Wild Business Growth Podcast #43: Mark Friedman – eCommerce and the Retailpocalypse, CMO and Digital at AmeriMark

Retail has changed quite a bit over the past decade. We’ve seen the booming rise of eCommerce…and the devastating Retailpocalypse, where thousands and thousands of brick-and-mortar stores are shutting their doors for good. What do these trends mean for the future of retail? Meet this week’s podcast guest, Mark Friedman! Episode #43 of the Wild Business Growth Podcast has DROPPED and features the Chief Marketing & Digital Officer of AmeriMark, who previously served as the President of eCommerce at Steve Madden and the CMO of Brooks Brothers. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts / iTunes, Spotify, Overcast, and your other favorite audio platforms – subscribe and leave a 5-star review if Mark taught you a thing or two!

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Hear how entrepreneurs & innovators unleash creativity to grow bigger and better businesses. Hear from an exciting new guest every single Wednesday morning who’s turning wild ideas into wild growth. Guests include startup founders, product inventors, social media influencers, and much more. Hosted by our digital marketing dude Max Branstetter – that’s me!

Episode #43: Mark Friedman – eCommerce and the Retailpocalypse, CMO and Digital at AmeriMark

Mark Friedman, the Chief Marketing & Digital Officer of AmeriMark, eCommerce Expert, and Mentor joins the show to share lessons from his experience as President of eCommerce at Steve Madden, CMO of Brooks Brothers, and more. Mark and I have some crazy connections: he’s the father of my girlfriend Dana’s friend Dana (seriously!) and is great friends with my uncle Cliff. This interview was recorded at Mark’s wonderful house in Westfield, NJ (see pictures below) just a couple blocks away from Cliff’s house, where I used to visit as a child during Thanksgiving (shoutout to my aunt Lori and cousins Josh & Sam). Mark has had an incredible career in marketing and knows more about eCommerce and retail than anyone you’ll ever hear from. He’s also incredibly kind, caring, and generous. This episode covers everything from how to succeed with eCommerce to the perks of being a mentor or mentee. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How Mark transitioned from traditional marketing methods to digital marketing
• Why customer service is still so important for every business
• How eCommerce has skyrocketed while traditional retail has met the Retailpocalypse
• What the future of eCommerce will look like
• Mark’s experience with Steve Madden – the person
• Where to consume content to inspire creativity
• How to make email messages stand out (hint: donuts!)
• Mark’s favorite memory from his time as a baseball coach

Connect with Mark on Twitter at @mbf61, LinkedIn at @MarkBFriedman, and Facebook.

Enjoy the show and be a good mentor! Check out the show notes and pictures below for much more detail. Interested in the full episode transcript? Go here

Show Notes

• Intro & Background in Marketing
  • [0:30] Email me at max@hippodirect.com for help starting and building your own podcast or with digital marketing
  • [0:41] Connect with Mark on Twitter at @mbf61, LinkedIn at @MarkBFriedman, and Facebook
  • [0:43] AmeriMark, Steve Madden, Brooks Brothers
  • [0:55] eCommerce, Retailpocalypse
  • [1:24] This interview was recorded at Mark’s house in Westfield, NJ (see pictures below)
  • [2:35] Mark’s background
  • [2:52] Touche Ross
  • [3:12] Popular Club Plan, J. Crew
  • [3:53] Tweeds
  • [4:21] Hanover Direct
  • [4:37] What keeps Mark coming back to marketing
  • [5:20] Return on Investment (ROI)
  • [5:43] The biggest learning curve with the transition to digital marketing
  • [7:03] Best mailing lists and email lists by market segment from Hippo Direct
  • [8:00] How to determine attribution and the success of a campaign
  • [8:14] Google
  • [8:30] Yahoo!
  • [9:44] Deciding how to split your efforts between mobile and desktop

