Executive Connections LLC

Connecting organizations with the future of marketing

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Filed Under: Announcements, Connections E-Zine

CONNECTIONS Ezine No. 85

In this issue:

  • What’s On Your Christmas List?
  • Career Management
  • Career Opportunities:
    • Director, Advanced Analytics – Influent 50, an AARP company
    • VP, Marketing – B2B Financial Services / Collections
    • Sr. Mgr., Digital Strategy
    • Marketing Leader – Northeast Region – FILLED
    • Director, Analytics & Insights Strategy – FILLED

What’s On Your Christmas List?

What’s on your Christmas talent list? This is a question we have been asking all of our clients as the Christmas season approaches. Without exception, digital strategy, data analytics, and mobile/social media talent are at the top of our client’s Christmas lists.

With digital advertising (including mobile) forecasted (by PWC) to surpass broadcast media by 2018, VPs of Digital Strategy & Customer Experience are the top position on most client’s list. Over 25% of Fortune 100 firms have added a Chief Digital Officer (“CDO”) position, and CDOs and CMOs are building out global teams including multiple new VPs and Directors of Digital Strategy & Customer Experience to engage with LOB leaders to transform digital and omni-channel customer (and prospect) engagement.

Chief Analytics Officers are next on our client’s talent wish lists. With marketing moving to real-time, geo-targeting campaigns, marketers need to tailor customer engagement to deliver relevant and timely offers based upon predictive analytics and real-time behavioral targeting. Top CAOs are one of the keys to substantially increasing marketing ROI, as well as improving enterprise-wide business decision making, and accordingly, CEOs and CMOs are hiring “Analytics Geniuses” at a record pace. We recently delivered 2 CAOs in our clients Christmas stockings and we recently received 2 Santa letters requesting Directors of Analytics & Insights.

VPs of Social Media & Mobile Marketing complete the top 3 on our client’s talent wish list. As digital/mobile advertising/media moves to the majority of total marketing spending within the next 2 years, and a majority of consumers are shopping on smart phones as the new “first screen” (smart phone mobile commerce exceeded 65%+ this Black Friday), it is critical for all clients to be taking maximum advantage of social media and mobile commerce channels. Especially for smaller and mid-sized marketers, without the mega-marketing budgets of a Coke or AT&T,   social media channels can be leveraged for brand building, prospect/lead generation, and m-commerce at a fraction of other marketing and media channel costs.

What’s on your company’s Christmas list? Have you requested digital, analytics, and social/mobile talent from Santa in your Christmas stocking? If not, what are you waiting for?

We wish all of our clients and friends our best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Safe, and Prosperous New Year!

Happy holidays!

Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

Career Management – by Lola White

In last month’s November Executive Connections e-Zine, we highlighted the importance of Career Management and emphasized how building your personal brand, managing your career path and proactively preparing yourself for career transitions are critical to controlling your career future.

Repeat after me – “I Will Be In Control of my Career.”

We Know…
It’s the holiday season, you have a lot on your calendars, you have end-of-year client deliverables and we know you don’t need one more thing to do. However, we also know your career is equally important and needs to take center stage.
As Talent and Career experts, we understand the importance of on-going Career Management. Moving forward, our objective is to support you by sharing our proven formula for how to build and manage a successful career. We will be your guide as you progress through creating and maintaining your own career plan.

We Will Show You How
Below is the first of our Career Management Best Practices. Our monthly E-Zine column will continue to provide you with regular updates and career management insights so you can manage your next career move.

Proactive Career Management is Essential to Your Success
As you wrap up this year and move into 2016, stop and reflect on where your career presently is at and where you want it to be. Take the time to make career reflection an on-going priority and ask yourself, “If I had a process as outlined below and was guided through this process, would I be better prepared to take control of any and all career wins, disappointments and emergencies?”

  • Understand and own what is unique about ME and discover my most important personal brand assets, skills and competencies
  • Build a comprehensive Career Plan that is a match for my brand
  • Communicate my Career Plan strategically across all digital, business and personal channels
  • Connect powerfully with people who can help me bring my Career Plan to life

There is no “One-size Fits All” Career Path
It’s well known that today’s career challenges are more complex than ever before. There is no clear path for everyone to follow. You must powerfully create your ideal.
The “lifetime tenure” model is a thing of the past. The norm is more a winding, unpredictable progression of positions, often in distinct fields and industries. To be successful, you not only need a compass but a detailed road map to help you navigate your desired course.

What’s Next for You?
Leverage our “Best-in-Class” Career Management advice we have given thousands of successful CEO’s and C-Level leaders around the globe. Our January 2016 Career Management column will start to provide a few foundational tools, ideas, support and guidance we believe you will need to jump start your Career Management plan no matter what stage your career is in.  Throughout 2016, we’ll continue to help you shape your career future.

Need Your Own Personal Career Manager or have a Career Transition or Personal Branding challenge? You can always e-mail me at lwhite@executiveconnectionsllc.com.

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global Data/Direct Marketing Services Company, a Global HR Professional Services firm, one of the largest Global Digital Agencies, a Privately-Owned Direct/Digital Agency, Travel/Hospitality and a Non-Profit Student Loan Collection.

Take a moment to click on these links (below) for the complete position description:

Learn more about our Career Opportunities…

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

CONNECTIONS Ezine No. 84

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: Entangled Marketing
  • Career Management
  • Career Opportunities:
    • Director, Advanced Analytics – Influent 50, an AARP company – NEW
    • VP, Marketing – B2B Financial Services / Collections
    • Dir., Web Product Management – Travel/Hospitality
    • Marketing Leader – Northeast Region
    • Sr. Mgr., Digital Strategy

In Our Opinion by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

Entangled Marketing

With marketing changing at a faster pace than ever before, we all look to seers and visionaries for predictions about the future.

