Yukta Kulkarni’s Post

How much better would you be as a brand leader if you belonged to a community whose only job was to expose you to the edges of branding, strategy and culture? What if that community gave you a deep, year-long education that went far beyond anything you could ever get in a course? What if the brightest minds came to that community to share their ideas and secrets with you, and you got to decode emerging trends among other accomplished strategic thinkers who are as passionate and generous as you are? ... and what if you got to top it all off with immersive, themed dinners? :) You'd have found your place. And it would be Exposure Therapy. If you're ready to spend the next year learning strategy at a whole new level - and dress up for some special parties - come join us: https://lnkd.in/dBxNQk5R Special thanks to our members who joined us for our first LA dinner capping off a month of exploring "Modern Riches", on how our culture is changing its relationship to wealth and how brands should be capitalizing on it right now: Russ Rands who came all the way from Montana, Carina Bhavnani who flew in from Canada, Veeraj Chugh who came from San Francisco, Ti Chang who drove in from Palm Springs, Laura Bernier, Danielle Buerli, Rebecca Johnson, Brandon Noah Kleinman, Margarita Arriagada, as well as Laura Glover, and Eric Thomasian. If I sound proud of what we've created, it's because I am. The members of this community have already turned it into a secret garden for strategists. And there's so much more to come. #strategy #brandstrategy #branding

Universities like University of Southern California, New York University, and even Harvard University have started offering courses in YouTube strategy, #influencermarketing, and the #creatoreconomy. They get it—creator culture is defining the new age of work. Enter The Lighthouse—the first campus of its kind that puts creator economy careers first. An IRL hub that trains you from zero to thriving Media Mogul. Hands-on coaching, a supportive community, personalized pathways, and full studios—all crafted to turn creativity into impact (and profit). In a world where personal brands are the new resumes, The Lighthouse is cementing that content is truly king. 👑 #CreatorEconomy #FutureOfEducation #TheLighthouse #CreativeCareers #PersonalBrand #MediaMogul #FutureProof

SCOTLAND | We just wrapped up an inspiring Changemakers Conference in New York, and now we’re passing the baton to Scotland for their FIRST conference! This year’s theme is IMPACT—the core of marketing that drives value not just for brands, but for society as a whole. We’ll dive into how marketers can make a meaningful difference, navigate challenges, and harness their influence across all facets of business. 📅 EVENT DETAILS: Date: Tuesday, October 22 Time: 9 AM - 6 PM Venue: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh 🎤 Featured Speakers & Topics Include: - Fergus Mutch (True North): Navigating the Political Landscape - Rebecca Dibb-Simkin (Octopus Energy): Maximising Brand Impact through Sustainability - Nathalie Agnew FCIPR, Pete Martin, Rowan Morrison, Svein Clouston, Ally Wallace, Panel on B Corp Movement: Rationale, Muckle Media - a certified B-Corp, Material, and AlwaysBeContent B-Corp - Kevin Lynch (The Wrong Agency): Doing Business the Wrong Way - Andrew Tindall (System1): Introducing Compound Creativity - Michelle Lavipour (Deliveroo) and Emma Falvey: Delivering Impact: The Deliveroo Story - david mcqueen: The Impact of a Brave Leader - Mark Fawcett and Anna Brocklehurst: Youthquake Impact: How Younger Consumers Will Build or Destroy Your Brand - Jo McLean: GenerAI(tion) and Privacy - Jacob Wright, Why you need a brand aesthetic and how to get one - Mercy Abel, Impact & Marketing Lead | Unlocked Internship Programme Director at John Doe - Ryan Dunlop (JACK RYAN) Join us for a day filled with insights from industry leaders, networking opportunities, and innovative ideas that will empower you to create impactful change. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect with the best and brightest in marketing! BOOK NOW - https://lnkd.in/g7ZnJ7ZY Headline Sponsor: JACK RYAN Session Sponsors - Rationale, We Are Futures #MarketingSociety #ChangemakersConference #IMPACT #MarketingLeadership #ChangemakersImpact #Networking

This very interesting HBR article deals with the fact that many companies have work forces that span six workforce generations, and as we know they are distinctly different in their culture and work needs. Read this and think through your participation.

💡 Am I shutting down great ideas? “Some of the best ideas I’ve ever encountered in business didn’t come from me—they came from my team members,” Jonathan Craven told me recently. He’ll never forget a moment in a team meeting when an intern, who had only been with him for a short time, shared a fresh idea that completely blew him away. It rocked him back in my chair, and he thought, “Why have I never seen it this way before? I feel that story in my gut. Now that my beard has more grey than black, I often wonder if I shut down ideas based on the fact that they come from people born after the year 2000 (they SHOULD still be in kindergarten, right?) How do you create an environment where every voice is heard, and fresh ideas are encouraged? How do you ensure your junior team members feel comfortable sharing their insights? I’d love to hear your strategies for fostering this kind of open, innovative culture! Drop your thoughts in the comments below 👇

