Eden Church, CM, Partner Marketing Manager at AIR MILES Reward Program, says each marketer must walk the path before them in search of success. Eden emphasizes the importance of diversity of experience, curiosity, and openness while discussing the challenges of adapting to change and never knowing where the next big thing will come from. 

Guide Them

Each marketer must walk their path to succeed in their career. The CM program allows for consistency and standards across those individual paths. Through the CM, marketers can build the foundations of knowledge that will support them for later success. For those who have followed a non-traditional path into marketing, the CM program will remind them of the basics that will help guide them on their paths.

Changing the Game

As a lifelong lover of stories, I was initially (and continue to be) drawn to the power of marketing to build communities around the stories they tell. I strongly believe that regardless of themarketing function you work in, storytelling skills are essential. The format those stories take is the only thing that changes depending on your marketing discipline.

I drew this line very distinctly at the beginning of my career, completing a Master’s in English Literature, followed by a Diploma in book publishing, and then moving into a marketing coordinator position at one of the big international book publishers. In this role, I tried my hand at content, product marketing, B2B, influencer, social, and partner marketing. These experiences were unique because my exposure at such a young age only made my love for storytelling grow.

I also became much more aware of the power of data to tell stories and was constantly turning over proverbial rocks to try to find new pieces of the story. Learning that stories could be told with numbers and data, just as through words and sentences, changed the game and set me up to take on new challenges in subsequent roles.

Diversity of Experience

At the beginning of my career, I was hard on myself for not having a “traditional” marketing background. I didn’t go to school for business or marketing or start in an agency, and I had convinced myself that there were limitations to my career because of it. Looking back, I wish I had known then what I know now—marketing is a field defined by the diversity of experience of those working in the profession.

Art & Science

The speed of the profession constantly challenges marketers. By the time we can get our creative and operational brains around a trend or the latest technology, something new has often displaced it. As a result, toeing the line between planning and reacting to the market is both an art and a science.

The Key

I mainly stay current by talking to people—especially those passionate about their role and curious about what others do. I think folks would be astonished by what you can learn simply by keeping in touch with people you know in the profession, but also those in other areas of business that you find interesting. Everything’s related; you can sometimes find connections, solutions, or ideas in the strangest places. I also stay current by listening to podcasts, reading books, and news articles in marketing and other fields. The key to keeping current is to be curious and open to new ideas and new sources of ideas, no matter where they come from.

Work has Changed

As a marketer, we must keep up with the speed of culture. The most significant change to our profession has consequently also been the biggest change we have seen—the effects of the pandemic. It has changed how people feel and think, how they spend their time, and what they value—probably more so than we will even realize for years. In my first role, I worked on a desktop computer that was, of course, left at the office every evening. Today, I have a laptop, no set desk, and a work phone. It’s hard to believe how much work has changed in 5 years.

Adapting to Change

Adapting to the changes brought on by the pandemic has been among the biggest challenges of my career. Though we were fortunate to be able to perform our work from home, the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic made it incredibly difficult to connect with communities and adapt to constantly changing sentiments.

Apart from the pandemic, I was impacted by one of the waves of restructuring layoffs that ran rampant through 2024 as many businesses worked to restructure themselves in the current economy. Losing my job impacted me deeply but forced me to learn and practice resilience in a way I never had before. I learned so much in the few months I was searching for a new job. Although I can’t quite say I’m happy it happened, there have been many things about the experience for which I am grateful.

Working Smarter

Though I wouldn’t reduce it to a “trend,” I (like many other marketers) am excited to see the advancements and efficiencies brought to the industry through AI in the year ahead. It will push us to work smarter and be more thoughtful and strategic about injecting humanity into our work.

Who You Know

Two words I’ve always tried to live by are curiosity and community. Both have helped me grow and develop in my career. I’d encourage young marketers to always keep their eyes and ears open to inspiration and opportunity. You have no idea where the next big thing will come from. With that in mind, always be open to meeting and learning from new people. You will be astounded by which connections are the most important throughout your career. It sounds trite, but it truly is about who you know.

Eden Church, CM,
Partner Marketing Manager at AIR MILES Reward Program

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