One of the marketing visionaries we have long admired is Stan Rapp, one of the founding fathers of direct marketing, the founder of Rapp Collins (now Rapp Worldwide) – one of the top 2-3 global direct marketing agencies. After selling Rapp Collins to Omnicom, Stan went on to build McCann Relationship Marketing (“MRM Worldwide”) from scratch as a global direct/CRM network for Interpublic Group. After leaving IPG, at a time when many of his contemporaries were retiring, Stan partnered with Halyard Capital, a private equity firm, and over a 5 year period he built Engauge, a new integrated “agency of the future,” including general advertising, analytics, and digital marketing integrated into a single operating unit under a single P&L. Engauge grew successfully and was acquired by Publicis 2-3 years ago which represented the third holding company for whom Stan had built new age marketing services  models and profitable agency businesses.

When engagement is not enough and something more is needed. Stan’s most recent futuristic innovation is Entangled Marketing in collaboration with Sebastian Jespersen, CEO of Vertic, a global digital agency. At a time where digital- and mobile-first marketing has agencies and advertisers focused on reinventing customer engagement and experience, Stan as usual is a step ahead of the rest of us, stating in the October 12, 2015 Advertising Age that “engagement is not enough, something more is needed.” Metaphorically, Stan says what’s needed is what Louisa Guilder writes about in “The Age of Entanglement,” a quantum physics theory about particles, once entangled remain inextricably connected. According to Stan, people worldwide want to be entangled with what Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google can do for them….so the imperative for marketers is to figure out how to create brands that entice customers to become entangled.

Entangling – Brand and Consumer. Stan and Jespersen, together with Laura McLellan of Gartner, have written a book soon to be published titled, Entangling – Brand and Consumer. Their thesis is the march from mass marketing to one-to-one marketing and digital marketing is moving to the new era of entangled marketing. This new business model is as much about the consumer wanting to be entangled with the brand as the other way around.

We have seen a number of newer brands like Amazon Prime and Uber become industry transforming brands which consumers love and want to be part of for reasons of the unique values they provide to customers. It is certainly giving all of us things to think about as we evaluate whether our customers are entangled or what it would take for our customers to want to be more entangled with our brands.

Bottom Line: What changes are you making to enable your brand to become more entangled with customer and new prospects?

Career Management – by Lola White

NOW more than ever, managing your career is critically important!

To respond to this marketplace dynamic, Executive Connections is adding a Career Management column to our monthly e-zine. It is designed to support and guide YOU as you build your personal brand, manage your career path and prepare for career transitions.

Wikipedia describes Career Management as a combination of structured planning and the active management choice of one’s own professional career. Successful outcome includes personal fulfillment, work/life balance (we like to think of it as work/life blending), goal achievement and financial security.

Bottom line: Effective Career Management positively impacts your long-term career success!

Why is MANAGING your Career so important?

It’s simple, if YOU do not manage it, someone or something else will manage it for you!

Career Management needs to be a structured and active process. It takes time and effort to strategically think through what is really important in the short and long term in order to be proactive, not reactive, to career shifts.

With so many companies and executives impacted by a record-setting number of mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations, and increasing competition from other high achievers vying for the same positions, your personal brand may not be setting you up for success in today’s increasingly competitive job market. Nor is it helping you achieve your short- and long-term personal and professional goals.

Or… how about this? You might be the best-kept secret because you are not taking the time and effort to build your own brand with the same focus you would your company’s brand.

Ask yourself, which of the following career managers am I? As it relates to my current career management, is there something I’m not doing?

  • I have the know-how and skills to take my career to the next level but not a plan to get me there.
  • I’m comfortable where I am right now, I’ll figure it out when I need to
  • What’s the rush, I am so busy I’ll actually wait until there is a need
  • I was an emergency career manager and I paid the price…. now what?
  • My career is on track and I have a plan to get me where I want to go
  • I have the connections and resources to raise my career game but could use a little extra support

Knowing the answer to these questions will guide you in taking the critical next steps to map out where, when and how you can successfully achieve your career goals. Be in charge of MANAGING YOUR CAREER PLAN so YOU are focused and always prepared!

Does this make sense to you?

Confidently know where you are going!

You wouldn’t go on a long road trip without your GPS, why would you navigate your career without mapping out a strategic game plan?

Look for more about Managing Your Career next month. 

Over the last 15 years, Lola White, Managing Partner at Executive Connections LLC, has worked closely with hundreds of EC’s clients to support and guide them as they proactively manage their careers and build strong, credible personal brands that result in short and long-term career success.

Please let us know what areas of career management you want to focus on so we can support you and help you achieve your career goals. Contact Lola at lwhite@executiveconnectionsllc.com.

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global Data/Direct Marketing Services Company, a Global HR Professional Services firm, one of the largest Global Digital Agencies, a Privately-Owned Direct/Digital Agency, Travel/Hospitality and a Non-Profit Student Loan Collection.

Take a moment to click on these links (below) for the complete position description:

Learn more about our Career Opportunities…

Wishing all our clients and friends a Happy Thanksgiving!
– Jeff & Lola

Filed Under: Announcements, Connections E-Zine, Digital Proficiency, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Marketing Conferences & Events, Personal Branding, Uncategorized

CONNECTIONS Ezine No. 83

In this issue:

  • Invest Without Exit – A New VC Investment Model
  • Peter Bingaman Joins Mercer – Congratulations!
  • Career Opportunities:
    • VP, Marketing – B2B Financial Services / Collections
    • Dir., Web Product Management – Travel/Hospitality
    • Marketing Leader – Northeast Region
    • Sr. Mgr., Digital Strategy

Invest Without Exit –  A New VC Investment Model

Kudos to Jessica Herrin, CEO & Founder of Stella & Dot, one of a growing number of entrepreneurs who are changing the rules of engagement with VC firms……..and we like it! 

