This week’s Meeting of the Minds sees Nick Morgan and Sandy Ho from the video and content commerce platform Vudoo reveal their leadership heroes, current streaming binge, and career goals.
The Mediaweek series showcases their diverse perspectives, thoughts and opinions by bringing together two different points of view from an industry rookie and an experienced expert.
Nick Morgan, CEO and founder, Vudoo
Favourite podcast/read – The ‘All-In’ Podcast. It’s my weekly dose of tech, business and economics.
Current streaming binge – ‘Bloomberg Originals’. It’s a superb production that’s riveting, entertaining, and offers fresh viewpoints on the biggest topics impacting the business world.
Guilty pleasure content – I love ‘Is it Cake?’ I watch it with my 7-year-old, and I can never pick which one is real!
What do you have on repeat – Radiohead.
Best career advice – Don’t listen to anyone who tells you you’re not strategic – they’re projecting.
Leadership hero – In the early days of starting up Vudoo, when things were really tough and challenging, I found myself in need of wisdom, courage, and inspiration.
Winston Churchill became my unexpected guiding light. I read 10 books on the life of the ex-British PM, dissecting his legacy from different angles and political perspectives. His journey became a source of grounding and motivation, helping me stay focused and inspired through the highs and lows of building Vudoo from the ground up.
Best training course/session – I did a little course way back when I was 20/21-years-old, called ‘Train the Trainer’. It taught me the importance of using the right methods to empower others to train effectively. It was a simple yet powerful three-step method: first, explain what you’re going to do; next, demonstrate while talking them through it; and finally, perform the task silently. It was one of the first short courses I ever did, but it’s a methodology that has stayed with me ever since.
I wish someone had told me – That 90% of a founder’s job is wearing risk. It’s one thing to know risk, but it’s an entirely different thing to wear it.
Favourite place to network – I’m not one for networking events. I thrive more in natural settings.
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – I’ve been blown away by how advanced some players in the media industry are here compared to others globally. Their level of innovation is really impressive.
What is your hot take on the industry – The internet’s about to change radically, where consumers are going to shop wherever they want, whenever they want. It’s going to be a big shock to many brands and retailers because they’re going to potentially see a big drop off in traffic to their website over the next 12-18 months.
Meanwhile, other global retailers will introduce new and innovative technology to win-over those shifting customers, making it crucial for brands to stay on top of the competition.
Career goal for 2024 – Continue to grow the fantastic team at Vudoo and establish our North American leadership.
Sandy Ho, Marketing Manager, Vudoo
Favourite podcast/read – A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek. A friend put me onto it, and I love how it covers topics from business to personal relationships and social behaviour because everything in life is interconnected.
Current streaming binge – Baby Reindeer. I binged the first four episodes in one sitting. It’s a dark comedy drama that’s raw, gut-wrenching, and witty – all rolled into one. Absolutely brilliant acting as well.
Guilty pleasure content – Gogglebox. I’m a sucker for reaction videos, and Gogglebox introduces me to new shows while letting me indulge in some people-watching. It’s a win-win!
What do you have on repeat – Any song by SZA.
Best career advice – Learn from everyone around you. Whether they’re senior, junior, or even outside your workplace, everyone has something unique to offer. Soak up their knowledge, observe their approach to work, and pick out the best insights from each person.
Leadership hero – Jane Lu, founder of Showpo. We share a similar background – we both started out in accounting to please our parents, but then took the leap to quit our jobs and follow our passion without telling them! Except of course, she had the guts to start her own business.
Growing up in a traditional, conservative Asian household, taking such risks is a big deal to the family, and I admire her for sticking to her guns to chase her dreams despite facing multiple setbacks.
Best training course/session – Moz has some really great educational resources for SEO. The free, one-hour guide is excellent for beginners because it’s broken down into six bite-sized videos that are really easy to follow and digest.
I wish someone had told me – That everyone’s on their own timeline. It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others but we’re all running our own race.
Favourite place to network – You can network anywhere! Whether it’s at a conference, LinkedIn, or even at your partner’s work functions, there’s always a chance to meet like-minded people and make connections.
Something that’s surprised you about the industry – The slow adoption of interactive, shoppable videos by businesses. Video marketing can be a costly investment, and while you may have the most eye-catching video that looks good, unless it’s interactive and shoppable, it becomes a missed opportunity to instantly convert viewers into buyers.
What is your hot take on the industry – Gen Z will significantly influence the evolution of creative media formats. We’re already seeing a shift in content types and platform choices, and eventually, traditional methods of advertising and content will become obsolete.
Career goal for 2024 – Embrace more challenges that push me out of my comfort zone!
–
To take part in future editions of Meeting of the Minds, please email: [email protected]
Past editions of Meeting of the Minds.
–
Top image: Nick Morgan and Sandy Ho