Amanda Nizzere: What do you do at Prophet and in what circumstances would I come to you for something? 

Jacqueline Alexis Thng: There are a couple of primary things I do in my day-to-day at Prophet that people come to me specifically for outside of client work. First, the team comes to me to unlock commercial opportunities. I have a way of approaching commercial pitches uniquely each time. I try to read each situation differently with each potential client and really try to understand how to help them solve their issue(s) in thoughtful ways. The second area is personal branding and reputation building. I really enjoy public speaking. It’s a big passion area of mine, and I’m working to share this skill and its importance with the rest of the team in Asia.  

AN: Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work? 

JAT: Early in my career, I worked with a global creative director named Michael Wolff (Co-founder of Wolff Olins). He was influential in how I think about my work every day. Specifically, he worked to understand the full context of the marketplace, put himself in the shoes of customers and was truly empathetic in how he approached branding. I have taken each of those approaches and tried to adopt them in my work and how I listen to and tackle problems. At Prophet, this works nicely as this is core to how we approach our work with clients. We always try to put ourselves in our clients’ shoes and truly listen. Same with problem-solving: I believe problem-solving should be approached with empathy. When you approach it in that way, it’s more effective and authentic.  

AN: What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it? 

JAT: I would have created more work-life balance early in my career and learned to enjoy the ride, rather than be so work-obsessed. In my 20s, I was a consultant by day and running a business at night (more on that later!), which effectively meant zero work-life balance. I delayed starting a family until I was in my 30s. If I could turn back the clock, I should have slowed down more on the work part and focused on family earlier. From that, I learned there’s no end to chasing that career “high” if ever there was one. I realized that work-life balance has helped me produce some of the best work while truly enjoying the journey.  

AN: What led you to this career? 

JAT: I have always been incredibly passionate about art, drawing and design. While I was a science then later a business major, I was also trained in fine arts painting (with a Cambridge distinction no less). So naturally, when I graduated from business school, I thought I would go into advertising. I didn’t even know a career in branding was an option. It was actually my husband who handed me a brochure about a company that did brand strategy (it was at that company where I met Michael Wolff). I was immediately interested, as I thought it would be more exciting and cutting-edge than advertising. I started my career in brand strategy and never left. It’s been 30 years. 

AN: What energizes you at work? 

JAT: I continue doing this work because it’s special. I am lucky to have landed at Prophet. The fact that Prophet continues to evolve and transform with time is really important to me. I wouldn’t be able to stay anywhere that just stays still. And it’s not just about forward momentum but real transformation. Prophet is really focused on continuing to transform in new and different ways.  

As soon as something isn’t interesting or I don’t have the energy to do it anymore, I will stop. But every day I wake up and think, “I am so excited about this big problem I get to help someone solve” or “I get to learn something and do something interesting.” It’s a pretty great way to spend your days.  

AN: What’s one thing that surprised you about working at Prophet? 

JAT: Having worked across many so-called “global” companies before, I was surprised at how truly global Prophet is. We operate with one global P&L, and our teams collaborate as a global team. I talk to many Propheteers across the globe on a daily basis—some I’ve never met in person—that I feel are my best friends. I never thought that was possible, but at Prophet it is. They’ve made it easy to collaborate, and it’s part of the company’s DNA. There is no “me vs. you,” it’s “How can I help you?” and that applies both internally and with clients. 

AN: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? 

JAT: I owned a fashion business. Even as I started my consulting career, I was a consultant by day and I developed a fashion line and brand at night. Over 13 years, it grew into a business, and I was even invited to sell to Barney’s New York. This was pre-Internet, so I had no idea who Barney’s was. When they asked me to include a winter line, it was then that I decided I wasn’t a fashion designer. What I really wanted to do was build a brand. My brand was featured in Australia fashion week, and my last show was London fashion week in 1999.  

AN: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would you choose? 

JAT: My father. He died young at age 60 and grew up extremely poor, but he found positivity and happiness in his life. He worked as a street hawker, selling food to factory workers. Even when the cost of food was rising for him, he never raised the prices for the workers. I remember my granny yelling at him to increase his price as he was losing money. He argued that the workers needed to eat better, they needed healthy ingredients, and they needed energy. His values were strong: he was charitable, helpful and didn’t profit off others “just because.”  

AN: If you had to pick one age to be permanently, which age would you choose? 

JAT: I can’t pick one. I enjoy them all. I think every moment, every age and every stage is enjoyable. I am an extremely positive and optimistic person. Each day is a day to learn something new. I also don’t believe in regrets. Every decision made is what you thought was best at the time. You learn from your mistakes, and you continue to get better.  

About the Series 

Throughout my career, I have been fascinated with the building blocks of leadership, from motivation, coaching and communication to mentorship, empathy, inspiration and more. Unraveling and understanding what makes a strong and impactful leader tick can help each of us implement new strategies to grow as individuals and leaders ourselves. 

Over the years, I’ve listened to podcasts, read books, attended conferences and listened to TED Talks about various leadership topics, but some of the most impactful lessons and pieces of advice I’ve learned have been from those around me—my mentors, colleagues and industry peers—which led me to create the Leaning into Leadership interview series. I invite you to join me as I interview various leaders in my network to share new tools and wise advice from them that you may just want to add to your own leadership toolbox. 

