1. Tell us about Blueprint and how you approach the communities in real estate that you serve?

We see Blueprint as a “big tent” event, including all of the different real estate asset classes, and all of the different ways that technology is disrupting their various businesses. Blueprint is the single event every year where you know that all of the major players in the real estate tech ecosystem will be gathering to learn, network, and get deals done. We see our annual Vegas event as a vital mechanism for the industry to push innovation forward, and we take a “white glove” approach to building our community in the sense that we want to facilitate as many connections as we can among the important players. We have done our job right if everyone at Blueprint feels like they’ve made important contacts at the end of our event, and can go back to their offices energized, full of ideas, and with connections for partnerships.

2. While many live in a world of Zoom, what are the special and particular reasons to do a large physical event?

I think COVID taught us all that there is only so much that can be done over Zoom. We all did the best we could to keep things rolling while under lockdown, but I don’t know anyone who prefers virtual events to meeting in person — both from an experience standpoint, and in terms of outcomes. It is just much, much harder to create the kinds of meaningful professional relationships that result in major deals without the experience of being in person. During our inaugural event last October, which was the first time many of our attendees had gone anywhere since the pandemic, we received overwhelming positive feedback about the joy and relief people felt in being around others again face-to-face — and I’m sure that was a major factor in why several fundings and M&A transactions can be traced back to connections made at the event last year.

3. You have a mighty array of speakers. What are the binding and common elements that make these speakers so great?

Ultimately we feel like the speaker lineup is the very best collection of real estate tech innovators and technologists ever assembled under one roof. We work very hard on our programming throughout the year to engage with the most dynamic companies and people who are working on solving the most difficult and important issues facing the real estate industry as it evolves. As we put together the agenda, industry leading VCs like Fifth Wall, Navitas, Moderne Ventures and Metaprop have been a great resource to help us identify rocketship startups destined for great things. And it’s essential to have the major real estate operators like Tishman Speyer, Cushman & Wakefield, Jamestown, Lincoln Property Company and Greystar to share with our attendees what the needs of industry buyers are, and where they need innovation most.

4. As you think about the real estate ecosystem, what are the nuggets that attendees can expect to receive- that help them, practically, do their jobs better?

We have a fairly wide range of content on stage, much of which is aimed at understanding where the ball is moving in real estate tech (both in terms of client needs and investor enthusiasm) and figuring out which innovative practices and technologies will be truly game-changing for the industry broadly. We’ll have panels that dive deep into multifamily management, fractionalized assets, ibuying, uses of data in construction, and much much more. Attendees will come away with a better and broader understanding of the industry, and that sharp lens will help them have a better understanding of how their individual companies can find green space and thrive.

5. Do you see a lot of investment activity in the space and do you expect a good number of investors to be present?

According to CRETI, $13.1 billion in venture capital was invested in the real estate technology space in just the first half of 2022. While the climate has been a bit rough for some sectors of the startup economy, proptech has continued to attract strong backing, and we’re still hearing plenty of optimism from the venture community. We are proud to say that every prominent firm investing in proptech will be at Blueprint, so it should be a rich environment for companies looking for funding.

6. What are your parting thoughts on attending your event?

Blueprint Vegas 2022 is the only event where the entire real estate ecosystem will gather. There is no better place to make meaningful connections with peers and potential partners. Come for the thought leadership from companies like Pacaso, Compass, Moinian Group and Morgan Properties; don’t miss the packed Innovation Stage filled with the entrepreneurs changing the face of the built world; take advantage of our world-class networking technology; and make time for a little fun at our After Party featuring the Grammy Award winning performer Nelly. This is really an event NOT to be missed!

1. Angela you have a storied career in Asset Management. What are the biggest opportunities in that space now?

There is more interest now than anytime I have seen to make an impact through investing. It is relatively easy to deploy capital into impact strategies that are tied to specific firms and funds. For example, it is fairly straightforward to find an S&P500 impact fund that is designed around specific metrics such as net-zero carbon.. The real opportunity, however, is in direct investing in specific impact assets. There is a very real demand for capital in global infrastructure assets that are needed for real environment and social improvement.