VC firms forced to eliminate the pressure of providing too much capital and then pushing fast and hard for an exit event within 5-7 years of the initial investment.

Jessica (and Stella & Dot) partnered successfully with Dave Whorton (Founder, Tugboat Ventures) in a new investment model without a planned exit strategy. Rather, VCs were required to invest in an early stage business the founders wanted to hold onto and continue to build and operate. This almost sounds like a Warren Buffett – Berkshire Hathaway business model….except the founders get to keep controlling interest in this model whereas Buffett buys an 80% stake and leaves management as minority partners.

“My Exit Strategy You Ask?”

Interestingly, when Whorton asked Herrin her exit strategy in an early meeting she replied, “My exit strategy is to be rolled out the door on a gurney.”

This new VC investment model (without an exit) enables/requires investors to earn a return through profit distributions, not from selling their shares. Tugboat Ventures invested in Stella & Dot and over the first 5 year period (’05-’10) revenues soared to $100M+ making the company #67 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies. Within 2 more years, sales doubled again at which point Sequoia Capital agreed to invest $37M for a 10% equity stake (on similar “buy and hold” terms) thereby valuing the company at close to $400M.

What are the characteristics of successful “evergreen companies?”

Whorton and Herrin (in Inc. magazine’s October 2015 issue) defined the “7Ps” including:

  1. Purpose – Passionately driven by a compelling vision/mission.
  2. Perseverance – Having ambition and resilience to overcome obstacles
  3. People First – Build a talented team and positive culture; take care of people first
  4. Private – Take advantage of ability to operate with a longer-term view
  5. Profit – Measure success by the most accurate gauge of customer value delivered
  6. Paced Growth – Focus on long-term strategy and steady 10-15% growth
  7. Pragmatic Innovation – Embrace continuous improvement

What do we really like about this model?

This model provides founders and management teams the opportunity (and necessity) to create a highly profitable, sustainable, “built to last” business which continues to grow (and prosper) and reward all stakeholders (founders, employees, customers, and investors) without an arbitrary exit point created solely to allow investors to liquidate their interests in a private company.

In this process, Dave Whorton became such a believer he (and Herrin) launched Tugboat Summit, an event bringing together Founders and CEOs of similarly aspiring evergreen businesses. To date, Tugboat has held two very successful summits so hopefully we can expect more of these “evergreen” business start-ups in the future.

Why should you care about this?

Too many start-ups and early stage businesses focus on the wrong things. They focus on revenue growth and building infrastructure without necessarily having defined a profitable, ongoing business model from the outset. Ultimately, this contributes to the vast majority of start-ups shutting the doors after 2-3 rounds of venture capital are consumed without a profitable, sustainable business being created. We need more entrepreneurs like Jessica Herrin to continue changing the mindset and approach of entrepreneurs and VCs.

Here’s to entrepreneurs and VCs building more profitable, sustainable businesses!

We look forward to connecting,

Jeff & Lola

Peter Bingaman Joins Mercer – Congratulations!

Peter-BingamanWe are pleased to announce that Peter Bingaman has joined Mercer as Mercer Marketplace Marketing Leader.

Peter Bingaman joins Mercer to lead the marketing strategies and programs to drive topline growth for Mercer Marketplace, one of the fastest-growing and market-leading digital platforms. As a member of the Mercer Marketplace Leadership Team and the Global Marketing and Sales Leadership Team, Peter will build the brand and business through targeted marketing that delivers Marketing Qualified Leads for active pursuit by our sales and consulting leaders, among other contributions to marketing communications, the digital experience and alternative distribution channels. Peter will work closely with the Mercer Marketplace and the EH&B Marketing team in the US as the go-to resource for any Mercer Marketplace-related marketing and communications activities.

Due to his extensive experience in the business to business to consumer (B-B-C) space, Peter will also contribute to global B-B-C initiatives across Health and Wealth.

Peter has extensive strategic, data-driven B2B and B2C marketing skills from having led major marketing initiatives on behalf of IBM and over the past two decades working in-house with and as a consultant to brands including HP, MSC, Nortel, LexisNexis, P&G, and J&J. A technology enthusiast experienced at leveraging analytical, digital, social media and marketing automation to increase marketing ROI, Peter has successfully identified emerging trends positioning brands ahead of the curve.

Peter has an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a BA from Bucknell University.

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global Data/Direct Marketing Services Company, a Global HR Professional Services firm, one of the largest Global Digital Agencies, a Privately-Owned Direct/Digital Agency, Travel/Hospitality and a Non-Profit Student Loan Collection.

Take a moment to click on these links (below) for the complete position description:

Learn more about our Career Opportunities…

 

Filed Under: Connections E-Zine, Digital Proficiency, Executive Coaching, Marketing Conferences & Events, New Executive Search, Personal Branding, Recommended Books

CONNECTIONS Ezine No. 82

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: “Modern Marketing” Trends
  • Article and Book Recommendation:  
    • Mastering The Art of Mobile Persuasion by Jeff Hasen
  • Career Opportunities:
    • VP, Marketing – Financial Services/Collections – NEW
    • Global Marketing Manager – Travel/Hospitality – NEW
    • Marketing Leader – Northeast Region – NEW
    • Managing Director, Digital Marketing as a Service (MaaS)
    • Chief Creative Officer
    • Digital Strategist – Senior Manager
    • Marketplace Marketing Leader
  • Upcoming Professional Development Events

In Our Opinion by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

“Modern Marketing” Trends

For quite sometime now, we have been writing about the rapid pace with which Marketing is tilting onto a digital- and mobile-first axis. The underpinnings of this shift are undoubtedly the rapid scaling of tablets and other mobile devices (smart phones and more recently smart watches – even though Apple’s Smart Watch has been less than a resounding success to-date).

