How I Made it in Marketing

One of my favorite career analogies is the music video for No Rain, by Blind Melon.There’s a girl in a honeybee costume, dancing around, and she’s so sad because no one seems to care or understand.  And then one day, she comes across this field filled with people in honeybee costumes hopping and leaping around. A look of elation crosses her face, and she joins them to dance her best dance.Are marketing careers really that different? As my next guest puts it – ‘find the place where you thrive.’To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Tifenn Dano Kwan, CMO, Amplitude (https://amplitude.com/).Amplitude is a public company traded on Nasdaq. Its annual recurring revenue in 2023 was $281 million, up 10% year-over-year. Dano Kwan manages a team of 60 and a budget of $30 million.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingHere are some lessons from Dano Kwan that emerged in our discussion.Lead with empathyFind the place where you thriveBecome a natural collaborator Branding shapes success for companies and leadersEmpowerment and accountability cultivate leadership at every levelBridge Marketing and Product for collaborative growthDiscussed in this episodeEmpathy Marketing: 3 examples of empathetic marketing in action (with results) https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/empathy-marketing)How the Pandemic Inspired Brands to Rethink their Marketing Strategy: 3 quick case studies (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/pandemic-brands-rethink-marketing-strategy-case-studies)Spontaneous Combustible Collaboration: Most important things in any company are people, people, people, market, and product (Podcast Episode #9) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/people-podcast)Personal Development in Career: Step out of your comfort zone (podcast episode #73) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/personal-development)Marketing: It’s not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you)Get even more ideas from this episode by using the Analysts – Video Transcript expert assistant in MECLABS AI (https://meclabsai.com/). It’s totally FREE to use (for now). (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Whatever it is you’re working on and struggling with, don’t pivot too soon. Make sure you give it enough time to work.For as this episode’s guest explains – resilience pays out.Frank Spitzer, CEO, Pelecanus, shares the story of how he grew his company’s YouTube channel from zero to 100,000 subscribes, along with many more lesson-filled stories.Pelecanus has $250,000 in annual revenue. Spitzer manages a team of four employees, along with four freelancers and interns.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingHere are some lessons from Spitzer that emerged in our discussion.Taking responsibility leads to rewardsResilience Pays Out: From zero to 112,000 subscribersEmbracing honesty can lead to deeper connections, personal growth, and inner peaceDedication shapes an entrepreneurial journeyTo Achieve Success: Hard work trumps natural talent A good leader stands up for their teamDiscussed in this episodeGet even more ideas from this episode by using the Analysts – Video Transcript expert assistant in MECLABS AI (https://meclabsai.com/). It’s totally FREE to use (for now). (MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa).Female Entrepreneurship and Marketing: Having built a big community doesn't mean you will be able to monetize it (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/entrepreneurship)PR, Writing, and Marketing Agency Corporate Culture: Think big (podcast episode #49) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/PR)Marketing Leadership: Aligning the entire team around the unifying vision is an integral part of project management (https://marketingexperiments.com/leadership/aligning-team-around-unifying-vision)Dive deeper into the minds of marketing mavens with more episodes of 'How I Made It In Marketing.' (https://marketingsherpa.com/podcast) Your next big idea awaits.Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Coders are rewarded for writing new features, not for making their code as efficient as possible, Chirstopher Mims recently reported in The Wall Street Journal. According to the article, bloated software raises many risks, and costs the US alone $2.41 trillion due to cybersecurity issues, operational failures, and other problems.It would be easy for me to sit here and point the finger at software developers, but are marketers any better? As we focus on getting campaigns out the door, new websites up, and hitting our numbers, what do we sacrifice?Which is why I love this lesson from a recent podcast guest application – ‘Streamline processes to enable efficiency, smooth operations and get rapid results.’ Not shiny and exciting like new marketing tactics perhaps, but essential for a well-run organization.So I invited that applicant – Tom Amitay, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Entail (https://entail.ai/) – on How I Made It In Marketing to share the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories. Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingHere are some lessons from Amitay that emerged in our discussion.Define and differentiate between experimentation and execution in marketing activitiesPrioritize talent over experience when recruitingProvide talented yet inexperienced people with frequent, short training sessions and support as they tackle new challengesCapitalize on opportunities when they present themselves, even if you don't fully understand their potential value at firstStreamline processes to enable efficiency, smooth operations and get rapid resultsCombine platform expertise with consultative service that builds client trustDiscussed in this episodeGet even more ideas from this episode by using the Transcript Tutor expert assistant in MECLABS AI (https://meclabsai.com/). It’s totally FREE to use (for now). MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa.Leadership Development: Network every day (podcast episode #72) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/leadership-development)The Invisible $1.52 Trillion Problem: Clunky Old Software Everwhere (https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/the-invisible-1-52-trillion-problem-clunky-old-software-f5cbba27)Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Learn branding lessons from a seasoned brand strategist who emphasizes the importance of not focusing on failure but moving towards success. Discover the value of saying 'no' for the brand and the challenges of career transitions. Explore the power of brand integrity, strategic decision-making, and the transformative impact of branding on individuals' lives.

