eBay In Person: Rachel Makool

by Nino
eBay Staff member

Rachel Makool has developed a Community of Barbies

This month we meet Rachel Makool, Senior Director, Global Community Development. Rachel manages eBay's Community Development team, and several programs such as eBay's Community forums, Town Halls, and the Voices of the Community program.

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When did you start at eBay and what did you do before?
I started at eBay in June of 2000, in Category Management for Collectibles. Before eBay, I've worked in several consumer software companies, specializing in direct marketing.

How I got to eBay is quite an interesting story. I've always been an avid fan of all kinds of collectibles, especially toys and vintage Barbies. My friends kept nagging me to interview with eBay because of my knowledge of the collectibles market. I kept resisting – but only because I balked at the commute. It's an hour's drive from my home in San Francisco to eBay's campus in San Jose.

Then eBay found me! They had unearthed my resume on the Internet, and asked me if I was interested. My only condition for interviewing was that eBay schedule my interviews at the start of regular business hours, so that I could experience typical commute conditions as I drove to the campus.

Well, on the day of my interviews, traffic was exceptionally light, so I thought to myself, “this commute is a breeze.” I didn't realize that my interviews were at a time of year when traffic is relatively lighter in the Bay Area!

In retrospect, I'm glad it worked out that way. I instantly liked the company and the people when I interviewed, and I'm still here – almost six years later!

What are your responsibilities at eBay?
My team and I are responsible for communicating information about eBay's strategic initiatives, products and upcoming events to our Community, using tools like the Announcement Board, and programs like Voices of the Community and Town Halls. We also use our programs to gather input from Community members on their needs, and represent them to eBay management.

Another key responsibility is providing venues for members to communicate with each other. These forums include the discussion boards, chat rooms, the Answer Center, and eBay Groups. We also conduct regular online workshops for members to learn a new skill on eBay or get acquainted with a new feature.

No other company is defined as uniquely by its community of users as much as eBay is defined by its Community. Can you share your thoughts about this?
eBay's Community is an incredibly unique phenomenon—it's at the core of the very concept of eBay. It sets eBay apart from other online companies. In fact, sometimes I think that without our Community, we wouldn't have a business!

Our Community is also incredibly diverse. It's like a city, really—there are communities within communities, and each contributes in its own way to the overall character. I can think of no other company whose character is so intertwined with the character of its community of users.

How can eBay and the Community help each other succeed?
We have a very passionate Community that cares a lot about the success of the business, because it contributes to their own success. It's important for us to work with the Community in a healthy partnership, to ensure the success of our members as well as that of eBay. One of the most important things we can do as a company is to listen to our Community. And I'm glad to say that at eBay we take our listening very, very seriously indeed.

At its core, this is a people business, so we reach out to Community members and try to build solid relationships that help us understand each other‘s needs and build mutual trust and respect. If all parties understand each other well, we can all help create the right balance between business needs and Community needs.

What do you like about working at eBay?
I love the fact that eBay enables so many people to innovate and empower themselves through entrepreneurial success. I can't think of any other company that works so closely with its community of users to understand their needs. And what a wonderful Community it is! I never cease to be amazed that every eBay member has a different story to tell, and all the stories are interesting. I've met a lot of eBay members over the years, and each of them has been an inspiration.

eBay employees, my co-workers, are also a wonderful bunch of people. Everyone is focused on doing the right thing for our Community. They truly care about how the projects they're working on affect our members.

As a company, eBay is still evolving rapidly, so there's never a dull moment. Every day poses a new and interesting challenge.

What skills have you found yourself utilizing most in your career at eBay?
People skills. Period. The ability to listen to Community members and have empathy for their individual situations. Often eBay and our Community have different points of view about something, although they're both usually working towards the same objective of helping our members succeed on eBay. A key skill in my role is the ability to represent these differing points of view to everyone concerned.

Finally, given the frenetic pace of life at eBay, the ability to manage one's time well is a very mportant skill.

What do you buy or sell on eBay?
I'm a fairly medium-sized seller on eBay. I sell mainly collectibles such as action figures and dolls, but have dabbled in clothing and household items, as well as Christmas ornaments. I'll sell pretty much anything I can make money on. In my spare time I go to estate sales, garage sales, and other events where I can spot a bargain on an item that I can later re-sell on eBay. I'll always remember an unusual item—I picked up a pair of men's brand new lederhosen, for all of $3 at an estate sale. When I listed it on eBay, they sold for an incredible $143!

As for buying, whenever I'm looking for something, my first shopping destination is eBay. I recently went through a huge house remodeling project, and went shopping for a lot of household items on the site. My kitchen sink, faucets, cabinet handles, and light fixtures have all been bought on eBay. In the past, I've also bought shoes, skin care products, and clothing on the site.

But mainly, I'm a seller. 95% of my feedback is from my selling activity on eBay.

What's your most memorable eBay moment?
Attending the very first eBay Live! in Anaheim, CA, in 2002 was definitely one of the most memorable moments for me. Meeting so many passionate eBay members in person at one event was truly an enriching experience. I've also had the pleasure of attending eBay Live! in Germany. I was struck by the fact that the eBay Germany Community was just as passionate as its U.S. counterpart, displaying the same keenness to learn more about succeeding on eBay and the same excitement. I realized that the appeal of eBay is truly global.

What do you like to do for fun?
I love to travel. Going to new places and experiencing new cultures is something I always look forward to. I often like to go off the typical touristy track, though, and experience life in a place just as the local people do. A couple of years ago I went to Italy with John, my husband. We went to island of Ischia, ate at little out-of-the-way places, mingled with the local folks, and tried to experience their everyday lives.

I also enjoy being outdoors. One of my favorite places is Yosemite National Park, where I like to go hiking and explore nature.