Since the launch of the iPad on April 3, 2010, tablets have become the fastest technology adoption in all of history…reaching 50%+ of U.S. households in less than 5 years…more than doubling the adoption rate of all previous technology innovations including the PC, Internet, TV, Cable Radio, VCR, and other technology devices.

As tablets were quickly adopted by consumers, what followed was the rapid scaling of mobile advertising. “Tablets Rising” a global mobile advertising study conducted by Vivaki/Publicis Group confirmed some interesting findings…consumers are spending an average of 90 minutes daily on tablets/mobile devices…and tablets have become the new “first screen” even if consumers are also watching television. Also, the Vivaki study showed over two-thirds of consumers are active in Social Media networks which has become a new source of consumer influence (positive and negative) regarding brands.

But the most profound finding in the Vivaki study was…tablet ads work…and they are even more effective for highly engaged tablet users. Finally, after years of waiting, 2015 has become truly the year of exceptional growth for mobile advertising….as underscored by Facebook’s Q2 2015 revenues exceeding $4B+ (with $2.9B+ or 75% coming from mobile advertising).

As a help to our clients and readers, we are including an article and book recommendation from our friend and CMO, Jeff Hasen, who has recently authored his second book titled, “The Art Of Mobile Persuasion.” With mobile advertising rapidly growing, this is an art and mastery every marketer needs to develop.

What do these “Modern Marketing” trends mean in terms of the shift in talent needs for both advertisers and agencies?

From our perspective, the highest demand positions currently include Chief Data Officers, Heads of Marketing Analytics, Chief Digital Officers, Digital Strategy & Marketing Leaders, and Customer Engagement/Experience Leaders.  With consumers shopping through tablets, smart phones, and other mobile devices as a first option, marketers are transforming their businesses to offer relevant omni-channel customer engagement. And the “new relevant” means the right communication, to the right consumer/prospect, at the right time, in the right place.

Successful campaigns are now happening “real-time,” as geo-targeting is enabling brands to identify their best customers and prospects in relation to their proximity to the brand or a competitor’s outlet…and in that moment deliver a compelling offer and incentive to shop/purchase.

While brand advertising still has its place, the growing demand (and higher compensation premium) is for marketers with analytics and data skills, knowledge of newer marketing technology platforms, and digital strategy and marketing skills. Its an exciting time…the next generation of marketing leaders include many with M.S. and PhD. degrees in Mathematics & Statistics, as well as many B.S. Engineering professionals with M.B.A. degrees.

It wasn’t that long ago there was a time when senior marketing officers said we know half (50%) of advertising works…we just don’t know which half. Those days, and those marketers, are in the rear view mirror as new “Modern Marketing” is about KPIs and metrics…to deliver reports back to the CEO and CFO on Marketing ROI.

As always, we welcome your input, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Jeff and Lola

Article and Book Recommendation

by Jeff Hasen

Jeff Hasen photoWelcome to the 21st century love affair.

Long-time adman Hank Wasiak, the former vice chairman of McCann Erickson, says that people don’t have a relationship with a television set or their computer, but they do with a mobile phone.

It is part of them.

The central question for today’s businesses…Can they enhance the relationship or is three a crowd?

In truth, mobile users are like teenagers. They want to be understood. But they will fight to maintain their privacy.

What is a brand to do?

Be of value and non-intrusive.

And don’t be creepy.

coverFor my new book, The Art of Mobile Persuasion, I spent a year talking to some of the most courageous mobile marketers working today. Insights from Expedia, Lowe’s, REI, Google, ESPN, and others are applicable to anyone seeking to create a better kind of consumer engagement on the devices that are never out of reach.

Out of the discussion came a number of relationship turnoffs.

Here are words to describe those businesses that are flailing:

  1. Selfish. In outreach to mobile users, there needs to be a specific need that benefits the customer. Jonathan Stephen, who drove innovative mobile programs at JetBlue, points to the greed of some who seek to needlessly uncover such inconsequential details as how many sugars
    wireless owners put in their coffee, and, if they used Splenda or Truvia.
  2. Illogical. If only more mobile marketers would practice common sense. For example, why in the world would a business create an iPhone app if their customers are mostly or completely Android owners? That’s just dumb.
  1. Timid. Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most recognizable, beloved, and successful brands, isn’t being passive. Instead, it is fulfilling its long-established mission of enabling desire in an increasingly-large part through the use of wireless devices.
  1. Impulsive. Sean Lyons, Global Chief Digital Officer at communications agency Havas, chides those who go to such conferences as South By Southwest and unilaterally seek to determine which products and services will matter. Why? The consumer is going to decide.
  1. Inattentive. Google’s Jason Spero refers to consumer actions on mobile devices as signals, rich with information that tells marketers a great deal if they are on the lookout for them. But many regrettably aren’t.

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global Data/Direct Marketing Services Company, a Global HR Professional Services firm, one of the largest Global Digital Agencies, a Privately-Owned Direct/Digital Agency, Travel/Hospitality and a Non-Profit Student Loan Collection. Please take a moment to click on a link and see the complete position description:

Filed Under: Marketing Conferences & Events

Upcoming Professional Development Events

Mark your calendars for these professional development and networking events:

  • PayThink will be held Sep. 28-30, 2015 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV.  Focusing on the Modern ATM — Register here.
  • Advertising Week XII – will be held Sep. 28- Oct. 2, 2015 in New York City.  The World’s Premier Gathering of Marketing and Communications Leaders.  Register here.
  • CEO Talent Summit – will be held Sep. 30 – Oct. 1, 2015 in Dallas, TX at the Southwest Airlines Operations & Training Center — The 2020 War For Talent: CEOs Taking the Lead —  Register now.
  • MarketingEDGE 2015 Annual Awards Dinner – will be held Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 at the Boston Park Plaza.  Celebrate. Network. Be Inspired.  Register.
  • Banking Analytics Symposium – will be held Oct. 5-6, 2015 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, MA.  Analytics is Transforming How Banks do Business. Register.
  • DMA 2015 – will be held Oct. 3-8 in Boston, MA.  The Global Event for Data-Driven Marketers.  Register.
  • ad:tech New York – will be held Nov. 4-5, 2015.  Bringing the Best Insights, Strategies and Tactics to the East Coast — Register here.

