Author of the bestselling book, We First, Simon Mainwaring is founder and CEO of the firm of the same name, building purpose-driven brands with strategy, training, and content.
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Simon Mainwaring is the founder and CEO of We First, a creative consultancy that provides strategy, training, and creative that builds purpose-driven brands. Clients include TOMS, Timberland, Virgin Unite and SAP, and We First was included in Real Leaders list for the Top 100 Impact Companies in the United States for 2019. Simon’s book, We First, is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestseller and strategy+business named it the Best Business Marketing Book of the Year. Simon was included in ‘Forbes/LinkedIn’s list of Social Influencers Impacting The World’s Most Influential CMOs’ for 2018, the ‘Conscious Companies Leaderships Awards’ in 2017, the United Nations Foundation’s ‘Global Influencers to Follow’ in 2016, and YPO’s Real Leaders ‘100 Visionary Leaders’ for 2015. He has been featured in TIME, BBC World News, The Guardian, Advertising Age, Adweek, Inc., Fast Company and on the cover of the National Speaker’s Magazine. Prior to starting We First Simon was an award-winning writer at many of the world’s top advertising agencies including Wieden & Kennedy, Ogilvy, and Saatchi & Saatchi receiving over 60 international awards on brands like Nike, Motorola and Toyota.
3 Key Points
- Every brand is seeking to find relevance as so many things are being disrupted around them.
- Brands are being forced to be very clear about what they stand for: what is their role in the world.
- Purpose is a huge innovation opportunity.
Quote
It’s hard to read the label from inside the jar. (Listen at 15:32 as Simon explains)
What We Talked About
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- 01:25 – how does your brand leadership firm help you have impact?
- 02:05 – is it still possible to use social media to build a better world?
- 04:33 – how can brands be part of creating a deeper conversation?
- 06:39 – how has a focus on impact become important to you?
- 09:30 – an expanded definition of self-interest
- 11:25 – the role of philanthropy vs. impact-focused for-profit business
- 14:14 – why such a wide range of offerings?
- 17:21 – how do you choose the clients you work with?
- 20:52 – how do you change culture to align with purpose?
- 25:21 – what does impactful leadership mean to you?
- 28:05 – how did you develop your own leadership?
- 31:30 – business as a source of good
- 34:37 – how do you build a movement?
- 39:31 – what’s next for the purpose focus?
Actionable Tips
- Challenge yourself as a leader on an ongoing basis.
- Just keep plowing forward.
- Instead of being a company with a mission, be a mission with a company.
Resources Mentioned
- We First
- You can reach out to Simon at: simon@wefirstbranding.com
- Buy Simon’s book: We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World (an affiliate link – go to Amazon.com if you prefer to skip this)
- We First Works online courses
- B corporations
Resources for Your Business
Click here for free resources to increase the impact of your business.
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Ursula Jorch, Host of The Impact Interviews
Ursula Jorch is a business coach, speaker, and podcaster who shows women leaders how to turn their businesses into profitable agents for lasting change, global impact, and a force for good in the world.
