Kirsten Bjork-Jones, Director, Global Marketing Communications, Edmund Optics
Bjork-Jones says her career is guided by two simple actions: taking time to unplug from technology in the office and truly listening to her customers, colleagues, and peers. She says that those activities have been the keys to her success at such an early age. Her focus on listening has also led to Bjork-Jones launching several highly effective initiatives, including the Edmund Optics Educational Award (which builds relationships and drives leads) and the company’s Preferred Customer program.
Defining moment: The decision to move from the Midwest to Philadelphia to attend graduate school was a changing moment for me. It was during this time that I really needed to establish myself as a businesswoman.
Words to live by: “Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value.”—Albert Einstein
Up next: Personalization, personalization, personalization. B2B often looks for the best of the consumer world and uses this for inspiration to apply to the B2B market.
Advice to young marketers: Always ask: “How will the customer benefit?” and “Am I truly speaking to customers to address their needs versus talking about my organization?” I’d follow that with have thick skin.
–Natasha D. Smith
