"As digital currencies are becoming more mainstream, it is important to understand the applications of this and its effects on commerce and demand."
Angeley Mullins is the CMO & CGO at Latana, an AI-Powered brand tracking solution, designed to help brands make better marketing decisions. As a leading B2B startup, Angeley and the Latana team help users worldwide to understand key brand insights for both themselves and their competitors, enabling them to zoom in on the audiences that drive their business.
Angeley has worked with companies from all over the world. Her experience spans between High Growth Start-Ups, Large Scale Corporations, and NGOs. She has been successful in partnering with CEOs, Founders, & Investors to grow their companies as well as established corporate leaders to expand their organisations into international markets.
Check out more interviews with entrepreneurs here.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Angeley Mullins: I am the CMO & CGO of Latana Brand Tracking. Latana is a brand tracking platform that allows users worldwide to understand key brand insights for both themselves and their competitors, and enables them to understand the audiences that drive their businesses. At Latana, we are solving one of the largest and least understood areas in marketing: brand tracking and brand performance. We help consumer companies to understand “how do customers think and feel about their brand”.
2020 and 2021 threw a lot of curve balls into business on a global scale. Based on the experience gleaned in the past couple years, how can businesses thrive in 2022? What lessons have you learned?
Angeley Mullins: During the pandemic, businesses have had to adapt with the changes in the way that people would like to work. Regarding the way we work: a remote or hybrid working model has been one of the most sought after benefits that employees are asking for. The last few years have shown employees that their work/life balance, as well as their flexibility to work, has taken top priority.
Many employees are not coming back into the office and companies need to adapt to that in order to attract and retain top talent. Companies have also learned that people can be just as productive (or even more so) in a remote environment. It has made companies re-think entirely about work culture and what is the best environment to cultivate that.
However, there is also a different side to the remote work culture that companies need to address which is the endless video meetings and how to encourage connectivity between team members and teams in a remote or hybrid environment. The remote environment has proven beneficial to many, however, there are others who also feel isolated by not having colleagues to see in an office environment. The biggest challenge and lesson is “how can we provide both flexibility and connectivity” in today’s working environment?
The pandemic seems to keep on disrupting the economy, what should businesses focus on in 2022? What advice would you share?
Angeley Mullins: Interestingly enough, Latana just ran a survey about this very question in January 2022 to shed some light on the changes in consumer behaviour in the US and UK. The three hot topics for the consumer economy this year are: Mental Health, Sustainability, and Online Delivery.
Mental Health: The biggest trend we are seeing this year is that mental health is taking a front and center stage in people’s lives and they are prioritising that in a way that we have not seen before. In addition to that, the stigma around mental health issues is disappearing, and what we are seeing is a fundamental shift in the way that companies are connecting with consumers. It is not just about selling a particular product, it is about connecting with consumers by sharing a particular feeling, or relating to consumers with real-life stories. Consumers now support and are buying from companies who show more of a focus on mental health with their brand and campaigns (as well as how they support their employees).
Sustainability: This one has always been a more visible topic however we are starting to now see younger consumers really support their beliefs on sustainability with their purchasing habits. Companies that focus on sustainable packing and sourcing are going to win big with the younger demographics.
Online Delivery: This one is really interesting because of the fundamental change in consumer behaviour that was brought to light over the past few years. During the pandemic, when everyone was locked in their homes, online shopping and also online delivery became prominent. We have seen consumers become more open to online delivery which has fuelled the rise of many online grocery delivery services as well. Businesses with consumer goods that can find a way to provide fast and affordable delivery will definitely find a place in today’s market. However, one interesting thing to note is that we are also seeing a rise in “dark stores” in connection to the online grocery delivery space, and some cities raising concerns about this noting that it can take away physical shopping space in prime locations. This will be an interesting space to watch.
How has the pandemic changed your industry and how have you adapted?
Angeley Mullins: For brand tracking, the pandemic has been a highlight for our industry. Due to the rapid changes in the market, companies are even more interested in how consumers feel about their brand and would like to have a more contextual reference to their branding and marketing strategies. We have had companies come to us who would like to rebrand, launch in a new market, or even uncover niche audiences in their existing markets.
