting into IT, and when that happens, you’re usually taking orders instead of shaping direction.

For me, that’s a challenge. So what I did at Hearst and Nexstar was really bring the product function in and show ROI; building out businesses that drove serious revenue, like $30 million at Hearst and $365 million at Nexstar. When you do that — when you focus on users, customers, advertisers, and have great product managers helping you grow — then product starts to get recognized as a driver.

But I also learned something important during that time, and that’s that those roles were all-consuming. Now, when I evaluate new opportunities, I intentionally prioritize work-life balance. I’ve found that setting boundaries not only keeps me healthier. It also helps me bring more energy and clarity to the work itself.

How can you tell if product is seen as strategic versus just executional at a company?

You can tell a lot about how product is viewed by looking at where it sits. If it’s in IT, you’re going to be reactive. If it’s in engineering, it might skew technical. Ideally, product sits on its own and reports into the COO or CEO, that’s when it’s truly empowered.

Right now, I still see that in media companies, product management can be very execution-focused. It often depends on the org structure. For example, if it's a hub-and-spoke model across local markets, product might just be filling in requests for sales teams. That’s different from something being driven top-down or by product leadership.

But in a lot of startups, I’m seeing much more of a focus on product empowerment. I’m working with a PropTech company right now that doesn't even have the concept of product. As a result, they didn’t have a pitch deck, and couldn’t clearly articulate who their customers were. They actually have customers and are really smart tech, but they didn’t have a go-to-market approach. That’s where I came in — I’m helping with product and GTM, because that was a real gap.

So sometimes, it’s not that product isn’t valued, it’s just that no one’s introduced the concept yet. That’s when I can step in and say, “I can help you go to market and help you understand your customer better. Let’s get focused on targeting.”

Is there a particular company stage that you find most interesting to work with, or one where you feel you can be most impactful?

I've built divisions from scratch, but in a lot of those roles, the products already exist. I enjoy working with companies that are doing a V2 or a V3. I love making improvements and seeing how the audience responds. That’s the bulk of my work.

But I especially love building something from scratch. At Hearst, we built a subscription iPad app when iPad was 1.0. That was an amazing experience — from the initial concept to designing the product itself. The strategy shifted overnight, from offering the app for free to moving to a subscription model, and we had to respond to that. It was exciting to be part of that kind of shift.

So whether it’s a redo, an evolution, or a fresh build, I enjoy it. But if I had to label myself, I’d say I’m a builder. I’m less interested in maintaining something and much more drawn to creating or reinventing.

Making networking work when time is tight

Given your fractional work, you probably spend a fair amount of time networking. That’s something that execs often struggle to make time for. Could you share some strategies that you've found helpful?

When you're in a leadership role and working hard, sometimes you're so busy that you don't make time to connect. Whether it’s with people outside your company, inside your company, new contacts, or just nurturing your existing network.

Over the past year, I've really learned that building, growing, and nurturing the network is critical, especially in the current environment. Initially, I was a bit skeptical about whether it was worth the time. But honestly, in the past six-plus months, I’ve met so many people across the globe, and it's been fantastic. Not everything leads to something tangible, or even many things, but you get connections, and you learn about others out there. If you approach networking with a “How can I help you?” mindset, you’ll find people are incredibly generous. I’ve run into some amazingly generous people on this networking journey.

Now, I’m with people I know and people I don’t. Sometimes I’ll find someone on LinkedIn, connect with them, and just say hi. Looking at my week, I probably spend a third to half of my time meeting or networking with people I’ve met or worked with before, and it’s just been great.

Everyone has different ideas and suggestions. You get momentum. I’ve gotten clients from it and exposure to other kinds of businesses. You really have to work those networking muscles; it’s important. Especially now, when the job market is a bit rough, having a strong network, and building it while you’re employed, is a great investment in your future.

So yes, sometimes you want to hang out at home and watch TV instead of going to a networking dinner, but sometimes it’s really worth it to go out and meet those people.

Do you use any specific calendaring or follow-up tactics to maintain engagement with your network?

When you're networking at volume, it can be hard to keep in contact consistently. I have a couple of strategies for that.

First, I send out a monthly newsletter, a short update to everyone I’ve connected with, or those I plan to connect with soon. I share what I’ve been up to, what I’m looking for, and then I try to give back by sharing resources that have helped me recently.

For example, this month I mentioned reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I got a few responses from that. I also shared that I took my kids to Disney, and I encouraged people to take a break, plan a vacation, and join the Y or find other ways to make time for personal health. I advocate for doing what you love and spending time with family because those moments go by fast. The advice is my way of giving back to people who take the time to read my updates, and it also keeps me top of mind.

Then, every time I meet with someone new, I send a thank-you message that same day or at worst, the next day. At the end of each day, I review my meetings and thank everyone I spoke with. That’s important, even if there’s not an immediate follow-up, because sometimes connections just plant seeds. I’ve had people, like someone from Salesforce, say, “If you see something, write to me. I’ll let HR know.” So you don’t have to talk to them repeatedly, but having those connections helps when you need them.

It’s key to approach networking with a giving and helping mindset. Most people are open to networking and actually enjoy it. I encourage regular follow-ups and thank-yous. There are folks I check in with every few months or who want updates and to share things, so you develop a rhythm.

For scheduling, I use Calendly. I’m also working to organize my availability into dedicated time blocks because random 30-minute meetings scattered throughout the day can disrupt my workflow. I like to have specific windows in my calendar for client time versus networking.

Raising your profile without feeling ‘salesy’

What advice do you have for product leaders who want to make themselves more "discoverable" to recruiters, companies, peers, but are worried about seeming too self-promotional?

