This Mother’s Day, we sit down with Sophia Marshall, Senior Vice President of Communications at Comcast, to talk about motherhood, career, and leadership.
Happy Mother’s Day! What does this day mean for you?
Mother’s Day has always been a special time of recognition and appreciation for the silent heroes, nurturers, and models of unconditional love that we find in moms around the world. As a child, I witnessed the patience and sacrifices of my own mother, and – as a working mother of two – I now understand the true weight that responsibility holds.
Mother’s Day reminds us that we can thrive in any situation through our optimism and strength. It’s a time to celebrate all of the mothers and mother-like figures in our lives. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the beautiful moments that have tested us and the wisdom we’ve gained along the way.
Beyond being a mother, you’re a leader at Comcast. Tell us more about your role there.
I serve as the Chief Communications Officer for Comcast’s Central Division. I lead all aspects of employee communications, public relations, advocacy communications and creative services for the company’s largest division. We sit squarely at the intersection of connectivity, innovation, entertainment, and platforms, and that comes with a great responsibility to deliver reliable and fast connections to everyone.
My role specifically is crucial to making sure the Comcast brand and priorities are championed by our teammates and experienced by our customers and consumers. We have an incredible opportunity to not only bolster our reputation as a trusted brand but also to continue telling our story of community and connectivity in every market, neighborhood, business, and home that we serve.
More calls are made on Mother’s Day than at any other time of year—an astonishing 122 million worldwide! And Comcast plays a key role. Tell us more.
Billions of call minutes are expected yearly on Mother’s Day, and countless minutes are spent communicating on the other 364 days of the year. It’s difficult to really grasp the concept of a billion anything.
Since 1963, our mission has always been the same – connecting our customers to the moments that matter. Comcast has a proven legacy as an industry pioneer at the center of each technological advancement in connectivity. Our network delivers 99.99% reliability and is faster than what our customers need – powering everything they love through an unrivaled experience.
So, when families prepare to give their mothers a phone call or video chat, having a reliable and secure network at every moment, in every corner of their home, can provide peace of mind this Mother’s Day. It’s arguably the most important call a child can make each year. In an ever-connected world, we are the bridge between our customers and their mothers, and we live and breathe keeping that connection secure.
What exciting investments is Comcast making in its network to ensure it will be easier than ever for us to connect with our moms on Mother’s Day and after?
At Comcast, we continually strive to lead the industry, raising the bar across our connectivity platforms. Earlier this year, we doubled our internet speeds for a large majority of our customers – something we have been fortunate enough to do for the past 20 years as a direct benefit from the strategic investments made to our network. In the past five years, we’ve invested more than $20 billion in our network and the technologies that power it, including $38 million here in Atlanta since 2022.
Our Atlanta office, where I sit, is particularly special as it serves as a Center of Excellence and innovation hub where new technologies and programs that lead to enhanced services for our customers are often tested before national rollouts. In the last two months, we’ve announced some exciting portfolios for customers to help them stay connected with their mothers and families year-round at industry-leading pricing, including:
- Our new Xfinity Mobile Unlimited and Unlimited Plus plans.
- 10-times faster Wi-Fi speeds at more than 23 million hotspots across the country.
- NOW Internet, Mobile and TV, which is our one-two punch to Fixed Wireless that gives value-seeking customers access to high-speed internet and mobile data affordably.
You can learn more about our investments in our network and our communities by visiting south.comcast.com.
As a mother with a demanding career, how do you maintain balance in your life?
I believe all moms in the workforce can relate to not feeling like there are enough hours in the day. Balancing leadership in an organization like Comcast while maintaining a healthy household is challenging, and the notion of “mom guilt” is real. But it is possible.
There is certainly not a one-size-fits-all approach, but we as mothers need to identify what balance looks like in our lives. We live in a digital age where organizations such as Comcast make hybrid working environments possible, but that also emphasizes the need to separate work and home. It is a dance.
Scheduling “me time” may sound silly, but self-care is important, and any/every small moment to seize is a chance to reset. It can be easy to get stuck in a routine, but every day is a new opportunity to realize we can be great leaders, amazing mothers, and our own best advocates so long as we make the time for it.
Has motherhood influenced your leadership style?
Motherhood absolutely influences my leadership style and overall sentiment at the organization. It is funny how similar the two can be. My job, inside and outside the office, is the orchestrator. I establish the standard, set the pace and tone, and trust my people and family to execute accordingly without overstepping boundaries.
As mothers, we foster a deep sense of compassion and understanding, which are both essential for connecting with team members and establishing a supportive, thriving, and inclusive work environment. It’s a transformative journey, and by cultivating a culture of autonomy and trust, we can be bold, united, and winning in the workplace and our own homes.
What have you learned about leadership, and how are you teaching your children about it?
Three important lessons come to mind:
1. Focus on your emotional intelligence: Building strong relationships, enabling teamwork and promoting a healthy and inclusive work culture requires high emotional intelligence. Leaders must be adept at motivating their teams, resolving conflict and adapting to change – just like mothers do every day.
2. Embrace failure: When we’re learning and developing, we tend to put immense pressure on ourselves to be perfect and get everything right every time. We fear the possibility of being perceived as incapable, unworthy, or unfit to lead.
The truth is every great leader encounters a plethora of challenges that help them develop the skills that will enrich their journeys. Even the weather person gets caught in the rain sometimes, but we still check the forecast every day. That’s the power of credibility and authority only established through trial and error, and I encourage my children to understand the opportunities that grow out of error.
3. Lead by example: As parents, and as mothers, we will be the best teachers our children will ever have. Seeing their role models truly embody the values and behaviors expected of them encourages accountability and responsibility.
On this Mother’s Day, can you share a meaningful lesson or piece of wisdom from your mother that’s had a lasting impact on your life?
My mother’s life is a testimony of resilience and grit. She was raised on a farm in the rural, segregated South with faith and a dream that she could create a better life for her children. Her journey wasn’t easy as a mother of five navigating parenthood with limited money and resources, but she always found a way to provide for our needs.
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