David Cowen’s Post

On June 3, 2015, with a lump in my throat, sweaty palms and butterflies in my tummy, I opened the Periscope app and went live on video for the first time in my life. The following month my Black Enterprise Magazine article: “Periscope: Winning at Disrupting Social Media Advertising” was published.(I’ll drop the link in the comments just for fun—I haven’t read it in almost a decade). While the app (& title of my article) may not have aged well, 🤷🏾♀️ the use of video to interact & connect deeply with your audience is here to stay. So 2 quick questions & an offer: 1. Are you leveraging everything at your disposal to connect deeply with your community/clients/colleagues? 2. When is the last time you did something afraid? The offer: If you need a strategy and accountability for doing what’s necessary to move the needle forward in your business, I would love to hear from you. Drop me a DM and let’s chat!

I was at a Black Tech Event over the weekend speaking to College Students about brand building. My key takeaway was: "Who knows you is more important than who you know." I encouraged them to think about how to build their brand leveraging 3 key steps: 1. Develop/Elevate your story 2. Build your community 3. Adapt

Black Friday Giveaway! As we head into the holiday season, I’d like to offer something of real value to those navigating the complexities of innovation and market adoption. This year, I’m giving away my videobook for Crossing the Chasm, created in collaboration with LIT Videobooks. In just 44 minutes, this videobook breaks down the Technology Adoption Life Cycle, highlighting how innovators can bridge the gap between early adopters and the early majority to bring high-tech solutions to mainstream customers. If you’re in HR, L&D, or lead a team, this resource could provide practical insights to tackle real challenges. Watch the trailer below, and find the link below or in the comments to claim your free access. Just mention “Crossing the Chasm” in the interest field. https://lnkd.in/gUCyeNMP

As some of you know, we named our mascot Boldwin during March of the Penguins. As a present to Boldwin for getting his official name, I thought he would like to come with me to visit some customers and coworkers this week. On day one we learned ALOT: 1) I am afraid of steers - apparently, they are cows with horns and vegetarians (thanks for that most likely untrue fact, Tim Yuan)- but they still scare me...Boldwin is NOT afraid of them 2) I heard the word efficiency more than any other words in all of the conversations we had with customers- '24/'25 planning is all about efficiency and adapting to change in technology (I will get to that).  3) I have made many mistakes these last couple of years. I have gotten complacent in Zoom meetings. Face-to-face meetings and relationship building are key to learning what is REALLY important to our customers and partners. I have failed here- I learned more about customer needs in one day on the road than in weeks of Zoom meetings. Time for me to change. 4) While the leaders of companies are embracing change, their people are afraid to, and their people are the business. Trust, training, constant engagement, and continual education are key. I will focus my time on how to focus past the sale- Time for me to change.  5) No one operates the same. This sounds simple, right? Something I have known for years, but it is not simple. We have products that I fully believe in and that can help any partner operate more efficiently, among a million other wonderful things. But our product HAS to fit each customer's operation model and all of the variations of that model. It isn't simple- again, it's time for me to change. I could continue this list, as yesterday was eye-opening for me, but I will continue to add to the list today. One last thing- Fort Worth and Dallas are beautiful and full of really nice people who say ma'am and y'all. While I disagree with their sports teams' choices, I would come back anytime to learn more about their history (maybe fewer cow things next time). I'm off to fly to Houston later today - because, apparently, Texas is a large state...who knew!!! Bold Penguin #bebold #tifandboldwinontheroad

Black Friday turned into a 10-hour deep dive. 🕵️♀️ - Endless YouTube reviews! - Countless blog comparisons! - A deep dive into Black Friday deals. 🎯 I researched every angle to find the perfect Canon camera for my business arsenal at Social Simmi Creative Co 📸 Honestly, I loved every second of it! Researching is just how I’m wired. I’ve always been the curious kid who needs to know the whys, hows, and what-ifs. It’s part of what makes building this business so exciting! What’s the last thing you obsessed over to get just right? #socialsimmi #BuildingBusinesses #MarketingAgency #ContentCreation

