151: Marketing Role Change After Firm Acquisition, AEC Marketing Maverick: Cathy Huthison, CPSM
This episode kicks off my AEC Marketing Mavericks series in season 4. This series shares the stories of some of the most impactful marketers in the AEC industry. Our very first Maverick is none other than Cathy Huthison, CPSM, the Associate Vice President and Director of Digital Marketing at Salas O’Brien.
Cathy opens up about her digital marketing journey—covering everything from the early days and learning from missteps to mastering the art of digital marketing in a rapidly changing environment. She’ll also share how her role evolved dramatically after her firm was acquired and the new skills she embraced to thrive in her new reality.
Cathy’s career took another significant turn when her startup firm was acquired by the larger Salas O’Brien organization. She candidly shares the personal and professional challenges she faced, including the impact on her identity and the need to adapt to a more complex, interconnected environment. Cathy’s insights on building relationships, communicating effectively, and aligning your role with your strengths provide valuable guidance for others navigating similar transitions.
Her openness about her challenges and triumphs is nothing short of inspiring. From navigating the emotional waves of a company acquisition to ingeniously using SEO to pivot her firm’s strategy during the pandemic, her experiences are a masterclass in resilience and innovation.
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Key Takeaways:
Cathy’s early career journey in AEC marketing, starting at a startup firm and learning digital marketing strategies through trial and error.
The importance of understanding client pain points and building relationships with the technical teams to create effective marketing content.
Her experience in pivoting the firm’s digital marketing strategy during COVID-19 to address new client needs.
Her transition from the niche firm to the larger Salas O’Brien organization, and the challenges she faced in adapting to the larger scale and complexity.
The importance of building internal relationships and trust within a larger organization to be successful in a new role.
Advice for other marketers facing similar transitions, such as not assuming anyone knows what you do and aligning your role with your strengths.
The value of technology in solving problems is balanced with the importance of personal practices like meditation to recharge.
Cathy Hutchison, CPSM,
Associate Vice President, Director, Digital Marketing, Salas O’Brien
Cathy Hutchison, CPSM has over 25 years experience marketing engineering services by positioning experts as thought leaders in their field. She began her career as the digital world was emerging and learned to leverage digital strategies through real-time market feedback.
Cathy began her career as the fifth hire for Idibri—a start up that grew into a premier consultancy for technology and acoustics specializing in venues. Her work positioned the team and helped them grow into one of the most sought-after firms in design for sports, entertainment, education, work, and worship.
When the team merged with Salas O’Brien, Cathy transitioned to serve the broader organization taking on the role as Director of Digital Marketing. Her responsibility is to help experts contribute ideas to the people who need them.
Links mentioned in this episode:
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