Executive Connections LLC

Connecting organizations with the future of marketing

Insights

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Board of Directors, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Personal Branding, Recommended Articles, Recommended Books, Webinars

Become a Champion of Innovation

Spring has brought forth a spirit of new beginnings, and as we look at what’s new and what skills we can add leverage or  focus on in the next quarter, we believe the emphasis should be on how to champion innovation within your business.

In the past, innovation was considered “hot,” now it is often a matter of business life and death.

We are seeing this in the media sector with newspapers shuttering and other print media consolidating as consumers move from ink on paper to on-demand digital media and entertainment. There is a growing body of thought and research suggesting the ability to systematically innovate may be the only truly sustainable competitive advantage in this new globalized digital and social economy. [Read more…] about Become a Champion of Innovation

Filed Under: Connections E-Zine, Executive Coaching, New Executive Search, Personal Branding

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 58

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion:  Mobile Marketing Talent Needs – Immediate & Long Term
  • Blog Roundup:
    • Build Endurance for Maximum Performance
    • Managing Change: Respond Instead of React
    • Survey: The Results of Our Online ID Survey
  • Career Announcements:  Digital Consulting, Investment Banking & Financial Services

In Our Opinion: Mobile Marketing Talent Needs – Immediate & Long Term

by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

We recently teamed up with Michael Becker, Managing Director, North America of the Mobile Marketing Association (“MMA”) to launch a new, industry-wide mobile talent (and skills) initiative which we would like to share with you since mobile is one of the newest, fastest growing areas of marketing and advertising spending in 2013.

[Read more…] about CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 58

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Branding Yourself Online, Executive Coaching, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Personal Branding

The Results of Our Online ID Survey

In our recent Online Identity Survey, we gained further insights into the role your online identity plays in your ability to land the right career opportunity and your challenges in building out an online presence that is a match for your personal brand.

Thanks so much to those of you who participated and to the many who remarked that our questions were “eye-opening” and “thought-provoking.”

We will spotlight the prize winning recipient of our Online Identity Package Makeover (valued at $1,500) conducted by our personal branding experts, Lola White and Kirsten Vernon, along with the results of our collaboration in an upcoming issue.

Highlighted survey results:

  • 100% cite LinkedIn as the social network they use most often for professional purposes
  • 93% believe their online identity plays a role in securing or finding new roles and/or clients
  • 93% are not using video to communicate their brand message
  • 89% are mindful of the personal brand impact of every post
  • 86% feel they need to invest more time managing their online reputation
  • 85% have not registered their name as a domain name
  • 68% would like to raise their visibility and credibility as a subject matter expert or thought leader, but are not certain of how to publish and promote their content so their target audience will actually find it
  • 65% regularly monitor their online ID in some way
  • 44% feel they are not taking the opportunity to fully maximize their brand building activities (speaking, article writing, etc.) using social media
  • 41% invest 30 minutes per week in managing their online brand
  • 37% agree they are using the full potential of LinkedIn

Stay tuned…the top challenge in building your online brand is not knowing the best tools to utilize. We’ll have our personal branding experts address this in an upcoming blog post.

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Branding Yourself Online, Digital Proficiency, Executive Coaching, LinkedIn, Marketing Conferences & Events, Personal Branding

Managing Change: Respond Instead of React

The world of work as we have known it is changing and evolving at an extraordinary pace. The “rules” of the past no longer apply, and new “rules” are being written and rewritten all the time.

Changes can be unsettling, whether they’re potential or actual, positive or negative. You may be gearing up for a promotion/new position, staring at a wide-open field of new prospective clients, or launching new products and services. Or you may be hunkering down in the face of outsourcing, downsizing, mergers/consolidations, takeovers, and local or global competition.

Consider the Changes Taking Place at Yahoo!

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has certainly unleashed enormous, untold passions about how, when and where people should work at Yahoo.

The recent, now infamous, change requiring Yahoo employees to work in the office instead of telecommuting from home has been likened to the shot heard round the world.

