The Adaptable Marketing Leader - an interview with Holly Wright

I don't often interview people who used to be in the job I'm in today, but when I do, I make sure we talk about their days at Hannon Hill and how they've evolved since leaving the company. Holly Wright, a Georgia Tech MBA grad, former Hannon Hill marketing specialist, then manager, and current VP of Marketplace Success at Appfire, was the latest guest on the Marketing Tales show. Holly discovered her passion for marketing during her junior year in college when she enrolled in some marketing courses while majoring in industrial design. She enjoyed it so much that she earned a marketing certificate, completed her bachelor's degree, took a marketing role right out of college, and then returned to Georgia Tech for her MBA. #highperformerAs the VP of Marketplace Success at Appfire, an enterprise collaboration software company, Holly optimizes how Appfire presents itself on various software marketplaces and manages relationships with upstream software manufacturers. An important lesson she's learned throughout her impressive marketing career is to be adaptable because things constantly change in the marketing industry, especially in a high-growth, fast pace company. "Thrive on change and grow together," Holly says, echoing Appfire's core values. Being emotionally neutral about the changes that may come your way is another advice she offered during our conversation. Too often, we get hung up on the inevitable and should remember Heraclitus' sage words: "The only constant in life is change."Embrace it, and see adversity as an opportunity.If you're a marketer looking to grow in your career and get to a manager, director, VP, or CMO level, figure out a way to get some management experience. If there is no opportunity to manage others, raise your hand and take on different projects unrelated to your department to increase your visibility there. Most importantly, "be upfront about your goals and intentions," Holly says. Also, "look for a company that is growing fast because opportunities abound when a company is growing." All ships rise.Of course, being on the pulse and furthering your education is always a plus, and earning an MBA is one way to do it.Another is self-education, and Holly recommends the following two books to become a better marketing leader:The Lean Marketplace by Cristóbal Gracia and Juho MakkonenPredictably Irrational by Dan ArielyShe also signed up for a Reforge membership to further her knowledge of pricing and monetization. Something she's in charge of as the VP of Marketplace Success. To get in touch with Holly and learn more about her or Appfire, connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter @hollygowrightly. And if you're in the job market, check out Appfire's job board.Cheers to you, Holly, and thank you for paving the way for me at Hannon Hill.A special thanks to Kat Liendgens, CEO of Hannon Hill, for connecting me to Holly. Until next time.