Q&A

What was the first job you had?  

I spent two consecutive summers in high school working as a lacrosse coach at a day camp in Westchester, just outside of New York City. In addition to teaching kids how to pass, catch, and shoot, I was also responsible for a bus route to and from the camp, and would start my days at 7AM picking up campers throughout the city—no easy task for someone who doesn’t drink coffee! While it was just a summer job, working 10+ hour days at a young age instilled in me an appreciation for hard work and helped me develop some important traits applicable to any career—responsibility, communication, patience, and, most importantly, showing up every day with a smile on your face.

What attracted you to TSG?

While my career path to date has been relatively short, I did quickly learn that it’s not just what you do that’s important, but also who you do it with. Simply put, the people I met at TSG during the interview process were not only smart, motivated, and accomplished but also people that I felt I could get along with. The culture of a firm is defined by its people and the open, collaborative, respectful environment that TSG has fostered was exactly what I was looking for. And, let’s be honest, it’s hard not to get excited about working with the types of innovative, on-trend consumer-facing companies that TSG partners with.

What excites you about the business of brand building?

There are a number of interesting trends and changes surrounding the branded consumer product world today. The “craft” movement, which has seen small, nimble “startups” take share and disrupt much larger and established companies and brands. The rapid rise of e-commerce. The ever-changing consumer, who is more connected, informed, and curious than ever before. The shifts in how these consumers interact with brands and, in turn, how brands interact with consumers. These dynamics and developments, among others, are not only fascinating to me but also present new challenges in both making a brand relevant and ensuring it stays relevant. This all adds up to what I believe is an exciting time to be involved in the business of brand building.

What are the keys to building a successful brand?

There’s no doubt that long-standing, traditional measures of brand equity such as awareness and differentiation are still very important when you think about what makes a brand successful. But successful brands today take it a step further and strive to make an emotional connection with the consumer. They have a story or narrative that makes them unique. The ability for a brand to engage with consumers in authentic and personal ways is very important in a day and age where consumers are inundated with brand messages on a daily basis like never before.

What have you learned from working with entrepreneurs?

I have a deep respect and admiration for entrepreneurs and founders who bet the farm in order to build a company and brand. When you realize that something like 90% of startups fail, you gain a real appreciation for the hurdles these people face in creating a sustainable and successful business. I think a lot can be learned from the passion, perseverance, and vision that many of the entrepreneurs we work with have.