Happy Money’s Sadira Furlow Shares Her Faith-fueled Leaps on the Path to CMO

Her current position at fintech start-up Happy Money may be Sadira Furlow’s first-ever CMO role (and this her first-ever podcast!) but don’t let the rookie façade fool you. The 2020 Brand Genius honoree has a string of noteworthy career achievements under her belt, including viral Superbowl campaigns like Mountain Dew’s “PuppyMonkeyBaby” and one of her proudest career wins in building from the ground up, PepsiCo’s first premium water brand LifeWTR.

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She’s also an incredibly humble leader whose path to CMO was far from expected. What started as a career to become an orthopedic surgeon shifted to an “in-between” dip into the advertising world which unlocked Sadira’s passion for creativity and the ability to use that creativity to change consumer behavior.

But what truly led to Sadira on the path to CMO was the combination of risk and faith. She attributes beginning her walk with God at age 34 to being the catalyst for the life and career leaps she’s taken since. And part of those risks include her taking on some of the most challenging roles and tasks, giving her the reputation of a utility player with a robust set of marketing skills in her arsenal.

With those skills, she’s building the Happy Money brand house as well as the brand voice through digital content that speaks to consumers in the way that they like to talk about money (debt-hacks, anyone?).

So, what has she loved most about being a CMO so far? The “pressure and permission to evolve.” Sadira firmly believes that the push and ability to change along with the dynamic environment marketers live and breathe every day is a true gift. She also believes that curiosity and empathy are two of the most critical skills for marketers today and will continue to be into the future.

Tune in to hear more of Sadira’s must-have marketing skills, her advice to those starting a new role remotely and what she would be if she wasn’t a CMO, which she could (and should) totally still do even as a CMO!

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