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How I Turned a Marketing Insight into a Multi-Million Dollar Business

Want to hear a secret I haven’t told many people? I ran a successful agency for 20+ years but felt unfulfilled. I built a multi-million dollar business, hired a team of talented people and worked with brand name clients. But deep down, I knew there was a better way.

It started with Zenzi, my first company. We attracted major clients like Nestle and Chiquita and won many awards. But what made us special? Why did some campaigns resonate so deeply, creating loyalty and driving purchases, while others barely made a ripple?

The arrival of my son, Elliott, gave me a new perspective. I discovered that our most impactful campaigns shared a common thread: they spoke to people’s values, fostering community and belonging.

The concept of values intrigued me. The more I researched, the more I realized how underexplored this realm was in the marketing world. Values drive 3/4 of our decision-making, yet no one had found a way to apply this insight to marketing. The only people studying values were tucked away in academia.

A lucky Tweet led me to a psychology professor from San Francisco State, not expecting much. Over lunch, we discovered a shared ambition. He had students eager for real-world marketing experience; I needed a way to measure and apply customer values in marketing.

Together, we surveyed over 250,000 people, uncovering six primary value types that influence consumer behavior. This wasn’t just academic; it was the foundation for a new kind of marketing. We built a database linking these values to specific marketing strategies – what stories to tell, what images to use, what messages would resonate.

With this newfound knowledge, I transformed Zenzi into the world’s first values marketing agency. Our campaigns were now driven by deep insights into the subconscious motivations of customers. This was our differentiator, our secret sauce.

The results were extraordinary. Following Zenzi’s acquisition by Aletheia in 2021, I became the Chief Marketing Officer of Aptera Motors, applying values marketing to launch the company. We built a passionate community of fans and followers, based on shared values and inspired storytelling.

Since then, I’ve seen firsthand the power of values marketing. We’ve raised over $100 million through equity crowdfunding, supported by a community of 47,000+ customers and 17,000+ investors who’ve joined us on this journey. This isn’t just marketing; it’s about creating a movement.

So, here’s the secret not many know…

Crowdfunding transcends technology, platform or perks. It’s about discovering and aligning with the values that drive us as human beings. This connection can dramatically enhance a crowdfunding campaign, bringing supporters who are not just interested in the product or service but are also motivated by the desire to be part of something greater.

Values marketing is the true route to building not just a thriving business, but one with the potential to change the world.