The SAVE THE DATE is coming…and the work behind the scenes is ramping up!
Our Class of 2027 is preparing to launch their early December Class Business, which means we have officially entered the stage where ideas have to turn into action. They will plan it. Market it. Source it. Sell it. And ultimately—run it. That's the beauty of the Gateway CEO Class Business experience.
As the facilitator, my job isn't to give them all the answers. I help them auto-correct when needed, ask a LOT of questions and let them work through the what-ifs. Because Gateway CEO is a hands-on business experience. Students learn by doing. And with a marketing launch quickly approaching, we couldn't have timed our morning with Jordan McCreery of Ingrained Media much better.
Jordan's career has taken him from an internship with the San Jose Group, to Yahoo Internet Life Magazine, to working in the world of MMA and UFC, building brands and marketing on both a national and international level.
And one thing became very clear pretty quickly: Marketing is a whole lot more than making a social media post. Jordan described marketing as connection—where marketing and strategy meet. It's both an art AND a science, connecting people to value.
That's exactly what our students are about to have to do.
Who is their target market?
Who are they actually trying to reach?
What channels should they use to drive registrations?
How do they approach sponsors?
How do they find the right food vendors?
What value are they offering each of those groups?
And one of my favorite questions from the morning: “What is your ask?”
Because you can't expect people to know what you want them to do. Register. Sponsor. Attend. Share. Volunteer. Buy. Don't assume people know what you offer—or what you want them to do next.
Jordan challenged students to think about the difference between a need and a want—and how great marketing can help shape that want and create a little FOMO along the way.
He talked about messaging.
Know your customer.
Manage your expectations.
Have a clear mission.
Know who you're trying to reach.
Understand what value you can deliver to them.
He also reminded students of something incredibly important as they begin promoting their event: Media needs news. Give people something worth talking about. Thank your sponsors. Tell their stories. Create segments people will want to share. And most importantly—show behind the scenes. Show the work. Show the students. Show the process. Show the successes—and maybe even some of the messy parts along the way. Because that's where people connect with the story.
And while we spent plenty of time talking about digital marketing, Jordan also reinforced something we talk about ALL THE TIME in Gateway CEO - Networking matters. Your network truly can become your net worth—and those relationships don't happen by accident.
Follow your passion is also a message woven throughout Jordan's own career journey that I hope our students heard loud and clear. He reminded them that life and work become much more rewarding when you enjoy what you're doing. His own path has changed, evolved and required pivots along the way—and that's okay. Sometimes you have a plan. Sometimes you need to pivot. And sometimes you simply have to start putting your idea in front of people and see what happens.
Thank you, Jordan, for investing your morning with our Class of 2027 and giving them practical tools they can put to work immediately. This isn't a marketing assignment they'll turn in for a grade. They have an actual event to fill. Sponsors to secure. Vendors to find. A community to reach. And a business to run. Now we get to see what they do with it.
SAVE THE DATE coming soon!
#GatewayCEO #ClassOf2027 #Entrepreneurship #Marketing #ClassBusiness #HandsOnLearning #YoungEntrepreneurs #Networking #InvestInTheNextGeneration
