James Bernstrom and Bryan Dickson
It’s been a blast catching up with old colleagues, friends, and mentors on the reconnect roadshow. Recently, I went to the newly-opened Chainline Brewery at Kirkland Urban, where I met with former colleagues and fellow Cougs James Bernstrom and Bryan Dickson. Bryan is a Senior Program Manager at T-Mobile and James is Director of Product Marketing and Partnerships at Microsoft.
James is too humble to tout his role in helping Microsoft form a technology alliance with the National Football League (NFL) featuring Microsoft Surface that has literally changed the game. I asked him for some juicy behind-the-scenes details, being a huge NFL fan myself, and he politely declined, saying that if he told me he’d have to kill me.
Understood.
But after our beers and great time together, I did come away with a few useful nuggets.
1) Leverage your corporate sherpas: If you’re exploring new career opportunities, talk to someone at a company you’d like to work for just to understand the org structure, what different roles do, etc. Most people would be happy to do this and you’re not only killing the networking thing (look at you go), you’ve also gotten smarter about the company and if it’s the right fit for you.
2) Think untraditionally to do breakthrough work: As James and his team did with Microsoft Surface and the NFL, you can’t follow the herd and truly innovate. The traditional sports partnership approach focused on co-sponsored ads and events. Using Microsoft Surface to transform how coaches and players review in-game imagery required approval of all teams, coaches, and owners. The transformation that's happened required new thinking from everybody. Remember that the next time you hear a good but seemingly impossible idea.
3) Find your alumni: James, Bryan, and I didn’t go to Washington State University at the same time, but we have since bonded over our shared affection for the Cougs. The college experience of being a young adult, on your own for the first time, and rooting for your school creates an emotional bond that is deep. You are forever connected to those who shared a similar experience. So find your fellow alums and reap the social, emotional, and professional benefits.
I am grateful to James and Bryan for their good friendship and great counsel. I owe you both a beer. Go Cougs!
#technologymarketing #marketingpartner #nflfootball #thankyou