Erin Blaskie — A Multi-Passionate Marketing Leader

Erin Blaskie is a fractional CMO, a mom, a mental health advocate, an entrepreneur, a TEDx speaker, a travel blogger, and more. In 2004, when she was just 21, Erin started a marketing consultancy business. Since then, she has worked with the leading brands, improving their digital presence and branding. She’s passionate about helping her community and she’s a firm believer that something amazing can be created from nothing. Host, Mark Emond, and Erin talk about their humble upbringings that helped create the drive, hunger, and grit that they both have, why employee amplification is the most important aspect of a corporate social media program, how to do story-telling well, raising kids who are not entitled, and the three diverse guests at Erin’s fictional dinner table.  

Key Takeaways:

[1:30] Mark welcomes Erin Blaskie to Marketing Unplugged. Erin’s multi-passionate! She tries recently not to monetize every hobby! She’s focusing on her bringing her business to a niche.

[3:19] Erin’s schedule is structured around her children’s day. Erin works with clients on software product launches, branding, communication, and in her Fractional CMO roles.

[5:28] If Erin has more work to do, she finishes it before 5:00; the rest of the day is for family.

[5:46] Erin is going through a brand exercise about niching down in terms of her offers and maybe the clients she works with.

[6:16] Erin describes the variety of work she may do in two hours. It’s chaotic and she likes it!

[7:08] When Erin was young, if she wanted cool clothes, she had to figure out how to buy them. That inspired her entrepreneurial nature. She became very creative and resourceful.

[9:41] Erin continued with bake sales, lemonade stands and selling roses to romantics at a bar, all from the necessity of providing money for her wants.

[10:25] Mark’s family’s financial struggles bred a hunger and grit in him. He and his wife are financially secure; how do they create that hunger and desire to strive in their children?

[11:44] Erin’s children want for nothing, but she doesn’t buy them everything they ask for, and she sets clear boundaries for them. She sets an example of working openly in front of them.

[13:34] Mark taught his daughter the most important word that parents can say to their child. She still doesn’t love the word!

[14:14] Erin teaches children to prioritize self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and mental health; how to talk about those things, get in touch with feelings, and realize their impact on others.

[15:09] Erin teaches her daughter to set boundaries for herself.

[16:26] According to the Small Business Trends Alliance, in 2020, only 27% of small businesses were owned by women. Erin is happy about her privilege of being able to pick her clients.
[18:39] Erin went back into the tech corporate workforce and it opened her eyes to the opportunity disparities between men and women, especially women with children.

[20:38] Erin is encouraged by the growing rate of female CEOs coming into tech startups.

[21:55] Are organizations authentically implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? It doesn’t work to say “We can’t find anyone diverse!” Network more! Reach our farther!

[25:55] How can organizations do better at connecting with customers and engaging hearts and minds? Marketing is talking to people about problems and solutions. People relate to stories.

[27:50] Companies go wrong by not spending the time to understand deeply the customer and the customer’s problem. You have to understand the customer before selling your features.

[29:03] Ditch the idea that the business is metrics alone. It’s people talking to people. Make them feel seen and heard and that their problems are being solved. Also, inspire and educate.

[30:13] A lot of startups are started by product people. They need to focus on the market and the people. Erin helps founders get closer to the market by having them talk to the customers.

[32:39] Erin works a lot with startup accelerators and the startup founders are more focused on the technical side than on marketing. Often they resist her expertise until they see they need it!

[33:36] Erin gives suggestions for corporate social media. Focus on the voices in your company. People follow people! The C-Suite and others can champion the product on social media.

[36:05] When you share content, it is useless to just leave it there without interacting with commenters. Engage! The secret sauce is getting the C-Suite invested in social media.

[37:35] You’ve got to understand your culture and what your people will champion on social. Break down corporate walls and be very human.

[38:06] Mark and Erin discuss individual anxiety, depression, overwhelm, and mental health. Erin has worked hard to prioritize self-care in the last few years and cut her work hours.

[41:13] What changed for Erin was to get very clear on what was important. It wasn’t accomplishments and accolades. She wants her work to enable the life she wants to have.

[42:40] If Erin starts to feel anxious, stressed, or burnt out, she immediately cuts back. There’s only one of her. She also credits therapy for helping her.

[44:53] Erin defines her success. For Erin, it’s not expensive cars or mansions, it’s work she loves, family time, and getting out and hiking. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses.

[45:35] Erin discusses her travel blog, Fearless Travels. The pandemic has been hard on travelers! Travel pulls Erin out of her routine! She goes off-grid and doesn’t bring her laptop.

[47:01] Ireland is a place on Erin’s travel bucket list, but if she could go anywhere right now, it would be Zion. She recommends the Angels Landing hike.

[48:03] Legos or video games? Erin has a Lego photography Instagram page, but for now, she picks video games: World of Warcraft on PlayStation or gaming PC.

[48:59] Winter or Summer? Summer, but really Fall! Summer is really hot for hiking.

[49:20] Speaking or Writing? Speaking, because Erin really likes the connection to the audience.

[40:30] Running or yoga? Yoga. Erin has a story about that! She has run a 10K once.

[50:21] Avocados or chocolate? Avocados!

[51:00] Blogs or vlogs? Vlogs. Erin likes what you can convey in a video,

[51:32] The three people Erin would invite to dinner. Her family! Or, Elon Musk (about Twitter), rock climber Alex Honnold (about El Capitan), and Erin’s grandfather, (an OG entrepreneur.)

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Erin Blaskie, Fractional CMO

Erin Blaskie on LinkedIn

Fearless Travels
Zion National Park