AQ's Blog Grill

Is personalization simply a silver bullet, or will this emerging technology change the face of marketing? Glen Drummond, Chief Innovation Officer of Quarry Integrated Communications, joins Alan to discuss the theory of personalization. When machines talk to you using behavioral targeting, how does it make you feel? How can businesses, particularly B2B marketers, use personalization to create a more authentic brand experience? Glen introduces us to the personalization ladder and defines the steps from personalization to sales. Alan and Glen also consider the effect personalization will have on content marketing as the marketer's toolbox constantly evolves. Key takeaway? Think strategy, not tactic, regarding personalization and customers will feel a deeper and more meaningful brand connection.

About Our Guest

Glen Drummond serves as partner and chief innovation officer at Quarry Integrated Communications. He specializes in supporting innovative people within large organizations, who are leading the journey from product-centric to customer-centric business models. Glen also teaches a fourth-year course in marketing at Wilfrid Laurier University and Digital Experience Innovation at the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.

CEO of Axonify and Alan's entrepreneurial heroine, Carol Leaman, stops by to discuss her growing business and her path of serial entrepreneurship. What began as an eLearning platform has transformed into a fully equipped knowledge platform, using gamification and brain science to deliver, share, measure and apply knowledge. The company has picked up almost 100 global brand-name clients including Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, Bloomingdales and GE. "What is at the centre of both company performance and individual performance is knowledge," Carol states. Carol is well known in Waterloo region and internationally for having "a batting average of 1000" when it comes to entrepreneurship. She knew at a very young age that she was meant to be an entrepreneur and she hasn't fallen short in proving that. In this episode, she shares insights into her path of entrepreneurship, including the time she turned down a job with Google to acquire a startup. As well, Carol shares what she looks for in a startup when investing and the legacy she wishes to leave behind.

About Our Guest Carol Leaman is the president and CEO of Axonify, a Waterloo Region startup that works with corporations to improve training by using brain science and gamification. Before Axonify, Carol worked with many startups including PostRank, RSS Solutions and Fakespace, growing them into multimillion-dollar businesses. In 2011, Carol won the Waterloo Region Intrepid Award for Entrepreneurship and, in 2012, she won the Fortune Brainstorm Tech Pitch Competition bringing Axonify worldwide recognition. Along with growing Axonify into an award-winning startup, she also writes articles for FORTUNE Magazine and was featured in Canadian Business in August 2015.

She's been taking over the world for many years now, building an online community and creating content that garnered her an Emmy win in 2011. Media producer and bestselling author Natalie MacNeil understands the mind of an entrepreneur, and she wants to share her learnings with all who will listen. Natalie paid a visit to the AQ's Blog & Grill set to share details on her brand new book, The Conquer Kit, her virtual business incubator The Conquer Club, and to provide inspiration for those considering the life of an entrepreneur. She contemplates the importance of self-discovery and discusses the difference having a strong support system makes when you're building a startup. "Globally, we are more connected than we could have ever imagined". About Our Guest

Natalie MacNeil is an Emmy Award-winning media entrepreneur, bestselling author, globetrotter, and creator of SheTakesOnTheWorld.com. Her expertise has been featured in Glamour, People StyleWatch, Forbes, Inc., ForbesWoman, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Entrepreneur.com, Globe and Mail, Mashable, and more. Natalie excels at providing women with articles, advice and resources to start or grow a business.

Communitech VP, Avvey Peters, speaks with Alan about the startup tech hub which is home to over 120 companies. Communitech was designed to assist entrepreneurs with growing their businesses through the help of networking in a creative space and receiving mentorship from experts. Over the last year, large companies like Canadian Tire, Manulife and Cannon, have noticed the success coming out of the hub and decided to join themselves, looking at ways to use technologies to innovate their businesses.

Avvey talks about her cross-Canada tour visiting similar startup hubs and shares what she learned. She also discusses how Canada is doing in terms of innovation, technology and job creation, and how we are blessed to have an amazing ecosystem for startups in Waterloo Region.

About Our Guest

Avvey Peters is the VP, external relations at Kitchener-Waterloo's Communitech and has worked with the company since 2007. Avvey is a strategic advisor to not-for-profit economic development and innovation organizations, and has successfully raised close to $100 million in public-sector funding for entrepreneurial and economic development community initiatives. At Communitech, she leads marketing, communications and advocacy activities and works to leverage public sector investments to support the Waterloo Region technology sector.

