Welcome to the show where two not-so-interesting guys ask interesting people one question and then interrupt them as they try to answer. This podcast started earlier in New York City when hosts of the show, David Jaffin and Jake Miller, asked people out to breakfast to make connections and pick their brains about how they got to where they are and advice to those wanting to follow in their footsteps. Now, they’ve learned how to work microphones … kind of.
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May 8, 202432 min
Marissa Solis SVP of Global Brand For the NFL on Market Leaders and the Benefits of the Challenger Brand Mentality
In the world of business, it's easy to assume that being the market leader is the ultimate goal. After all, who wouldn't want to dominate their industry and enjoy the spoils of success? But there's a compelling case to be made for the advantages of being a challenger brand - a company that may not be the top dog, but is hungry, agile, and ready to shake things up. As Marissa Solis, SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing for the NFL, puts it, "If you can combine both the swagger and the hunger, I think you get a perfect marketer." In other words, while market leaders may have the confidence that comes with their position, challenger brands have the drive and adaptability that can propel them to new heights. In this episode, we'll explore the benefits of embracing the challenger mindset, from avoiding the pitfalls of complacency to connecting with underserved markets. We'll also examine real-world examples of companies that have leveraged their underdog status to achieve remarkable success. So buckle up and get ready to root for the underdogs.
May 1, 202434 min
From Danish Village to Silicon Valley Powerhouse | A Conversation with Heidi Anderson, CMO & CRO at Nextdoor
On the latest episode of "How The Fuck Did You Get That Job", we sat down with Heidi Anderson, a trailblazer who's gone from a small Danish town to the upper echelons of Silicon Valley. As the current CMO and CRO at Nextdoor, Heidi's journey includes impressive roles at Google and LinkedIn, where she played a vital part in driving these tech giants to new heights. Heidi grew up in a tight-knit Danish community of just 100 people. But her curiosity and love for reading sparked dreams of exploring the world. Her path took her from the University of Southern Denmark to a life-changing gap year traveling the U.S., igniting a passion for the fast-paced, innovative spirit of Silicon Valley. In this episode, Heidi discussed the ups and downs of navigating the tech world as an immigrant and a woman in leadership. She offered valuable advice for aspiring leaders, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships, staying resilient, and constantly growing. Heidi's story is one of embracing opportunity, pushing beyond comfort zones, and harnessing the power of community to drive positive change. You can also watch this conversation on Youtube.
April 24, 202434 min
Insights from Charlotte Mostaed, CMO of Health-Ade Kombucha
Picture this: you're a hotshot marketer, ready to take on the world. But you're faced with a tough choice — should you be a jack-of-all-trades or a master of one? It's the age-old debate between being a generalist or a specialist. To help us navigate this tricky terrain, we brought in Charlotte Mostaed, the CMO of Health-Ade Kombucha. Charlotte's got a multidisciplinary background in development studies, which has shaped her unique approach to marketing. She calls it "very general management focused." Basically, she's a boss at seeing the big picture. As Charlotte puts it, "This ability to do a very multidisciplinary major really, really spoke to me. And I would say that that's how I've now approached marketing and my brand of marketing, which is very general management focused." Her experience shows just how valuable a generalist mindset can be in marketing. But before we crown generalists the winners, we’re going to break down the merits of being a stone cold specialist in certain fields. In this article, we'll dive into the pros and cons of being a generalist or specialist in marketing, look at some real-world examples of successful marketers from both sides, and give you some actionable advice to help you navigate this complex landscape.
April 3, 202432 min
Embracing AI for Creativity, Fearlessness, and Strategic Simplicity, with DIAGEO's Sophie Kelly
Picture this: you're a marketing mastermind, perched atop your throne of brilliant ideas, ready to take on the world. But wait, what's that sound? It's the drumbeat of artificial intelligence, marching steadily toward your kingdom. Do you cower in fear, clutching your trusty whiteboard marker? Or do embrace your new robot overlords and use AI as your secret weapon in the battle for marketing supremacy? As Sophie Kelly, SVP of Global Tequila at Diageo, aptly put it, "Gone are the days of sitting in a room trying to think of all the possible ideas." The AI revolution is upon us, and it's not just a passing fad – it's a seismic shift in how we approach marketing. With AI tools readily accessible, we're no longer limited by the boundaries of our own imagination. We can feed the machine a few prompts and watch as it spits out a smorgasbord of ideas, each more tantalizing than the last. But here's the catch: having a vast array of options is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in navigating this sea of possibilities to uncover the true gems – the ideas that will resonate with your audience, drive engagement, and propel your brand to new heights. And that, my friends, is where the importance of creativity and fearlessness comes into play.