• eCommerce
  • [10:47] What Mark likes about eCommerce and digital marketing
  • [11:35] Cloud computing
  • [11:42] Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • [12:09] Grandpa Henry and Grandma Adele
  • [12:21] The Wall Street Journal
  • [12:51] How eCommerce has changed since it first started
  • [13:18] A/B testing
  • [14:22] Title Nine
  • [14:33] Alexa
  • [15:08] Amazon Prime Air drone delivery, Fake blimp video
  • [15:25] Tips for succeeding in the eCommerce world
  • [16:04] Shopify
  • [16:44] What will the future of eCommerce look like
  • [16:58] Artificial Intelligence (Ai), Virtual Reality (VR)
  • [17:24] Gartner augmented reality (AR) and VR study for 2020
• Retailpocalypse
  • [19:01] Toys “R” Us
  • [19:05] Reaction to giant brands closing thousands of brick-and-mortar stores
  • [20:15] Nordstrom
  • [21:20] Memorable moments from working in digital marketing
  • [21:57] The Company Store
  • [23:20] EBITDA
  • [25:33] TikTok
  • [25:39] Struggling with your podcast? Email me at max@hippodirect.com for help starting and building your own podcast
• Being a Mentor and a Mentee
  • [26:18] Advice for being a mentor
  • [27:47] How to establish yourself as a mentor
  • [28:17] XRC Labs
  • [28:26] Parsons School of Design
• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [31:21] What can you do to stay creative
  • [30:40] Shoptalk conference
  • [32:33] Daily News
  • [32:41] Harvard Business Review
  • [32:49] Retail Dive, Chain Store Age, USA Today
  • [32:26] iPad
  • [34:31] Hobbies for creativity
  • [35:34] Steve Madden (the person)
  • [37:10] Ted Pamperin
  • [37:52] Joe Gromek
  • [38:42] Warnaco, Calvin Klein, Speedo
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [40:33] Dunkin’
  • [40:45] Wild Business Growth Podcast Episode #12: Ann Bastianelli – Legendary Marketing Professor at the Kelley School of Business
  • [41:00] Collaboration between Dunkin’, Saucony, and the Boston Marathon
  • [42:52] Email lists and email marketing services from Hippo Direct
  • [43:02] How to make email messages stand out
  • [44:33] Wild Business Growth Podcast Episode #22: Drew Davis – Top Marketing Keynote Speaker, Muppet Man
  • [44:45] Brandscaping
• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [45:55] Mark’s biggest pet peeve
  • [46:31] Quirks
  • [47:12] Best mailing lists and email lists by market segment from Hippo Direct
  • [47:51] Weird talents
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [49:04] CNBC
  • [49:14] Mark’s favorite memory from his time as a baseball coach
  • [49:37] Boston Red Sox
  • [50:52] Bruce Springsteen, E Street Band
  • [51:22] Pebble Beach, Pinehurst
  • [51:43] What to bring to a deserted island (with specifications)
  • [53:10] Connect with Mark on Twitter at @mbf61, LinkedIn at @MarkBFriedman, and Facebook
  • [53:50] Mark’s final thoughts
  • [55:07] Subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts / iTunes and more!
  • [55:18] Check out the Hippo Direct Blog at HippoDirect.com/Blog for show notes, Favorite Books, and the Hippo Digest
  • [55:20] Get your creative juices flowing with the Hippo Digest – your Weekly Recap of Creative Marketing
  • [55:31] Connect with Hippo Direct on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube including #HippoTips
  • [55:33] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

How do I start a podcast?

How’d you like a podcast of your own? Email me at max@hippodirect.com with questions on any part of the podcasting process:

• Podcast Planning
• Podcast Production
• Podcast Promotion
• More!

If you’re interested, we’ll connect for a free 30-minute consultation and provide some helpful resources that have been instrumental in getting the Wild Business Growth Podcast up and rolling and connecting with high-quality guests. We love making your podcast the best it can be. Let your podcast Run Wild!

Ballgame!! Who’s stepping up to the plate next? Get your peanuts and Cracker Jack and watch for a new all-star guest every single Wednesday morning! Let us know any guests you’d like to see on the show and follow along for your favorite marketing tips, business tips, and podcasts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube. You’ll especially enjoy this list of the favorite books of Wild Business Growth Podcast guests. Sign up for the Hippo Digest email newsletter for your Weekly Recap of Creative Marketing. Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!