Filed Under: Announcements, Branding Yourself Online, Connections E-Zine, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Marketing Conferences & Events, New Executive Search, Personal Branding

CONNECTIONS Ezine No. 81

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: Rising Stars Are Our Future
  • Announcements:
    • Jon Davis Joins Accenture Interactive as Senior Manager, Digital Strategy
  • Articles:
    • MarketingEDGE Celebrates 2015 “Rising Stars”
  • Career Opportunities:
    • CMO – Customer Interaction – NEW
    • Chief Creative Officer – NEW
    • Vice President, Marketing – NEW
    • Digital Strategist – Senior Manager – NEW
    • Marketing Leader, Northeast
    • Marketplace Marketing Leader
    • Director, Insights and Strategy – Marketing & Sales

In Our Opinion by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

Rising Stars Are Our Future

What an exciting time of the year for new job seekers…graduations are over or just taking place…high school graduates are thinking about the fall as they head off to college and ready to create new beginnings…college graduates are beginning their new jobs and some are thinking about (and so are their parents) where do I begin to jump start my career?

Pro-Bono Introductions

Each year for over 15 years, the team at Executive Connections identifies a talented group of young, high achieving college seniors who possess a demonstrated superior leadership abilities, and a passion and commitment to begin their careers in Marketing.

Once EC makes our pro-bono selections, we choose, coach and strategize with these college seniors to create a career map that matches their skill set and their goals.  We polish their resumes, scrub their online Social Media profiles and create a bio that supports their goals through the job search process until they land their first full-time career opportunity in Marketing. Students coming into EC’s “Rising Stars” program are from all parts of the US – New York, Florida, California, and most recently Tennessee, but can be placed anywhere in the world.

This is a “win-win” for both the students and the employers since the majority of our clients have entry- level Marketing roles to fill and are inundated with under qualified resumes without the benefit of any pre-qualification from a trusted source such as EC. EC cuts through this clutter and our “top down” approach can include presenting these new seniors directly to the Chief Marketing Officer level within our target client organizations.

Our experience has shown that once C-level executives meet and review our EC up and coming talent which comes with EC’s endorsement, the selection process moves rapidly to offer. In fact, it is not unusual for EC’s Rising Stars to have 3-4 companies interested in them resulting in multiple job offers.

We believe having a choice is better than just one option. As an example, this year’s EC “Rising Star” had two of the top 100 global marketers interested and two marketing services firms interested in offering her a position. This gave the student an early chance to evaluate and choose between going to work on “the client side” vs. “the agency side.”

We know the Rising Stars are our future, and they are the future Marketing leaders of tomorrow. This
initiative is a way for us to “give back” to the next generation in an industry that has been good to us over the past 25+ years. We do it to provide “talent gifts” to our clients who entrust us to fill senior-level positions.

Do you know a Rising Star that would like to jump start their career and receive support from experts in their field? Who doesn’t?

Look for our Summer and Fall Ezines to hear from past EC Rising Star recipients, details on our selection process, and timetable for the 2016 EC’s “Rising Stars.”

If you have questions and/or feedback about our Rising Stars program, please contact lwhite@executiveconnectionsllc.com

As always, we welcome your comments and input.

Jeff and Lola

Announcements

 Jon Davis Joins Accenture Interactive as Senior Manager, Digital Strategy

We are delighted to announce Jon Davis has joined our client Accenture Interactive recently in the position of Senior Manager, Digital Strategy, based in AI’s New York office.

Prior to joining AI, Jon was Founder of KatDavis, Jon headshotonah Consulting, a digital marketing and strategy consulting firm. Earlier, Jon served as VP, Group Director at eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions, Sr. Partner, Interactive Marketing at Ogilivy Interactive, and Director, Client Services at Razorfish.

We wish Jon every continued success in his digital strategy and marketing career and we will be supporting him with EC’s unique “Accelerated Leadership Transition Program” as he begins this newest chapter in his career.

Articles

Marketing EDGE Celebrates 2015 “Rising Stars”

On Tuesday, June 9th, we attended the Marketing EDGE 2015 “Rising Stars” dinner in NYC where annually they honor the “Best & Brightest” direct and digital marketers under 40YO…plus a Corporate Commitment Award (Return Path) to a game-changing company within the digital/direct marketing ecosystem.

EC extends our congratulations to the 2015 Award winners:

  1. Lewis Cohen – SVP, Digital Marketing – CitiCards
  2. Amina Dilawari – Director, Marketing Strategy – St. Jude Children’s Hospital
  3. Jessica Hawthorne-Castro – CEO, Hawthorne Direct
  4. Lisa Radding – Director, Research & Product Development – Ethnic Technologies
  5. Andrea Steele – Omnichannel Marketing Manager – Unilever

MarketingEDGE is a unique educational non-profit organization with innovative education and placement programs that intersect 3 audiences – college student, educators, and corporations. Jeff Gundersen of EC is a Board Trustee and this year this non-profit served over 6,000+ college students with programs including one day career forums, one week boot camps in Analytics and Digital strategy, collegiate business competitions leading to scholarship awards, and entry level job placement services.

MarketingEDGE is seeking new corporate sponsors for the 2015-16 school year, so please reach out to  if you would be interested to learn more about these programs.

