Audible’s General Counsel Lori Landew on Defining Your Own Success

January 4, 2023

Lori Landew has spent three decades charting her own course, trusting her passions and priorities to forge a career that has spanned film and television, music, publishing, sports and fashion. Along the way she’s represented artists, athletes, and personalities like Ludacris, Martina Navratilova, and Ashley Graham, as well as independent and major entertainment companies like Jive Records, Sony Music, QVC, and the Sixers. Landew joined us in 2019 as Vice President of Legal for our content teams and moved into her current role as General Counsel in 2021. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania, where she would host, apparently, one of the most fascinating dinner parties of all time.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in their career now, given the current trends?

I have two pieces of advice that I stand by: The first is that you should always try to anticipate what work needs to be done and do it rather than waiting for work to be assigned to you. I had a manager early in my career who impressed upon me that the difference between doing good work and doing great work comes down to thinking about and delivering what others need before they even realize they need it.

Second is that you should never let other people define your success. A career will be filled with decisions made for personal and professional reasons, and those reasons may not make sense to anyone but you. If you get caught up with what others say makes for a successful career, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration. Instead, set your own priorities and consider yourself a success if you achieve them.

What are some “left turns” you took on your career journey?

I’ve pivoted many times over three decades. The first significant pivot was leaving my career as a litigator in a large law firm to work for a small rap/hip-hop label clearing samples so that I could get into the music business. My next big swing was when I left the record label job after almost 10 years (as a senior business and legal executive) to relocate my family from New York to Philadelphia to work at a smaller music company so that I could spend more time with my family.

Five years later, when my company was acquired, I pivoted again to return to law-firm life and I started building a successful entertainment law practice from scratch. And lastly, 12 years later, I walked away from a successful practice to return to my in-house roots to join Audible because I wanted to experience being part of a team again.

Looking back, what would you say has been the overarching thread in your career journey?

For me, I’ve had three driving forces in my career: One, I will strive to do what’s best for my family first and foremost; two, I always want to feel challenged and that I’m learning and growing; and three, I will never let anyone else define my success.

Who is your biggest inspiration, career-wise?

My mother—she was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known, but she never had the chance to reach her full potential because she lacked the support of her family who clung to an old-fashioned belief that it was more important for women to marry than to pursue their own aspirations. My achievements are due, in large part, to my mother’s support and encouragement and her strongly held belief that every person should be able to stand on their own and be given the tools to make that happen.

If you could have any super power what would it be?

I would want to be able to communicate with all living/thinking creatures, human and animal.

Who would you invite to the dinner party of your dreams? Invitations are open to anyone living or dead, real or fictional.

Michelle Obama, Lucille Ball, Lady Gaga, Barbara Streisand, Anita Hill, and Harvey Fierstein.

Lightning Round:

Coffee or tea? Coffee.
Morning person or night owl? Both. I burn the candle at both ends.
Where are you working from currently? Most weeks, I am hybrid—two days in the office, three days at home in Philadelphia.
How long have you been with Audible? Three years +.
Dine in or take out? Both. I love to cook and entertain, but I also really enjoy trying new restaurants.
Favorite weekend activity? Cooking for my family.
Favorite Audible listen, go. Currently listening to Mel Brooks’s autobiography, All About Me!