Linda Pan’s parents moved from China to Saskatoon, Canada--making Linda a first-generation citizen. They persuaded Linda to follow a path similar to theirs: electrical engineering. So she did. After two engineering degrees and a handful of hard family conversations, Linda talks about how she transitioned from electrical engineering to media business, attended Harvard Business School and climbed the ladder at MRC and Netflix. Today, Linda is the general manager of SundanceNow Doc Club and Vice President of Business Development at AMC Networks. Similar to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, Sundance Now Doc Club offers a place for both longtime documentary lovers and those new to the genre, to stream classics and new releases. Learn how Linda, your video clerk on the Internet, curates and stocks the shelves and makes the business decisions behind what the new streaming service offers.
“I have realized in my years of working with all different types of people, that airtime is not equivalent to thinking time. Sometimes you just need to be heard and say something. You don’t need to over think it, over analyze it. It’s just important to tell people how you think. And over time you grow to be comfortable putting your voice out there and developing your own style. The most important thing is to just speak up.”
RELATED LINKS
Linda Pan on Twitter
Join SundanceNow Doc Club
SundanceNow Doc Club on Facebook
Ira Glass’ curated documentary list
Variety: Susan Sarandon and Linda Pan talk about Doc Club
Name: Linda Pan
Current Gig: General Manager of SundanceNow Doc Club and Vice President of Business Development at AMC Networks
Current City: NYC
DOB: 6/1982
What are you listening to now? StartUp podcast
What books changed you? "The Stranger" by Albert Camus and "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Who is your career role model? Sheryl Sandberg
What is a tool you can't live without? Wunderlist
How do you take your coffee? With a dollop of cream
What's your spirit animal? My dog. He reminds me everyday to take joy in the simple things in life.
MUSIC FEATURED IN SHOW: Our featured MusicMaker this week is Casey Dienel, of White Hinterland. Learn more about Casey here.
Songs featured from KAIROS album
- Cataract
- Thunderbird
- Icarus
- Moon Jam
- Bow & Arrow
Songs featured from BABY album
- Begin Again
- Metronome
- No Devotion
- Dry Mind
- Baby
- Ring The Bell
- David
Others:
- Lunirascible
- Hung On A Thin Thread
CLIPS FEATURED IN SHOW:
Modern Times: Charlie Chaplin (Eating Machine clip)
1950's Westinghouse TV Commercial 1950
1978 Panasonic VHS Commercial
Cinema Paradiso (trailer)
NEWS: Netflix Splits DVD Mail Service Into Qwikster
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: Wildebeests Documentary
Stop Making Sense (Documentary about The Talking Heads)
CREDITS
PRODUCED by Elaine Sheldon and Sarah Ginsburg
SOUND DESIGN by Billy Wirasnik