2. Similarly, what are the biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge I think is to be creative and more long-term focused on asset management. It is very difficult to get stakeholders and shareholders alike to show the patience and effort needed to deploy capital in meaningful ways, likely forgoing current returns in order to make a much bigger long-term return and impact.

3. Data. How does data play a role in producing ROI in Asset and Investment Management and is the industry adept at harnessing data? What are the learnings here?

Data has the ability to play a significant role in producing ROI because it can really help inform trends for long-term returns. The industry is incredibly adept at harnessing data and making short term determinations. I think they are much more challenged at looking longer term, looking for directional trends and seeing past short term impacts. Finally, understanding the data can highlight underlying risks that impact returns which in turn allows a manager to more actively hedge against those risks, adding to ROI.

4. You have recently joined Pepper as an Advisory Board member. Can you help us with the value proposition there and how it fits into the future of Asset Management.

The platform Pepper has built fills a huge gap in the asset management space. As owners and managers of alternative asset portfolios, data comes from all different sources and systems. Often these different data sources, whether an electronic feed or a PDF document, need to have data loaded manually into a customized system that is not integrated with other risk and portfolio management systems. Pepper provides a platform that allows managers to analyze comprehensive data and gain an understanding of where risk exposures lie and inform any gaps in a portfolio, giving the manager the space and information to invest anew. This information absolutely increases the value of the portfolio as a manager can lean into the risk measures, de-risk where one needs to without necessarily giving up return.

5. Alternatives and Secondaries are burgeoning areas within Asset Management. What are the unique opportunities there in the next five years?

Alternatives and secondaries have changed so much in recent years. When I started with Alaska in 2015, the idea of evaluating the portfolio, selling certain assets and pivoting the alternatives allocation was the exception not the rule. Since then, the idea has gained traction and more asset owners are using the secondaries tool to more actively manage their portfolios. Over the next 5 years, especially if you see asset owners struggling with liquidity and total fund overweights due to down public markets, secondaries are going to be a key to staying invested in alternatives. Lower valuations will allow for many opportunities to those that have cash and asset allocation to invest.

6. Can you comment on the industry as a whole and its relationship to technology? Is Asset and Investment Management tech forward or a laggard?

I think overall asset and investment management is tech laggard. Asset & investment management is still a relationship business and we tend to adopt new tech reluctantly. I continue to see many opportunities for tech to significantly reduce transaction friction and increase price transparency – especially in the alternative, private space.

7. Pls share some parting thoughts with us.

The sheer volume of data today can be overwhelming and difficult to use and interpret with regard to investing. I think those managers that are going to be successful, impactful investors are the ones that are willing to be creative in their data usage, e.g. looking at nontraditional data points to inform potential future performance of an asset, but will only be as good as their data sets.

We caught up with Min Alexander, CEO of PunchListUSA.

Marketing Darwinism: Min, you are the CEO and Co-Founder of PunchListUSA. Tell us more about your mission there.

Min Alexander: We have a mission to make homeownership possible for as many as possible and to empower homeowners to maximize the value of their investment throughout the home-owning life-cycle. For us, the inspection report is a font of knowledge, from which we can derive a lot of information not only about the house in its current state but also in its future state. Helping homeowners understand this and, further, provide a tailored roadmap of ownership– for proper maintenance, repairs and improvements is our mission.

Marketing Darwinism: So for you the inspection is the pivot point for homeowners?

Min Alexander: Yes, it is. It’s almost like a “23 and Me” for a House. We utilize the current condition of the home, materials used for construction and ages of the major systems, among 400+ other data points to help homeowners to better understand, plan and manage the requirements to preserve and grow equity.

Marketing Darwinism: How does this fit into the crisis of home affordability in the US?

Min Alexander: Home affordability is a multi-pronged problem. Part of it is of course wrapped up in rising house prices, rising interest rates, and the need for high down payments. But part of it is also the ongoing cost of maintenance, which is roughly $4,000 each year for an average home. These routine costs do not include emergency repairs and replacement of major systems like HVAC and water heaters. We are here to help homeowners manage and plan for the full needs of their home. This solves part of the problem to ensure that homeownership is sustainable.

Marketing Darwinism: For our Marketing audience, how do you think about Marketing in general as you develop PLUSA’s plans?