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global HR Professional Services firm, a Global Financial Services firm and a Global Digital Consulting firm.  Please take a moment to click on a link and see the complete position description:

Learn more…

Filed Under: Announcements, Branding Yourself Online, Connections E-Zine, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Marketing Conferences & Events, New Executive Search, Recommended Articles, Spotlight On

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 80

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: ‘Mad Men’ to Data Geniuses
  • Invitation REMINDER:
    • 2015 Rising Stars Awards Dinner – Tue, June 9, 2015
  • Announcements:
    • Monika Wilczak Joins Accenture Interactive as MD, Customer Advanced Analytics
    • NOW 2015 Women of Power & Influence Awards Dinner — June 11, 2015
  • Articles:
    • #MktgFemme – Direct Marketing News’ 2015 Marketing Hall of Femme Awards
  • Career Opportunities:
    • Marketing Leader, Private Exchange – NEW
    • Marketing Leader, Northeast – NEW
    • Social Media Strategist
    • Digital Strategist – Senior Manager
    • Digital Strategist – Manager
    • Social Senior Manager and Account Lead
    • Manager, Social Media
    • Director, Insights and Strategy

In Our Opinion by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

 ‘Mad Men’ to Data Geniuses

Kudos to AdAge Editor Simon Dumenco and his team in compiling the 2015 Agency Issue (published May 4, 2015). AdAge highlights several trends which underscore while ‘Mad Men’ the TV series is ending this year, there will be plenty of ‘Mad Men’ continuing to dominate the global marketing, media and entertainment sectors for decades to come. Except ‘Mad Men’ are starting to look much different today than the ‘Mad Men’ from the 60’s and 70’s.

With IBM Experience, Deloitte Digital, and Accenture Interactive moving into the list of Top 10 global agencies (and Top 3 global digital agencies), and digital capturing nearly 40% of total advertising spending and rapidly heading to 50%+, it is becoming clear the future of marketing is shifting (as Dumenco and AdAge projects) from Art & Copy ‘Mad Men’ of the past to “Data Geniuses and Technologists” of the future driving targeted digital, mobile and social brand engagements with consumers which are apparent in the revolutionary marketing innovations we are experiencing on a daily basis.

Where and when will the next Uber, AirBnB, or Jet.com appear? Almost every sector is rapidly shifting toward a greater digital focus to assure their business is not rapidly encroached by a new unforeseen digital competitor.

It’s great to see the marketing industry leading U.S. economic growth. In 2014, U.S. agency revenues grew 5.4% to a record $43.6B. Ad-agency employment is climbing, and agency stocks scored all-time highs. It’s indeed a good time to be in the agency business…especially if you’re connected to digital.

One final thought…some ‘Mad Men’ from the 60’s and 70’s who were really revolutionary and predicted the future of marketing…were the pioneers in direct marketing…leaders including Lester Wunderman, Stan Rapp, and others who predicted “mass marketing” was wasteful and would give way to “one-to-one” marketing (or direct marketing). Those who have been around the direct marketing sector for 3-4 decades know digital marketing is “direct marketing on steroids”…so thanks to Lester, Stan and the other direct marketing pioneers who paved the way for the data geniuses and technologists of the future.

As always, we welcome your input and comments.

Jeff and Lola

Announcements

Monika Wilczak Joins Accenture Interactive as Managing Director, Customer Advanced Analytics

Monika J. Wilczak Head ShotWe are pleased to announce Monika Wilczak has joined our client, Accenture Digital, as Managing Director, Customer Advanced Analytics.

Prior to Accenture, Monika was Global Head of Customer & Market Intelligence at Bloomberg LP, and earlier, Monika was Head of Decision Management, Commercial & Small Business Banking at Citibank.

In this new marketing era of targeted, relevant two-way communications with customers and prospects, Monika is an analytics executive leader with a proven ability to identify business growth opportunities and translate them into new revenue streams using customer insights. Monika’s expertise includes B2C, B2B, and vertical sectors including media, technology, financial services, and consumer goods/services.

At Accenture Digital, Monika will have both U.S. new business development responsibilities as well as leadership of clients/teams delivering cutting-edge Analytics strategies and program results.

Monika holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Statistics & Operations Research with Honors (from Stern School – NYU).

Executive Connections LLC initiated this executive placement as part of  an ongoing senior-level talent acquisition relationship with Accenture Interactive.

We wish Monika well in this exciting new career opportunity!

Upcoming NOW 2015 Women of Power & Influence AwardsNOW logo

Please join me at the NOW 2015 Women of Power & Influence Awards Dinner on Thursday, June 11, 2015 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at Three Sixty in New York City.

 

For more details…

Invitation REMINDER

Join Me At Marketing EDGE 2015 “Rising Stars” Dinner
in NYC on Tuesday, June 9, 2015RSA15-banner-linkedin

Register now and start planning how you’ll take advantage of the networking opportunities at the Rising Stars Awards Dinner – with this year’s Rising Stars and the 400+ industry leaders expected to attend.

Marketing EDGE provides many training and employment programs for college students including Collegiate ECHO Awards, Scholarships, Student Career Forums, One Week Immersion programs (I-MIX – Interactive Marketing Immersion Experience; I-MAX – Interactive Marketing Analytics Experience), Next Generation Leaders, Summer Internships, and Entry-level marketing positions.

Marketing EDGE also provides programs for educators in over 100+ colleges and universities nationwide including Professors’ Academy, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Research Summit, Professor’s Institute, and Collegiate ECHO Challenge.

Marketing EDGE sponsors and corporate partners include Brierley & Partners, Direct TV, Epsilon, Executive Connections LLC, Facebook, Google, Gerber Life, Guthy Renker, IBM, Javelin, KBM Group, Ogilvy & Mather, Merkle, Microsoft and Twitter, among others.

