Women In Marketing 2021 Edition ft. Splendid Uchechukwu from Hotels.ng
On this segment of Women In Marketing we are joined by Splendid Uchechukwu from Nigeria who is the Digital marketing manager at Hotels.ng. She has a degree in Architecture and recently started a Bootcamp aimed at female mentorship. She talks about the importance of AI and how it’ll drive marketing objectives going into the future. Let’s learn more about
LET’S GET PERSONAL
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR WOMEN IN MARKETING SERIES, SPLENDID. LET’S START ON A LIGHTER NOTE. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MEMORIES GROWING UP?
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria.
Growing up, I still remember on several occasions how I always wanted to learn mathematics from my dad. I like to talk about this memory whenever I’m asked because it happened so frequently.
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE YEARS?
Fun and interesting.
IF YOU COULD BE ANY ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Dolphin – they are free-spirited, helpful and playful.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL? THAT ONE MEAL YOU WOULD FEEL NO SHAME FOR NOT SHARING!
Fried curry chicken!
IMAGINE WAKING UP $10 MILLION RICHER TOMORROW, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR FORTUNE?
Invest across so many platforms: Stock market & real estate. I’ll also have an orphanage for all homeless kids- this has always been my dream.
WHAT IS THE ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOU THAT WE WOULDN’T FIND ON YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE? ANY HIDDEN TALENTS PERHAPS? PREVIOUS WOMEN IN MARKETING CANDIDATE, DR. LIEZEL BYGATE SAID THAT SHE IS AN EXPERT HULA-HOOPER!
I love meeting people- going out just to make new friends. I also love to dance!
CAREER AND WORKPLACE
WHAT ENCOURAGED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MARKETING? AFTER ALL, MOST OF US GREW UP WANTING TO BE DOCTORS, RIGHT?
Well, you are right, I actually studied architecture as my first degree.
I have always been a creative person. I was really interested in how businesses use creativity and strategies to grow their business and sell their products. I was also astonished by the way data was used and how retargeting works.
While I was waiting for my youth service, I decided to intern as a digital marketer. I only needed one month there to know that was what I really wanted to do!
GIVE US A SNEAK PEEK OF HOW YOU TYPICALLY START YOUR DAY. ARE YOU #TEAMCOFFEE OR #TEAMTEA? OR BOTH? YOU BEAUTIFUL REBEL!
I start my day working actually… lol.
I hardly have breakfast most mornings.
I love to work first thing in the morning because that is my most productive time in a day.
HOW BEST DO YOU MAINTAIN A WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
I make out time once a week to have fun.
It could be movies, games, or a friend’s hangout. It is crucial to maintain a work-life balance.
SABRA MWAURA WAS A FEATURE FOR OUR WOMEN IN MARKETING SERIES. SHE MADE A FEW GOOD POINTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORSHIP FOR WOMEN. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MENTORSHIP?
Mentorship for women is crucial.
I actually love to mentor. I started my free Bootcamp March 2020 for that. Women leaders need to be confident in their skills and abilities. Having a mentor provides a gateway to increased confidence through improved skills. As they gain confidence, women are more likely to own their career development paths.
WHAT’S YOUR SMARTEST WORK-RELATED SHORTCUT OR PRODUCTIVITY HACK?
Stop multitasking – set a single goal for the day and make sure you achieve it!
JOB HOPPING IS A COMMON PHENOMENA ESPECIALLY IN THE DYNAMIC WORLD OF ADVERTISING AND MARKETING. WHAT’S YOUR OPINION ON JOB HOPPING? DOES IT HURT OR AID ONE’S CAREER?
It hurts your career if you have just started working.
The first 2-3 years should be focused on growth more than anything.
Also, it is crucial to be in the same place for at least 18months – 36months. Growing on your job is very important. On my first proper job, I started as an intern and was promoted as the team lead the following year. I focused on growing a whole lot.
ONE OF THE LEARNING CURVES FOR MOST ORGANISATIONS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, IS THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURES TO FACILITATE REMOTE WORK. FOR TECH PLAYERS IN SILICON VALLEY THE TRANSITION WAS RELATIVELY SMOOTH WITH THE LIKES OF FACEBOOK AND TWITTER DESIGNING A FUTURE WHERE THEIR STAFF MAY POTENTIALLY WORK REMOTELY FOREVER. THE ARGUMENT THOUGH, IS THAT THIS IS LONG OVERDUE. IN YOUR OPINION, WHY HAVE COMPANIES TAKEN SO LONG TO IMPLEMENT REMOTE WORK OPPORTUNITIES?