Min Alexander: We very much believe in Marketing and it is a core competency for our retail business– as an emerging home services marketplace. First of all, our reputation and brand management are paramount. We are a technology in the business of repairing and improving people’s homes. This is a personal experience built on trust. Second, our omni-channel marketing strategies reflect both digital and analog components of our business. Sourcing, acquisition and ordering are online with field marketing and delivery at a local level. Third, personalized journeys and customized content based on the needs of each home will continue to be our focus. We are constantly learning and adding services and we need to stay in the circles of influence to test, refine, and excite.

Marketing Darwinism: What is your prognosis for the Housing Market?

Min Alexander: We’ve had years of unprecedented gain. Even with a slowdown, economic conditions and market conditions make it hard for many people to manage. Housing is a key industry and has to be figured into regulatory planning. We also need to help people find financial pathways to homeownership.

Marketing Darwinism: Any parting thoughts?

Min Alexander: Homeownership is simple to dream but complex to manage without stress. We love and invite feedback on our technology and offering for continuous improvement. Let us know what you think

A Manifesto for a New Category:
Pulak Sinha and Ann Eberle Thomas, Co-Founders of Pepper

The portmanteau word “Fintech” has come to be associated with a variety of companies spread across the world of financial services that use digital products, services, and techniques to transact, pay, amass capital, and connect with customers.  Fintech is witnessing a boom, as measured by venture dollars, unicorn creation, brand awareness, and customer traction.  It makes sense since “that’s where the money is,” but it is also curious in one crucial way:  Financial Services companies have always been technology plays so Fintech is one part innovative and one part old wine in new bottles.

When you break Fintech into separate fields and foci, however, you start seeing the power of its innovative side.  Take, for instance, the area of “Payments”—the innovations over the last 5 years have literally changed how people make and receive payments.  In the area of consumer-investment, the barriers to entry have been reduced to almost zero.  And in the buoyant area of Crypto, it doesn’t take too vivid an imagination to understand what a sea-change this has wrought with regard to traditional finance.

We believe that AssetTech is just such an area- one that will see a renaissance in innovation and importance.

AssetTech can be defined simply as all technologies and platforms that help Asset Managers successfully use data to allocate capital.  While the definition can be seen as academic, in fact a visit through the data makes it very real.  The numbers are staggering:  World-wide, $120 trillion of assets are managed by professional managers.  The number exceeds the world’s GDP.  Within the $120 trillion, emerging areas like “Secondaries” are becoming multi-trillion dollar categories.  The complexities that face Asset Managers are increasing:  diversification of asset class, regulation, globalization, security, risk management, and changing investor profiles.  Managing such large flows of capital and generating ROI for investors requires a judicious combination of data, intuition, and systems through which to act on both of them.

That is the essence of AssetTech.

Societies have been made or broken by the modes in which they allocate capital.  Capital allocation is the hero when times are booming and the culprit when we face crashes like we did in 2008.  Great AssetTech is key to navigating the shoals, to steering the ship through the narrow passage dividing boom and bust.

AssetTech’s time is upon us.

Marketing Darwinism:  Mayank, ITILITE is on a fast track of late.  Can you tell us what is going on?

Mayank:  Paul, thanks.  We are growing rapidly- in fact we’ve grown 5X, but want to remain focused and humble and not let the success get to us.  The world of corporate travel is back with a vengeance as latent demand built during the pandemic and is expressing itself now.  Commerce, trade, travel- they are all back!  With travel comes expense management and with all of that comes a decision – whether organizations want to make it easy or complex.  We help them make it easy and generate ROI simultaneously and as a result, they have cottoned on.

Marketing Darwinism:  Everyone has experienced issues with corporate travel booking and with filing expenses related to travel.  What are the main problems to solve?

Mayank:  You spotted the issue correctly.  Very few users are happy with their organization’s travel and expense management systems.  They are often disconnected and unwieldy.  They lead to a dearth of choices, sub-optimal travel, locked-in routes, and piecemeal and error-prone expense management.  Further, they create a burden on the entire company.  Offering choices to users within a framework that can be managed, offering integration, and one-stop shopping to users is proven to generate efficiency and ROI from day one.  We identified the issue and corrected it and our customers are very happy right now.

Marketing Darwinism: You managed to grow even during the pandemic years.  What is your secret sauce?

