Good day everyone!
Spring is my favorite time of year.. I hope your April has been wonderful and that you’ve been equipped with an umbrella, allergy medicine and a pep in your step.
This is the 7th issue of Inc! Number 7 has deep meanings, so let’s hope this issue delivers accordingly. Also, Lucky Number Slevin is a great movie.
Surrealism
All good ideas arrive by chance. - Max Ernst
The show Atlanta has been on my list to watch for ages. And after discovering this article, ‘Atlanta’ is the best of contemporary surrealism it has definitely moved to the top. Stay tuned.
Ok. Moving from Atlanta to SF. When I was talking with Conga about becoming their CMO, they flew me out to San Francisco to interview with various people during Dreamforce. It was an intense and fun experience and I had become increasingly excited about working for them. On my last day, I had breakfast with my future boss, said all the right things, ate using my best etiquette and left to grab my things and venture to the airport. But…
I discovered SFMoMA was hosting an exhibition of René Magritte; my favorite surrealist and creator of my favorite painting, Son of Man (of which I have a tattoo). I had just enough time to make it to the museum, buy a $30+ ticket, walk through and get an Uber to SFO. It was worth every penny.
I’m all about serendipity and I am forever grateful this life experience intersected with my professional world and surrealism to create an unforgettable memory. Below is the photo I snapped….all good ideas arrive by chance.
How I ended up on a text thread with 5 girlfriends talking about Love is Blind S2, Bad Vegan and The Ultimatum.
My history with group text threads is limited. I’m on one with my English family on WhatsApp and with two of my best friends here in the US. Our group threads are fairly succinct and I have never returned to my phone to find 32 text messages. Maybe I needed that? Spoiler: I did.
Where did it begin? It started with this tweet (before I permanently deleted my Twitter account…even before Elon Musk stepped on to the scene).
Likes and replies ensued. Ashely sent a DM to the participants. Phone numbers were exchanged. Texts began. The text group was renamed The Pods. And I returned to my phone with 32 texts. And still regularly do.
The Pod group has continued. We went from Love is Blind to Bad Vegan and now The Ultimatum. Pictures of pets have made their way into the exchanges. A Zoom happened. Coffees and lunches have been planned. And I am so proud to be a part of this group.
This community has been a much needed escape from the day-to-day stress of life. The wit and humor of my friends has been the cause of many smiles. And, it’s the perfect excuse to watch some really trashy shows. It’s definitely outside of my comfort zone, which is obviously the point.
Five Questions with a Marketer
I met Megan Isherwood in my first week at Conga and knew I had to work with her. At the time, I knew I needed to pair with someone that was brilliantly smart, data driven, analytical, and capable of handling my opposite mind - ying and yang, Hobbs and Shaw, you get the picture. As I got to know her, I discovered how funny, direct, compassionate and even more brilliant she was.
Megan is now working her magic at Newsela. Here are 5 questions with her. Enjoy!
Where do you work and what is your title? How would you describe your role to an alien? An alien lands and walks up to you and asks, “Hey, tell me about your job?”.
Sr. Director, Marketing Operations and Demand Management at Newsela
The most basic description of my job is I make sure all the processes and Marketing technologies are optimized so Marketers can get the right message to the right person at the right time in the most effective channel. Then I make sure that information flows appropriately so the sales teams can follow up on the leads generated from those Marketing efforts.
What is your favorite thing about Marketing? And most frustrating.
My favorite thing about Marketing, specifically Marketing Operations, is that it’s a constant puzzle. At Newsela we’re constantly iterating on programs and technology so once we conquer a new type of campaign, a new channel, or a new piece of technology there's always a next step and a new challenge to figure out. I love hearing the creative and innovative ideas from the Demand Marketers on the team and figuring out how we can execute that vision in a way that is scalable, repeatable, and measurable. It’s impossible to get bored!
The most frustrating thing about Marketing for me is changes in Market conditions. Over the past few years the ever-changing (and quickly changing) market conditions have wreaked havoc on plans, completely changed the channel mix of our programs, and how messaging resonates across the country. Sometimes you can conquer an operational challenge just in time for the organization to need to pivot to a different set of priorities. It’s unavoidable, but I still don't like it.
What do you want every CEO and Board Member to know about Marketing?
The Demand funnel is only a piece of the Marketing impact. It takes just as much investment into Brand and Engagement Marketing functions to hit Demand growth targets, we can’t ignore those pieces even though it’s harder to see an ROI.
What individuals inspire you? What brands inspire you?
I’m inspired by brands that prioritize having a positive impact on the world. Brands like Patagonia that have policies that will repair your items so you can re-use instead of re-purchase and include the environmental impact of items in the item overview. Or Brands like Bombas or Toms that giveaway items to communities in need with every purchase. I’ll always prioritize working with brands that value making the world better in whatever way they can.
What advice would you give to aspiring marketing leaders?
Stay curious. Surround yourself with a humble team that constantly challenges each other and strives for constant improvement.
Behind the Lens
The cherry blossom (桜, sakura) is Japan's unofficial national flower. Visiting Japan during Spring was a bucket list item for me, so when I had the chance to visit Tokyo in April 2014, I packed my Fujifilm camera.
I almost missed this. I made it to Tokyo, but found myself in my hotel room for 2.5 days with severe food poisoning. In fact, I have a number of great sickness stories from all over the world if you ever want to hear them. But I digress. On my last day in Tokyo, I felt good enough to venture out and I explored the city to enjoy cherry blossoms blooming everywhere.
I chose the images below because Tokyo combines old, new and nature beautifully. The past and present live together, with nature inspiring it all. I’ll never forget this trip (for many reasons).
Consumption
All the stuff entering my brain (and stomach).
Podcasts:
As I approach 50, I am contemplating so many things about life, which I am pleased to say do not involve highlights or a corvette. This podcast is incredible and has me obsessing about being a modern elder.
Yes, I still watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, so when my friend Dan told me about the podcast, it was an easy decision.
Books:
Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm.
Articles:
The Flavor Flav Limited Edition Apple Watch
The Guy Collecting Every Gap Store Playlist Ever Made
How a Midcentury Style Lake House Became the Money Laundering Epicenter of Ozark
The first ‘Easter eggs’ were an act of corporate rebellion
The Cruel Intentions Cast Reunited to See Paintings of Their Most Iconic Scenes
“Jootsing”: The Key to Creativity
Sauces:
I’ve always wanted to be a sauce guy and after decades, it finally happened. Here are my two go-to for countless meals.
Casa Firelli is delicious. It has a little heat but not too much. Perfect on eggs, salads, anything Italian. And I love the branding.
My next sauce is a Japanese BBQ sauce. Bachan’s is delicious with a hint of soy, which makes it an unexpected but delicious take on BBQ sauce. And again, great branding.
Movies:
Vacation Friends: good movie on a Friday night.
Death on the Nile: kind of a disappointment.
The Kings Man: Kinda liked it, should have been 20 min shorter.
The Batman: As long as it was, I did not want this movie to end. I loved it.
Shows:
See above section about text strings…
Winning Time. I never want this show to end. I am mesmerized by the production style outlining the rise of the LA Lakers dynasty. Great acting too.
It’s a wrap everyone! I’m already working on the next issue. Take care and be nothing but yourselves!
Daniel