182 | Riding the Headwinds and Tailwinds of the Pandemic | with John Sheldon

John Sheldon, Chief Marketing Officer, SmileDirectClub John Sheldon is the Chief Marketing Officer at SmileDirectClub.

In this role, he focuses on delivering the best possible experience to customers in order to continue growing SmileDirectClub and reach more people searching for affordable access to a straighter and more confident smile.

As the Chief Marketing Officer, John oversees all digital media, paid media, creative development, social media, communication tactics, and experiential initiatives for the brand.

As a results-driven marketing leader, John continually builds a track-record of success and is a champion for creating strategic plans based on key insights.

John has a strong background in digital transformation and innovation across a range of industries.

He previously served as Chief Revenue Officer of Fresh Direct, a food tech company and the Northeast's leading online fresh food grocer.

He was also the Senior Vice President of Innovation Portfolios for Mastercard driving innovation globally for the company, and the Head of Strategy at eBay Enterprises Marketing Solutions.

He has launched and worked with dozens of digital-first brands and led the strategy to bring many great brands into the digital ecosystem.

John earned a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:10] A C-suite position at a well-known D2C brand
• [04:02] Is grass greener at an agency or at a client?
• [05:57] Learning through agencies and starting a business
• [06:50] The podcast is based in the entrepreneurial spirit
• [07:17] It’s the best time to start a business
• [07:45] How far along was SmileDirectClub when John joined
• [08:57] How the pandemic “helped” SmileDirectClub
• [11:34] Sponsor: Electric Eye electriceye.io
• [11:54] Sponsor: Mesa apps.shopify.com/mesa
• [12:38] Sponsor: Rewind rewind.com/honestecommerce
• [13:08] Sponsor: Klaviyo klaviyo.com/honest
• [13:56] Chase also invested in his teeth
• [14:30] How SmileDirectClub moved on from COVID
• [15:50] The shift in customer demands
• [17:43] Importance of customer lifetime value
• [18:28] Effects of iOS 14 to SmileDirect Club
• [20:23] Things to note when diversifying your channels
• [21:28] How SDC does attribution
• [22:36] Embracing being a brand challenger
• [24:06] It’s very fulfilling to start a brand and succeed

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Scale your business with electriceye.io
• Connect with John linkedin.com/in/johnsheldon
• An oral care company that exists to help more people realize the life-changing potential of their smiles smiledirectclub.com
• Subscribe to Smile Direct Club youtube.com/c/SmileDirectClub
• Download Mesa at the Shopify App Store apps.shopify.com/mesa
• Respond to any of Rewind’s welcome emails and mention HONEST ECOMMERCE to get 1 month free rewind.io/honest
• Get started with a free account at klaviyo.com/honest

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