Mayank:  To be honest, our team held strong and believed that as the world recovered, we’d be there supporting that recovery. It is testament to our customers, our team, our investors, and our own belief in what we’re doing. That is what got us through the “tough years” with high marks and growth.

Marketing Darwinism: Travel is a global concept.  Did you set out to build a global company?

Mayank:  We are lucky to have hundreds of customers from all reaches of the globe.  Cloud-native solutions are easy to use from anywhere and the phenomenon of corporate travel and expense management is a universal need.  We are proud of our team’s focus and innovation and are grateful for all of our world-wide customers and partners.  We did set out to build a global brand and we feel we’ve executed well on that proposition.

Marketing Darwinism:  What are your predictions for 2022-2025?

Mayank:  We see companies employing a great deal of ingenuity in how they manage corporate travel.  We know that face to face interactions fuel commerce, that events are still hot, and that businesses are budgeting for an upswing in travel.  There are always going to be glitches and temporary issues but we see a secular path upward.  We will continue to innovate, to try to win markets, and to delight customers, and partners.

This week we have an interview with Ed Messman and Kevin Cawley of Rook Capital – where traditional real estate finance meets DeFi. For more info please go to … www.rook.capital

Marketing Darwinism:  Ed /Kevin:  Tell us about Rook Capital. Where did the inspiration come from?

For Ed, the inspiration came from two personal real life use cases of having to sell homes prematurely because of lack of access to liquidity.  Then more recently watching the phenomenal rise in housing prices and thinking about the next generation of home buyers getting boxed out from home ownership.  The original idea however has been on Kevin’s mind for a few years.  How can we at once innovate on a mortgage idea without attempting to disrupt what works with mortgages, to provide liquidity to house-poor Americans, and to make real estate appreciation attainable to everyone—these are the questions we feel we’ve answered with Rook.

Marketing Darwinism:  What are the main issues in the Housing Market?

Home affordability (for everyone but particularly for the next generation that is newly entering the workforce and family stage of life).  Access to easy investing in the asset class and/or the simple ability to support a friend, family member or accommodate a unique situation with a home purchase.  Easier access to liquidity for all stakeholders if and when you need it for your largest asset – your home.  The asset class is huge- $45 trillion- but the riches don’t accrue to everyone in a fair manner.

Marketing Darwinism:  Where does innovation come in with regard to these issues?

To fix home affordability we either need to increase supply (which will take years and is multi-pronged in new builds, zoning, supply chain, etc.) or develop new creative financing mechanisms- like a Shared Value Mortgage.  Furthermore, how do we engage the broader community of people to rally around supporting this by giving them a way to help by co-investing together within a fractionalization framework that is easy to understand, trustworthy, and not onerous

Marketing Darwinism:  What is your plan for scale and market ownership?

We will leverage and partner with the existing and entrenched ecosystem of 1.5M real estate agents and 750K mortgage lenders to help them introduce a new option for homebuyers.  By working with the existing ecosystem we align incentives and achieve scale more naturally than trying to completely disrupt or taking a full DTC approach.  We believe very much in scaling through channels and partnerships.

Marketing Darwinism:  Tell us about your individual journeys and how you arrived here?

Ed: I spent the first half of my career in venture finance where I structured financial instruments for high growth tech companies.  I jumped onto the operating side in 2008 where I was involved in software, fintech and data analytics startups.  As a parent of 3 Gen Z kids, I’m watching a new generation embrace new behaviors and mindsets and also face a daunting path to homeownership — which they are redefining what that even means.  The collision of fintech, real estate price acceleration, and DeFI with the behaviors and wants of a new generation has sparked a new mission for us.

Marketing Darwinism:  Parting thoughts?

Owning a home is sacred.  It offers the space for raising a family, for fellowship, for rest and sanctuary.  The issue in front of us and our kids is daunting and will require new creative ways that embrace the new mindsets and behaviors that are already in place.  It will require resilience to innovate in the backdrop of a highly regulated environment.  It will require more than just us…but the community at large…including the brave new world of DeFi.  If there were ever a moment for DeFi to flex it’s might, it is now.

