Volume 3  |  June 14, 2017
We Make People and Companies Happier by Bringing Them Together
I've found that the ability to hire better and hire faster happens when people decide to engage and advocate. Intentionally, create your success. Immerse yourself in experiences. Meet new people everyday. Share your good thoughts and feelings about your organization and the people who surround you with the connections you create. Your engagement and active participation in your industry and community will convert this network you've built into candidates or collaborators. This idea is what's behind Hire Learning Leadership. I share a bit more about the program in the video on the right. Let's talk more if developing leaders or becoming one is important to you!

In this issue:
  • Ken's Chevy Cavalier and credit card lead to destiny
  • Heidi's tiny bottles make a big difference
  • It works for Meg by mixing it up

Proust Pop Quiz
Ken Waldron takes the quiz this month. Ken is Creative Director with Horizons Companies and the Owner / Creative Director of the Powell Village Winery & Tasting Room.

When and where were you happiest?
I’ve actually pondered this question for several days, and I’m not sure I can pinpoint a specific time. I’d have to say vacationing by an ocean with my family would certainly be at the top of my list. Regarding my career -  learning the advertising business while at Ron Foth Advertising, leading the Creative teams at M/I Homes and Paul Werth Associates and now wearing multiple hats as Creative Director at Horizons and owning the Powell Village Winery - I’d say I have a lot of happy times to choose from!


What do you consider your greatest achievement?

#1 Marrying my wife and fathering my two boys. #2 Moving to Columbus with a Chevy Cavalier and a Credit card and building a career that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. I love the ad community in Columbus, and have had the opportunity to work with a lot of great people, all of which I’ve learned a great deal from. Each phase of my career has better prepared me for my role with Horizons and as a small business owner.  I think the best might still be yet to come. 


What is your current state of mind?

Optimistically overwhelmed. The ever-changing ad business is both challenging and exciting. Developing new ideas for clients and my own business still excites me, and seeing real results motivates me to continue to push the envelope and try new things. Today, I see a lot more collaboration between clients, agencies and production companies. I also see the collaboration between small business in Powell and beyond. In many ways, this country seems more divided than ever, but to me, I feel the Columbus community is the closest it’s ever been. 


Friends in the Biz
I love to hear about all of the good things going on with the unique people who are a part of my life. New roles, great ideas, accomplishments and whatever else that gives me a kick are celebrated and shared here. 

Brock Monahan has had an impact on my business and my experience as a member of the Columbus creative community. I met him years ago through a mentorship program created by AAF Columbus in partnership with CCAD. He’s an Art Director and Digital Designer who is now taking his strong game to New York. Starting in July, he’ll be based in Manhattan with frequent travel to Columbus while simultaneously taking good care of clients in NYC, Cbus and beyond. His site: brockmonahan.com. You can reach him via email at: brockcmonahan@gmail.com. Thank you for your friendship and what you’ve done for me, Brock! We'll have a drink again at Ringside soon. 

Heidi Seitz is a creative leader who has a “side-hustle” (as she says, and that I love) that’s a business based on big messages in tiny bottles. It’s called, “A Little Small Talk.” The idea sprung from her planning of her beach wedding and the need for a wedding favor which produced the clash of context of placing a big, bold statement or important news in a tiny bottle. She’s now created and sold thousands of bottled greetings that serve as special announcements and event invitations as well as conveying a variety of other messages including those intended for people who need messages of encouragement and hope. Her “For Good” messages in a bottle have been created for several non-profit organizations such as Cure SMA, Strides for Hope, BalletMet and The Turtle Hospital. These handmade and heartfelt invitations and gifts come from “A Little Small Talk.” Check it out on Etsy now!


Meg Mannion of Choptank continues to experience growth, both from a client perspective and internally. Finding a talented new designer in the dynamic Alexa Sison, Meg said that the quality and intelligence of their creative work has grown by leaps and bounds in 2017. Also, they’ve added several new clients to their portfolios this year, including NiSource/Columbia Gas, Nuvoda out of Virginia, Loose Rail Brewing out of Canal Winchester, E.F. Hutton, and Condado Tacos. “We’ve always worked with two different focuses in terms of clients and projects: huge, heady, strategy projects with large brands like Adidas, Express, and Things Remembered, and retainer AOR-type work with smaller brands like Sinkology, Nuvoda, and others,” Meg explained. “Our big strategy projects keep us on the bleeding edge of digital / interactive thought-leadership, while our retainer work keeps our execution skills sharp.”


Barry Chandler is Co-Founder of Storyforge where they help businesses grow by discovering their purpose, forging their story and aligning every touchpoint and expression with it. He's had an influence on my company helping shape my business's purpose which brought clarity to much of what I do. This is all the more impressive when I share that I gathered this insight from an event where Barry was speaking. Powerful stuff!

 

This month, Alaina Shearer has hit the road and kicked off the Columbus-based Women in Digital group in Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and Indianapolis. Hundreds of women signed up to attend and she has now reached thousands across the country with more cities to come this summer. Their mission: "To empower each other by creating a national network of women in digital unlimited in our potential to meet individual and collective goals. Our strength comes though our local chapters our power comes from our 'ask' and 'give' member pledge." Check out their Annual Conference line-up coming to Columbus this October. And guys - seats are limited for us, so snag your quickly. Additionally, Alaina is Founder of Cement Marketing in Columbus and does a lot of good in many ways.


Cochran Executive Search | (614) 620-9620 | chris@cochranexecutivesearch.com CochranExecutiveSearch.com