Inspired by his numerous appearances on the "By All Means" podcast, Opus College of Business Marketing Professor Gino Giovannelli decided to start his own. Titled "In the Key of D – using DIGITAL to transform your business," Giovannelli's podcast is designed to keep his students and anyone interested in digital transformation current on the topic.
“It’s a great podcast series for just about anybody, regardless of what level or industry you’re in,” he said.
Giovannelli co-hosts the podcast with Kathy Hollenhorst of Creatis, a longtime business colleague and friend who has placed his students in marketing roles all over the Twin Cities for years.
“Our podcast tethers St. Thomas students and alumni to a drip line of knowledge,” said Giovannelli. “It’s presented in a way that’s easy for people to stay connected to the latest trends in digital.”
Listeners learn the practical side of digital transformation based on real experiences from podcast guests – the good, the bad and the ugly. The information is timely, relevant and complements what students learn in the classroom.
Each episode covers a certain digital transformation topic, such as business strategy, e-commerce, enabling programs and IoT (Internet of Things). A “dream team” of guests range from change-driving CEOs to subject matter experts in user experience and digital marketing.
Companies can certainly benefit too. According to Forbes, 70% of companies either have a digital transformation strategy in place or are working on one. Yet, according to an Emerson study, only 20% said they had a clear and actionable road map for digital transformation.
“The punchline is that businesses know they need to leverage digital to transform their business, but there’s a huge gap as to how to do this,” said Giovannelli.
That’s where podcasts guests step in and share personal insights based on real experiences.
With the podcast and his other contributions, Giovannelli joins a growing list of top thought leaders at Opus. “I’m a lifelong learner, and I love that fact that digital marketing is always changing," he said. "It puts pressure on me to keep evolving my courses appropriately. This podcast helps keep our students learning well beyond the last day of class.”
With over half of marketing budgets dedicated to digital activities these days, staying connected to trends is more important than ever. “I enjoy teaching skills in high demand," said Giovannelli.
And with less than 10% of marketing departments fully trained in all aspects of digital marketing, Giovannelli feels confident that Opus students are well-positioned to be the next generation of marketers.
