Opening up to possibilities: Reset, Reconnect, Relaunch
Yep. My role was also affected by the downturn. While this twist has been an unexpected jolt, it’s also sparked a growth journey for me.
How the heck did I get here? The beginning of 2022 was fueled by a sense of emergence, getting beyond the pandemic and back to a bit of normalcy. I spent 2022 leading a marketing team bringing to life campaigns and thought leadership around themes of building savings, helping people pursue their life and financial goals, modern workplace benefits, returning to the office, and values-based investing – all of which I’m proud of. But then inflation, market volatility and business pressures set in mid-year, and more recently widespread staff reductions have affected so many.
Set backs require intentional approaches to navigating forward. What I can honestly say to anyone going through this is there’s opportunity in transitions but you have to work at it. Here’s how I’ve approached embracing change by resetting, reconnecting and relaunching.
Step 1: Reset. Everyone processes the ups and downs differently. For me, I took some time to unwind and be with family. I started to invest in my health through cross-fit, cycling and yoga. I read books for inspiration, such as To Shake the Sleeping Self, The Daily Stoic, Crossing the Chasm and Play Bigger. On daily walks I listened to podcasts such as The Marchitect, CMO Conversations, Smartless and others. Nevertheless, after working non-stop for close to two decades, the adjustment doesn’t happen over night. In this process of resetting I’ve discovered a more engaged, curious, active and resilient version of myself. I’ve been reminded that we embark on new journeys all the time and there’s something special to embrace in possibilities. Getting to an inspired state, with my gears really turning in a purposeful manner has been essential to truly kick-start my journey. Taking time to reset may not seem practical, but it’s indeed essential. I’ll double-click a bit further into my reset in the next post.
Step 2: Reconnect. Most of my day-to-day has been about checking-in with great people and expanding my network, with an emphasis on learning and growth. There’s something very energizing about actively checking in. I’m blown away by how many people have been happy to get on a call, listen, offer advice and make introductions. I’ve been surprised to learn how many people I’ve looked up to through the years have gone through similar career hiccups. The learnings and principles from these discussions are countless, which I’ll be expanding on in follow up posts. The one major learning that’s been reinforced for me is that networking truly is a life skill that’s worth investing in and maintaining. If you’re ever feeling low energy – reach out to 3-5 people in your network and tell them how much they inspire you. If you’re ever thinking about a potential new path to explore for your career – connect with the best and they more often than not will be happy to offer insight. And when you can, give back to others because what you give always comes back ten-fold in the end.
Having recently had open and honest conversations with 30+ marketers over the last month, I’m left with a clear sense that many of us recognize the unique nature of marketing career paths. Marketing as a profession represents an incredibly diverse set of skills, specializations, and sub-paths. Working as a marketer more often than not will have you working on many different types of businesses, offerings and in many different types of capacities. Marketers are a hearty and resilient breed of professional; passionate, curious and always ready to grow, evolve and reinvent. We should celebrate being built for change.
Step 3: Relaunch: While steps 1 and 2 are on-going, I find myself inspired to write, create and partner with others. Writing this very post is an act of relaunch. Putting into words what I’m embarking on. “Putting it out there.” Maybe inspiring others. And hopefully being held accountable by my network and community to keep going. (Yes please.) I’ve always found that creating content is energizing and naturally builds momentum once you start. New ideas for posts are triggered in the process. Oh by the way, I’m developing a podcast for the marketing community – more to come. That’s the energizing force of creativity in motion. Try it.
Beyond writing, I’m expanding my connection to purpose. Since the beginning of my career working with the UN, partnering with Team Heart Rwanda, and most recently advising a sustainable fashion brand, championing human stories has been core to my journey. With that in mind, I’ve embarked on a 12-week fellowship with Terra.Do, focused on sustainability. I’m finding great inspiration and community and I expect sustainability will be a catalyst for much larger transformation at many leading companies in the years ahead.
Finally, I’ve found in many conversations that teams are looking for partners and collaborators on projects. 2023 likely will continue to face constrained hiring opportunities, but that doesn’t mean the work isn’t there. If you’re looking for an experienced, business-minded, innovative and committed partner to consult on work, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’ve mapped out an introduction to my point-of-view, approach and services in the Consulting section of this website. I’d be happy to connect and explore opportunities to collaborate.