No less than a great war has ensued and Marissa Mayer has been villainized and vilified by some and verified and validated by others.

It is no secret that Yahoo has been struggling to keep pace with the likes of Apple, Facebook, and Google, all of whom have strong in-office cultures and not coincidentally, strong revenues to match.

In Our Opinion…It’s not about trusting people to work at home, it’s about Mayer’s challenge in the turnaround of Yahoo regardless of where people are working. Mayer has to build a new corporate culture of trust in the infinite possibilities of what the Yahoo organization can create together.

However, as we are hearing, this change process is creating considerable stress for Yahoo employees.

How We Respond to Change

Do you respond or react to change and do you know the difference? As soon as something nudges you out of your regular routine, or challenges your understanding of how the world works and where you fit into it, it will likely trigger a deluge of feelings including; fear, anxiety, overwhelm, excitement, distraction or denial.

How Does the Way You Respond to Change Impact Your Brand?

These feelings can manifest in your behavior.  You may, unconsciously, act out with behavior that is not a brand match for you, or your communication style alters, both at work and at home. You might feel compelled to push yourself and others to overwork, or take the opposite approach – which most do – and procrastinate, avoid the work that’s on your plate and get sidetracked with misconceptions, assumptions and gossip to changes that may or may not happen.

On a personal level, your self-care may suffer and you may reach for unhealthy substances, get less sleep, skip meals or overindulge. You might cut yourself off from friends and family, and spend more time alone or with other people who have unhealthy habits or attract people who are in the same place as you.

The Impact

Dealing with change requires flexibility, resilience and an ability to think on your feet. Unfortunately, when you’re caught up in your reaction to change, these mental abilities are affected as well. When you’re preoccupied, worried and focused on the future instead of the present, it’s much harder to concentrate and apply your brainpower to what’s in front of you.

Great leaders are admired for their serenity and confidence even in the face of uncertainty and upheaval. For many of us, though, when change is afoot, serenity is far from our reach. Instead, emotions are much closer to the surface and can flare up at the most inopportune times. Whether you lash out, cry, or pound on your desk behind closed doors, it’s incredibly uncomfortable to feel so out of control.

Consider, also, the impact on the people around you. Emotional outbursts, whether at work or at home, can irrevocably damage your effectiveness, your reputation and your relationships.

Successful Strategies for Dealing With Change

Here are five strategies to help you remain flexible and resilient in the face of change:

1. Take care of YOUr body. Eat well, sleep well and refrain from harmful habits like indulging in caffeine adrenaline behavior, excessive drinking, or other risky behavior. Work out whatever that is for you!

2. Take care of YOUr mind. Stay in the present moment. Challenge your negative thinking and keep things in perspective; when the doom and gloom sets in, ask, “How important is this, really?”

3. Take control of YOUr emotions. Find reasons to smile and laugh, even when you don’t feel like it—especially when you don’t feel like it! Funny movies, blogs or videos can help. Vent your negative feelings by exercising, banging on a drum or pounding on a pillow.

4. Treat others well. Strengthen your good relationships so you can draw on their support and work at your challenging relationships so they don’t add to your stress.  In fact, this may be a good time to remove them from your life altogether.

5. Take charge. Be proactive and prepare the best you can for the changes that might come, but then accept the reality of the moment. Think back to other challenges that you’ve come through and remind yourself that everything will work out okay this time, too.

Filed Under: Announcements, Digital Proficiency, LinkedIn, Personal Branding

Take Our Survey for a Chance to Win the EC Personal Branding Online ID Makeover Package!

by Lola White and Kirsten Vernon

As we continue to provide offerings that meet the evolving needs of our executive clients, we created this survey related to how executives manage their online reputation.

Here are the preliminary results highlights to-date:

  • 87% agree their online identity plays a part in securing new roles and/or clients
  • 57% report their biggest challenge in building their online brand is knowing the right tools to utilize
  • 85% agree they should be investing more time in managing their online reputation

Last chance…on March 22 we will close the survey.  Our goal is to have a solid sample of senior executive responses.