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Summer is in full swing, and everyone is excited to bathe in the summer sun, relax in the heat with a refreshing drink and, of course, finally read the book(s) that have been collecting dust on the shelf. Every year, we ask Propheteers to create a book guide of their favorite reads for their clients, peers and those who are consulting curious! So, if you’re not on #BookTok or are unsure which tales are worth your time, take a dive into our compilation. You may find your next favorite here. 

Our Consultant-Curated Summer Reading List:

The romance book that goes beyond the cliché

The mystery book you will not be able to put down

The fantasy book that will enchant you

The coming-of-age novel that will evoke your own self-discovery

The sci-fi short story collection that takes you to a dystopian world

The poetry collection that will tug your heartstrings

The memoir that has gripped our hearts

The science book that Prophet’s healthcare practice couldn’t stop talking about

The true-crime book of the century

The Pride book that not only tells you but shows you its history

The marketing book that bewitched our consultants

The essay-turned-book about how humanity has shaped today’s world

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As I left New York City for Cannes, I was both nervous and excited, unsure of what to expect for the week ahead. I was proud to be selected as one of 30 global participants under 30 for the Cannes Lions Brand Marketers Academy– a weeklong program for rising stars in marketing to come together and learn from leading CMOs and CEOs. I was looking forward to meeting some amazing people from many different industries and brands. Nothing, though, prepared me for such a mind-blowing experience–personally, professionally and as a global citizen. 

Of course, I have plenty to dish about. To name a few, I finagled my way into Spotify’s private Dua Lipa concert; I bumped smack-dab into Ryan Reynolds; I heard Paris Hilton speak articulately about Web3; and when human-rights activist Malala took the microphone, I admit, I cried. 

As I sort through my notes and memories, still reminiscing about an incredible farm-to-table dinner from my stopover in Paris, I know at least seven Cannes-backed ideas are going to shape my career and fuel the work I do for brands. 

1. Be a Climber, Not a Camper 

Many speakers, including marketing execs from Procter & Gamble, GSK, Google, Meta, Mastercard and Activision Blizzard, talked about the importance of developing a growth mindset, embracing ambiguity and always looking to learn. In fact, the best advice that all these industry titans kept sharing was: The second you get bored in a role, you know it is time to switch and take on a new challenge to learn.  

Climbers are always growing and must ensure their personal and professional brands are solid before reaching the top of the mountain. But these world-class marketers use that philosophy in a more generous way, helping others shine. While you will encounter campers throughout your career, and not all feedback is good feedback, it is clear that these leaders see building ladders and bridges for others as a critical part of the growth process – as demonstrated by the time they spent in our classroom during the week. 

2. Creativity + Empathy = Business Impact 

Marketing results run on great campaigns and solid brand building, and Cannes Lions exists to celebrate them. Yet these CMOs hammered home that true creativity cannot connect with people unless it is rooted in empathy – real “I see you” levels of compassion. 

Empathy requires active listening to consumers and coworkers. Marketing is not a democracy, of course. But great leaders must provide safe spaces for diverse thoughts, disagreement and debate. 

And I will never forget this advice as the most important way to evaluate new creatives: You only see work for the first time once. What do you see? Is it different? Is it expressing the brand in a new way? How does it make you feel? 

3. When It Comes to DEI and ESG, Gen Z Has X-ray Vision 

People get tired of members of Gen Z painting themselves as great truth-tellers. But in this area, we are already experts at spotting the malarkey. Much research confirms that Gen Z is more alert to all manners of green, pink and rainbow washing. And as I sat with the other global academy students, listening to frequent diversity, inclusion and sustainability pitches, I’m happy to report young marketers are even more attuned. I came home 300% convinced: If brands and companies cannot pursue these essential goals in transparent and authentic ways, they shouldn’t bother. Gen Z (and others) will see right through them.  

4. The Marketing World Needs More Ikigai 

For all the talk about brand purpose, I didn’t know of the centuries-old idea of “ikigai” until Jim Stengel, a consultant and former CMO of P&G, preached this. It means “reason for living”–the purpose we feel we are here to fulfill. It is easy to get sidetracked by what others want from us or expect us to be, personally and professionally. His challenge to all marketers is to discover what we are passionate about, what we love doing. What is your superpower? What are people giving you feedback on? Know your own brand and strengths. Whose life do you admire? Design your own ikigai to fit this purpose. 

5. Push Deeper Into Authentic, Human-Centric Brand Insights to Unlock Value  

Most of us believe we understand the brands we work on. But with no linear path to purchase or an expanding customer ecosystem, the definition of what is on or off for a brand is constantly being tested. The brand experience must be consistent and authentic – across real-life and metaverse touchpoints. When companies genuinely understand what a brand is good at, we can find new ways to add value to consumers. We can navigate between the virtual and real worlds with that human-centric truth. 

6. Embrace the Next Big Thing 

Every speaker stressed how important it is to give up the idea of being right or perfect. Throughout my time at Cannes, the importance and power of embracing mistakes were emphasized.  

