Builders Wanted Behind the Brands: How a COO Builds the Machine Powering Inc. and Fast Company with Anne Marie O’Keefe
In this episode of Builders Wanted, we’re joined by Anne Marie O’Keefe, Chief Operating Officer of Inc. and Fast Company. Anne Marie discusses her approach to fostering creativity and operational excellence in a rapidly changing media landscape. The conversation covers the balancing act between legacy and innovation, simplifying systems for better efficiency, and the critical role of listening to customers.
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Key Takeaways:
- Media brands should focus on constantly evolving products, touchpoints, and strategies rather than chasing industry trends or competitors.
- Reducing complexity in workflows and technology enables organizations to adapt faster and deliver more value.
- Effective leadership requires adapting management styles to different teams, celebrating small wins, and empowering people to do their best work.
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“ Simplification is transformative. I think a lot of times we read these amazing stories in Fast Company about innovators and we think, Oh, they took this really complicated problem and they solved it. And that leads us to believe that we need a lot of complexity in what we do. Stripping that complexity away really lets the team be creative and innovative where it matters most, where they can build something that has impact for the audience.” – Anne Marie O’Keefe
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Episode Timestamps:
*(01:59) - What Anne Marie builds at Inc. and Fast Company
*(07:28) - Simplifying operations and driving innovation
*(21:42) - Balancing editorial integrity and business growth
*(34:21) - Quick hits
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Links:
Connect with Anne Marie on LinkedIn
Connect with Kailey on LinkedIn
Learn more about Caspian Studios
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Sponsor
Builders Wanted is brought to you by Twilio – the Customer Engagement Platform that helps builders turn real-time data into meaningful customer experiences. More than 320,000 businesses trust Twilio to transform signals into connections—and connections into revenue. Ready to build what’s next? Learn more at twilio.com.
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