A guest post by: Pulak Sinha, CEO Pepper and Paras Shah, CEO LAMR Group

In the world of Business and Technology, two areas are drawing a great deal of attention- FinTech and Security.  It’s no surprise- they are deeply connected and causally related areas.  The connection between the two reminds us of the apocryphal story of Bank Robber Willie Sutton who when asked why he robbed banks, replied sheepishly, “Because that’s where the money is.”  So too with Fintech.

In our experiences- very different experiences that is—the issues of Security and Financial Services converge neatly and can be summed up with two core conditions:  Stewardship and Trust.  When the “product” being dealt with is peoples’ money or other core assets, the absence of trust is a death-knell; conversely, the existence of trust creates a bridge to success.  For the FinTech dealing with money, the role of stewardship is critical- they have to be dutiful stewards of both money and data related to that money.

Stewardship is of course not simply about intent.  It is also about having the systems in place- and the processes, culture, and personnel- that allow for the enactment of that stewardship.  Good intentions are wonderful, but insufficient.  Stewardship is not about a point in time, either.  It is about ongoing resiliency and an “always on” culture of proactive behaviors that ensure the proper handling of money, data, and other assets.

Financial Services as an industry has a mixed record here.  For the most part, things are good.  Most people interact with the industry on a daily basis and do so with ease.  Of course, when things are almost always good, we take them for granted.  As such, when a lapse or breach does take place, it becomes the defining characteristic, the Achilles heel of an otherwise useful and productive company.  In addition, since we are talking about money, data, and personal information, such lapses can have outsized impacts on peoples’ and companies’ lives.  It’s great to be good 99.9999% of the time.  But if that .0001 % possibility is an “extinction event,” then even that is not tolerable.

The responsibilities here are joint.  In the world of, for example, Asset Management, the AM company has to take the issue seriously and invest in the right systems and platforms to ensure that ROI doesn’t come at the cost of impossible risk or regulatory breach.  But the investors who entrust their money to the AM company also have to demand of its executives to invest in these systems, processes, and people.  The passive approach by any party is a non-starter.

Massive advances have been made in Security but just as they’ve been made, the attack vectors have multiplied exponentially.  The Security industry has done a fine job of elevating Security to a top business issue, but many companies still honor that notion only rhetorically.

We need a new paradigm.

Trust in Fintech is key.  So too is stewardship.  A flexible and powerful security stance helps get us to both.

In an earlier article, Marketing Darwinism spoke to Pulak Sinha, Founder and CEO of Pepper.  Since we spoke with Pulak, the company has done some incredible things.  We enjoy watching the evolution and growth of those we’ve covered before.  

Marketing Darwinism:  Pulak, some amazing things are going on.  Tell us a bit about developments.

Pulak Sinha:  Thanks Paul.  There are many things to say but I’ll restrict it to three.  First of all, we couldn’t be happier with our customers.  They are amazing “partners” in the business and tell us that they are realizing real value very quickly from the Pepper platform.  As they take on new workloads, they are able to do so seamlessly and get to ROI in record time.  Nothing makes us happier.  Second, we are happy to announce that as of January 2022, we have over $6 billion on the platform, which is testament to the efforts of our team and the intense partnerships I referred to above.  Finally, we are happy to be able to announce our “Pepper Inside” campaign with you.  Please look for our ads on LinkedIn and elsewhere and check out our website for our benefits statement- how Asset Management and related companies can benefit from “Pepper Inside.”

Marketing Darwinism: Superb updates. Congrats on the $6 Billion.  What’s next?

Pulak Sinha: We are focused like a laser now.  We want to get more companies on our platform but also to deepen our footprint/partnerships with existing customers.  We built a platform for a reason- not to just offer one point solution and then be done.  We are talking full life-cycle, cross-workload stuff- truly a platform.  2022 is the year of the platform and “Pepper Inside.”

Marketing Darwinism: You’ve helped coin the term “AssetTech” as a sub-area of FinTech.  Tell us more.

Pulak Sinha: Paul, the numbers are just staggering.  PwC estimates that approximately $120 trillion is managed world-wide by Asset Managers.  $120 trillion!  This area dwarves so many others that get more “respect” and focus.  We want to change that. We want to help steward a new era of technology and trust in the world of Asset Management, an area of enormous importance.  Thus, the term “AssetTech.”

