PayPal Mafia, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, & Ancestry.com | Deb Liu

From pioneering one of the world's most used digital platforms to taking her first-ever career break, Deb Liu (Former CEO of Ancestry and Former Product Exec at Facebook, PayPal, eBay) joins the HumanizeHer Podcast for a deeply vulnerable and strategic conversation about power, transitions, and the one thing that matters more than a resume: your health.   In this episode, Deb shares the mental frameworks that helped her rise through the "PayPal Mafia," navigate life as the only mother in the Facebook product room, and lead a 40-year-old storied company like Ancestry through its next chapter.   Inside the Episode: The "Other" in South Carolina: Deb reflects on her upbringing as the daughter of immigrants in a town where few looked like her, and how that sense of being a "foreigner" shaped her drive to find belonging in tech. The 7-Year Pitch for Facebook Marketplace: Deb recounts the persistence required to build Facebook Marketplace—an idea she pitched for years before it was finally greenlit, turning a "mom-group" observation into a global commerce powerhouse. The U-Shape Analogy: A masterclass in career growth. Deb explains why high-impact roles often lead to low learning, and why "hitting the reset button" to enter a new space is essential to avoid stagnation. The "Blank Name Tag Club": After working continuously since 2002, Deb discusses the identity crisis that comes with stepping away from a C-suite title and why she is spending her first-ever year off exploring who she is without a corporate role. A Life-Saving Birthday Request: Deb shares the jarring story of her recent breast cancer diagnosis, caught only because a friend insisted she get a mammogram for her birthday. Deb provides a stark look at the statistics: 13% of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and while catching it early leads to a 90% survival rate, waiting even one year can change the prognosis exponentially. Strategic Leadership: Learn about Deb's "30-60-90 Day Plan" and her "Magic Wand Dinners" - practical tools for building trust and synthesizing culture when entering a new organization as a leader.   This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the "messy middle" of a career while balancing the weights of the sandwich generation. Join the conversation with host, Erica Lockheimer and co-host, Elizabeth Wendorf-Bloesser.