March 20, 202431 min
How the F**k Do You Build a Consistent Global Brand w/ YOTEL’s Olivia Donnan
In this super fun, super insightful interview (which we did on a yacht!?), we sat down with Olivia Donnan, VP of Branding Communications at YOTEL, to dive into her career journey and philosophies about how to stand out and build a world-class global brand in hospitality. From her early dreams of becoming an actress to navigating the multicultural nuances of international business, Olivia shares the lessons, challenges, and wins that have shaped her path. Like many of our guests on “How the F**k Did You Get That Job?”, Olivia’s education and career path are completely unrelated, and she gives practical advice for those starting out in their career and anxious make their mark early (hint: be patient!). One of our favorite parts of this interview as the candid look at what it takes to build and maintain a strong brand in the uber competitive world of hospitality, and how to maintain that brand’s consistency across continents. A great lesson for any budding global marketing executive.
March 20, 202427 min
Leveraging Tech and New Media for Integrated Strategies, With NYC FC's Lauren Scrima
In this fascinating interview we cover: - Embracing New Platforms for Engagement: At NYC FC, Lauren harnessed the power of new platforms like TikTok for influencer marketing, highlighting the need to adapt to changing media landscapes for brand visibility and engagement. - Innovation in Agency Partnerships: Lauren discussed the evolving dynamics between brands and agencies, stressing the importance of creativity, commitment, and deep brand understanding in successful partnerships. - The Importance of Integrated Marketing: Lauren's diverse experiences taught her about taking an integrated marketing approach, where balancing various strategies effectively addresses different business challenges. - Data-Driven Creativity: She advocates for a balance between creativity and data in marketing, emphasizing that both are crucial for crafting engaging campaigns and resonating with audiences. - Future Trends in Marketing: Lauren predicts a future where marketing will be heavily influenced by the integration of new media and technology, focusing on creating personalized and engaging experiences for customers with things like AR & VR. In the disorientingly fast-changing world of marketing, it’s extremely important to make sure that you are creating a feedback loop between data and creativity. Marketing is the blend of art and science, and few people understand this as well as this week’s podcast guest, Lauren Scrima. Lauren is the VP of Marketing at NYC FC. Her transition from studying political science to running multi-platform brand marketing departments symbolizes the necessity for marketers to be agile, adaptable, and continuously learning. Adaptability is particularly critical as this field is ever-evolving, the engagement platforms rise and fall and consumer engagement paradigms shift almost daily. “How are we different?” is a question that must be asked and realized on a daily basis. Lauren started her career at the prestigious New Yorker Magazine as a sales associate before jumping over the brand side at Dr. Pepper Snapple, and later, the alcohol behemoth AB InBev. Each step in her journey gave her unique insights — from grappling with the emotional connections essential in marketing to the significance of data-driven strategies in sculpting compelling, unique brand narratives. Today Lauren is at NYC FC, and has been tasked with elevating the fledgling soccer brand in the highly competitive US sports market. She went gung-ho into influencer marketing and platforms like TikTok, underscoring her ability to adapt to new mediums and strategies. Her time at NYC FC has showcased her penchant for keeping creativity in marketing, while balancing it with an acute awareness of data to inform decision-making, resonate with audiences, and drive impactful brand engagement.
March 20, 202445 min
A CMO's Journey from Madison Avenue to Silicon Valley, with Jinal Shah, GM & CMO at Zip US
Welcome to another episode of How the f**k did you get that job?" This week, we're excited to sit down with Jinal Shah, the GM and CMO of Zip US, a digital financial services company making credit accessible to as many people as possible. If you've ever been part of an exhilarating, fast-paced (aka f**king crazy) startup, you know that roles are often as flexible as they are demanding. In early-stage startups, job descriptions blur, departments merge, and you're expected to roll up your sleeves to get shit done. Jinal, as a leader navigating these fluid dynamics, took to this environment like a duck in water after spending years in the agency world. In her dual role as GM and CMO, Jinal has exhibited an understanding of the art and science of marketing that really impressed us. She’s been instrumental in fostering an environment at Zip US that values data-driven decision making, while also championing the creative potential of her team. Jinal consciously aims to be an inspirational leader, encouraging her team to explore, innovate, and continually push the boundaries of what's possible. I loved this conversation because it reinstated my belief that startups can have top tier creative talent in their ranks and that they needn’t rely on fancy agencies to tell them how to talk to their customers. It was refreshing, inspiring, engaging.
