CMO Spotlight | Julie Bowerman - Kellogg Company
The CMO Spotlight is a chance to get an inside look into the minds and journeys of high-performing marketing leaders.
Setup CEO, Joe Koufman, virtually sat down with Julie Bowerman, the CMO of Kellogg Company, to share about her empathetic leadership style, prioritizing work-life balance, and her friend, Jo Ann Herold’s, new book, Living on a Smile.
WATCH + READ THE RECAP BELOW
Q1 | Is there any advice you’d like to share?
Bowerman knows that big moves help advance careers, so her advice to marketers is to “take a little more risk.”
“Know that your career is long and that you have an opportunity to be a little more courageous. Roll some dice, and do some things that might seem more where your interests lie.”
Being too comfortable leads to stagnation. if you feel called to change things, don’t be afraid to take the risk!
Q2 | What is your superpower?
“I have a style that allows me to connect with a lot of people, feel approachable by other people, and build good relationships as a result of it.”
Bowerman excels at connecting with others as well as keeping a good work-life balance. People often ask her how she’s able to balance being a great career woman while being present for her family and friends, and she describes that it is her innate ability to juggle it all while holding space for all the areas in her life that need it.
Q3 | What values are important to you?
Bowerman values being able to celebrate accomplishments without being egotistical. “You don’t have to have a big ego to be confident in your work,” she shared.
She also values accountable individuals who are focused on solutions. It is impressive when someone sees a problem, but doesn’t let that stop them from making progress.
Empathy and transparency are also important to Bowerman. Surprisingly, empathy didn’t always come naturally to her. After diligent practice and experience, she’s utilized empathy in her leadership role to understand people more deeply.
Q4 | Tell us about an impactful campaign.
Bowerman worked in her first Ecommerce role at The Coca-Cola Company where she was the leader of a small team chosen to launch a new service.
During this time, she had to learn all the ins and outs of Ecommerce, including building financial models, supply chain capabilities, distribution agreements, etc. This dizzying process was challenging, but helped her learn how to turn a plan into action.
“It was eye-opening for me to see how important those things are to actually getting things done. As a marketer, you can sometimes live in your creative space and have great ideas that are catchy, but if you're not thinking through that full implementation, then it won't happen the way that you envision it.”
Marketing is more than the fun ideas. The final result is always fulfilling, but the steps it took to get there are just as important.
For more marketing leadership advice and a view into the mindset of marketing executives in various industries, be sure to watch the full interview with Julie Bowerman, and keep an eye out for more thought leadership from our CMO Spotlights.
Watch the full interview to the right.
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