OTS 364: Big Shifts - Kate Colbert

Today’s guest is a true powerhouse of talents and expertise. She effortlessly blends her roles as a "word nerd" and a "data junkie" – a writer and a market researcher -- to create meaningful impacts in the worlds of business and higher-education marketing.   With an unwavering focus on customer insights, she helps organizations make decisions grounded in data and designed for success. Her achievements include authoring Think Like a Marketer: How a Shift in Mindset Can Change Everything for Your Business – a book for entrepreneurs and business leaders -- and Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education – an unparalleled analysis of postsecondary education, featuring interviews with 125 college and university presidents, which Forbes called “the indispensable touchpoint of what’s being said … in higher education.”    She is the Founder and President of Silver Tree Communications, a pioneering institute that helps organizations gain a competitive edge through data-driven storytelling that translates into sustainable, profitable growth. She's a leading authority on gathering and interpreting customer insights and helping leaders and entire organizations communicate for connection and meaning. She’s a writer, a researcher, a brand expert, and a communications coach to the who’s who at prestigious institutions.   Her influence extends to top-50 research universities, law schools, medical schools, and Fortune 500 companies, where her expertise in higher education, healthcare, and professional services makes a significant impact.    Please join me in welcoming Kate Colbert.  Join us as Kate Colbert shares her journey from a voracious reader to a successful author, researcher, and communications expert, highlighting the power of data-driven storytelling and authentic leadership. In this episode, we discuss: 🧠 Data-Driven Impact: Kate is a powerhouse in the realms of business and higher-education marketing, leveraging her expertise as a writer and market researcher to drive organizations towards success with a strong focus on customer insights. 🧠 Notable Achievements: She's authored books like "Think Like a Marketer" for business leaders and "Commencement," a renowned analysis of higher education. Forbes even dubbed "Commencement" as indispensable in the world of higher education. 🧠 Data-Driven Storytelling: As the Founder and President of Silver Tree Communications, Kate empowers organizations with data-driven storytelling, helping them achieve sustainable growth. Her influence extends to various sectors, including higher education, healthcare, and professional services. 🧠 Leadership Journey: Kate's leadership journey is rooted in being genuine and humane. She emphasizes the importance of being liked and human in leadership roles, and her career has been a fascinating blend of writing, research, brand expertise, and coaching, impacting top-tier institutions and Fortune 500 companies alike. Listen in to discover why Kate Colbert's storytelling prowess is a page-turner for success in business and leadership! Links Kate Colbert on LinkedIn and Instagram. www.CommencementTheBook.com www.ThinkLikeAMarketerTheBook.com www.SilverTreeCommunications.com Books mentioned in this episode: “Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education” by Kate Colbert  “Think Like a Marketer: How a Shift in Mindset Can Change Everything for Your Business” by Kate Colbert  On the Schmooze is a podcast that features interviews with talented professionals who have overcome challenges to achieve success. I ask probing questions, and guests share untold stories about their leadership journey and how they built and sustained their professional network. Subscribing (or following) and leaving a rating and review wherever you are listening helps this podcast be discovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices