A few days ago, I came across one of the books well-known in the marketing community, This is Marketing by Seth Godin. I should preface this by saying that Seth is a mixed bag for me. There are things I really appreciate about him but others not so much. For instance, he often writes in flashes. While this aligns well with the times we live in, personally, I prefer in-depth analysis over the “So what?” that often lingers in my mind after reading his work. Personal preferences aside (I beg your pardon Seth!), a few days ago, I was organizing my things and found Seth’s book. I randomly opened it ..read more

Today is a special day. I must say, I’ve worked quietly and diligently (i.e., head down) for ten years to get here. Officially my role (Assistant Prof in Digital Marketing) starts on Monday. But today, I close the previous chapter, much like finishing a chapter in a book and needing to set it down on my bedside table to reflect. My journey (So Far ) This blog has been part of this story: you have been an important safe harbour as you don’t always have calm seas and favourable winds. But here we are. It was 2014 when I decided to change course, moving from the corporate world to academia, and t ..read more

Saturday afternoon. My daughters have a playdate at home with one of their friends. Dinner is missing, or rather, what the girls want for dinner is missing. I have no desire to go out. After a morning spent in the garden, nursing a sore shoulder, all I want is a painkiller and rest. But I can’t. The chicken noodles cooked with our recipe are in demand. I muster up my strength and overcome inertia by putting on my headphones. Podcasts are a passion of mine. I click play and automatically start the episode of Uncensored CMO, a podcast on “the good, the bad and quite frankly downright ugly truth ..read more

“The only thing that matters (for a new startup) is getting to product/market fit. Product/market fit means being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market.” (Marc Andreessen, A16Z ..read more

The pitch is a story. A story is a sequence of three acts: set-up, struggle, and resolution. As an entrepreneur, the problem is the struggle other people are going through and you are trying to fix. The other people are your heroes, your customers, your investors. The resolution is your promise on how you fix your hero’s struggle. When pitching, you probably will begin by highlighting the struggle. This sets the scene and draws in your audience, specifically those experiencing the challenge. It’s crucial to be honest, as demonstrating respect for people’s struggles is essential for building tr ..read more

Crowdfunder is a leading crowdfunding platform based in the UK whose main commitment is to empower communities to enact positive change. It has now announced that they have just launched its Top 100 Crowdfunder Projects of the last year. A collection of some of the most impactful people and organisations in their fields across the UK and beyond. Excited to unveil our Top 100 Crowdfunder Projects of the last year! From thrilling prize draws to impactful fundraisers, the last 12 months were unforgettable thanks to innovative ideas and your incredible support #Crowdfunder100 Explore https://t ..read more

According to a recent report, AI adoption is particularly high among fast-growing start-ups in the technology, professional services, and manufacturing sectors. What does it make so appealing for these companies to adopt it? HubSpot, which surveyed over 1,000 start-up founders worldwide, reveals some compelling insights. When it comes to adopting AI within start-ups, marketing is at the forefront. The report highlights three key findings. 1. The most impactful tool for driving growth Firstly, two out of three marketing teams use AI tools, with 43 per cent of them indicating AI as the most impa ..read more

Daniel Kahneman has passed away. A Nobel Prize laureate, he played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between psychology and economics. His passing deeply saddens me. That is the reason for this reflection. Even though I never had the privilege of meeting him, the years I spent during my doctoral research studying his Prospect Theory will always stay with me. I vividly remember the day I first encountered the paper that ignited more than a passing interest. It was an exceedingly hot summer, and I sought solace in the countryside of southern Italy. I recall spending my afternoons beneath the sh ..read more

“At its core, marketing is all about understanding people; our customers. Being a marketer is also about understanding our colleagues and wider stakeholders. Being a marketer who is customer orientated and seeks to deliver value to both customers, an organisation and society, is therefore fundamentally about understanding people. It mirrors parenting in so many ways.” (Laura Chamberlain ..read more

“Crowdfunding accounted for 373 rounds, remaining popular. Crowdfunding has gained popularity over the past 10 years—soaring from just £18.1m in total fundraising value generated through crowdfunding in 2013 to £432m raised last year. However, as we’ve seen throughout this report, 2021 was crowdfunding’s best year, with £811m raised.” (Beauhurst, The Deal 2023 ..read more