Here’s something I get to do as a content writer that I never got to do as a copywriter – I sign my name to my work, and that gets displayed publicly.I’d like to think I was a conscientious writer before, but this makes me 10 times more so. And is a constant reminder that everything needs to be a certain level of awesome – no filler copy.Even when you don’t sign your name to something, it’s difficult, that commitment to always striving to make something the best it can be – whether that’s an ad or the next rung in your career.But as our next guest reminds us – don't do something for the sake of ticking a box.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Nik Maricic, Marketing Director, Asia Pacific, Ria Money Transfer (https://www.riamoneytransfer.com/).RIA Money Transfer is owned by Euronet Worldwide, which is publicly traded on NASDAQ. Euronet reported $3.668 billion in revenue for 2023. It has the largest direct bank deposit network in the world. Maricic built a team of 10.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingHere are some lessons from Maricic that emerged in our discussion:Effective communication plays a vital role in achieving successCreativity takes center stage in the realm of marketingAdaptability also proves to be a critical traitDon't do something for the sake of ticking a boxWin/Win is the concept of not being your way or my way; its a better way, a higher wayAdaptability is pivotal, in all facets of the termDiscussed in this episodeMECLABS AI (https://meclabsai.com/) has a guided headline writing path to write a powerful headline based on your guidance. It’s totally FREE (for now).How I Made It In Marketing (https://marketingsherpa.com/podcast)Artificial Intelligence Demo: A look at the output from an AI-powered podcast assistant service (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/content-marketing-2/ai-demo/)Marketing and Brand: Embrace healthy friction (podcast episode #48) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-and-brand)How marketers fixed 4 common marketing blind spots  (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/marketing-blind-spot-case-studies)Leading Through Learning: Chief Growth Officer’s innovative approach to marketing leadership (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/leading)Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Rebranding.We use that term for companies. But what about for you?What is your current value proposition, and what would you like it to be…no matter where you are in your career?Because as my next guest has learned – it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.Here to share the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, is Carlos Cantú, CMO, Freepik (https://www.freepik.com/).Freepik is owned by EQT, a public company that trades on Nasdaq Stockholm. It reported 2.131 billion Euros of revenue in 2023, or about 2.41 billion US dollars. Cantú manages a marketing team of 45 people.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingHere are some lessons from Cantú that emerged in our discussion.It’s never too late to reinvent yourselfYou don’t need to know everything to do the jobDiverse teams are more challenging in the short term but worth it in the long runClarity and focus are keys to a corporate turnaroundEmbrace discomfort to harness creativityBalance data with intuition for the full storyDiscussed in this episodeLeading Through Learning: Chief Growth Officer’s innovative approach to marketing leadership (podcast episode #79) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/leading)Marketing & Content in Gaming/Esports: Influencers of all sizes can drive product adoption (podcast episode #55) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-and-content)Innovation Leadership and Coaching: You should almost always do less than you think (podcast episode #46) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovation)Digital Marketing: Be passionate about the challenge you are trying to solve and not stubborn about the product solution (podcast episode #59) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/digital)Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

You know too much. You know too much.No this isn’t dialogue from a spy movie, I mean in your role as a marketer. You know too much about your product or service or whatever you’re asking your customer to do.And it makes it hard for you to see your advertising and your conversion funnel through the customer’s eyes.Or as my next guest put it in her podcast guest application – Be mindful of the ‘curse of knowledge’ (which could itself be a good name for a mystery movie).To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Purna Virji, Principal Consultant of Content Solutions at LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/), and author of the book ‘High-Impact Content Marketing.’ (https://www.koganpage.com/marketing-communications/high-impact-content-marketing-9781398608436)LinkedIn recently crossed 1 billion users. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, which recently surpassed a $3 trillion market value. Virji functionally manages a cross-functional, global team of 16.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingHere are some lessons from Virji that emerged in our discussion.Be mindful of the ‘curse of knowledge’Have a measurement plan in place *before* even creating contentFocusing on inclusion is of absolute, critical importanceThe best performing marketing can come from aligning with Sales folksMake the case for resources on a project to get leadership buy inIf someone sends the elevator down for you, then it is your responsibility to send that elevator back down and lift others Discussed in this episodeMECLABS AI (https://meclabsai.com/) now has expert assistants – copywriter, project planner, marketing professor, social media pro, and email assistant. It’s totally FREE to use (for now).Financial Services Marketing: Don’t fall for Wile E. Coyote marketing (podcast episode #57) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/financial)MECLABS Institute (https://meclabs.com/)How to Get Buy-in for Your Projects, Plans and Proposals From the First Pitch to Successful Completion (plus free template) (https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/free-template-to-get-buy-in-for-your-projects)Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

