“I'm a firm believer that data doesn't make decisions for marketers. Marketers make decisions using data. That's because data is only as good as the questions that you ask. [...] Especially in today's modern landscape, you have to be able to balance both skill sets. It's like when somebody asks you, are you a performance marketer or are you a brand marketer? Which I think is just such a stupid question because you can't drive performance without appreciating brand and you can't drive brand without understanding performance. It's one and the same.”
— Doug Zarkin, CMO of Pearle Vision

Doug Zarkin gets excited about complex problems. As the CMO of Pearle Vision, one of the largest optical retailers in all of North America, each day he tackles competing workplace and ownership dynamics, coupled with pre-existing healthcare and insurance challenges. For Doug, many of these challenges can be solved through marketing–what he called “the unique blend of arts and sciences.” On this week’s episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, welcome Doug as he sits down with Matt Britton, founder and CEO at Suzy, to discuss…

• Navigating Ownership Dynamics. Pearle Vision is 80% owned by franchisees – what is the relationship between leadership and franchise owners? What are franchisees looking for from leadership? How does he drive their profitability?

• Opportunities for Disruption in Healthcare and Insurance. How has prioritizing educational content around complicated industries, like healthcare and insurance, created an opportunity for Pearle Vision?

• Time Distribution. Where does Doug spend most of his time? It’s a combination of researching competitors, reading trades, and spending time with franchisees, who Doug calls, “eye care experts.”

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