One thing that is not okay according to these presenters? Marketers not being at least a little curious about new trends and technology, even if it turns out to be an inconsequential fad. Curiosity and knowledge are essential tools. Lose it, and you become irrelevant–no matter how tenured you are in the business.  

Marc Pritchard, P&G’s Chief Brand Officer, epitomizes that next, new thing with passion, essentially firing himself every 18 months from a category within the business. With each reinvention, he is looking to learn more about disruption– from gaming, tech titans and yes, the metaverse– and is committed to infusing sustainability and DEI standards across all touchpoints. I especially love his confession that he doubts himself daily. As a result, he says he never “wings” anything and always prepares, meticulously. 

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Amanda Nizzere: What’s your go-to productivity hack?  

Amy Silverstein: It’s very simple. Most of my day is dedicated to my family and to work; and in all honesty, I feel very blessed to have both and wouldn’t have it any other way. To kick start my day, I try to carve out 30 minutes each morning for a quick workout—a run outside or some yoga. A little “me” time before getting the kids up and off to school changes my entire outlook and enables me to focus and bring my most productive self to the job. 

AN: Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?  

AS: Earlier in my career, I struggled with maintaining boundaries and balance between work and family. Everything felt urgent, everything felt critical and everything required perfect execution and delivery. To say I was tough on myself is an understatement.  

But a dear colleague of mine shared one simple truth. He said, “We make cornflakes here. We aren’t saving lives.” He wasn’t diminishing the importance of our work; in fact, he too was very hardworking and gave much of himself to his career and the success of our firm. But he went on to explain that while we should take pride in the work we do, we need to also take pride in what we contribute to our personal lives, to our family lives. We need to make sure that we give the best of ourselves to those who depend on us and love us at home, just as we try to bring the best of ourselves to work, too. I keep the word “cornflakes” close to mind always now, and while I may not always get the balance right, I am always trying.  

“We need to make sure that we give the best of ourselves to those who depend on us and love us at home, just as we try to bring the best of ourselves to work, too.”

AN: What’s the worst job you’ve ever had, and what did you learn from it?  

AS: I was working at a not-to-be-mentioned investment banking firm very early in my career and had been pulling all-nighters for 2-3 days prepping for a board presentation with a key client. I was sick as a dog, but I somehow managed to get the presentation done.  

When I walked into the office of my managing director to deliver the final deck, he looked at me and said, “Don’t you dare come into my office. I don’t want to catch whatever it is you have. Drop it at the door.” It was at that moment I learned the importance of prioritizing a supportive and positive culture when choosing a job. I left shortly after that interaction.  

AN: What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it?  

AS: When I first started in investment banking, I didn’t have the same depth of accounting acumen that some of my colleagues had. The mistake I made was allowing myself to lean into Imposter Syndrome. It delayed my ability to own my role, learn what I needed to and shine.  

Luckily, I had strong mentors who saw what I brought to the table. They taught me that it was ok to not have all the answers and to not be able to do everything right out of the box. They taught me to not be afraid to ask questions or ask for guidance, and to recognize that we all, even at the most senior levels, have things to learn, areas to improve to grow ourselves and our contributions.   

AN: What energizes you at work?  

AS: There are two things that energize me every day at work. First, I love that I am learning and growing every day, that I am challenged with complex problems to solve and able to contribute value on a regular basis.  

Second, I love the amazing team I work with. They are bright and talented and bring incredible expertise, intelligence and thoughtfulness to their work. Not only are they curious people who are always looking for new ways to learn and grow, but they are also exceptional human beings—kind, compassionate and a joy to spend time with. Can you tell I feel very lucky?   

AN: If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?  

AS: I would love to be a sommelier. I have a deep passion for great food and wine, and over the years have become a pretty good cook. But other than knowing what wines I enjoy, I really do not have much knowledge about wine—what vintages and regions produce the best of certain types, etc. And I don’t know how to best pair wine with food. I would love to be an expert in that! 

AN: If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be and why? 

AS: It would be titled, “To be Content.” I spent my young adult years and through my 30s always striving for more and more. I never took a step back to realize how blessed I truly was with all I had, and rather was always focusing on what I didn’t have, what I still wanted (whether it was children, further advancement with my work, wealth, etc.). As many people will tell you, the “Aha” moment does present as you get older, and I have found my last decade or so truly fulfilling as I have come to appreciate the smallest to biggest joys in my life. I am content and so genuinely appreciative of all I have.  

“I spent my young adult years and through my 30s always striving for more and more. I never took a step back to realize how blessed I truly was with all I had.”

AN: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?  

AS: Before I had my children, I was incredibly adventurous. I have flown a few Cessnas, sky-dived in Rotorua New Zealand, whitewater rafted level 5-6 rapids in the Victoria Falls in South Africa, to name a few. I was fearless and willing to try any adventure (except bungee jumping) that came before me. Once I had kids, however, my courageous side faded away. I’m sadly now so afraid of heights I can barely walk to the top of a lighthouse without grasping onto the handrails for dear life. My children do not believe my tales of adventure!   