Marketing Darwinism: How do you see 2022 as compared to 2021?

Pulak Sinha: 2021 was a strange year.  People went through a lot.   Death and health issues were everywhere. Commerce pulled up.  Investors focused on different things than usual.  Tumult was a constant.  Our team worked hard to stabilize, to be optimistic, and to serve customers.  We more than doubled the business in the year and are very proud of that.  But there is so much more to do- that’s 2022!

Marketing Darwinism: Tell us about “Pepper Inside”

Pulak Sinha:  We as a team conceived of this campaign after a realization:  When we are “inside” an organization –which is to say when Asset Managers run the Pepper platform, the level of stewardship – of money, data, assets- goes up and investors can rest assured that their money is going to be handled with an eye towards high ROI, risk management, and so on.  Trust.  Pepper Inside is about trust and results.  When we realized that, we knew we had to go big with this campaign. 

A guest article by Romi Mahajan

In an early part of my career- almost 20 years ago- I had the opportunity to work with some incredible people in the “security” space. Many of those I had the privilege of working with and learning from have gone on to do noteworthy things in the space- from being CISOs of large companies, to starting successful security startups, to authoring important and even tectonic articles on the space.

As I recall from those heady days two decades ago, those involved in the “Business” and “Marketing” sides of security (as opposed to the technical side) all agreed on one thing: Security has to be framed as a business issue not just a technical one. Ninety percent of those on the technical side agreed with this.

While the sentiment appears to be a cliché, it is perhaps more nuanced than it might seem. The point is not that security impinges on business and as such must be taken seriously. Instead, the emphasis here is on the nature of the business and the corresponding defense-posture that a business should take. Additionally, it’s a reminder that the nature of the business will dictate the differential investments in security that make up the whole.

Twenty years ago, I had an easy example to trot out for explanation: If your company is an ecommerce play then making sure your website is not hacked and is up and functional is key to your business. Not so much if your company is a restaurant. Both require security but in different ways and at different levels of investment.

At that time, we created a “Risk Assessment” that essentially assessed business risk and mapped it onto security posture and spending. The idea was that they should match in valence level- you don’t want an important asset unprotected nor do you want to spend millions to protect something that is irrelevant.

The notion that Business risk is the key element of analysis has persisted and would be a truism if indeed it was a universally understood idea. But alas it is not.

We still encounter generic language and un-nuanced views of security. We still see complacency in the ranks of business leaders, relegating security to something that “IT will think about.” We also still see a shifting landscape of blame- forgetting conveniently that security has to be a Board level issue.

LAMR Group’s Paras Shah says it well- “After the fact finger pointing does no one any good in security. Resilient frameworks for managing the business issue that is security have to be developed and funded, continuously, by the Board of any organization of appreciable size.” Security thinker Manish Godha adds, “Security better be part of your 2022 plan. Not-negotiable.”

In a world of daily breaches, attacks, ransom demands- on and to the systems on which our entire human infrastructure runs- security must not only be top of mind but the “thinking” has to be met with real action. The suggestion that security is just a technology issue has no place in the dialogue of 2022 and beyond.

Marketing Darwinism:  Gayle, you left a brilliant sales career at stalwarts like Informa and Microsoft to start your own gig.  Is this part of the “Great Resignation” or is something else afoot?  

Gayle Keller:  I have always been a woman who has reinvented her professional life.  It just so happens I pressed pause on my corporate career and left a role (and company) that I admire during The Great Resignation in search of more balance and fulfillment in this season of life.

I spring boarded from sales into the entrepreneurial abyss to reinvent myself while embracing the uncomfortable feeling of the unknown.

• Was I nervous?
• Was I apprehensive?
• Was I afraid of failing?

Absolutely YES to all three questions!  However, I knew I had to let my calling be stronger than my fear to guide me on my new path.  

Marketing Darwinism:  You emphasize re-invention and also the gendered aspects of work.  How are they connected?

Gayle Keller:  With respect to reinvention and gender inclusivity, unconscious bias still exists which influences our behaviors and ultimately can impede inclusion.  Corporate inclusion is acknowledging differences and collectively bringing them together for a common mission – to drive project success, build camaraderie, and recognize and acknowledge those who contribute to the company’s bottom line.  Diversity, equity, and inclusion are even more important in our globalized world today. To be a diverse organization, you must have a focus on inclusion; it’s no longer an option. 