Scott Stratten of Unmarketing, the Unpodcast and Unselling speaks with Alan about the evolution of the sales funnel and how everything before and after the sale, IS the sale. Scott and Alan discuss what really makes a brand, which brands do a great job of creating a community, and the importance of building that community before something goes wrong. Scott talks about when and where to use marketing automation, and how you should make sure your business is strong before exploring new technologies and digital strategies.

About Our Guest

Scott Stratten is the President of UnMarketing and an expert in viral, social and authentic marketing. He has been ranked one of the top social media influencers in the world by Forbes, and has written four bestselling business books including UnSelling: The New Customer Experience and UnMarketing: Stop Marketing, Start Engaging.

Artist entrepreneur, Jennifer Gough, returns to AQ's Blog & Grill to share her recent experiences creating and growing her art business. This year Jen has been featured in Forbes, has had a show in New York, and has pushed her own boundaries by trying new mediums of art. Every year, Jennifer chooses a theme to live by. This year's theme was bravery, which was clearly depicted in her 2015 collection of work.

Jen explored digital art forms when asked to commission an installation for Kitchener's THEMUSEUM 'Getting Naked' exhibit, a collection of rarely seen works from the Canadian Council Art Bank. Jen also explains how using social media and digital technologies has helped her develop a successful art career, and tells us what's next for her company Minds Eye Studio Art.

About Our Guest

Jennifer Gough is a self-taught, multidisciplinary, visual and conceptual artist and entrepreneur. In 2010, Jennifer was named one of Waterloo Region Record's 40 Under 40, as well as being nominated for Woman of the Year, Arts & Culture at Kitchener Oktoberfest. Jennifer inspires many with her story of success, going from a 9-5 career to following her passion by running a successful art business.

Integrated marketing guru, Bob Lauterborn, chats with Alan about what integrated marketing communications really is: a thinking process. It's about being where your customer is looking! Bob suggests shifting to an "outside-in" view from an "inside-out" view. He believes the four P's of marketing are a flawed premise and can be detrimental to your business today. Alan and Bob also discuss the UBP - the Unique Buying Proposition and how it's replaced the Unique Selling Proposition. About Our Guest

Bob Lauterborn has decades of experience in the world of advertising. In 1986, he became the first James L. Knight Professor of Advertising in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1999 he was inducted into the Business Marketing Hall of Fame and awarded a the G. D. Crain, Jr. Award. Bob co-authored the best-selling book Integrated Marketing Communication, and The New Marketing Paradigm.

With over 35 years in the advertising world, thought leader Edward Boches joins Alan Quarry on AQ's Blog & Grill to discuss the evolution of advertising. Edward is currently a professor of advertising at Boston University and previously chief creative officer and chief innovation officer at Mullen Advertising.

The advertising world is very demanding, and as new digital technologies and social media come into play, advertisers need to work hard to keep up. Edward discusses how to earn attention as a brand, how the advertising landscape has changed dramatically over the years, and what you can do as an ad agency to avoid falling behind.

About Our Guest

Edward Boches is an American professor at Boston University's College of Communication where he has been teaching advertising since 2012. Edward was an early partner at Mullen, one of America's premiere advertising agencies, and spent 31 years developing and defining both the business and his expertise. His work has been recognized by Cannes, The One Show, Clio Awards, the New York Art Directors Club and Communication Arts, and he has received over 100 Hatch Awards, including Best of Show.

Glen Drummond, chief innovation officer at Quarry Integrated Communications, chats with Alan about disruptive business models and what it takes for new businesses to succeed. He discusses why customers may stop spending money with certain brands and how to overcome that by paying attention to customer feedback. Glen talks about the importance of focus and how businesses need to create experiences that help buyers meet their goals.

About Our Guest

Glen Drummond serves as partner and chief innovation officer at Quarry Integrated Communications. He specializes in supporting innovative people within large organizations, who are leading the journey from product-centric to customer-centric business models. Glen also teaches a fourth-year course in marketing in Wilfrid Laurier University and Digital Experience Innovation at the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.

Jessica Chalk, co-founder of TrafficSoda, talks about starting her business, meeting her co-founders and finding complementary skills when building her team. Jessica loves online marketing, and went to the Accelerator Centre when it was time to start her business.

She shares experiences working with the Accelerator Centre and the benefits of having a strong community to help her startup grow. Jessica discusses the need for passion in entrepreneurship, while also listening to your market and surrounding yourself with mentors.

About Our Guest

Jessica Chalk is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University's Lazardis School of Business & Economics. She is a motivated and energetic team leader with a love of entrepreneurship, digital marketing and philanthropy. Jessica is the co-founder and CEO of TrafficSoda, a company that helps online marketers achieve the power to drive organic, targeted web traffic to their website.