What advice do you wish you received when the pandemic started and what do you intend on improving in 2022?
Angeley Mullins: I believe most people thought the pandemic would be over much sooner so that fact that we are in 2022 and it is still going is something nobody expected. In 2022 it is all about moving forward and getting as much of our “normal” back as possible.
Online business surged higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for 2022?
Angeley Mullins: As our survey in the US and UK showed us, 2022 is going to be a year that online shopping will continue to dominate. However it is not just about having your products online, for consumer brands it is also about delivery. Consumers are now expecting fast and reliable delivery and are more willing to try to new brands, products, and services that hold up to that standard.
How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen?
Angeley Mullins: Too many! This is one of the downsides to a remote environment. Getting away from the computer to take a quick walk and reset has become an important part of daily life.
The majority of executives use stories to persuade and communicate in the workplace. Can you share with our readers examples of how you implement that in your business to communicate effectively with your team?
Angeley Mullins: I am a fan of using challenges that I have faced in life to help others find inspiration in themselves. I believe it is important for leaders today to be able to share their vulnerabilities in order to establish trust as well as show others that it is ok to fail and have challenges. I have had examples of telling others that “I don’t know the answer but will find out”, or “I am not sure about something”, or “I am struggling with something”.
For me, this takes courage and also confidence in oneself. That you are not defined by these things and can use them as a means to help educate others on how to overcome their own struggles and challenges. Vulnerability is one of the most powerful leadership tools that I feel is only now getting the proper recognition in today’s executive leadership discussions. The best leaders I have seen do a great deal to establish trust which of course leads to more open and constructive communication and stronger teams and organisations.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as the real challenge right now?
Angeley Mullins: There is a huge challenge right now in the technology industry about the speed at which consumer demand is evolving and how businesses can meet that demand. Sometimes this means changing an entire industry. Electric vehicles are a great example of this as well as online grocery delivery in urban areas.
In 2022, what are you most interested in learning about? Crypto, NFTs, online marketing, or any other skill sets? Please share your motivations.
Angeley Mullins: Crypto and NFTs are definitely top of mind. As digital currencies are becoming more mainstream, it is important to understand the applications of this and its effects on commerce and demand. I will also say that even though we are living in a more digital world with many of our meetings taking place online (or some even in the metaverse), it is very important to not forget about the value of face-to-face human interaction.
It astonishes me sometimes the difference between how some can communicate online versus in person. Making sure that we remain fluent in “In-Person” communication is just as important as virtual communication.
A record 4.4 million Americans left their jobs in September in 2021, accelerating a trend that has become known as the Great Resignation. 47% of people plan to leave their job during 2022. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued and misunderstood in the workplace. Do you think leaders see the data and think “that’s not me – I’m not that boss they don’t want to work for? What changes do you think need to happen?
Angeley Mullins: I will go back to my comments about vulnerability. You cannot have honest conversations with people in your organisation if they don’t feel like they can give honest and constructive feedback. Even if that feedback hurts or you disagree with someone’s view, the point is creating an environment where people feel safe to express their voice.
There is no such thing as a perfect leader. What I find is that most people understand this, however, what people cannot abide by is not being heard. This of course snowballs into a sentiment of not feeling valued, etc. If leaders today can create an environment where people feel safe and empowered to communicate (even if you disagree with their comments), it will foster an organisation where people will stay and thrive.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Angeley Mullins: To create the trend! For me, executives and leaders are always trying to predict the trend, follow the trend, or adapt to it. However, the ability to create it is something so much more powerful. To be able to do this consistently would indeed be a superpower. How would I put it into practice? I would use it to help solve some of the world’s largest challenges: eradicating poverty, creating sustainable food sources, clean water, etc.
What does “success” in 2022 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision.
Angeley Mullins: Since the pandemic, everyone is relishing the idea of just getting back to “normal” in whichever way that resonates to each of us. To be able to find that sense of normalcy is something I never thought would be a goal. However, just enjoying the little things and being grateful for it all has given me a different and refreshing perspective.
Mike Weiss, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank An geley Mullins for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Angeley Mullins or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