February 14, 202432 min
From White House Dreams to Startup Steady Hand: The Winding Road of Liz Simon, COO at Industrious
Liz Simon took an unexpected route to her current role as Chief Operating Officer of premium coworking company Industrious. Early on, she had her sights set on changing the world through politics and policy. The self-proclaimed "super nerdy" teen was obsessed with civil rights and dreamed of directing impact through the law. She charged ahead to Cornell then the University of Michigan Law School, with a stint working on the Obama campaign sprinkled in between. But the "soul-crushingly slow" pace of bureaucracy left her questioning the ability to drive change from within. A pivot to the world of startups proved fateful when a happenstance referral dropped her into an associate general counsel role at the then-40-person coding bootcamp General Assembly. As Simon describes it, she proceeded to "work herself out of a job" by building a lean legal team to address regulatory snarls, then found herself migrating into broader executive leadership. After rising to CEO during a period of company growth and acquisition, she took the pandemic period to reflect on aligning impact and passion. The future of work called, landing her in operations oversight at Industrious during a post-COVID rebuilding phase. Now feeling the culture is "in one of the strongest places" after rallying during contraction, the self-proclaimed non-online person offers simple advice: "most of the stuff is just not that important." Perhaps that wisdom comes from the only other pursuit she says brings her equal meaning – being a mom. As Industrious continues to bounce back under Simon's steady leadership, she’ll surely rely on that clarity of priority.
February 7, 202435 min
Jenny Zirinsky’s Unorthodox Leap from Sociology to the Global SVP of Marketing at Colgate-Palmolive
Imagine stepping into the world of marketing with a sociology degree in your back pocket, ready to decipher the hieroglyphs of consumer behavior like some sort of modern-day Indiana Jones, minus the whip and the fear of snakes. This is the story of Jenny Zirinsky, Global SVP, Marketing, Communications, & Media Transformation at Colgate-Palmolive, whose career trajectory makes the Golden Record’s journey through space seem like a leisurely stroll through the park. For those who missed the memo, Jenny is not your run-of-the-mill marketer. No, she embarked on her odyssey at Boston University, armed with nothing but a passion for sociology. Fast forward through the years, and you find her steering the ship at Colgate-Palmolive’s marketing department. How did she get there? Well, buckle up, because this is where it gets interesting. Her journey kicks off in the agency world. Here, Jenny worked at OMD International and Resolution Media, honing her skills in the art of digital media strategy. Think of her as the captain of the Starship Enterprise, if the Enterprise was tasked with selling shampoo and toothpaste instead of exploring strange new worlds. Then came the leap to the brand side, a move akin to switching from tea to coffee — shocking to the system but ultimately invigorating. From Estée Lauder to Coty, Jenny didn't just walk through doors; she kicked them down with the finesse of a ballet dancer wearing steel-toed boots. Along the way, she learned the importance of work-life balance. But what sets Jenny apart is not just her career trajectory; it's her unwavering belief in seizing opportunities and diving headfirst into the unknown. She approaches challenges with the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy store, if the kid was a marketing genius and the candy store was the global marketplace. One of her crowning achievements? A Spider-Man campaign that made navigating Peter Parker's New York as thrilling as swinging through the city on a web. It was creative, it was innovative, and it probably made every competitor wish they had thought of it first. So, as Jenny Zirinsky continues her voyage through the world of marketing, let her story be a beacon for all those navigating the dark waters of their careers. It's a reminder that with a bit of humor, a dash of courage, and a sociology degree (apparently), the sky's not the limit — it's just the beginning.
February 7, 202426 min
Ep 121: How Liz Crisafi Found Her Calling in Hospitality as IHG’s Global VP of Integrated Marketing
Liz Crisafi took an unexpected route through the worlds of broadcasting, marketing, and advertising before she landed in hospitality as the Global Vice President of Integrated Marketing at InterContinental Hotels Group. But her passion for storytelling and people has been a constant driving force. After initially pursuing broadcast journalism in college and losing her Southern accent along the way, Liz realized the competitive field wasn’t for her. So when a friend suggested she try marketing, mentioning the better pay and hours, she decided to pivot. As she says with a laugh, “Compared to broadcast, anything probably looked better at that point!” Her first marketing gig may not have been glamorous, selling agricultural chemicals. But Liz embraced the challenge to “make herbicides and pesticides interesting” with an ad campaign set in an OR trying to revive a giant dying potato. As Liz says, “It doesn't have to be boring, even if it’s some random chem company or a B2B market.” Over the years, Liz learned to love marketing and honed her skills on iconic brands like Kodak. But it was the field of hospitality marketing that ultimately captured her heart when she joined IHG. As she puts it, “It’s hospitality. I love travel. It was a great role for me and it’s a great company. It checked all the boxes.” Now as IHG’s Global VP of Integrated Marketing, she leads marketing efforts for the company’s 19 brands and 6000 destinations worldwide. But she’s quick to note, “Our best product is our people that walk in and out of those hotel doors every day.” Of course, marketing such a diverse portfolio of hotel brands poses unique challenges. As Liz explains, “You have to be relevant in the moment and make sure you’re co-creating experiences, not just relying on past data.” From road warriors staying at a Holiday Inn Express to couples celebrating at a glamorous InterContinental, IHG aims to deliver personalized and meaningful stays. And while Liz loves the creativity of marketing, she’s learned over the years not to take things too seriously either. “Take your work seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously,” she advises. “We’re not curing cancer here, we’re marketing.”
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