2015 RISING STARS HONOREES —Louis Cohen, Citi Cards | Andrea Steele, Unilever | Lisa Radding, Ethnic Technologies | Amina Dilawari, St. Jude Children’s Hospital | Jessica Hawthorne-Castro, Hawthorne Direct

Link to MarketingEdge event…

Article

#MktgFemme – Direct Marketing News’ 2015 Marketing Hall of Fame

By Laura Gigliotti – April 27, 2015

“18 chief marketers who put the ‘excel’ in excellent”
“An elite group of women who are driving marketing today”
“Exceptional leading ladies who have risen to the apex of their profession”

So were the accolades floating around the Grand Hyatt in New York City last Friday during Direct Marketing News’ 2015 Marketing Hall of Femme Awards.

In its third iteration, the annual Award ceremony recognizes the achievements of the most accomplished and influential women in marketing. Over 80 nominees were submitted during the call-for-nominations period, 18 of which were selected for induction. Selection criteria included leadership style, approach to marketing, and career achievements—both past and present.

For complete article…

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global HR Professional Services firm, a Global Financial Services firm and a Global Digital Consulting firm.  Please take a moment to click on a link and see the complete position description:

Learn more…

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Branding Yourself Online, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Personal Branding, Recommended Articles

Career Path Insights

Is Career Jumping Different Now From In The Past? Is It More Or Less Common?

Career jumping is definitely the “new normal” and it’s the result of several factors. First, the rapid global transition to a digital- and mobile-first economy has created enormous opportunities for technology-savvy and analytical/quantitative young professionals to join or start new businesses (i.e., Google, Facebook, Amazon) with rapid growth and significant wealth creation possibilities. Additionally, many legacy industry sectors (i.e., print, media, CPG, retail) are experiencing consolidations which eliminates traditional career path growth opportunities within the same company and forces career change.

How Can Someone Know They Are Truly Ready For A Career Change?

You know you are ready for a career change if any of the following conditions are present: (a) you no longer believe in the vision/mission of your company/organization; (b) you no longer respect your direct boss (and/or the company leader); (c) you are not growing/developing new skills in the role; (d) you are not feeling challenged by the path in front of you. We are seeing less loyalty today in both directions. Companies are less loyal to employees and routinely make cutbacks (in both good times and bad) as a result of increased efficiencies. Likewise, today’s employees are less loyal to their companies than previous generations, and it has become more readily acceptable that each individual will shift jobs/career several times over the course of their work life.

For the complete article by Melissa Batchelor Warnke…

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Connections E-Zine, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Marketing Conferences & Events, New Executive Search

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 79

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: Life Expectancy of CMOs Is Increasing
  • Spotlight On: Lia Sagerman – 2015 EC Rising Star
  • Invitation:  Marketing EDGE 2015 “Rising Stars” Award Dinner
  • Career Opportunities:
    • Social Media Strategist – NEW
    • CMO, Customer & Digital Marketing – NEW
    • Digital Strategist – Senior Manager – NEW
    • Digital Strategist – Manager – NEW
    • Social Senior Manager and Account Lead
    • Manager, Social Media
    • Director, Insights and Strategy

In Our Opinion by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

Life Expectancy of CMOs Is Increasing

Jane Odell at Chief Marketer magazine just reported “Good news for the CMO: life expectancy in your job continues to climb, according to new data from Spencer Stuart, who analyzed the tenure of CMOs for the top 100 US advertised brands.”

We recall as recently as 3-4 years ago CMO tenure was less than 2 years according to Spencer Stuart. Since that time, CMO tenure has doubled and a recent report from Forrester Research projects this year average CMO tenure would reach 60 months (that’s 5 years).

One key reason according to Odell is CEOs are relying more heavily on CMOs for critical advice in the fast changing world of marketing. We agree, and would add, there is a new crop of digitally-savvy, data-driven marketers who have become the “new breed” of CMOs. With marketing tipping toward a digital- and mobile-first axis, digitally-deficient CMOs need not apply.

If you are a CMO, what’s your current and expected tenure? If you are a CEO, how well advised do you feel by your CMO on the digital marketing transformation path? If you are on a career path trajectory to a CMO role, are you learning the new data, digital, mobile, and social media marketing skills to be relevant in the new digital marketing eco-system?

As always, we welcome your comments and input.

Jeff and Lola

 Spotlight On

Lia Sagerman – EC 2015 Rising Star

Lia headshotWe would like to introduce Lia Sagerman, EC’s 2015 Rising Star.  Lia is an exceptional candidate with strong leadership skills.  We first spotted Lia in 2013 when she led the Tufts Women’s Varsity Field Hockey team (as Captain) to the NCAA National Championship.  Next, while completing her Masters degree in Education over the next two years at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN, Lia worked as a teacher in a highly regarded “Teach for America” program, creating innovative strategies to improve student success.

Lia is now interested to leverage her undergraduate degree (B.A., Psychology from Tufts) and begin her business career in NYC in a marketing or strategy role.

Lia has already been to NYC in March and interviewed with a number of EC clients.  Her next visit will be in May 2015…and she will be available for a full-time position in NYC on August 1, 2015.

We highly recommend you meet and speak with Lia on her next visit.  You will not be disappointed.

Please contact Jeff Gundersen directly, if you have any questions or would like to meet Lia Sagerman.

Invitation

Join Me At Marketing EDGE 2015 “Rising Stars” Dinner
in NYC on Tuesday, June 8, 2015RSA15-banner-linkedin

As many of you know, I am a Board Trustee of Marketing EDGE, a non-profit organization with the mission to Educate, Develop, Grow, and Employ the next generation of marketing leaders.

Marketing EDGE provides many training and employment programs for college students including Collegiate ECHO Awards, Scholarships, Student Career Forums, One Week Immersion programs (I-MIX – Interactive Marketing Immersion Experience; I-MAX – Interactive Marketing Analytics Experience), Next Generation Leaders, Summer Internships, and Entry-level marketing positions.