I've never been the type to self-promote, and I’ve never thought of myself as a salesperson, yet I’ve generated millions in revenue. At the end of the day, for product to be valued, you have to be able to demonstrate its worth. And like it or not, money talks.

For those who want to raise their visibility, start with LinkedIn. Love it or leave it, that’s where the action is. Participating there isn’t necessarily self-promotion; it can just be showing up authentically. For example, you can focus on writing about things you genuinely care about. Twice a week, post something that reflects your interests, whether it’s about product, business, leadership, or something else you’re passionate about. You’re probably already doing that on Instagram or Facebook, so just shift a little of that energy to LinkedIn.

I’ve also heard that posting longer articles on LinkedIn newsletters once a week can help increase your presence. I’m still exploring that myself. But the more active you are on the platform, the more the algorithm works in your favor, and the more likely it is that people will discover you. Your posts don’t have to be flashy; they just have to be consistent and authentic.

Have you experimented with any AI tools to streamline your process for building your personal brand?

I don’t use AI to write posts, but I do use it more to help me gather ideas. I’ll ask something like, “Hey ChatGPT, you know what I’m interested in. What’s going on in the world today that I might want to write about?” So it’s more of a research and aggregation tool for me. Sometimes I’ll also use it to refine how I present myself, like, “Here’s my resume. What’s a good way to position myself in a LinkedIn summary?” I don’t use its suggestion verbatim, but it helps me think differently.

Especially if you’re not a natural self-marketer, AI tools can help you consider how you could talk about yourself, and that can help get over the discomfort of self-promotion.

I use Claude a lot. It’s great for writing and ideation, and I think it does a really nice job generating content that feels a little more natural. Perplexity is great when I need to dig into data, like analyzing pricing models or handling research-heavy tasks.

I always try to write authentically; that's why I feel good about sharing. Still, I don’t mind getting a little help coming up with topics or asking, “What should I post about this week?” I could Google that too, but AI tools are often faster and more tailored.

Personally, I keep my network pretty close. It’s something I’ve built over years. I haven’t really used AI to expand it, but I do use tools like Notion to stay organized, and ChatGPT to prep for networking conversations. I’ll sometimes prompt it with, “You’re so-and-so. What questions should I ask you?” It helps get me in the right headspace before the meeting.

Have you used tools like Claude or others to go beyond listing ideas, like generating outlines or rough drafts?

As a side project, I’m writing a book; it’s focused on women in business and product, and how to navigate the pitfalls of change, especially organizational change.

I used Claude just as an experiment to see how it would do when writing a chapter of the book. I gave it a detailed prompt that included what the book is about, what the tone should be, and how long the chapter should be by character count, since that’s usually easier for AI to handle, and let it generate something. The resulting chapter wasn’t as good as what I would've written, but it was interesting. What surprised me was how it sparked new ideas. For example, it suggested follow-on exercises that readers could do to improve at whatever the chapter was focused on.

So while I wouldn’t use the AI to write full chapters, I would use it to expand my thinking. Sometimes it surfaces angles or additions that weren’t on my radar, and that’s really valuable when you’re shaping something big like a book.

Pivoting industries and finding hidden roles

What’s your advice for someone looking to pivot industries? How can they reframe their background to break into a new field?

It's a little harder to pivot these days, especially with all the AI tools that are being used to scan and filter resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Additionally, at the mid-career level, companies are often looking for someone who’s already done exactly what they want. So if you’re in FinTech, you stay in FinTech. If you’re in EdTech, you stay in EdTech.

That being said, I’ve actually seen successful pivots. I moderate a group in the Never Search Alone community, a job search community based on a book and process that’s totally free (you can even get the book from the library). The group I work with is made up mostly of product folks, and two of them have made meaningful transitions. One moved from real estate product work into healthcare, and another shifted from EdTech into ERP and employment platforms.

So it is possible. Product work tends to involve a transferable skill set. It’s more about the industry expertise. If you’re aiming to switch industries, and you're currently employed, I’d suggest a couple of things. Start taking classes or certificate programs in the new field. If you want to go from EdTech to FinTech, for example, start networking with people in FinTech. Next, show that you understand the industry. That could be finance basics, asset management, or wealth management, depending on the role.

For product leaders proactively searching for their next role, do you have any strategies for finding interesting opportunities that might not show up in a typical LinkedIn job search?

Sure. First, I've learned new ways to use LinkedIn search. One tip is to shift how you use keywords. Instead of just searching by job title, try searching by themes like “digital transformation.”You’ll likely see a whole different set of roles come up than those you might see in your regular feed or job alerts.

Then, there are also other job boards that I think product folks should keep an eye on. Welcome to the Jungle is an aggregator, and I’ve found it especially good for mid-career product roles. Even if some of the jobs are also posted on LinkedIn, it surfaces them in a way that makes them easier to discover.

There's also JobRight.AI, which is newer but has some interesting features. Some of these tools are paid, but I usually avoid the paid tiers unless it’s an executive-level site. Even with those like ExecuNet or ExecThread, you can often find the same listings elsewhere. Just search the job title on LinkedIn or Indeed, and it will probably show up there too.

And then there’s the so-called “hidden” job market, which is real, especially in larger or more traditional organizations. Sometimes companies are required to post a role publicly (especially public companies), even if they’ve already picked someone internally or are working through a recruiter. That can be frustrating. I’ve been on the other side of it myself, so I get it. If you don’t hear back, don’t take it personally; it might not be a real opening.

When I apply to job postings, I focus on those that closely match my background and interests. And if I know someone at the company, I always reach out to let them know I’m applying. Even just having them say to HR, “Hey, this is a real person,” helps. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it increases your chances of being seen.

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