Thomas Paccioretti is a phenomenal mentor and someone I want to be in contact with a lot during this 30 day challenge. I spent my early morning reading some books that he gave me on selling and networking. These two books have made a huge impact on my life, both by Jeffrey Gitomer. I took 3 classes with him at Santa Monica college because his teaching methods spoke to me. His charisma spoke to me. Most importantly his classes weren’t about tests and memorization regurgitation, but instead his courses were all about taking what we learned and applying them to real life. Intuit’s d4d, networking events, building LinkedIn profiles. Things that would help us hone skills that would be needed in real life. I am new to luxury retail sales, there is a learning curve and I am fortunate to have phenomenal support at my job. My coworker Johnny calls me the encyclopedia of fragrance because I have the knowledge, but I’ve been trying to hone my approach. So I made 25 power questions to engage my clients to find out information that would allow me to provide the best experience and provide value in the way that the customer views value. I also was able to refresh my networking follow up skills, as my cards have not come in, I have to be proactive about connecting through my fragrance social media or phone to do follow up. I want to provide non price value and provide it first. I was given such a great experience as a customer and I want to do my best to give those who come in the absolutely best experience that I can give them. When fragrance meets feeling, fragrance meets fun. Enjoyable engagement, excellent experience. #value #sales #valueperception #luxury #retail #finefragrance #nichefragrance #buyingexperience #powerquestions #mentor #followup #networking #createaconnection #perfume #cologne #byredo #storytellingscent #personalvalue #uniqueexperience

After three decades in marketing, we've gathered countless insights – some from successes, others from lessons learned along the way. We’re excited to share a new series: Reflections from the Color Crew, where we’ll explore the values that guide our work and keep us inspired. Each post will highlight one of the principles that have shaped us at Color Collaborative, from integrity and empathy to creativity and resourcefulness. But we know there’s so much wisdom out there beyond our team! We invite you to share your own reflections in the comments or to connect with us directly. Let’s learn from one another and celebrate the values that drive meaningful work. What’s one lesson you’ve carried with you throughout your career? Drop your thoughts below – we’d love to hear from you! #ColorCrewReflections #MarketingInsights #LearningTogether #ValuesInBusiness"

Our latest article on Inc. Magazine is live!! As we move away from #blackhistorymonth, let's have a moment to see how top brands are rewriting the script on how to champion diverse excellence all year long. Let us know what you think? https://lnkd.in/gBC2PGaJ #authenticitymatters #inc5000

In the past 4 months, Black Bear Sheds experienced a remarkable growth, with our Facebook and Instagram followers increasing by an impressive 212%. How did we achieve this? Simply put, we engaged with both our existing and new customers. This involved actions such as liking their posts, commenting on their content, and reaching out to our target audience. So, what were the outcomes of this effort? Well, it's hard to say for sure. We've seen a noticeable uptick of at least 20% in our year-to-date performance compared to the previous year. Could this be solely attributed to market conditions? Perhaps. Could our marketing efforts have played a significant role? Absolutely. In closing, I find it intriguing how making small adjustments, whether in business or in life, can yield significant results. It's a reminder of the potential for growth and improvement when we're open to small changes.

Mark Robinson, author of "Black on Madison Avenue," opened Cyndi Greenglass and my eyes to the problems and opportunities for minority professionals in the ad agency world. Robinson highlights three key areas of DEI on the advertising side: 1. Advertising agencies are set up to mirror their clients’ values and objectives, not to create change. There’s likely more appreciation of diversity on the client side. 2. DEI cannot be accomplished with just a seminar here and there; it requires time, dedication and effort. 3. It may come as a surprise to many that minority workers have long been early adopters of technology, from ecommerce, to social media and chat rooms. Listen to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/ehcdY7BR #DEI #diversity #marketing WVU Marketing Communications Online Programs