Looking forward to Jeffrey Hayzlett presentation at SEMpdx Members-Only Appreciation Event this evening. Thanks to Jeffrey for taking the time to share a little about himself and his career.
1) Tell us a little about yourself
I’m from South Dakota. I’ve been involved in many different business throughout my career. I owned a pheasant ranch. I worked in the in print industry for many years. Most recently, I was Vice President and CMO of Kodak. These days I’m speaking all over the globe, appearing on TV shows, I’ve written the best-selling book, “The Mirror Test” and am working on a second book. And I consult with a variety of great companies as well. I have two children, Tyler and Lindsey. I’m married to a great woman, Tami.
2) What’s the thing you’re most proud of from your time at Kodak?
We took a company that was selling a product that no one wanted–film–and we turned it around. What Kodak had to offer was about hearts and minds–we had the only product people would run into a burning building to save. We made memories. So we took a company that made film and turned it into a company that makes and preserves memories.
3) What prompted you to write your book, “The Mirror Test”?
I watched so many companies and business people fail. Heck, I’ve failed a time or two myself. And that’s when it became clear to me that anyone in business needs to ask the tough questions, know their conditions of satisfaction and be willing to create tension and drive change–all of that in order to grow and succeed. I felt this book was a message that everyone needed to hear.
4) What’s more fun, being a cowboy or hunting for pheasant?
Well I’m passionate about both, but ultimately the “cowboy” part is really who I am, and it impacts how I operate in business and in life.
5) If you could tell companies one thing about how to engage with their customers, what would you tell them?
With social media everything has changed. It’s not about ears and eyeballs anymore, it’s about hearts and minds. Companies need to be radically transparent, listen to their customers and deliver a relevant and timely message. If you don’t do these things, you won’t be fogging the mirror.
Lisa Williams is the President of Sustainable Digital Marketing. She is an 18-year veteran of online marketing and has been featured in Kiplinger Magazine, Glamour Magazine, Boston Globe and The Oregonian. Lisa is on the SEMpdx (Search Engine Marketing Professionals of Portland Oregon) Advisory Board and member of SEMPO. She speaks at regional, national and international conferences on the topics of digital strategy, marketing integration, team development and leadership. She is available for training and consulting.