How The F**k Did You Get That Job?

Grit Player Services

Welcome to the show where two not-so-interesting guys ask interesting people one question and then interrupt them as they try to answer. This podcast started earlier in New York City when hosts of the show, David Jaffin and Jake Miller, asked people out to breakfast to make connections and pick their brains about how they got to where they are and advice to those wanting to follow in their footsteps. Now, they’ve learned how to work microphones … kind of.

  1. 20/03/2024

    Leveraging Tech and New Media for Integrated Strategies, With NYC FC's Lauren Scrima

    In this fascinating interview we cover: - Embracing New Platforms for Engagement: At NYC FC, Lauren harnessed the power of new platforms like TikTok for influencer marketing, highlighting the need to adapt to changing media landscapes for brand visibility and engagement. - Innovation in Agency Partnerships: Lauren discussed the evolving dynamics between brands and agencies, stressing the importance of creativity, commitment, and deep brand understanding in successful partnerships. - The Importance of Integrated Marketing: Lauren's diverse experiences taught her about taking an integrated marketing approach, where balancing various strategies effectively addresses different business challenges. - Data-Driven Creativity: She advocates for a balance between creativity and data in marketing, emphasizing that both are crucial for crafting engaging campaigns and resonating with audiences. - Future Trends in Marketing: Lauren predicts a future where marketing will be heavily influenced by the integration of new media and technology, focusing on creating personalized and engaging experiences for customers with things like AR & VR. In the disorientingly fast-changing world of marketing, it’s extremely important to make sure that you are creating a feedback loop between data and creativity. Marketing is the blend of art and science, and few people understand this as well as this week’s podcast guest, Lauren Scrima. Lauren is the VP of Marketing at NYC FC. Her transition from studying political science to running multi-platform brand marketing departments symbolizes the necessity for marketers to be agile, adaptable, and continuously learning. Adaptability is particularly critical as this field is ever-evolving, the engagement platforms rise and fall and consumer engagement paradigms shift almost daily. “How are we different?” is a question that must be asked and realized on a daily basis. Lauren started her career at the prestigious New Yorker Magazine as a sales associate before jumping over the brand side at Dr. Pepper Snapple, and later, the alcohol behemoth AB InBev. Each step in her journey gave her unique insights — from grappling with the emotional connections essential in marketing to the significance of data-driven strategies in sculpting compelling, unique brand narratives. Today Lauren is at NYC FC, and has been tasked with elevating the fledgling soccer brand in the highly competitive US sports market. She went gung-ho into influencer marketing and platforms like TikTok, underscoring her ability to adapt to new mediums and strategies. Her time at NYC FC has showcased her penchant for keeping creativity in marketing, while balancing it with an acute awareness of data to inform decision-making, resonate with audiences, and drive impactful brand engagement.

    27 min
  2. 14/02/2024

    From White House Dreams to Startup Steady Hand: The Winding Road of Liz Simon, COO at Industrious

    Liz Simon took an unexpected route to her current role as Chief Operating Officer of premium coworking company Industrious. Early on, she had her sights set on changing the world through politics and policy. The self-proclaimed "super nerdy" teen was obsessed with civil rights and dreamed of directing impact through the law. She charged ahead to Cornell then the University of Michigan Law School, with a stint working on the Obama campaign sprinkled in between. But the "soul-crushingly slow" pace of bureaucracy left her questioning the ability to drive change from within. A pivot to the world of startups proved fateful when a happenstance referral dropped her into an associate general counsel role at the then-40-person coding bootcamp General Assembly. As Simon describes it, she proceeded to "work herself out of a job" by building a lean legal team to address regulatory snarls, then found herself migrating into broader executive leadership. After rising to CEO during a period of company growth and acquisition, she took the pandemic period to reflect on aligning impact and passion. The future of work called, landing her in operations oversight at Industrious during a post-COVID rebuilding phase. Now feeling the culture is "in one of the strongest places" after rallying during contraction, the self-proclaimed non-online person offers simple advice: "most of the stuff is just not that important." Perhaps that wisdom comes from the only other pursuit she says brings her equal meaning – being a mom. As Industrious continues to bounce back under Simon's steady leadership, she’ll surely rely on that clarity of priority.

    33 min

About

Welcome to the show where two not-so-interesting guys ask interesting people one question and then interrupt them as they try to answer. This podcast started earlier in New York City when hosts of the show, David Jaffin and Jake Miller, asked people out to breakfast to make connections and pick their brains about how they got to where they are and advice to those wanting to follow in their footsteps. Now, they’ve learned how to work microphones … kind of.