I am still buzzing from my attending #BRITEconf, now in its 16th year (how time flies!) and it didn't disappoint. Here are some notable ideas and themes from some of the speakers and panelists that resonated with me: Michelle Crossan-Matos, CMO, Ulta Beauty: "Purpose is not something flaky you put up on the backwall [of a conference room], it's what makes you get up in the morning for the job." This emphasizes the importance of a strong brand purpose that goes beyond marketing and truly defines a company's mission. Ulta Beauty's focus on creating a "joy platform" is a great example of putting purpose into action. Alison Taylor, Clinical Professor, NYU Stern School of Business: "Reputation risk is not a linear accountability mechanism, it's a funhouse mirror." In today's environment, stakeholder expectations are higher than ever, but trust is fragile. Her metaphor highlights the unpredictable nature of reputation risk and the need for companies to prioritize ethical business practices. Asheesh Advani, CEO, JA Worldwide: Get ready for a career rollercoaster! Advani predicts a future with 20 jobs, 7 careers, and 40% of skills requiring relearning due to AI. Love how this underscores the importance of lifelong learning and adaptability for both employers and employees. Karna Crawford, CMO, Marqeta: Crawford's focus on customer-centric marketing tech stacks resonated deeply. Her emphasis on building a data-driven culture is essential for any marketing team to thrive in the ever-evolving marketing landscape spoke directly to the work I'm doing at my company. Gaming and Behavior Session: This session called out the stereotype of the "monolithic gamer." With insights from Michael Beach (The New York Times), Jim Green (Peleton), and Wei Cai (Columbia Business School), it was made pretty clear that gamification is a powerful tool for engagement and that there's clear opportunity in recognizing the vast diversity of gamers out there. Of course, cannot forget the highlight that was the eclipse viewing session. Under the celestial spotlight, strangers became neighbors, sharing not just borrowed glances at the sun, but a connection forged in wonder. I'm already looking forward to next year! #brand #innovation #technology p.s. shoutout to Matthew Quint and the Columbia Center for Global Brand Leadership team for this awesome event. :)

Summer’s Here! Hoping the only sparks we see in NYC are creative ones. Here’s to: 🌞 Igniting Your Creativity 🌆Tapping New Possibilities! 🌿Unleashing Fresh Marketing Magic 🌟 Transforming Sunshine into Creative Brilliance 🌺 Crafting Unforgettable Campaigns in NYC's Heat 🌞 I see summer as a catalyst for creativity and innovation. It’s about infusing our work with the vibrancy and spontaneity that this season brings. Summer’s state of mind," propels us in the advertising world, to elevate our strategies. Embrace the longer days to fuel our creative processes, Drawing inspiration from the city's vibrant pulse and the natural beauty around us. Heres to creating marketing magic that resonates with the joy and freedom of summer. Here's to a summer filled with innovation, passion, and a touch of that vacation spirit. Let's lead with enthusiasm and make this season our most creative yet. How will you infuse your work with the essence of summer? Share your thoughts and let's inspire each other! #SummerInNYC #CreativeMarketing #Innovation #Leadership #MarketingStrategy #SummerVibes #Inspiration #StoriedWork

I have multiple major projects I want to complete over the next few months. I imagine I'm not alone here in a long list of 'want to get done'. They're not single client specific but they fall into these buckets: - better pulse on total account health - deeper value for clients - deeper relationships - company value Hardest part? Prioritizing. They all feel like 10/10 ideas so you want to GO GO GO. Stepping back to focus and outlining next step(s) is key. Also, simple ranking of High to Low priority level 👌 Truth is even good ideas are not all created equal. The lens has to be: what has the most real client impact? Focus is the theme of summer 2024.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the culture I’d like to create at Big Reputation. Yesterday afternoon we had a supplier in to work from the office and our intern too - a great opportunity to get a vibe for the space with people in it. One thing that struck me quite fast was despite the two people never having met before - they quickly geled and within an hour we were all laughing while working to get stuff done for a project we’re launching next month. I think a lot of that is because of the following things: ✅ I only work with non-judgmental people. When you want a culture of creativity you need people to feel safe enough to share ideas and be creative instead of worrying their ideas will get them judged or ridiculed ✅ I listen to their advice and try any suggestions so we own the projects together - infact yesterday I had minimal input on materials created and our intern Jack Porter is managing our secret project so all materials are signed off by him 💪🏻 ✅ Debates are actively encouraged but never personal. Yesterdays topic was if 1996 babies are millennials or Gen Z. No one wants to claim us it seems. But seriously if you can normalize sharing opinions over the silly things it makes group feedback more palatable. ✅ There is no sense of hierarchy - obviously I own the brand and the company but I take care to choose people who care more about their craft than impressing me. With that I also take care as not to position myself to be someone they need to impress or prove themselves to. I just get stuck in and most of the time lose myself because i genuinely enjoy what I work on. Having a culture where people feel comfortable to turn up as who they are is really important to me. I want people to feel accepted inspired and trusted to bring their ideas to life. So I see my job as a leader to do the following: 1) make sure everyone is comfortable and gets the chance to work on projects that best suits their skill set and dispositions 2) clearly communicate our vision, goals, tasks and priorities so there’s team cohesion and less likely to be conflict or politics 3) explain the why behind any feedback so there’s context and it’s a learning opportunity 4) to genuinely ensure that anyone who works with me has more knowledge and more confidence than when they first came

🌟 Trailblazer Spotlight: Michael Bartley Practice Director at Brands2Life 🌟 Ever thought about switching careers but worried you might be too late? Let Michael Bartley's story inspire you. After a solid 11-year stint in asset management, at 33, Michael decided it was time for a change. He jumped into the world of public relations with zero background in the field—talk about a bold move! 👏🏾 "I was keen to pursue a career in a field I felt passionate about, Public Relations. As you can imagine, it was a difficult industry to get into for a 33-year-old with no previous, relevant experience. After six months I finally got an opportunity at a boutique agency in Fulham – it was effectively an intern position, but I was fuelled by will, determination and an indomitable spirit to succeed." Now, a decade later, Michael isn't just making it; he's making waves as a Practice Director at Brands2Life, leading in the tech and digital space. 🌟 🔗 Curious about how he did it? Check out the link below for the full scoop on Michael’s journey from financial services to frontlines of PR. His path proves it's never too late to chase what you love. https://lnkd.in/gqsDtkiU