Well, I’ll say it is because they did not see a need for it. The pandemic is an eye-opener .
WORKING FROM HOME IS AWESOME! MOST OF US CAN AGREE. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT WITHOUT IT’S SET OF CHALLENGES. EMPLOYEE WELLNESS HAS TAKEN A SIGNIFICANT STRAIN WITH PEOPLE WORKING LONGER HOURS AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYEES BEING ‘ALWAYS ON’ AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SWITCH OFF. HOW CAN EMPLOYERS GUARD AGAINST EMPLOYEE BURNOUT OR IN THE WORST EVENT, LOSING THEIR BEST TALENT?
It is important to introduce breaks and games. Where I presently work, we start and end the day with games. We have breaks between hours. I also think it is crucial to make sure your employees have access to paid courses/groups/schools to keep them on track.
BCG PUBLISHED ITS INNOVATION REPORT FOR 2020 AND AT THE CORE OF ITS SELECTION CRITERIA ARE COMPANIES THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MARRIED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. ACCORDING TO YOU, WHAT MAKES SOMETHING INNOVATIVE?
From a general point of view, what makes something innovative is when it stands out and makes customer’s lives easier.
Artificial intelligence was developed by studying the way the human brain thinks, learns and decides, then applying those biological mechanisms to computers.
It is therefore innovative. With the massive growth in technology, AI would get more innovative.
HEMAL THAKKAR, BRAND MANAGER FOR BURGER KING INDIA IS A RECENT WOMEN IN MARKETING FEATURE. ONE OF THE KEY AREAS SHE IDENTIFIED FOR CONTINUED GROWTH IS THAT OF INFLUENCER MARKETING. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF MARKETING LOOK LIKE ACCORDING TO YOU?
I’ll say the future of digital marketing will have so much to do with AI & Automation. There might possibly be a role set aside for people who learn how to use most of these tools as a part of marketing.
2020 AND BEYOND
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
Start acquiring a skill really early & do not care about what people think.
ANY BUCKET LIST ITEMS?
I can share two of the things in my bucket list.
They are: Work with Google as a growth marketer and obtain a Masters Degree in digital marketing in Canada.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR SHEROES?
Purna virji & Linda Ikeji
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?
I am currently reading ‘The Godfather’. I love to read Seth Godin’s books a lot.
WHAT WOULD YOU COME BACK AS IN THE NEXT LIFETIME CAREER-WISE? DO YOU THINK YOU MISSED A CALLING?
Absolutely not! I’ll still come back as a Digital/Growth Marketer.
WHAT IS ON YOUR NETFLIX WATCHLIST?
Right now, I have Marianey’s black bottom, Mosul, Citation and Blacklist.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AMAZING WOMEN IN MARKETING TO PROFILE. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE US TO GET IN TOUCH WITH?
- Ezeala Adauogo
- Kadijat Okeowo
- Ehita Adedokun
A UNIQUE MESSAGE FOR ALL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN THE MARKETING INDUSTRY
There is space for everyone to grow in the marketing industry. Just make out at least one hour daily to learn something new- This has been my best growth strategy… Self-learning
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME SPLENDID. WE HOPE THIS INTERVIEW WILL INSPIRE FUTURE LEADERS AND OTHER WOMEN IN MARKETING. HOW CAN PEOPLE FOLLOW YOU AND YOUR COMPANY ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
My social media pages:
Instagram: Splendiduche & thecoredigitalhub
Twitter: Splendiduche
LinkedIn: Splendiduche
Thabiso Kgabung
As Managing Director at naughtybanana, I am responsible for leading and managing the organisation’s marketing strategies and business development. I am involved in driving brand awareness, customer acquisition, and revenue growth through effective marketing initiatives, market research, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. I have experience working with clients in various industries such as defi, crypto, music and events, consumer packaged goods to name a few. I am passionate about entrepreneurship and creative problem-solving which help me stay updated on industry trends and foster innovation to drive the organization’s competitive advantage in the market.
