HERE COME THE DREAM TEAMS
02.26.24 | CATHERINE SADLER
THE FUTURE IS FRACTIONAL.
I spent an entire career (decades in fact) working within iconic brands, including Coach, Ann Taylor, Donna Karan/Urban Zen and Banana Republic, focused on driving growth.
I am proud of what I accomplished - repositioning Coach through the lens of the democratization of luxury, evolving Ann Taylor from a niche retailer into a lifestyle brand and thriving portfolio, creating cultural relevancy and sales at Banana Republic through one award-winning collab after another (MadMen being my personal favorite – I still smile at managing to pull off the first-ever fashion show at 35,000 ft!). Yet, I also look back in frustration at the missed opportunities caused by internal politics, risk aversion, or a lack of resources and bandwidth.
When I left Banana Republic in late 2014, I thought for sure that I would join one more great brand. I was so far from done. I love finding the WHY, immersing myself in a brand and the consumer experience to ensure insightful strategy, relevant planning, and break-through content. When that brand didn't present itself, I started working as a consultant and fractional CMO.
And so Sadler + Brand was born, working with a diverse roster of organizations - from startups needing to amplify to legacy brands needing to pivot. It didn't take me long to realize that I no longer cared about the title or the corner office. Quality of life and making true impact was what fueled me then and still does.
I began reflecting on the agencies I'd hired through the years who couldn't provide me the thought-partnership and innovation I needed. Now I could create a different model based on the simple concept of the Dream Team: a bespoke tight team, tailored to each client, with no overhead and no junior staff. Seasoned experts only. In a fragmented world where specialization is rampant and therefore collaboration mandatory, assembling a Dream Team of experts in respective fields seemed like a necessity versus a luxury to me. It still does. Hence the "+" in Sadler + Brand.
When I first met April Uchitel, I was thrilled to finally find a like-minded soul and immediately became a founding member of THE BOARD. April has created the truly extraordinary...a vibrant community of marketing experts, creative visionaries, and brand innovators leaning in together to drive exponential growth. Much has been written about the innovation and positive impact of people with diverse skillsets, unique perspectives, varied experiences and backgrounds working together to solve challenges. This is precisely what The Board does - connects companies with vetted fractional talent & curated DREAM TEAMS. Within, a supportive, highly-collaborative incubator with a shared growth mindset is thriving.
Today, I couldn’t take a full-time job again. I love being nimble and fleet of foot. I love standing in my own power and being able to make true impact - without all the noise.
More and more amazing C Level experts are leaving their traditional full-time roles, seeking a more balanced and meaningful alternative. Covid, the ability to work remotely, existential realities have all played a role. Most seek to prioritize their own well-being - including professional fulfillment through greater impact and purpose.
In my case, I've been able to lend my expertise to brands that didn't have the budget yet needed the skills and experience of a seasoned CMO and complimentary experts to go to the next level. And mature brands that were stuck and needed fresh perspectives to infuse new life into strategy and operations. In each case, it's been a win-win. Companies are able to hire the "A team" for a specific project or time frame (without the long-term commitment and overhead), thereby unleashing untapped potential while providing financial flexibility.
Fractional sounds fragmented. But as executives and companies connect and work together in new ways, I believe, as does my like-minded friend April Uchitel, that with the right curation, fractional exponentially enhances the whole, enabling innovative solutions to pressing challenges facing all brands today.
#fractional #futureofwork #dreamteam #partnerships #innovation #brand #wearetheboard