Incentive…we will be selecting one lucky executive as the winner of the EC Personal Branding Online Identity Makeover Package valued at $1,500. This personalized consultation includes an online brand audit, an online branding roadmap, and edits to your LinkedIn profile by Lola White and Kirsten Vernon.

Please take a few minutes of your time NOW to contribute to this survey.

Look for the published results in our March ezine!!

 

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Branding Yourself Online, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, LinkedIn, Personal Branding, Uncategorized, Webinars

Build Endurance for Maximum Performance

When we hear the word endurance, we usually relate it to the performance, stamina and the resilience of an athlete. As leaders and emerging leaders, we suggest you “hear” the word and take the same definition, but add the elements of bravery, prevail, and persistence.

Particularly in these challenging economic times, we need to create athlete-like minds AND bodies to sustain performance in the pace of the current marketplace, to be great role models, and to create outstanding results in every area of our lives! [Read more…] about Build Endurance for Maximum Performance

Filed Under: Connections E-Zine, Executive Coaching, New Executive Search, Uncategorized

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 57

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion:  Bring On The Sequester!
  • Blog Roundup:
    • Are You Ready To Work for Private Equity?
    • Are You a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?
    • Survey: Online Identity Update – Contest Ends March 5th
  • Career Announcements:  Healthcare, Investment Banking & Financial Services

In Our Opinion: Bring On The Sequester!

by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

From our vantage point, we are seeing hopeful signs of progress early in 2013 with a number of business sectors advancing and hiring new C-level talent to fuel their global growth strategies. EC made two senior-level executive placements in January and we are working on three new senior-level global search assignments all related to clients expanding and growing global businesses!

In our opinion, all the current hype, hysteria and fear-mongering regarding the coming sequester deadline ($85 Billion in Federal government spending cuts will automatically begin being implemented as of March 1st) is just the U.S. government reminding the business sector they are collectively not doing their jobs. The dysfunction of our government leaders and their unwillingness to face the hard choices in making spending cut decisions is clearly concerning to  the vast majority of CEOs we speak with regularly. Once again, we are experiencing our government getting in the way of business instead of doing their jobs, and their inaction threatens the current recovery.

There is something fundamentally wrong about the media messages we are receiving from Washington as they continue “politics as usual.” I say bring on the sequester cuts, they are desperately needed now, and cutting into our huge deficit spending will give the business sector the confidence the government is heading in the right direction and this will enhance the chances of a sustained economic recovery.

In yesterday’s (2/27/2013)  WSJ, Phil Gramm authored an article entitled “Obama and the Sequester Scare“ in which he writes, “The president’s response to the sequester demonstrates how out of touch he is with the real world of working families. Even after the sequester, the federal government will spend $15 billion more than it did last year, and 30% more than it spent in 2007. Government spending on non-defense discretionary programs will be 19.2% higher and spending on defense will be 13.8% higher than it was in 2007.” So clearly, even if we proceed with $85 Billion in across the board budget cuts, we will not be in the dire straights some government officials are projecting.”

The federal government needs to take a page out of the corporate handbook. BOA just announced 17,000 layoffs, Time Inc. recently announced 2,000+ layoffs, and major staffing and expense reductions are major tools in the corporate playbook when economic conditions change and tough actions and decisions are warranted.

Clearly, the world is watching (including China which is holding most of the U.S. debt) and waiting for the U.S. to do the responsible thing. Whether it happens through reasonable compromise (unlikely this week) or automatic sequester cuts, reigning in federal government spending we can no longer afford is a critical element to a long-term, sustained economic recovery.

Blog Roundup: Did you catch these recent posts on our blog?

Are You Ready To Work for Private Equity?

As an executive search firm with a specialization in digital marketing, we obtain 20%+ of our assignments through introductions by private equity firms to their portfolio companies needing a CEO, CMO, CRO, CFO or other C-level positions. We are always looking for candidates who meet the needs of our clients and in particular…Read more

Are You a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?

