5 Tips for Wannabe CMOs with Alistair Hatch
Hey there Croners! Welcome back to 5 Tips for Wannabe CMOs, our marketing column where we get to know great marketers, their stories and some inspiring tips for the next generation of CMOs.
In this episode, we’ve interviewed Alistair Hatch, CMO at Kääpä Biotech, exploring his background, career and future.
Let's start with a warm-up: who's Alistair?
How did you land on marketing and what was your first job?
An eternity ago I left University with a degree in Modern and Contemporary History and had no idea what to do next.
I knew I didn’t want to leave London, so I took whatever work I could to ensure that I could pay my rent and my bills. This led to working on various construction sites and then to a short stint as a janitor.
It was while I was a janitor that a lady in the building that I worked in asked what sector I hoped to work in – back then in my spare time I was co-running my own record label and DJing up and down the country, so I replied “The entertainment industry!”. She introduced me to a friend of hers who was a recruitment consultant and within two weeks I landed a job at a videogame company.
I started as the Office Junior, moved onto Product Coordinator, and since then have worked at Atari, SEGA, and Bethesda in PR, Marketing and Leadership roles.
Recently, I decided to challenge myself by stepping outside of my comfort zone and took a role in the biotech industry with KÄÄPÄ Biotech, which was the exact change I needed and I couldn’t be happier.
Can you give us a short overview of your projects and career?
Have you always wanted to become a CMO?
What are your 5 tips for a CMO wannabe?
Know yourself. It’s important to be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. There’s no room for ego getting in the way and leading to poor decisions.
Know your team. Recognise the strengths and weaknesses in your team and how best to use their skillsets.
An empowered team is a team that will flourish. Learn how to empower a team to grow, build a safe environment where mistakes are valued as learning, and be available to provide guidance and leadership when it’s needed.
Know the difference between leadership and management. Put the time into learning the differences and applying them appropriately.
Read Patrick Lencioni’s book ‘The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team‘.
What are your sources of inspiration in your daily work?
I try to spend as much time away from a screen as possible.
No-one ever had their most creative or inspirational moment answering emails…
I like to walk to work through the forests that surround our HQ and try to remind myself to take a moment to witness the beauty that surrounds me.
Our products come from nature, so returning to it and slowing my day down a bit helps me feel connected and inspired.
Of course, I have my favourite podcasts and enjoy a Netflix show from time to time, but Finland has so much to offer that I feel compelled to be outside as much as possible.