Marketing Darwinism:  You once told me you were a marketer at heart and I recall you once led a marketing conference.  Can you describe how you have brought your “marketing bent” to bear on both our sales and your entrepreneurial endeavors.

Gayle Keller:  We are all marketers and sellers at heart, no matter what profession we choose.  As consumers, we buy from brands that speak to us.  As businesspeople, we buy and/or partner with people and organizations who we can related to and that will support us in exceeding our goals.

Marketing is a form of communication and a way to connect with others.  Communication skills (and good manners!) are critical in relationship building. To that point, your personal brand is everything and is a vital part of standing out in this world, especially if you are looking to reinvent your professional life.

Marketing Darwinism:  What lessons for a young marketer would you have?  What would you suggest they emphasize in their learning?

Gayle Keller:  My advice is to network and start as early as possible.  Starting to network when you’re in college is a key element to bridging the gap from campus life to professional life.  The sooner you start to network, the sooner the universe acknowledges your hopes, dreams, and begins to align people and potential opportunities your way.  

Networking at the organizations you desire to work at as well as people (both inside and outside of your industry) whom you admire can strengthen your confidence and give you the clarity you need to follow your aspirations.  The art of networking is truly magical. 

Marketing Darwinism:  Describe the services you offer to companies and how it helps them become better environments for success?

Gayle Keller:  The corporate ladder has a broken rung when it comes to inclusion, and I address revitalizing gender inclusivity head on with my advisory work and five pillar methodologies.  For example, if a company has a strong culture with happy employees, that company thrives, and chances are so does their profitability.  A positive culture improves performance and outcomes while decreasing employee onboarding and turnover costs and efforts which, in turn, increases employee retention.  

Furthermore, gender inclusivity fosters accelerated productivity in a collaborative environment, and results in all genders feeling respected, supported, and appreciated.

Marketing Darwinism:  Who are some of your marketing mentors? Do you recommend mentorship to all people, irrespective of age or experience?

Gayle Keller:  I have been blessed by having a few marketing mentors throughout my many seasons of life – Romi Mahajan has been one of my personal mentors for nearly 10 years.

Yes, I absolutely recommend mentorship to all people regardless of age or experience.  Career reinvention and professional risk-taking have no age limitations.  Having a trifecta of mentors, business coaches, and sponsors in your professional arena is a secret sauce to success, growth, and satisfaction.  You can never go wrong with investing in yourself for it will set you apart from your competition.  And a good rule of thumb is to pay it forward by contributing to the success of others.

Marketing Darwinism:  What are your predictions for business in 2022?  What are 3 or 4 trends you see as important?

Gayle Keller:  My predicted top business trends for 2022 are:

• The Great Resignation
• Flexibility and Autonomy
• Career Reinvention

The biggest trend defining the way we do business is The Great Resignation and mitigating employee turnover.  As a culture, we have craved the ability to navigate the intersection between work/life integration with a pinch of flexibility and a handful of autonomy.  With The Great Resignation underway, I don’t see the movement as a negative but more of a positive.  It’s an opportunity for companies to do a better job reaching gender parity, shine a spotlight on mental health and wellness while being more empathetic towards their employees.  

The Great Resignation provides an opportunity for employees to have more flexibility and autonomy to work on their own terms with their role given the hybrid work model and the ability to work from anywhere.  It also provides an opportunity for employees to seek career reinvention to find work/life integration and do something that makes their heartstrings sing. 

Career Reinvention is something we all should embrace, regardless of gender.  Reinvention occurs when you get a promotion, make a lateral move into another division/department, or leave a company altogether.  We are constantly reinventing ourselves and given we’re living in a global hybrid work environment; it is more important than ever to make sure you are continuing your learnings through trainings and courses while networking with people both inside and outside your company.

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Gayle’s Bio:  As a professional speaker, advisor, coach, podcast host, author and former award-winning executive leader who has a deep passion for improving communications and relationships, Gayle Keller, Chief Reinvention Officer, leads, facilitates, inspires, and revitalizes gender inclusivity programs for select corporations and universities. Learn more about Gayle here https://gaylekeller.org/