Let’s say it’s almost lunchtime and suddenly you receive a text from your favorite local restaurant with a coupon. You read the text and think, “That does sound pretty good.” You head there for lunch, show your coupon, and get your discount. In a nutshell, this is what Vibes, a platform that helps marketers drive experiences and meaningful customer connections, is all about.

Today, Pat and Shelli spoke to Vibes’ CTO Brian Garofola about the underutilized power of mobile when it comes to driving customer experience. Brian discusses why text marketing and mobile wallet can bridge the digital and physical divide thus increasing transactions.

Brian also mused on the power of mentorship and explained why he believes that leadership is not a destination but an ongoing journey. He shared why he keeps the work in perspective and does his best to model a positive outlook for his employees. Listen to the episode for his insights.

*Please note this interview was recorded in early February prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

[00:24] - This week: Brian Garofola
[01:42] - Mobile marketing with Vibes
[04:26] - The innovator's dilemma
[06:14] - Gary Vaynerchuk
[08:35] - Text message recruiting
[11:07] - Helping brands explode
[20:18] - Leadership with optimism
[23:57] - Evolving through mentors
[29:32] - Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps
[32:49 - Building trust and goodwill

Brian Garofola is the CTO at Vibes in Chicago. At Vibes, Brian is focused on connecting people with the brands they love through the power of mobile. Vibes delivers over a billion mobile experiences per month for some of the world's leading brands like Home Depot, Chipotle, and PetSmart. Brian is responsible for the Product & Technology organization, including Engineering, Product Experience, Data & Analytics, Cloud, IT, and Security. He also served as the Vice President of platform engineering at CDK Global, a global provider of information technology and digital marketing solutions to the automotive retail industry.

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This podcast episode was produced by Dante32.

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