37 Inspiring Lessons for your Career | 5 Lessons at a Time (Part 1)
At Setup, networking runs through the veins of the organization. Each staff member is enthusiastic about forming and maintaining relationships. This is largely due to the fact that we are founded by a business matchmaker who values connection above all else.
At the end of the day, people need connection, and relationships lead to growth and opportunity externally and internally.
Read Related - Form Your Tribe of Supporters
For the past year, Setup CEO and Founder, Joe Koufman, has highlighted some of the lessons he has learned from people in his network.
What started out as a fun exercise turned into an effort to:
Appreciate those who have helped or inspired him to achieve throughout his marketing career, and
Share the career path knowledge with others.
5 Inspiring Lessons for your Career
Polish with personality | Mary Renner Beech
Mary and I met in college, and though our interactions have been limited over the years, I have always admired and respected her. Mary was a Theater major in college which has served her well throughout her marketing career - she is graceful under pressure, elevates her team, and puts in the work (rehearsal) to ensure that she delivers a stellar performance.
While her last position as EVP and CMO of Kate Spade New York was highly demanding, I feel that Mary brought herself to the role and elevated those around her.
I appreciate Mary's grace under pressure and will continue to try to emulate that.
Show enthusiasm for people's ideas | Jennifer Dorian
One of the things I love most about Jennifer is the enthusiasm she shows for others' ideas. While she shares her (often strong) opinions, she does so in a way that lifts up the person with boundless positivity.
Jennifer is a shining light in the community - once serving as General Manager for Turner Classic Movies (part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. now WarnerMedia), supporting countless entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and politicians, but also a deeply-loving wife and mother to two daughters. To add a cherry on top, she won the AMA Atlanta (American Marketing Association, Atlanta Chapter) Lifetime Achievement Award as well!
Your past does not define your future | Jason Dominy
Jason has overcome tremendous odds (difficult childhood/early adulthood) to become a shining star in his community and this world. Those who know him know there is not a more genuine and caring friend who truly believes in the power of community and fosters it whenever possible. Not only has Jason acted as an expert in his craft of social media marketing for large companies like The Krystal Company and several notable marketing agencies, but he is also a Renaissance man as an expert at coffee purveying, craft beer, smoked meats, disc golf, and many other areas of interest. An additional attribute I admire about him is that he freely shares his knowledge and passion with others.
The lesson that we can all take away from Jason's experience is that we can overcome any obstacles to not let our past define our future. I am so thankful for my relationship with Jason Dominy.
Be smart without being condescending | Raj Gajwani
Raj and I worked together at a dotcom called KnowledgeStorm from 2003-2005 and I was immediately impressed by Raj's keen intellect - he is a Harvard graduate, after all. It was clear to me that Raj was usually the smartest person in any room, but he never came across as condescending. He knew how to make his point and get buy-in for his ideas by serving them up in a palatable way that made them easy to incorporate.
The key lesson I take from my relationship with Raj is to be smart but not condescending and add value through insights.
Don't criticize, DO IT! | Dana Barrett
Dana is a truly inspiring human being with quite a background - she has been a serial entrepreneur, a TV host, a radio talk show host - not to mention a single mother and breast cancer survivor. She also ran for the U.S. Congress representing Georgia's 11th Congressional District!
I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Teddy Roosevelt that applies to Dana:
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
Dana was not happy with her representation and instead of complaining, she decided to jump into the arena! Dare mighty things, Dana!
A major lesson from this exercise is to pay tribute to the people who got you to where you are today. Your path in life is sculpted by those who have influenced you.
From our founding, we’ve made a number of connections finding agencies opportunities, finding brands new agencies, or finding job seekers jobs. Some patterns we noticed are:
If you build a solid reputation and relationship with someone, they will trust you and return for more business/consultation services
Clients will continue to work with agencies that they form chemistry and a solid relationship with (and vice versa)
Companies are only as strong as their teams - if you have strong relationships across your team and departments, the output, culture, and management is better
Always remember to say thanks to those you have met and learned from along the way, and keep those bonds tight - you never know where that relationship can take you.
Transitioning from Brand-side to Agency-side marketing can be both rewarding and challenging for marketing leaders. This shift offers unique opportunities to enhance strategic thinking, creativity, and versatility while navigating the fast-paced dynamics of managing multiple Clients. Drawing on insights from marketing experts like Cami Albrecht and Elaine Fowler of Sagepath Reply, this blog provides essential advice for successfully making the switch and leveraging the benefits of both career paths.
