𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:From Call Centers to the C-Suite: Wouter Blok on Curiosity, Leadership, and Building a Modern Marketing CareerWouter Blok’s career spans call centers, SEO teams, Google, Coolblue, Sprint, GetYourGuide, advisory boards, and his own consultancy — but what truly defines his journey is an unshakeable commitment to understanding people. In this episode, he breaks down how curiosity, empathy, and continuous self-reinvention fueled a remarkable rise from sales agent to global marketing leader.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:- The Power of Starting at the Bottom: How cold-calling and handling rejection built the foundation for Wouter’s approach to marketing, leadership, and decision-making.- Why Psychology Still Shapes His Career: The unexpected ways psychological insight — and even pilot training — influence how Wouter thinks about customers, teams, and brand building.- Leadership Without Ego: The mindset that earned Wouter dozens of recommendations from people who worked for him, and why he hires for curiosity over credentials.- Autonomy as a Career Strategy: How a difficult moment pushed him to build a parallel consulting practice — and why side projects can accelerate growth for any marketer.- Inside the Advisor Role: What Wouter gains from sitting on advisory boards, how those opportunities really happen, and why they’re less about money than meaning.- The Inner Compass: His burnout, the blueprint work he did to realign with his true motivations, and why self-knowledge is now core to his life and career decisions.This conversation is a rare look at the mindset behind a marketer who has reinvented himself across industries, geographies, and life chapters. If you want to build a career anchored in autonomy, authenticity, and continuous learning, you won’t want to miss this one.𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁: 𝗖𝗠𝗢 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱Marketing Blueprint: The CMO Interview Series is your shortcut to the top. We decode the journeys of Marketing Leaders & CMOs, bringing you actionable insights on strategy, career growth, and essential skills.𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 & 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙪𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚!#MarketingBlueprint #Marketing #MarketingPodcast #MarketingCareerhttps://www.julienrio.com/landing/Marketing-Blueprint.php?guest=19#Episode

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:Redefining a Marketing Career Across Borders: Gwen LaFage on Risk, Resilience, and Brand Without BordersFrom France to London, San Francisco to Stockholm and Atlanta, Gwen LaFage has crafted an unconventional yet intentional career across continents and cultures. In this episode, she shares how personal choices shaped professional success, why brand is more than a department, and what it takes to lead with empathy and vision in a global marketing world.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:- Life Before Titles: Why making personal choices—even when they seem lateral—can lead to more meaningful, long-term career growth.- Brand is Not a Silo: Gwen explains how brand must be infused into every department, and why it's a strategic pillar, not a marketing afterthought.- Leading Without Borders: What working across the US, UK, France, Sweden, and more teaches you about cultural empathy, leadership, and influence.- From Burnout to Breakthrough: The powerful lessons Gwen learned by walking away from traditional paths, launching her own business, and betting on herself.- The CMO Is Not Just a Marketer: Why aspiring CMOs need more than domain expertise—they need cross-functional understanding and business-first thinking.- The Real Risk? Not Taking One: Why stepping into the unknown—whether it’s a new country, a new role, or a new mindset—is often the best move you’ll ever make.Whether you're an early-career marketer wondering where to start, or a seasoned leader craving something more, Gwen's global journey offers perspective, courage, and practical advice you won't hear in textbooks.𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁: 𝗖𝗠𝗢 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱Marketing Blueprint: The CMO Interview Series is your shortcut to the top. We decode the journeys of Marketing Leaders & CMOs, bringing you actionable insights on strategy, career growth, and essential skills.𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 & 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙪𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚!#MarketingBlueprint #Marketing #MarketingPodcast #MarketingCareerhttps://www.julienrio.com/landing/Marketing-Blueprint.php?guest=18#Episode

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:Resilience, Risk & Relationships: Malcolm's Marketing Journey from Startup Scrappiness to Executive StrategyFrom selling jerseys at a tiny Fanatics office to leading growth at Finipay, Malcolm’s path is anything but traditional—and it’s exactly what makes it so compelling. In this episode, he reflects on choosing learning over ego, the power of people-first leadership, and why curiosity might just be the ultimate superpower in today’s fast-evolving marketing world.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:- Choose Growth Over Titles: Why stepping “down” in title for a bigger learning opportunity might be the smartest move you ever make.- Startup vs. Enterprise: What you gain from both ends of the company-size spectrum—and how timing matters more than you think.- The 2-Bucket Rule for Promotions: Malcolm’s framework for identifying talent, focusing on coachability, drive, and culture-fit over resumes alone.- The Return of Influence Marketing: How GenAI and untrackable channels are bringing us back to brand-building—and why it matters.- Mentorship & Networking, the Real Way: Practical advice on creating long-term relationships that go beyond LinkedIn likes and coffee chats.- The Curiosity Advantage: Why diving into new trends—like Malcolm did with Google Ads, Facebook, and now AI—can accelerate your career faster than any course.If you're navigating early career decisions, shifting gears midstream, or just trying to stay ahead of marketing's ever-changing game, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁: 𝗖𝗠𝗢 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱Marketing Blueprint: The CMO Interview Series is your shortcut to the top. We decode the journeys of Marketing Leaders & CMOs, bringing you actionable insights on strategy, career growth, and essential skills.𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 & 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙪𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚!#MarketingBlueprint #Marketing #MarketingPodcast #MarketingCareerhttps://www.julienrio.com/landing/Marketing-Blueprint.php?guest=17#Episode