With digital marketing, social media, mobile advertising and marketing budgets growing at a compound rate of more than 20% annually, what steps are you taking as a CMO to build and develop your personal brand in an increasingly digital, social, and mobile marketing world?… Read more

Survey:  Online Identity Update – Hurry…Contest Ends March 5th

As we continue to provide offerings that meet the evolving needs of our executive clients, we created this survey related to how executives manage their online reputation. Here are preliminary results highlights to date:

  • 87% agree that their online identity plays a part in securing new roles and/or clients
  • 57% report that their biggest challenge in building their online brand is knowing the right tools to utilize
  • 85% agree that they should be investing more time in managing their online reputation

Here’s what else we know…Read more

Career Announcements

VP, Marketing Intelligence — Global Healthcare – NEW
VP, Digital/Social Marketing – Global Healthcare – NEW
Managing Director, Investment Banking
Senior Executive – Financial Services

Learn more.

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Board of Directors, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, LinkedIn, New Executive Search, Personal Branding

Are You Ready To Work For Private Equity?

As an executive search firm with a specialization in digital marketing, we obtain 20%+ of our assignments through introductions by private equity firms to their portfolio companies needing a CEO, CMO, CRO, CFO or other C-level positions. We are always looking for candidates who meet the needs of our clients and in particular, PE firms. 

What personal characteristics do we look for when hiring for Private Equity? 

How can you assess if you have the “chops” to work for private equity? Is your personal brand a match for private equity? What can you expect and what is expected once you are hired, in terms of the operational differences, compared to working for a large, publicly owned company?

If you are considering a career opportunity in a private equity financed business, then check out the top 5 qualities and characteristics to better understand if you really are ready, willing and able. 
 [Read more…] about Are You Ready To Work For Private Equity?

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Branding Yourself Online, Digital Proficiency, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Personal Branding

Are You a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?

With digital marketing, social media, mobile advertising and marketing budgets growing at a compound rate of more than 20% annually, what steps are you taking as a CMO to build and develop your personal brand in an increasingly digital, social, and mobile marketing world?

Are you a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?

We are seeing that a surprisingly high percentage of CMOs are not compatible with the fast-arriving digital-marketing and social/mobile world, and this may explain the short average tenure of CMOs (i.e., less than 2 years) that makes this the highest-risk C-level position.

In many instances, some CMOs lack the professional experience to integrate the digital channel and new media with traditional off-line media and marketing strategies. They often don’t have the digital/social marketing, direct marketing/CRM, and analytic/segmentation skills to lead integrated media and marketing programs, where digital/social/mobile marketing and media strategies are increasingly leading branding, broadcast and print media, direct, promotion, and PR.

So what does this mean for you as a CMO as you look ahead to the future and go from a mass marketer to a one-to-one marketer?  

Here are the top five best practices we think you need to do now!

[Read more…] about Are You a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?

Filed Under: Announcements, Connections E-Zine, New Executive Search, Personal Branding

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 56

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion:  Technology Sector Leads Recovery in 2013
  • Blog Roundup:  What Is Your Personal Brand Value?  Online Identity Survey Update
  • Placement Announcement:  Gridley & Co.
  • Career Announcements:  Investment Banking & Financial Services

In Our Opinion:  Technology Sector Leads Recovery in 2013

by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

It is fitting that we begin to kick start each new year by attending various meetings and conferences with a primary focus on themes and trends and the Gridley & Company Annual M&A Conference is always a good resource for us.  We are keen to hear Linda Gridley’s digital industry outlook followed by presentations from 50+ CEOs of Mobile, Social, Performance-based Marketing, e-Commerce, Payments, Financial Technology, e-Mail Marketing, and Marketing Automation companies, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.

