Northwestern Kellogg | Private Equity Venture Capital Conference

Venture Capital and Private Equity leadership requires a new mindset.

Thank you Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management Annual #VentureCapital and #PrivateEquity summit for inviting me to speak on what at first seems like an odd fit, given I'm a marketer, right?

But here's the reason and the challenge: There is a?need to adjust from a traditional marketing mindset of creating messages and pushing them out on some mix of?social media channels, or 'content creators' often deemed the title of 'influencer', to one where we see 'marketing' as the ability to identify the patterns of our markets, and see what and who influences them.

Our markets ARE our marketers now.

Marketing is no longer about one department pushing a message.

It's a change in the way leaders think that trickles?down across the whole organization and culture.

As leaders of VC and PE look at who to invest in and strategize growth, it's vital more than ever to think differently about marketing.?

We must think in terms of WHO is the community you need to gain awareness and trust with?

Who are the influencers within those communities?

And in this rapid pace of change, it requires?continuous learning.

ICYMI –?A few more cliff notes from the conference: ??

• Every business's future depends on its ability to adapt to change. Being nimble and flexible isn't a 'nice to have', it's a pillar to keep you standing.
• The rise of tech has created incredible opportunities, but it has also disrupted traditional business models. To thrive in this new era, businesses must embrace change and be willing to experiment with new ideas, push the envelope, evolve and adapt.?
• Consider #AI: From 苹果 Siri → 亚马逊 Alexa → ChatGPT & 谷歌 Bard, this tech has completely changed the game. Businesses having access to AI powered Chatbots that allow for live customer service representatives can be largely beneficial by allowing for always-on support, creating brand loyalty and real business margins.

However, while where we are headed is truly remarkable, let’s not lose touch of our human element – it’s what sets us apart and creates meaningful connections with one another.?

I was thrilled to be a part of this conversation and to share my thoughts on how businesses can navigate these exciting yet challenging times. It's clear that the future of business is all about striking the right balance between embracing technology and remaining true to ourselves.

#ArtificialIntelligence #Marketers #Technology

Erik Henrikson Mohan Sawhney Neal Roese Jared Watson Scott Galloway Gary Vaynerchuk