Now more than ever, women are claiming their seat at the executive table. Female representation in the C-suite is at the highest it’s ever been, and yet, there’s still work to be done. Globally, women only represent 37% of leadership roles, and in the restaurant industry, it’s even less, with women accounting for 34% of top positions.
To help break down the silos and create dialogue to empower future leaders, MERGE assembled a panel of four female leaders who are redefining restaurant marketing. In this webinar, panelists discussed their personal journeys to leadership, how they are building high-performing teams that reach modern audiences, and what they are doing to create iconic, memorable brands.
Our panelist experts include:
- Cristina Wells, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Subway
- Brandy Blackwell, Vice President of Marketing at Another Broken Egg
- Cindy Syracuse, Chief Marketing Officer at BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza
- Nicole Turner, Chief Client Officer at MERGE (moderator)
Key topics featured during the panel discussion include:
Leaning into your authentic leadership style
Weighing in on their unique career journeys, our panelists shared tips and strategies that helped them find success as women navigating the corporate ladder. They offered up their best leadership advice, reiterating the importance of owning what makes you different and honing your personal leadership style.
For those who are early in their career, it can be difficult to know what your authentic style actually is. Cindy Syracuse hit the nail on the head with her advice for future leaders: Have a sense of curiosity, seek out the people you admire most, and take every opportunity to connect and learn from them.
Building a culture of innovation and adaptability
Innovation is the art of crafting modern experiences that are both memorable and engaging for the consumer. And in the world of QSR and casual dining, consumer needs are constantly evolving.
That’s why brands must possess the agility to innovate and pivot with speed. If there’s an opportunity for your brand to deliver on a trend, it’s crucial to act quickly so that you don’t miss the window of relevancy. Forging cross-functional relationships within your organization is one way to ensure your brand can respond to market changes efficiently, driving internal collaboration and alignment so that innovations can be seamlessly brought to life at the right moment.
“The pace at which the industry moves has accelerated so much that it’s impossible to ignore. We have to match that pace.” Brandy Blackwell.
Breaking through with modern consumers
Today’s modern consumers – especially women – are more multifaceted than ever before. As Cristina Wells said, “demographics, age, and gender aren’t necessarily enough – it’s about how you speak to your audience.”
It's a much more complex landscape, according to Wells. "How do we reach the [woman] consumer...in what channel, what avenue? How do we put that in front of them in a much more meaningful way than traditionally we have done in the past?”
That’s why every brand interaction reflects the user's evolving preferences and values to develop personalized brand experiences. Not only does this improve engagement but it also builds stronger connections and loyalty.
Check out the full webinar recording to access every second of insight from our expert panel discussion.