About the Series 

Throughout my career, I have been fascinated with the building blocks of leadership, from motivation, coaching and communication to mentorship, empathy, inspiration and more. Unraveling and understanding what makes a strong and impactful leader tick can help each of us implement new strategies to grow as individuals and leaders ourselves. Over the years, I’ve listened to podcasts, read books, attended conferences and listened to TED Talks about various leadership topics, but some of the most impactful lessons and pieces of advice I’ve learned have been from those around me—my mentors, colleagues and industry peers—which led me to create this interview series. I invite you to join me as I interview various leaders in my network to share new tools and wise advice from them that you may just want to add to your own leadership toolbox. 

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We have been continuing to work on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts here at Prophet and have have made steady progress since our last update. We know that achieving representation reflecting the communities where we live and work will take time. And we are also learning a lot when it comes to the importance of understanding the complexity of inclusivity. 

While some organizational practices need to be changed to be more inclusive, we are learning that it is at the micro, one-on-one level where change and impact are being felt most. When everyone at our firm understands and makes a habit of small acts of inclusion each day, we believe that change can happen at scale. 

Propheteers are very proud of our culture, and we should be. But as our inclusivity efforts have strengthened, we sometimes bump up against defensiveness. Even among those who are the most vocal about adding diverse representation, there’s a resistance, or perhaps better put, lack of understanding, to becoming more inclusive in our work.  

We are trying to reinforce that bias does exist here and everywhere. There is no organization where bias does not exist. And so creating a truly inclusive culture means looking at the day-to-day interactions that happen throughout the firm. These connections are the foundations of the employee experience. In each moment, they give people a sense of belonging, letting them know they are valuable members of the team.  

In other words, inclusivity has to be addressed at every level of interaction – macro, corporate level, team level and individual level. The quality of those interactions and the relationships that develop determine how well and for whom the systems are working. 

So far, we’ve found three focus areas that are especially helpful. 

Learning New Language

The ability to have DEI-related conversations throughout an organization requires a common language, and the evolving list of terms initially feels unfamiliar. A first step has been starting small group leadership discussions and introducing inclusion concepts through unconscious bias and allyship training. We’re proud that all of our 600-plus employees have completed this work. 

That’s only a start, though. It’s important to keep talking to translate ideas into individual and collective action. 

Tokenism is one example. Building an inclusive team means gender diversity should be represented. But if a partner asks a woman to work on a pitch just because she’s female, that’s not inclusion. Tokenism is just for show–it’s performative. On the other hand, representative teams are intentionally built because if the goal is cognitive diversity, we know that identity diversity is critical to adding a valuable perspective that wouldn’t otherwise be there. Who we are in the world shows up in how we think and navigate the world differently.   

As a practice, leaders should question “Am I building a team that is as representative as possible?”  Slowing down to process and talk about decisions that impact the way we work can open up healthy dialogues and lead to better outcomes.  

The right language takes these daily conversations from defensive to pragmatic, hopefully making them more productive.  

Reconfiguring Networks

Internal networks–often invisible and informal–are places of exclusion in many workplaces. Remote work has made this even more challenging. Do the people who choose to go into the office, for example, have more access to certain leaders and the chance to develop relationships, while those working remotely may not? Or do certain groups have an easier time interacting and building relationships in a virtual group environment than others?

Making Intentional Connections

We are creating strong employee resource groups, which make space for people to build community and find support. These include Black@Prophet, Pride atProphet, Latino@Prophet and Women In Leadership. And we’re constantly looking for new ways to bring people with shared interests together. We need to do more, though. So we’ve begun opening up opportunities to learn about our leaders and different parts of the company. 

How Inclusivity Needs to Change Our Work

We are focused on moving inclusion beyond awareness through group training and individual coaching. We’re seeking more actionable strategies that impact the way we work, including business development and other go-to-market practices. By setting expectations, mitigating structural bias, and role modeling small acts of inclusion, we know that we can create a firm with imperfect people and their biases that nevertheless contribute to maintaining a healthy and inclusive environment.  

We know that more inclusive teams lead to more innovative and varied approaches to our work for clients, from broader digital transformation strategies to more accessible user experiences. We are trying hard to make this a consistent way of doing business. 

There’s growing urgency to these efforts. Like so many other companies, our work accelerated with the murder of George Floyd in May of 2020. It continues to speed up, fueled not just by the increasing awareness of racial and gender disparities but also by the Great Resignation’s tailwinds. An inclusive culture is key to recruiting and retaining the best people–that’s true for Prophet and every one of the clients we work so hard for. 

So we’re not slowing down. We’ve intensified our planning, becoming more intentional. We’re leveraging strategic approaches within campus, lateral and executive hiring efforts to increase the diversity of the candidate pipeline and, ultimately, incoming hires. And we’re systematizing our process, creating a scalable program based on business rules, such as an Inclusion Rule for diversity on interview slates. We’re completing contract-bound pipeline requirements for external search partners. 

We’re looking to our data to understand employee experience across all diversity dimensions. And we’re using that lens across the board to help ensure that we support diverse teams to lead clients to the best solutions.  

The end goal? A Prophet where one cannot predict a person’s success based on how they look, whom they love or whom they pray to.  To get us there we’re working to clarify and communicate each employee’s role in DEI. We’ll know we’ve arrived when DEI is no longer seen as the responsibility of a handful of people but as a new kind of thinking and behavior each of us brings to work every day. 

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Amanda Nizzere: What do you do at Prophet and in what circumstances would I come to you for something? 

