Episode Overview
Aimee and Doug talk about relying on other people and collaboration when driving innovation and growth. It’s not just learning from your epic failures but also learning from your modest successes. Learning empathy from dealing with delinquent student loans at Sally Mae and being a know-it-all at Prego, Aimee made her way to the top of the marketing world as a CMO of a 13-billion-dollar company. She shares lessons learned along the way, including how she found out she couldn’t hear the pitch of Howard Shultz’s voice in her first big presentation to Senior Leadership at Starbucks.
Listen to the full episode
Aimee Johnson Bio
Aimee Johnson is a senior digital and marketing executive with over 30 years of experience spanning technology, retail, consumer packaged goods, and financial services. She is passionate about customer-centric innovation, applying strategy, data, and cross functional leadership to drive growth, and currently serves as an advisor, mentor, and consultant. Previously, Aimee was Chief Marketing Officer at Zillow Group, managing teams across brand, creative, product marketing, and insights. Prior to Zillow, she spent nearly 15 years at Starbucks in senior leadership roles, including SVP of Digital Customer Experience and Analytics. Earlier in her career, she held marketing leadership roles at Campbell Soup Company and programmer at Sallie Mae. Aimee earned an MBA from George Washington University and a Bachelors from Virginia Tech.
Beverage Of Choice
Spicy Whiskey Sour: A bold twist on the classic cocktail, blending smooth whiskey with fresh lemon juice and a touch of sweetness, finished with a subtle kick of heat, often from a dash of spicy bitters. The result is a perfectly balanced drink that’s tangy, slightly sweet, and warmly spiced, with the whiskey’s richness enhanced by a lively, peppery finish.
Themes
Marketing innovation, Customer Empathy, Brand Strategy, Organizational Leadership, Digital Transformation, Mobile Ordering, Learning from Success and FailureBrand Drops
Starbucks, Sallie Mae, Campbells Soup, Prego, Ragu, Teavana, Tazo, Salt and Straw, Disney, Thornberry's, Blues Clues, Clover, Zillow, Sears Wishbook
About this podcast
SpeakEasy is a podcast about lessons learned in the marketing trenches. Hosted by Doug Stanley-Hunt, founder of Catalysis, the series features informal conversations with creative leaders and industry veterans, recorded over a drink of their choice. Each episode is filmed in the Cloakroom, a speakeasy tucked into the basement of Catalysis’ home inside a 120-year-old former church.
Follow our show on LinkedIn and Instagram @CatalysisPNW, and share your thoughts with us by emailing speakeasy@catalysis.com.
Want to see the Cloakroom in person? All clients and guests get a complimentary visit and beverage of choice.