Hello readers!
This is the fourth newsletter from yours truly and it’s going in a slightly different direction than previous issues. But one thing is constant, change.
This place has only three exits, sir: Madness, and Death. - Rene Daumal
Change
I am quite chuffed to share that I am joining Reachdesk as their Chief Marketing Officer.
I get to market the act of gift giving. Who doesn’t love to receive a gift?
In looking for a new role, I used the following as guide:
It had to be about the human connection - I want to work with kind, authentic, collaborative people.
Could I learn from and grow with my new boss (and other execs)? Will this person invest in me, will they listen and challenge, and will they support me?
Does the company behave in the same way as their articulated values? Words are meaningless without correlating behavior.
Do they recognize the need for strategic marketing? This is a marketer’s dream - we all want this world.
Reachdesk met all of these requirements and more - incredible (I mean…), incredible product. Inspiring vision. Strong alignment between marketing and sales. Successful customers. A supportive and enthusiastic board. Impressive growth. And they were founded in England…back to my roots.
Thank you to everyone that helped, took my meeting requests, offered encouragement and listened. I am so grateful to each and every one of you.
It’s been an incredible decade of working in B2B. Ten years ago I joined ExactTarget to lead digital marketing. This was my first marketing role and experience in SaaS. Fast forward…and Reachdesk is my 4th CMO role. I sometimes have to pinch myself. Great mentors make all the difference. 🙏
Tips for Job Hunting (and recruiting)
I was fortunate to have a 3-month window to figure out my next move (thank you Terminus) and I learned a lot during this process. I ended up talking to ~30 companies in need of a marketing leader. My timing was impeccable - this was the hottest job market I have ever seen. Here are some tips for job seekers and people hiring:
Know what you want. I wrote down my requirements and that helped me manage my time, effort and the companies I pursued.
Use your network. I made a public announcement on LinkedIn and was overwhelmed with offers to help. In fact, that’s how I ended up at Reachdesk. I am so grateful to every email, text, call and Zoom I had. Thank you.
The way a company courts you is everything.
If it doesn’t feel right, walk away.
Take every call. You will learn something regardless and you might be surprised.
Speed is key in this market. I had companies wait weeks to follow up and then were surprised when I had moved on or progressed further on other opportunities.
Communicate! That goes for the job seeker and hiring company. The number of companies that went cold or weren’t forthcoming, or were afraid of sharing bad news was infuriating. I DO NOT CARE - just let me know.
It goes without saying, but show up on time.
If your’e doing the pursuing, it’s not a good sign.
Offer to help. If I wasn’t the right fit, I would recommend others for the position.
The job market has shifted. The employee is in the driver’s seat, so know your worth.
Network because it rally is about who you know. If this old introvert can do it, you can too.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
That’s all I’ve got, so excited!
Sir Lewis Hamilton
This has been manipulated, man.
I am still hurting from the Formula One finale in Abu Dhabi. Whether Sir Lewis Hamilton returns, remains to be seen.
I had the pleasure of seeing him race in person (picture below from SuperfanMe at the 2007 US Grand Prix) and he’s my all time favorite driver. Weird to think I’ve been rooting for him for almost 15 years.
What excites me about him, is what happens after racing. Movies, music, fashion, STEM, human rights, UNICEF and so on. They say you should never meet your heroes, but I’d definitely make an exception.
The Hermit Life
The pandemic has really suited my natural way of living. Introverted. Love silence. Happiest at home. Only need a handful of friends. You get the picture.
I also believe in comfort. Pre-pandemic, I was in comfortable clothes within 12 seconds of arriving home from work. So in the past 2 years, I have invested in considerable comfort R&D. And as a special treat to my readers, I am going to share some of my favorite products. Ready?
Slippers: If you would have told me that I’d ever own a pair of Crocs, I would have challenged you to a duel! But here I am, a very proud owner of these. So cozy.
Socks: As I’ve aged (gracefully), socks have become critical to my well being. I’m a Stance guy through and through. What’s your go-to sock?
Underwear: Nice Laundry is straight luxury. Pricey, but they feel incredible. And when you get to my age, you just wanna feel special.
Sweatpants: I love Legends. Exceptionally comfortable, well made, and robust. ‘nuff said.
That takes care of the bottom half. I am still researching the top, so you’ll have to wait!
Consume
All the stuff going into my head.
Reading: I’m reading No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention and listening to In Montparnasse: The Emergence of Surrealism in Paris, from Duchamp to Dali.
TV: Bob’s Burgers, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Book of Boba Fett.
Movies: Starting off the year with a severe man flu, afforded me the opportunity to watch some incredible movies.
The Irishman
The Beatles: Get Back
Malcolm X
Judas and The Black Messiah
No Time to Die
The Harder they Fall
When the Levees Break
Audio: The Beatles and the speeches of Malcolm X.
And in the world of Surrealism, this René Magritte painting is about to smash records at auction.
That’s all folks - have a great rest of the month.
Much love, Daniel
It almost feels like Magritte's work was made for our current world. So much is the same, just business-as-usual, but something is just a bit off -- with an air of menace...