Mat Zucker: Technically, I’m the co-lead of the global Marketing & Sales practice, co-executive sponsor of one of our creative teams and a client lead on several interesting accounts. That’s all true, but I find most people come to me for a customer-facing marketing strategy (how to win in the market with an audience), an entrepreneurial solution, creative thinking on a business problem, or anything to do with advertising, content or my beloved hobby—podcasting.   

AN: What’s one professional skill you’re currently working on? 

MZ: Right now, I’m working on media planning, buying and orchestration. Media, unpaid and paid, is so integral to marketing and a large part of the budget, yet too many of us in strategy are too far removed from it. I’ve always been around media both as a creative director and as a digital marketing strategist. While earlier in my career I became quite savvy around creative use of media, now I’m trying to upskill my conversation around how to think of investment, integrating brand and demand efforts, and non-traditional channels such as influencer marketing, search and even the metaverse.  

Image: Mat Zucker, Senior Partner, New York Office

AN: What was your first job? 

MZ: I started as a creative assistant in the creative department at FCB/Leber Katz Partners in New York. I worked for six creative directors and organized travel, filed expenses, pasted TV storyboards, fixed the photocopier and told their spouses, “It’s going to be a late one again.” My bosses knew I wanted to be a copywriter, and several gave me writing assignments, which was perfect training that led to me seeing my first real ads in radio, print and even early web and e-commerce. 

AN: What’s one thing that surprised you about working at Prophet? 

MZ: At first, I was surprised by the volume of calls and nonstop conversation. As a previous creative director, the goal was to get off the call so one could do the work and then share back. What I learned in consulting and an interdisciplinary environment like Prophet, was that the conversation is part of the work. The debate, the discussion, looking at things in multiple ways before settling on an answer… Yes, you should do some research and thinking off-screen but so much work happens in the conversation rather than solely in between it.  

“What I learned in consulting and an interdisciplinary environment like Prophet, was that the conversation is part of the work.”

AN: If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be? 

MZ: Search: SEO and SEM. Seriously, the world is still driven by those search algorithms and if I had the patience to sit through the classes, I’d be a millionaire.  

AN: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? 

MZ: Most people still think I’m really career-driven, trying to move up. What’s hard to explain is that I’ve had top jobs, I’ve been “Chief.” I love my work and have lots of things I want to do, but while I respect people still seeking titles and elevation (you should scratch that itch if you have it), I’m good. I’m more focused on the type of work I do, what I can create that shows up in market or influences what others do and helping develop the careers of others. That said, if you want me on your Board or to run your company and it’s a tough, fun challenge, I might look at it. 

“…while I respect people still seeking titles and elevation…I’m good.”

AN: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would you choose? 

MZ: Someone in medicine. Healthcare was something I avoided in advertising early in my career, but now in strategy and as a 50-something with various weird conditions, I’m fascinated by it. My sister is a social worker. My niece is a med student. My husband, a wellness coach. I’d like to work with patients that are not myself. 

About the Series 

Throughout my career, I have been fascinated with the building blocks of leadership, from motivation, coaching and communication to mentorship, empathy, inspiration and more. Unraveling and understanding what makes a strong and impactful leader tick can help each of us implement new strategies to grow as individuals and leaders ourselves.  

Over the years, I’ve listened to podcasts, read books, attended conferences and listened to TED Talks about various leadership topics, but some of the most impactful lessons and pieces of advice I’ve learned have been from those around me—my mentors, colleagues and industry peers. This has led me to create this interview series, “Leaning Into Leadership.” I invite you to join me as I interview various leaders in my network to share new tools and wise advice from them that you may just want to add to your own leadership toolbox. See previous interviews here. 

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We are lucky to have a diverse set of leaders at Prophet who bring unparalleled expertise and experience to their roles – advancing our firm’s transformation and grooming rising stars in our community, all while showing up as thought partners and allies to clients and peers. Day in and day out we see them lead by example and help propel Prophet’s growth.  

There is also a set of esteemed behind-the-scenes advisors that play an active role in Prophet’s business trajectory, providing nuanced POVs to help us make big strategic decisions.  

Introducing… Prophet’s Board of Directors 

• Chiaki Nishino
• Chan Suh
  David Aaker
• Gian Fulgoni
• Lauren Kelly
• Michael Dunn
• Michelle Bottomley
• Niels Nielsen
• William Dean Donovan

We asked members of the board about their experience working with the firm – and some of their favorite stories from having a seat at the board table.  

If I was a fly on the wall during a Prophet board meeting, what would I see and hear? 

David Aaker: “It should first be known that when you have a well-run and well-managed company at the top like Prophet, it says a lot about what the board will do and what their role is. It’s painful to be on a board that lacks good leadership. It’s a joy to be on a board of a company with a strong CEO and staff. Given we have that, the composition of the board is exceptional. Many have been on the board for a long time, with our newest members now having been on for a couple of years now. During Prophet board meetings you hear experts with relevant backgrounds that are reinforcing and providing input into the strategies that are leading the company in the right direction. The meetings are supportive and encouraging, using their experience and expertise to guide, lead and provide suggestions to the strategies that are being pursued or influencing new strategies to try. They are also encouraged to be critical, as its an open and respectful environment.”

