How does one create business leadership “Mother Nature Style”?
Wendell claims to have created his own brand of business leadership. “Mother Nature Style” is: delivering powerful concepts that impact like a winter storm… but with execution as calm as a summer rain.
As a business vet Wendell observed that it is not just good enough to be creative, entrepreneurial and insightful, you must do it with aplomb. Wendell points out that, “The execution of sound strategy and tactics must come together without problems and launch flawlessly. I’m not saying it is easy. Impactful work never is. But that swagger of confidence that it will get done is what is meant by Marketing Mother Nature Style.”
As a business professional, with a unique background he has spent most of his career as a marketing strategist in the corporate world; with a few stints in the non-profit sector as well — including serving as VP, Corporate and Community Engagement and Customer Care at a legacy non-profit agency. Recently he has been lending his engagement and branding skills to clients through his consulting company, Natural Knowledge, LLC. He creates linkage with his company’s name by the fact that he believes all great business people are “naturally” curious and always seek insights and “knowledge” to guide strategy in the pursuit of creating relevant positioning that resonates with their customers and partners.
Wendell says, “at my core, I am a business leader whose primary skill-set is to do Brand Elevation; Consumer Activation and Customer Engagement and Retention. That means to impact audiences, either through uncovering disruptive new product/packaging platforms, creative campaigns, actionable program development, strong guidance in copywriting, compelling visual content direction, and efficient use of the “right” media…including online digital and offline traditional media with strong ROI performance. Often it is necessary to drive all of these elements at the same time.”
Throughout his 20+ years in the corporate arena, he has had a broad range of experiences progressing from manager roles to Vice President. In his corporate career, he has had various functional responsibilities working for Fortune 500 companies like Conagra Foods, Quaker Oats, and DowBrands (now part of SC Johnson), to elevate their brand and to make conversions to grow their business.” He has worked in roles as diverse as business management (financial analysis), brand management (B2C), new product development (B2C), product management (B2C and B2B), program development (B2B2C), channel marketing (B2B2C), and non-profit leadership at Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star and Outward Bound Adventures Los Angeles. Now he looks forward to working with new business partners, which helps him tap into his natural sense of curiosity and to continue to build knowledge to bring solutions that help shape the direction of these new partnerships.
Wendell easily connects with the C-suite, as well as to individual contributor team members and managers in-between. As an in-person presenter, one-on-one or to auditorium size groups, he says he employs many of the same engagement principals to connect with external and internal customers and other stakeholders. Wendell feels that “great storytelling and supporting data is at the heart of conversion…and conversion and activation is the endgame, regardless of the audience”.