Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | November 28, 2019

Ed Breault, Chief Marketing Officer at Aprimo is a marketer with over 18 years of industry experience. At Aprimo, Ed is responsible for the global brand and growth which includes all Paid/Owned/Earned media, Brand Experience, Product Marketing, Industry Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Strategic Communications, Content Marketing, Analyst Relations, Alliance Marketing, Public Relations, Events, Demand Generation and Account-Based Marketing. MEDIA 7: What’s your superpower? ED BREAULT: I would say it’s applying the full spectrum of art and science that is required in marketing today. Not just left or right brained, but whole-brained strategy. Being human yet data-driven and really understanding numbers and (the right) metrics to make connections to business drivers. Add storytelling to that, so I can effectively communicate to my team, the CEO and CFO as well as my Board of Directors on those metrics, and connecting all that we are doing in marketing to the mission of the business. Then quickly shifting gears to the art and creative aspects of marketing that are required to engage an audience and tell great commercial stories that take complex concepts and craft them in a way that is interesting for people to pay attention to. I have to be the ultimate point of truth for the brand. M7: At Aprimo, how have marketing leadership roles and responsibilities evolved over the past few years? EB: There are so many dimensions needed by marketing leaders today. There are several elements driving this evolution, it’s the new experience battlefront that is emerging and also marketers themselves driving changes. From a market perspective, there is a clear appetite for disruption and consumers are wanting more experiential elements to their buying experience and interactions with brands. Take a few direct to consumer disruptions like trialing products in-home, purchasing directly from a brand or even wanting to ensure that the producer’s trade practices are in line with the buyer’s or even a regulator’s for that matter. Then we want to try before we buy, and we emotionally care about the supply chain of products. Do we TRUST this brand to do business with them? Behind all of this is a story that needs to be told, and it is those marketers who know their audience well and make connections that will win the commercial game. Back to the marketer, there are so many diverse backgrounds that marketers bring now and I’m really intrigued by those who have unconventional backgrounds because they contribute something uniquely new to the field. I love hearing about the marketer’s journey.

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MEDIA 7 | December 5, 2019

Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD is an experienced Marketing and Sales Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Business Process, Marketo, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and IT Service Management, Andrea is also a strong business development professional and a storyteller. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? ANDREA LECHNER: Frankly, not having better options. I originally attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse thinking I’d major in Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones! But, after visiting the archaeology building – i.e. the cold, dark basement of the science building – where a girl sat to piece together pieces of an old Native American vase, I knew archaeology was not going to be the right path for me. And so, without being good at science and a major in art or art history was unlikely to pay my bills, I decided to go into “business”. I originally registered as a management major, but took my first marketing class and thought it was more interesting and switched my sophomore year. That was pretty much it. I’d never been involved in business classes or DECA in high school – I didn’t really know what to do or what jobs in marketing were even possible. I dumb lucked myself into it really. M7: As a storyteller, do you relate the brand to a story or story to the brand? AL: Both? Neither? I think there are stories in every brand, because there are people working on the brand and people engaging with the brand and people using what the brand creates. People, most often a single person, are at the heart of great stories. You can start with the “point” of the story you’re trying to tell. Say you have a software that help accountants better create reports for board meetings. It’s likely you’ll want to tell a success story about an accountant getting promoted to CFO in part because your software helped better communicate their work product to the board. You could have the idea for that and go looking for that story in your customers. OR, you could hear that story, and say, “That’s amazing!” and share it with customers, partners and internal people. Stories are all around us – the most important thing is to keep your ears and eyes open for finding them.

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MEDIA 7 | November 21, 2019

Amy Barzdukas, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Poly is a marketing and communications leader with extensive experience in setting strategy, shifting perceptions, advising customers, digital marketing, revenue marketing, integrated marketing communications, and public relations in highly competitive product arenas. Amy is known for her ability to create and execute winning turnarounds on a global scale. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? AMY BARZDUKAS: I was always destined for marketing, even if I didn’t know it. As a child, I collected promotional brochures. I was fascinated by how the words and pictures were used to drive action. My first job was as an advertising copywriter, and I’ve never looked back. M7: How is Poly redefining the video conferencing experience for modern businesses? AB: We’re in an unprecedented time of change in our industry. Voice and video services are moving to the cloud, and companies are changing how they approach their communications needs. Poly is the largest provider of the devices – video conferencing, audio conferencing, headphones and desk phones – you use to connect to these services so you can collaborate with your colleagues. That uniquely positions us to shape the video conferencing experience, and we’re doing so in four ways. First, Poly has made both the Zoom Rooms and the Microsoft Teams video conferencing experience better than ever with our radically simple Poly Studio X video bars that deliver these experiences with no PC or Mac required. We’ve got decades of experience in understanding what makes meetings more human – for everyone in the room and those dialing in from other locations – and we’ve packed all of that into easy-to-install, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-use all-in-one powerhouses. Second, we are bringing the world of AV and video conferencing into the modern app economy. Our Studio X series and Poly G7500 video conferencing devices run a common platform that can be updated and enhanced through a series of regular software updates. This Poly platform, built on Android, can run applications like a smartphone does today. Third, Poly has introduced innovation that makes any video conference better. Our new Poly MeetingAI features use AI and machine learning to address the distractions that hit your senses in a meeting. We make it easier to hear what’s being said by blocking out the annoying noises that people make while talking, and we make it easier to see what’s going on in the room with the most advanced speaker tracking and framing, and our built-in production rules. Finally, we are pricing our solutions in a way that completely resets the calculations on what it costs to outfit a room. The Studio X30, for huddle room and smaller spaces, costs just about $2,100, including the Poly TC8 touch controller. All you add is the cloud service and a monitor, and you have a room up and running for under $2,500. That’s easily under the cost of other solutions and with better audio and video quality.