If a podcast plays in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?Bit of a cheeky thought experiment, I’ll admit, but here’s one thing I’ve noticed – we marketers don’t always create content for an audience, sometimes the audience is an afterthought.We’re too focused on an algorithm. Or a lead generation goal. Or a calendar. Or a process.So I love this lesson from a podcast quest application – ‘there is no content without an audience.’To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Ashley Levesque, Vice President of Marketing, Banzai (https://www.banzai.io/).Banzai is a public company traded on NASDAQ and currently valued at $100 million. Levesque is currently a team of one, but she manages five functions in this newly public company.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingHere are some lessons from Levesque that emerged in our discussion.Data is more compelling than anecdoteThere is no content without an audienceOverhiring is a real thingSay ‘yes’ before you’re readyThe higher up you go, your priority becomes the peopleThere are three things to solve for in times of unmet expectationsRelated content discussed in this episodeMeclabsAI.com now has expert assistants – copywriter, project planner, marketing professor, and social media pro. It’s totally FREE to use, you don’t even have to register (for now). MECLABS is the parent organization of MarketingSherpa.The Last Blog Post: How to succeed in an era of Transparent Marketing (https://marketingexperiments.com/copywriting/last-blogpost-transparent-marketing)Growth Marketing: Give a choice of "yes" or “yes” (podcast episode #37) (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/growth)Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Think about the last time you read a piece of content that truly resonated with you. It could have been a news article, a blog post, or even a social media update. Now, consider what made that content impactful. Was it the way it was written, the story it told, or how it connected with your experiences? This brings me to a crucial aspect of marketing – the art of storytelling and the responsibility that comes with it.In my career, I've seen how powerful content can shape perceptions and influence decisions. It's not just about putting words on a page and filling your site with content to hopefully appease Google’s relentless algorithm; it's about crafting narratives that engage, inform, inspire…and truly serve an audience.And who better to learn this from than someone who has practiced the art of storytelling in both journalism and marketing?So I sat down with Nohar Zmora, SVP of Brand and Strategic Marketing, Kaltura (https://kaltura.com/). Kaltura is a public company with 750 employees that trades on NASDAQ and had $168.8 million in revenue in 2022.Zmora manages a team of 25 in the company’s 40-person marketing department, and works “super, super closely” with her “better half,” Roi Kaufman, VP Growth, Kaltura.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingHere are some lessons from Zmora that emerged in our discussion.Don’t just make ‘content,’ take a journalistic perspective and produce impactful materialBalance long-term brand vision with short-term performanceLearn how a team ‘breathes,’ evolves, and adaptsStorytelling has magic and beautyActively listen while collaborating with the business and Sales to create effective marketing strategiesHave continuous and profound dialogues with stakeholders to achieve successRelated content discussed in this episodeMECLABS AI (https://meclabsai.com/) now has expert assistants – copywriter, project planner, marketing professor, and social media pro. It’s totally FREE to use, you don’t even have to register (for now).Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages (https://meclabs.com/course/) free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

“We can say that. Sure we can say that.”Oh, I do not like having to utter this phrase in meetings. Because it’s not what you can say, it’s what you should say.I’ve heard so many times ‘we can say that in an ad.’ Or ‘we can write a press release about this.’ Oh, the hubris in that statement.Because we get lulled into false confidence in the four walls of our offices, when we think we can make a payment, and put whatever we want into ads or press releases or on websites.Sure, I guess technically you can. You can write those words down. It’s not illegal. No one will stop you. Media companies and ad networks will glad take your money for that placement. But should you?Because the ultimate decider is the customer. So no matter what you pay to say, no matter what you can say, the customer will decide whether you should say it. Which is why I loved this lesson from a podcast guest application – ‘Never underestimate the power of your customer.’ It doesn’t matter if you have a fancy title or massive media budget, the customer has far more power than you.I talked to Erika Lovegreen, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, ICUC (https://icuc.social/) (a Dentsu agency), to hear that story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories.ICUC is a Dentsu agency with a team of 450. Dentsu is a public company that reported 1.117 trillion yen in annual revenue in 2022, or about 8.59 billion dollars.Lovegreen managed a team of 30 when she ran the strategy team. Now, she runs marketing for ICUC and overseas a team of six, along with a variety of partners and contractors.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingHere are some lessons from Lovegreen that emerged in our discussion.Be comfortable stepping into new industries to gain the necessary experienceIf leading a team, value being patient and hiring the right peopleNever underestimate the power of your customerYou need to quickly serve the customer to create a great experienceValue productivity over perfectionPay attention and look for trendsRelated content discussed in this episodeMeclabsAI.comArtificial Intelligence Demo: A look at the output from an AI-powered podcast assistant service (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/content-marketing-2/ai-demo/)Value Proposition: Marketing examples for each of the 4 essential levels of value prop (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/value-proposition-4-essential-levels-of-value-prop)Social Media Marketing: Can you compete with your customer’s mom? (https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/social-networking-evangelism-community/social-media-marketing-can-you-compete-with-your-customer%E2%80%99s-mom/)Get more episodesThis article is distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter (https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters). Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application