It’s No Surprise What’s Hot…

What we hear is that digital continues to be the “hot” sector as evidenced by the NASDAQ gaining 15.9% in 2012 and outpacing market cap growth in both the S&P (13.4%) and Dow (7.3%). Dismal performances by newcomers Facebook (-30%), Groupon (-76%) and Zynga (-75%) notwithstanding, winners (43) far outpaced losers (12) including strong gains from more traditional internet companies including AOL (+96%), eBay (+68%) and Expedia (+118%). All these facts and figures are compliments of the Gridley’s Digital Dealings Compass Newsletter (Jan. 14, 2013).

Perhaps most impressive is the internet and overall stock market gains were accomplished in spite of European and US economic crises including “a U.S. Congress filled with fractious and quarrelsome representatives in Washington DC with seemingly no ability to negotiate bi-partisan deals.” While these governmental financial crises continue to present threats in 2013, the markets appear to be discounting the possibility we (US) will actually drive off any fiscal cliffs.

“Connectivity” Raises the Stakes for Marketers in More Ways than One

The strongest overall theme we heard from Linda, other CEOs, and Analysts is 2013 will be “The Year of Social and Mobile.” Forrester Research advised us we are now in the Age of the Consumer (we just completed the Information Age) where advances in Social and Mobile technologies and connectivity have placed consumers firmly in charge of purchase decisions and shopping options through multiple online and offline channels accessible through multiple devices.

In fact 44% of e-mail messages are opened on mobile devices (phones and tablets), and the development of new devices in these categories (i.e. including “Phablets” – phones with screens twice the size of the original iPhone), suggests mobile advertising will grow exponentially despite previous concerns regarding screen size. These new mobile technology and connectivity changes have raised the stakes for marketers, and in addition to previous consumer demographic data, and purchase data, analytics must now integrate additional “context” information about consumers (i.e., location, social networks) and these factors must be integrated into determining the timing and content of marketing offers.

Are You Really Prepared for 2013 and Beyond?

This should make 2013 another exciting year in the global transformation of the marketing and marketing services sectors. With global digital media at 20% share and rising, we are seeing an increasing demand for Chief Digital Officers and Heads of Social/Mobile Marketing. This is critical since almost one-half of the top 100 Global Advertisers have not yet built their Digital/Social organization with the senior-level talent to strategically manage and direct these rapidly increasing budgets.

 

Blog Roundup

Did you catch these recent posts on our blog?

What Is Your Personal Brand Value?

We are approaching the time of year when annual bonuses (both short-term cash incentives and long-term options/restricted stock) are being paid out and the incomes of CEOs and senior officers in public companies are disclosed. It’s the perfect time to ask yourself, “What’s the value of my personal brand and how beneficial is my current company (and industry sector) as a vehicle to increasing my brand value over time?”  Read more

Online Identity Survey Update

As we continue to provide offerings that meet the evolving needs of our executive clients, we created this survey related to how executives manage their online reputation. Here are preliminary results highlights:

  • 87% agree that their online identity plays a part in securing new roles and/or clients
  • 57% report that their biggest challenge in building their online brand is knowing the right tools to utilize
  • 85% agree that they should be investing more time in managing their online reputation

Read more

Placement Announcement

EC is pleased to announce the placement of John Burns III in the role of VP, Investment Banking at  Gridley & Company in NYC. John previously held a similar VP-level position at Palazzo Investment Banking and earlier he was a Senior Analyst at AdMedia Partners.  As part of his hiring by Gridley & Co., John will be receiving EC’s unique one-on-one Transition Support Coaching to assist him in exceeding expectations in this new Gridley career opportunity. John joined Gridley & Co. on January 14, 2013 just prior to Gridley’s 12th Annual Conference at The Plaza in NYC.

Gridley & Company is a boutique investment banking firm, providing advisory services to companies in the Internet & Information Services industry. Gridley specializes in AdTech, Data Services, Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, Mobile, Social, Payments & Financial Technology, and Traditional Marketing & Media Services.

Career Announcements

Global Head of Digital/Social Marketing – Healthcare Client — NEW
Managing Director, Investment Banking
Senior Executive – Financial Services

Learn more.