Marketers graduating from college often ask me whether they should pursue client- or agency-side opportunities for their initial job out of college. I tell them that in the long term, it is always best to get experience with both, but initially, a stint on the agency-side provides more opportunities to learn about different marketing roles, industries, and experiences than the client-side.
Joe Koufman, Founder and CEO of Setup, the matchmakers bridging the gap between agencies and brands, and Andrea Striebel, the VP of Marketing for Floor & Decor, share their thoughts on agency- vs client-side careers.
After over 20 years in the agency marketing world, Rhonda Beckmann, the SVP, Growth of Setup, shares her advice about what it takes to work in sales. In my career, I have discovered what separates the everyday salesperson from top-tier growth talent. It's not always a strategy that can be articulated, as most are just being their authentic selves. However, these inherent qualities are what make them stand out:
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been on a journey to connect with as many marketers as I can and chat with them about their personal experiences working in the industry. I have walked away from every conversation with new insights and perspectives on ways that I can tackle my own career, and I want to share some of the overarching themes with you here. Here are my 5 takeaways from conversations I've had with some top marketing leaders.
Setup’s Business Development and Marketing Associate, Alexis Quarcoo, has an ongoing series on her Twitter account, @Alexisfromsetup, called #MotivationalMonday where she highlights her favorite motivational quotes from previous guests featured in the CMO Spotlight Series. Check out this list of some of her favorite quotes (in no particular order) from marketing leaders in the CMO Spotlights that will give you a burst of motivation for the week and brighten your day:
Setup CEO and Founder, Joe Koufman, recently won the Jana Ferguson Mentorship Award at the 66th AMY Awards, which is the American Marketing Association - Atlanta Chapter annual celebration of the finest marketers in Atlanta and the Southeast. This award led to Koufman reflecting and sharing the reasons why mentorship is so beneficial.
Stepping into a new marketing role can be challenging. Luckily, we’ve researched and collected information from interviews with marketing leaders who were once in your shoes to give you a step-by-step outline of what to expect and how to achieve your goals. Check out our free guide on New Marketing Roles, starting with Guide to a New Role | Director of Marketing!
In this Marketer Musings segment, the following mashup presents marketing leaders sharing advice that they wish they had known as a younger marketer, as well as advice they would give to current marketing executives in executive, CMO, or VP roles similar to their own.
This Advice column features marketers from Danone, Del Taco, RE/MAX, and more.
In this Marketer Musings/Mashups segment, the following mashup presents marketing leaders sharing the values that they demonstrate to their team and look for in team members.
Which values do you exemplify as a leader? Which do you prioritize in your organization?
In the Setup CMO Spotlight series, marketing leaders share their journeys, leadership styles, and advice.
In this Marketer Musings segment, the following mashup presents marketing leaders sharing advice that they wish they had known as a younger marketer, as well as advice they would give to current marketing executives in executive, CMO, or VP roles similar to their own.
For the past year, Setup CEO and Founder, Joe Koufman, has highlighted some of the lessons he has learned from people in his network.
One of the recurring themes/lessons we have taken away from his admirable network is: Attitude Matters. The following people positively impacted everyone around them, leading to successful and meaningful careers.
In the spirit of our Marketer Matchups relaunch, Setup’s marketing matchmaker service for 1:1 networking connections, we wanted to give you ways to start networking conversations for when you return to events.
In the Setup CMO Spotlight series, we interview an array of marketing leaders who have done it all. In these recent interviews, marketing professionals shared advice that they wish they had known as a younger marketer, as well as advice they would give to current marketing executives in Chief Marketing Officer and other roles similar to their own.
At Setup, networking runs through the veins of the organization. For the past year, Setup CEO and Founder, Joe Koufman, has highlighted some of the lessons he has learned from people in his network.
The following lessons are centered around building, maintaining, and shaping one’s “tribe.” According to Seth Godin, tribes are “founded on shared ideas and values. Tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change.”
At Setup, networking runs through the veins of the organization. Each staff member is enthusiastic about forming and maintaining relationships. This is largely due to the fact that we are founded by a business matchmaker who values connection above all else.