Marketing EDGE also provides programs for educators in over 100+ colleges and universities nationwide including Professors’ Academy, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Research Summit, Professor’s Institute, and Collegiate ECHO Challenge.

Marketing EDGE sponsors and corporate partners include Brierley & Partners, Direct TV, Epsilon, Executive Connections LLC, Facebook, Google, Gerber Life, Guthy Renker, IBM, Javelin, KBM Group, Ogilvy & Mather, Merkle, Microsoft and Twitter, among others.

Please join 350-400 senior level digital and direct marketers for an exciting evening on June 8, 2015 when we will be honoring 6 of the best and brightest marketing “Rising Stars” under 40YO.

Link to MarketingEdge event…

Career Opportunities

We have career opportunities at a variety of companies including a Global HR Professional Services firm, a Global Financial Services firm and a Global Digital Consulting firm.  Please take a moment to click on a link and see the complete position description:

Learn more…

Filed Under: Announcements, Connections E-Zine, Digital Proficiency, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Marketing Conferences & Events, New Executive Search

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 78

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: Be Positive and Refire
  • Special Announcements:
    • Allison Landers, VP, Digital and Customer Experience – Prudential Financial
  • Career Opportunities:
    • Social Senior Manager and Account Lead – Social – Global Consulting Firm
    • Manager, Social Media – Global Consulting Firm
    • Director, Insights and Strategy – Marketing & Sales

In Our Opinion by Jeff Gundersen & Lola White

Be Positive and Refire

In our conversations with clients and business friends, we are constantly asked how we are seeing economic trends as related to companies hiring. While economic growth slowed significantly in 2014 in certain global markets (Europe, Japan, China), the U.S. economy outperformed expectations and economists including Gary Thayer (Chief Macro Strategist at Wells Fargo) forecast U.S. 2015 economic growth of 2.8%. With consumer confidence rising, and with the benefit of lower energy prices spawning higher consumer spending, 2015 is a market in which to BE POSITIVE AND REFIRE.

Part of the growth and activity we continue to see is related to marketing shifting onto a mobile- and digital-first axis. The top global advertisers are being driven by this rapidly shifting marketing transformation to invest in new marketing technologies, and to create new customer engagement and experience processes, in order to adapt to the needs of serving customers and prospects on a real-time, omni- channel basis. Chief Customer Officer, Chief Digital Officers, and Heads of Digital Customer Experience, are among the new high priority roles being identified and filled by many companies. In this month’s e-zine, we highlight Allison Landers, recently hired by Prudential Financial for this type of new digital experience role.

Refire (3)For many legacy sectors, companies and brands, 2015 is a time to “REFIRE” as Ken Blanchard says in his latest book, “Refire, Don’t Retire!” While Blanchard’s book is aimed at Boomers planning a next career after retiring or leaving full-time employment, his themes are applicable for all of us in this period of rapid marketing transformation. I took part in a recent webinar sponsored by The Ken Blanchard Companies and heard Ken outline four key areas of refiring in 2015:

  1. Refire Intellectually – Be open to learning, take a class, be a reader, a teacher, be courageously persistent.
  2. Refire Emotionally – Love Is key (love what you do, who you are with, love yourself), build relationships.
  3. Refire Physically – Create a healthy body and well-being, improve strength, flexibility, balance, diet/nutrition, sleep.
  4. Refire Spiritually – Move beyond focus on self, be forgiving, grateful, accepting, and humble.

These principles can help us all open new pathways to seeing things differently, learning new skills, driving innovation by thinking outside the box, strengthening our physical core and stamina, and improving our emotional intelligence to enhance our company’s culture and grow/develop everyone’s individual and collective performance.

We trust you are off to a positive start in 2015 and we look forward to hearing from you with stories of how you are personally REFIRING in order to drive POSITIVE outcomes in 2015!

As always, we welcome your comments and input.

Jeff and Lola

Special Announcements

Allison Landers, VP, Digital and Customer Experience – Prudential Financial Group

Landers HeadshotWe are delighted to announce that Allison Paine Landers has recently joined Prudential Financial’s Group Insurance division as VP, Digital and Customer Experience, reporting to Michelle Crecca, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer.

In this new role, Allison will design and execute a comprehensive digital strategy for PRU-GI and will partner with corporate centers across the enterprise to implement a common Prudential digital experience. Allison will also be responsible for PRU-GI’s customer experience strategy, and customer experience research and benchmarking, to enable PRU-GI to have a more comprehensive view of customer insights.

Allison has significant experience in digital and omni-channel product marketing, with proven success in leveraging distribution and technology to acquire, retain, and serve customers. She joins PRU-GI from TD Bank, where she most recently served as the head of online and tablet banking. During her tenure with the bank, Allison led a program to move three million U.S. retail and small business customers onto a single digital platform. She also launched a program to provide 700,000 U.S. and Canadian customers with a single online banking experience.

Prior to TD Bank, Allison spent seven years at KeyBank in Cleveland, Ohio, first as VP, Marketing and later as SVP, Online and Mobile channels. Among her many responsibilities there, Allison led efforts to enhance the online banking platform experience, which enabled the bank with its client retention efforts, and to achieve significant revenue and cost savings. She began her career with America Online, where she spent the first 5 years of her career.

Allison earned a BA in Journalism from Indiana University, and an MBA in marketing from Marymount University. In addition to being a frequent industry speaker, she served as the current Chair of the Consumer Bankers Association Digital Channels Committee.

Executive Connections LLC handled this executive search assignment on an exclusive basis for PRU-GI continuing a long-term partnership with Michelle Crecca and Prudential Financial.

Career Opportunities

Two new opportunities in the Global Social Media Practice of a leading digital consulting firm:

Our third new opportunity is for a global consulting client which is a leader in Talent, Health, Retirement, and Investments.

Learn more…