308: Pivoting Well with Meetup’s David Siegel

David Seigel is the CEO of Meetup, author of Decide and Conquer, Professor of Management at Columbia University, and host of Keep Connected podcast. **He's served as an influential leader at many organizations, including Investopedia, Seeking Alpha, and 1-800-Flowers. David and his team at Meetup are working to cure the loneliness epidemic by connecting people to each other. They've navigated major pivots throughout the pandemic as an in-person-first organization, and David has a lot to share about what he's learned.On the show today, Alan and David talk about how Meetup adjusted their tactics while remaining true to their mission. Later on, they discuss the power of community in our individual lives and at a business level. David also explains how an engaged community can decentralize your marketing for the better by serving as your most valuable brand ambassadors.Listen in to learn more.In this episode, you'll learn:The most important aspect of pivotingHow to decentralize brand marketingThe power of communityKey Highlights[03:00] David's journey to Meetup[06:30] How 9/11 led to the creation of Meetup[08:45] Navigating the pandemic as an IRL-first organization[12:30] Pivoting in the pandemic and beyond[15:30] The benefits of virtual Meetups[18:00] What you'll find in Decide and Conquer[21:00] Lessons David has learned about community[24:00] How to decentralize brand marketing[30:00] An experience that defines David[33:00] David's advice for his younger self[35:00] What marketers should be learning more about[38:00] The biggest opportunity for marketers todayResources Mentioned:David SiegelMeetupDecide & Conquer, book by David SiegelKeep Connected podcast by Meetup and DavidKevin Ryan, former CEO at DoubleClick and investor in MeetupAdam Neumann, founder of WeWork Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.