The following is a series highlighting the people and lessons that led to our CEO founding Setup.
“Nobody gives a sh*t about your resume,” Joe Koufman, CEO and Founder of Setup blatantly stated in an interview with Hard Corps marketing.
What does this mean and how can job seekers best stand out?
We’ve all heard that in a job hunt, who you know is more important than what you know. Without a personal referral to pass your (hopefully visual) resume along to the key person, your chances of landing a job could be slim. So where does that leave the job seekers who want to be endorsed by valued associates or colleagues?
You’ve tried to contact your dream employer for months; you sent LinkedIn requests and emails, reached out to the C-Suite, sent your portfolio to a few employees in the right department, and maybe even landed a meeting or two, but none of these encounters led to a job offer. By now, you’re ready to move on, because you’ve tried everything, right? But have you actually done EVERYTHING you can?
Traditional resumes are typically a laundry list of past jobs, but they rarely tell the story about what the candidate COULD do for the potential employer. In the highly competitive job market, a visual representation of competency and experience told in a creatively stimulating format can make all the difference in getting noticed.
Setup™ CEO - Joe Koufman published a series of blog posts designed to help #JobSeekers prepare for and find their perfect next position.
While the number of jobs in the marketing field will continue to increase over time, today’s marketing landscape does not guarantee that a recent marketing graduate will obtain an entry-level job in marketing. To say that there is a “conventional career path” to become a marketing executive would be a stretch, but there is a rough outline of what one could expect when climbing the career ladder.
Unlock certain “superpowers” when searching for your next gig by utilizing these 3 free tools.
A strong online presence could be a deciding factor for a position you’ve applied for, or a position you don’t even know exists. Building an online personal brand is more important than ever, so it is crucial to not let others define you.
Ask yourself: Are you taking charge of guiding and cultivating your personal brand perception? Are you emphasizing your subject matter expertise and your glowing personality? When the potential employer Googles you, what will they find?
Getting a call for your first interview is half the battle in the job hunting process, but that phone call is only the beginning of a new phase of the search. Interviewing for a job entails a lot of work: research, careful consideration, practice, and preparation, because you've put in the hours and effort to reach that first interview, you don't want to blow your chances!
Congratulations - you landed your next gig! And, like anything new, you’re probably experiencing a range of emotions - both good and bad.
No need to worry, we’ve all been there before.
Whether you’re hired as the new VP of Marketing or Marketing Manager, we collected expert advice from marketing leaders to prepare and guide you in your next role!
What advice would you give to marketers who are new to their role?
SPARKsouth, is an annual conference designed to connect college students with digital marketing professionals who can help highlight different paths to digital marketing careers. This year’s event was sponsored by Nebo Agency, the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, Setup™, Simpli.fi, and 22squared.
The conference exposes attendees to multiple marketing career paths by offering three distinct conference tracks - brand, agency, and entrepreneur - with a career development break out room. An entire day dedicated to mentoring and developing students’ professional skills and mindsets, SPARKsouth gives marketers at every level the opportunity to connect.
When a client hires a marketing agency, the agency becomes a part of the team. However, when an agency begins to work with a client, there can be a disconnect between the two teams. What are common disconnects and how can both the agency and client-side marketers work to avoid them?
There are a number of paths a marketing executive can take when determining who and what will guide a marketing strategy. Choosing a marketing agency partner can depend on multiple variables including team capacity, capability, and situation. Though the rapid growth and evolution of marketing has blurred the lines of different “agency” types, it's still helpful to note the key differences between them.
Just like how a marching band has multiple sections to sound good, a marketing agency has multiple departments to function properly. Navigating the different roles and purposes of each department can get confusing and overwhelming, however.
Here is a simple breakdown of some typical agency departments (and the roles within) for those interested in working in/for a marketing or advertising agency.
Navigating the marketing industry often leads professionals to stick to either the Agency or Brand side, potentially limiting their growth opportunities. In our series, we delve into the experiences of marketers who have made the jump from one side to the other. Building on our previous exploration of transitioning from Client to Agency-side marketing, this time we interviewed Allison Turner, who has transitioned from Agency roles to becoming the Marketing Copy Manager at Floor & Decor on the Client side.
This journey highlights how working on both sides can enhance a marketer's skills and adaptability, making them more equipped to handle diverse tasks and challenges.