Nicholas Incorvaia
I was in Olympia this week and had a chance to catch up with Amazon ECD of Brand and Content, Nicholas Incorvaia. It was a brisk winter day and the Blue Heron Bakery had removed all the inside seating, so we put up our collars and sat down at the damp outside picnic tables.
Nicholas is a wonderful strategic thinker and natural creator. His easy-going manner and relaxed vibe make him immediately approachable and engaging. But behind that casual air is a super bright mind constantly thinking and solving.
Our professional paths have crossed a few times over the years, but we haven’t yet had a chance to work together. I know this; I am more impressed with the guy, as a person and as a strategic creative leader, every time I see him. And he was kind enough to meet up for coffee on a few-hours’ notice. He even rode his bike in the chill to get there. Now, that’s a good egg.
In an impressive career (that is still full throttle, by the way), Nicolas has moved from video creative/producer to creative lead and SLT show producer at T-Mobile to increasing creative leadership roles at Amazon, including homepage marketing (yeah, THAT ubiquitous home page), Amazon Music, and now on the Alexa team.
What’s the secret to success? Many things, no doubt, but I gathered a few from our chat.
1) Know your strengths: Nicholas has learned that he is a builder of things. Everywhere he goes, he helps grow the team and the process to scale. He has a better sense for how long that takes now and knows when it's time to move on/up to help more teams and businesses grow.
2) Articulate the business value of what you do: Nicholas is a firm believer in a results-driven approach to creative development. Many creatives have a hard time speaking the language of business or measuring the value of the work. Nicholas knows how to frame success with solid metrics, such as better engagement than other content, positive incremental impact to the business in customer purchasing behavior, and well-above-average view-completion rates.
3) Pursue your passions: Nicholas has thrived in the fast-paced world of Amazon by being great at what he does but also by finding time for family and other pursuits, like travel. During this work-from-home environment of the last couple years, the Incorvaia family has been out on the road traveling to new places while working remotely. Seeing new places invigorates the creative mind and re-energizes Nicholas for the work ahead. Nicely done!
After a short while, our ears were chilled and beverages cold, but we got a nice selfie in the afternoon sun. Thank you Nicholas for taking the time to meet up and share your smarts on the reconnect roadshow.
#creativeleadership #businessvalue #teamleadership #coffee #goodness