Niels Nielsen: “It’s very similar to what you see and hear on client teams in the company: Sincere and sometimes heated discussions with a commitment to substantive outcomes. More questions and suggestions than statements. A tonality of no mercy, no malice. Some bantering and teasing. Lots of laughter and good humor.” 

Chan Suh: “If I were to take the question literally, I’d say a bunch of people crammed into a room – or sometimes Zoom – and, as the hours go by, you will see people wilt a little bit over time. The table gets messier and there’s usually plenty of sugar and calories. There’s always seriousness to the questions we are asking, but not about ourselves. There’s good humor, which is remarkable and makes the time together light-hearted and fun. While we spend a lot of time as a core board, we also spend plenty of hours talking and exchanging information with different leaders and peers. Any given board meeting there could be five to seven different teams of people coming in and out and participating in the discussion.” 

William Dean Donovan: “I always thought that the best consultants are experts at the art of supportive confrontation.  You would find a fair amount of that at one of our board meetings.  The Prophet team works hard to put high-quality ideas in front of the board and asks us to challenge their thinking to help make the best decision and create understanding among everyone on the team.” 

Michelle Bottomley: “You would see a great deal of camaraderie and genuine appreciation for the vision/strategy/work and strong results being delivered by the operating team with an appreciation for the respective strengths and perspectives around the table. You would hear a good combination of laughing and lightheartedness with robust discussion/debate on key strategic topics. Our board has a healthy blend of outside and insight board directors with diverse perspectives and professional experiences that complement each other and brings strength to the Prophet strategy.” 

What is one thing you’ve learned since serving on the Prophet board? What is one thing you’ve taught other members?  

Chiaki Nishino: “As a Board member who is also an operating executive at Prophet, managing the day-to-day of our business, it’s been valuable to deliberately put on an external shareholder lens on top of the client and employee lens I always have on. It helps me take a step back to evaluate Prophet from a long-term value creation perspective on a quarterly basis. Our board members come from very different backgrounds, so the questions asked in the board room are just as valuable as the discussions we have.” 

Niels Nielsen: “Out of the more than 35 boards, on which I serve/have served, Prophet is one of the few that have excelled in the sense that building a company is much more than growing its business. It makes me proud to be part of a company that is a consistently successful business, but which is successful because it is a company that grows its people; grows through its people, and consistently strives to do right.” 

David Aaker: “As a Board member who is also still putting out thought leadership into the market, I periodically I bring my books and IP to the meetings. Both to maximize reach and get thoughts and opinions on it. During the meetings, I share my expertise on the strategies we are discussing. In general, it’s a joy and fun to be around such interesting and capable people.”

Gian Fulgoni: “I’ve learned that the Prophet team is second to none in addressing the wide range of business issues that Prophet solves for its clients around the world. I’m confident in saying that because I’ve been able to experience first-hand as a board member and also on the client side.”   

Michael Dunn: “Management teams can sometimes see the board in an adversarial way, spending more time “packaging” information for board consumption than digging into the real issues the company is facing. But I really view it as a space for enrichment and exploration. That mindset has allowed us to really guide and steward the firm into a much more authentic place. We are so lucky to have such a strong group of collaborators with diverse experiences and expertise. I’ve learned that the more open and transparent the key questions we are wrestling with, the more we gain from our time together. If we are vulnerable about our challenges and shortcomings, we are able to get into the rigorous discussions that lead to better thinking and an increased probability that our solutions will be successful.”  

Chan Suh: “I’ve learned the different decision-making and execution. The board alternates: So sometimes the board sets direction and other times the board absorbs the direction that the firm has taken and helps to advance it. I’ve been on different boards for nonprofits and I’ve led my own board for an enterprise before. But as a board member at Prophet, I’ve learned more about how to balance the two. In terms of teaching, I’ve brought energy around trying and starting new things – and bringing them to either success or failure quickly. That’s always been a part of my DNA and I’ve certainly shared it with the board.” 

What excites you the most about Prophet’s transformation and growth trajectory?  

Gian Fulgoni: “It’s always exciting to be associated with a successful and fast-growing transformation of a business – I’ve been fortunate to see it happen both inside Prophet itself and on the client side. It’s also exciting to realize that digital transformations today not only mean transforming companies that weren’t digital but also transforming companies that were already digital, but which hadn’t kept up with the pace of change.”     

William Dean Donovan: “Prophet is at the intersection of analytics, design, brand and marketing strategy.  Those are threads that can create an enormous impact if woven together properly.  Prophet’s interdisciplinary approach stitches the pieces in a unique way.  That creates unique thinking and big impact.”   

Michelle Bottomley: “Prophet has built upon our strong foundation in research, insights and branding as a platform for business transformation to deliver practical solutions using modern tools to generate demand, brand engagement and brand delivery by employees. This combination of strong insights-based strategy with the ability to implement programs that drive differentiation and growth is something I wish I tapped into while a CMO myself. Secondly, I am enormously impressed with the talented leadership team — who are world-class pioneers in their respective areas – and our leader’s ability to stand up new practices that help clients succeed where they need Prophet to extend the brand most.” 