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CORPORATE EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Discovery Education | January 20, 2023

On January 19, 2023, 3M and Discovery Education announced the launch of the Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network and Alumni Grants Program. As a part of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the initiative will support prior participants and future science leaders. The annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the country's premier middle school science competition, invites kids in grades 5 to 8 to compete for a grand prize of $25,000, mentorship with a 3M scientist, and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist." In addition, the new Alumni Network and Alumni Grants Program provides past participants networking opportunities, events, resources, and financial support for ongoing science projects. The 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network gathers a growing community of mentors and former challenge finalists to interact, celebrate, and promote innovations. America's Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, made to the Forbes' 30 Under 30 list, rung the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and shown their work at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times Magazine, and Business Insider, as well as national television shows. Each year, the Alumni Grants will award a total of $25,000 grant money to ten different alumni in three different areas: Continuation of 3M Young Scientist Challenge Project - This will support alumni who want to continue developing the project they initially developed 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Three alumni are eligible to receive $5,000 annually. New Idea to Improve the World - This area of funding would be available to assist projects that alumni might be working on, which are different from their initial 3M Young Scientist Challenge innovation. Two alumni can receive $2,500 annually. Science in Your Community - Funding can be used to assist alumni initiatives, community enrichment and community engagement projects. Five alumni receive $1,000 annually. About Discovery Education Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Discovery Education is a global leader in ed-tech with a state-of-the-art platform to facilitate learning. Its standards-based digital content for grades K-12 redefines teaching and learning by providing award-winning multimedia content, digital textbooks, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its type. The company serves over 4.5 million educators and 45 million students globally, with its resources available in more than 100 countries and territories.

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TALENT DEVELOPMENT

D2L | January 25, 2023

On January 24, 2023, D2L, a worldwide learning technology firm, relaunched the D2L Teaching and Learning Studio, a platform for teachers, academics, instructional designers, and education leaders to discover new, inventive, and strategic methods to assist in the development of superior learning experiences. The D2L Teaching and Learning Studio allows educators to enhance personal and professional skills, join a community of like-minded educators, and gain knowledge of both innovative and existing teaching strategies and practices. The VP of Academic Affairs at D2L, Dr. Cristi Ford, said, "It's so important as educators and learning practitioners to keep our fingers on the pulse of change, to hear from our peers, and to expand our perspectives, knowledge, and know-how when it comes to creating learning experiences that resonate with students and get results." She added, "That's why I'm so happy we have the D2L Teaching and Learning Studio to share wisdom, ideas, and stoke the passion within us all to teach–and to learn." (Source – PR Newswire) The D2L Teaching and Learning Studio comprises the following: Teaching and Learning blog: A variety of thought-provoking, results-oriented writings by experts, thought leaders, teachers, and lecturers on creating more engaging and meaningful learning experiences and perspectives on education trends, difficulties, and opportunities. Master Class Series: In areas such as social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and inclusive learning environments, educators have access to free, high-quality professional development courses that concentrate on mastering the art and science of teaching. Teach & Learn podcast: The new Teach & Learn podcast, hosted by VP of Academic Affairs at D2L, Dr. Cristi Ford features honest talks with some of the brightest minds in K–20 education. About D2L D2L is a worldwide learning innovation firm that assists enterprises in reshaping the future of work and education. It believes that everyone deserves access to a high-quality education regardless of age, ability, or geography. It is revolutionizing the way the world learns, empowering students of all ages to do more than they ever thought possible. The tools, partners, and enormous ecosystem of D2L facilitate the online and in-person education of millions of students. Its expanding worldwide staff is motivated to create learning products that will alter the world by humanizing technology. D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd., D2L Asia Pte. Ltd., D2L Europe Ltd., and D2L Australia Pty Ltd. are members of the D2L family of enterprises.

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ONLINE EDUCATION

Thought Industries | January 30, 2023

The enterprise learning platform Thought Industries for partner, customer and professional training recently launched its new online learning Academy powered by the world's only completely customizable headless developer LMS framework, Helium. It was established in 2022 at the company's annual customer and LMS industry event, Cognition22. For Education to develop a new Academy site, Thought Industries works with Verified Helium Partner. Helium addresses a pain point from the past making it simpler for designers and developers to collaborate with many companies looking forward to customizing and extending the capabilities of their LMS systems. In the past, designers either made mockups and were then met with constraints when developers had been putting them on the screen, or they viewed the system first and then created limited mockups to match. Both approaches are hard, expensive, and take a lot of time. The Thought Industries Academy has different products and services under one roof for learning professionals willing to get more of the potential of the company’s learning platform and programs. Customers of Thought Industries will find a wide range of self-service resources, including new content, new featured resources and FAQs are put in the front and center to simplify the learning experience. Philip Cahill, Thought Industries Senior Director of Customer Education, said, "It was crucial for us to be our own first customer in creating the new Ti Learning Academy. Helium gave us all the flexibility we needed to meet the needs of learning professionals worldwide." He added, "With Helium, we were able to build our new Academy without any limits, and as an added bonus, it gave us a great opportunity to show customers what Helium can do." (Source: Cision) About Thought Industries Founded in 2012, Thought Industries is one of the world's leading B2B external training platform providers and customer education. The company powers the learning business for companies ranging from midmarket enterprises to the Fortune 500, helping them change how they build, deploy, and scale profitable global online learning operations. The customers use the company's platform to reach, teach and engage with their learning audiences. Additionally, businesses, organizations, and associations can give their audiences engaging, fully branded learning experiences using enterprise-level delivery and monetization tools.

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