Chan Suh: “Transformation and growth is the ultimate destination of a marketing, brand, organizational, experience consulting. Externally, the world needs this in a way that we have now been able to formulate. I really feel like we’ve hit the nail on the head in terms of relevance and need. Internally, what excites me most is that it’s a big tent. And as long as we keep it a big tent, we will be able to welcome a lot of skill sets that we don’t yet have and we will be able to grow the expertise and stay ahead of the competition.” 

David Aaker: “It’s amazing that we’ve come this far as a firm and have worked with the caliber of clients we are and have driven the impact we have for our impressive roster of clients. The problem, of course, is to get credit for it in the market and to be known for it. We do so much beyond brand that the world doesn’t yet know. For now, we are our client’s biggest, best-kept secret and I see that changing soon.”

What Prophet value resonates with you the most?  

Chiaki Nishino: “Share Joy – we constantly discuss at the board how we partner not only with our clients but with each other as team members in a way that’s incredibly unique and authentic. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and take the time to connect as teammates and people. I strongly believe that our success comes from not only the capabilities we bring to bear for our clients, but the way in which our people team and relate with each other.”

Chan Suh: “Give and Grow is a value that we exercise, demonstrate and live every day. It is visible in how we work and how we operate the business. We are constantly trying to create one team by investing in the personal and professional growth of our people and our clients. We do so by being a coach, a sounding board or a cheering section. And while we all have unique needs and goals, we all have a shared understanding that we’re in this together—and by offering our time, empathy and brainpower to support the collective potential of our teams, clients and communities, we flourish together. We may work in different areas and have different skillsets or expertise, but we believe in something central that is greater than the sum of its little subgroups.”

Michael Dunn: “It’s a toss-up between Create with Courage & Open Minds. Our Create with Courage value focuses on the entrepreneurial spirit that is foundational to Prophet. When something could be better, we don’t settle—we lean in and create. We help clients push boundaries when they are tackling their biggest challenges in order to drive growth and impact. When we put our heart into our work while applying intellect, creativity and rigor to execute, we can push boundaries. I am quite fond of Open Minds because Propheteers are unmistakable—we’re upfront about who we are. We’re united, but different, which allows us and our clients to achieve more together. It’s in our nature to seek diverse voices and embrace all backgrounds and lived experiences. We feel that by showing up honestly and openly with each other and clients, we discover new paths for connection and creativity. It’s a culture we’ve built that we are incredibly proud of.”

To learn more or be connected with one of Prophet’s leaders, reach out today.  

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Amanda Nizzere: Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

Kristen Groh: I learned some key leadership traits from a boss I had early in my career. He taught me about balancing client and team needs, and how to keep perspective when things get hard. He used to say “no one falls off the internet and dies” when we were having a difficult launch.

As far as work focus and how to approach strategic thinking, I learned a lot from a program at my previous company. It gave me a lot of tools for structured thinking, but more importantly, it gave me the tools to manage things like Imposter Syndrome which can hold me back from doing my best.

“…it gave me the tools to manage things like Imposter Syndrome which can hold me back from doing my best.“

AN: What’s one professional skill you’re currently working on?

KG: I’m always working on something – usually just trying to learn new technologies or industries where I am not familiar. My most recent focus has been on Cloud computing and Web 3.

AN: How do you prefer to start your day?

KG: I am an early bird and am usually up by 5 a.m. I like to start my day with a workout, coffee and a word game or two. After that, I’m ready to dig in.

AN: How do you prefer to end your day?

KG: Either with my kids sharing their days with me (which is fewer and far between now that they are teenagers), or with a glass of red wine and friends. I like to read a novel right before bed to calm my mind and help me relax.

AN: What was your first job?

KG: My first job as a teenager was weeding a Hosta Garden. (It was short-lived.) My first professional job was working at a clip-art company. The artists would draw on boards and then mail them to the company. We scanned the boards on a scanner and imported them into Photoshop or Illustrator. I would go into the digital files and clean them up or create vector versions, depending on the art style. They were then burned onto CD-ROMs for purchase.

AN: What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it?

KG: I wasn’t good at advocating for myself. I’ve always been a “go with the flow” person – the one who would pick up the pieces, wrap things up, keep things in order – but never really put a stake in the ground on what I did and didn’t want for myself. When I did declare a path and advocate for myself, it worked out really well and reminded me that I bring a lot to the table, even if it doesn’t “look” like what others might expect from me or my role. My unique perspective has value and I shouldn’t be shy about putting that out there.

Image: Kristen Groh, Senior Partner, Chicago Office

AN: What’s one thing that surprised you about working at Prophet?

KG: I was surprised by the balance of a human-centric culture with the very sound operations of the business. I had picked up on a bit of that in the interview process, but until you see it in action, it’s hard to really wrap your head around.

AN: If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

KG: I would love to be an expert in wine – sommelier level knowledge. Just for fun though, I wouldn’t leave my day job!

AN: If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be and why?

KG: “Go with the Flow.” It’s a general mantra of mine. That doesn’t mean I won’t steer the boat when I need to, but oftentimes, I like to let a situation ride out a bit and see where it will go. There’s a lot to learn in the journey. This applies to work, but also to travel, child-rearing, and relationships.

“Go with the flow. It’s a general mantra of mine.”

About the Series

Throughout my career, I have been fascinated with the building blocks of leadership, from motivation, coaching and communication to mentorship, empathy, inspiration and more. Unraveling and understanding what makes a strong and impactful leader tick can help each of us implement new strategies to grow as individuals and leaders ourselves.

Over the years, I’ve listened to podcasts, read books, attended conferences and listened to TED Talks about various leadership topics, but some of the most impactful lessons and pieces of advice I’ve learned have been from those around me—my mentors, colleagues and industry peers—which led me to create this interview series. I invite you to join me as I interview various leaders in my network to share new tools and wise advice from them that you may just want to add to your own leadership toolbox.

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Working in a hybrid environment for the past two years has shifted our approach to how we build and sustain our culture at Prophet. With 14 global offices and 600+ Propheteers, finding opportunities to connect and create a stronger community is important to the health and vitality of our firm. Our culture has always been a distinct reason people join and stay at Prophet and after two-plus years of being virtual, we knew we needed to reinvigorate how we connect and build relationships with each other.

In addition, we also wanted to recognize our talent and show them our appreciation for all the ways they contribute to Prophet’s success. How do we achieve this? Our answer – Prophet Connects. Focusing on our three key pillars of what makes a strong culture–connection, inspiration and appreciation–our Culture & Engagement Team created curated moments throughout the month of March to bring our employees together and create more personal and meaningful connections with Propheteers globally.

Inspired by the amazing talent within Prophet, we aimed to create a space that allowed us to learn more about each other and understand the different journeys and experiences of our teammates, to bring in outside inspiration and external speakers to share their stories, and to show our appreciation for our teams, leaders, and out people.

Week One: Connection

To respect the diverse time zones of our global team, we used a regional approach for week one. With 30 minutes on the calendars, Propheteers in each region were invited to join a call with very limited information about the event. Would these calls be exciting? Nerve-racking? Thrilling? The answer was yes to all of the above!

Small groups of Propheteers were placed in breakout rooms and tasked with two items. The first task was to answer the question: “What’s your connection?” Each group had several minutes to figure out what they had in common. Many found they all love camping, others discovered that everyone in their group enjoys the beach and some had travel dreams of visiting Paris. Once groups found their connection, they were then asked to create or find a meme and/or GIF that captured the spirit of their commonality. And boy did they deliver!

Propheteers who participated in this first event had two opportunities to walk away winners. However, just by showing up to the activity, they had the opportunity to win a truly special prize–connecting with their peers. This first event proved to be a great success. Not only did we make personal connections within the breakout teams, but we also provided an escape from the reality of everyday work, a moment to laugh together and simply an opportunity to have fun with one another while connecting with our people.

Week Two: Inspiration

Building culture and connections in a hybrid/remote world is hard. We miss the days of being in the office, sharing lunch or a cup of coffee together and catching up on each other’s lives. Our people wanted the opportunity to have smaller, more intimate connections on topics outside of current projects and work-related tasks. Inspired by TED talks, Prophet Talks emerged. Prophet Talks was all about inspiring our teammates. Over the course of three days, we had a line-up of 21 speakers on diverse topics. Space was limited in each talk as we wanted to keep the groups small for a more personal experience.

“Not only did we make personal connections within the breakout teams, but we also provided an escape from the reality of everyday work.”

Day one focused on finding purpose. We had regional, external speakers, like Culture and Innovative Curator Andy Stefanovich, share stories of how they found a sense of purpose in their work and personal lives. Prophet alums, Blums Pineda, MD and global head of internet and tech investment at banking for Standard Chartered Bank, and Wisdom Mak, a strategist for Chanel’s regional fashion team, shared their experiences of being leaders in a virtual environment, what it takes to keep your team engaged in a hybrid environment, and how you can be a strong thought leader in your career.

“Don’t stop me now” was the theme for day two of Prophet Talks. We highlighted Propheteers from all types of roles and areas of expertise and had them share their stories of success. Chiaki Nishino shared her journey from engagement manager to senior partner and president of North America. While another Prophet leader, Jeff Abbott, shared his process of writing over 20 novels in the last 20 years.

Day three’s theme was “all about the why”. Why is creativity at Prophet so awesome? Why is Dave Aaker so important? Why do we offer design services at Prophet? Digital? Healthcare? Social impact? Those were just some of the topics that were covered by our own Prophet experts. For example, London office Creative Director and Partner Gregg Finlay shared and inspired us with his passion for design and creativity. Also, from our Berlin office, Partner Layla Keramat explored the world of X&I and motivated us to think from different perspectives.

Week Three: Appreciation

Our people are what matter and what makes Prophet such a great organization to be a part of. We took this opportunity to recognize our people for the amazing work they do every day. From a slow reveal poem highlighting each class-to-class playlist to internal kudos and shout-outs, our team introduced something new each day to our fellow Propheteers. The finale of our three-week event was a class assignment where we asked each Prophet class what makes them the best. Teams were tasked to create 60-second videos answering the question, putting their creative minds and humor to the test. The activity wrapped up with a viewing of all the videos and participants voting on a favorite.

We won’t tell you the winner, but they have bragging rights and some pretty cool swage headed their way.

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