Joseph Jaffe

Joseph Jaffe is an author and entrepreneur. As a consultant and thought leader in the marketing and innovation space, he has worked with countless fortune 500 companies, as well as startups. As a speaker, Joseph delivers a brilliant, high impact message with innovative and practical advice for movement towards growth.

Joseph currently serves as Admiral at the HMS Beagle, a strategic consultancy that helps its clients navigate the journey to survival…because let’s face it; we’re all in the survival business nowadays! HMSB is Jaffe’s third startup venture, after Evol8tion and crayon.

He has worked with the likes of Pearson, Nestle, Purina, Steelcase, Colgate-Palmolive, Mondelez International, Keurig Doctor Pepper and many more.

Jaffe has written 5 books including: Life After The 30-Second Spot, Join the Conversation, Flip the Funnel and Z.E.R.O. His latest book is “Built to Suck: The Inevitable Demise of the Corporation…and How to Save It?” Visit builttosuck.com to find out how you can suck less.

In 2019, he joined West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media as an instructor in the Integrated Marketing Communications online graduate program, where he wrote and lectures a course on brand evolution strategy.

Most Requested Keynotes:

★ FLAGSHIP KEYNOTE : BUILT TO SUCK AND THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

Keynote title, description and content can be customized to the event theme and positioned anywhere on the continuum of pain (hard hitting and provocative) to pleasure (positive and optimistic) Examples

: • The Prime Directive: Return to Growth

• The Key to success…is to suck less
• Built to suck
• Why we’re all in the survival business
• The Change Imperative • Why [insert your industry] is built to suck

Corporations are falling like flies. From Blockbuster to Kodak to Toys R Us to Sears, there’s a growing list falling prey to the trifecta of short-termism, risk aversion and constant disruption.

While survival is a not a guarantee and there may not be a happy ending for every company, “thrival” or a return to growth IS possible for those that are strong, brave and resolute in their commitment to change. Companies today need to be vigilant when it comes to staying relevant, evolving and ultimately fulfilling against the prime directive: growth.

It begins with an honest and cathartic introspection and then focuses on four critical pillars that, combined, create a powerful, differentiated and compelling growth roadmap:

1. Digital Disruption
2. Talent Resurrection
3. Customer Obsession
4. Corporate Citizenship

Take Heed. Take Action. Take Responsibility. Time is running out!

★ What’s your Heresy? What if you fired yourself? What if you funded your competition? What if you slaughtered the cash cow? What if you turned your back on your customer?

These are just a few unthinkable questions that, when answered, form a brilliantly original and provocative philosophy called Heresy. And it’s not far fetched, futuristic or theoretical at all; it’s very real and supported by real examples from winning companies like Netflix, REI, Intel and Costco that have already put this into practice.

• Discover how Heresy will push you to the brink, bring you back with a meaningful jolt, and ultimately force positive change and growth.
• Learn what it means to “put yourself out of business” and then pivot towards a scalable and potentially game changing result for your company.
• Experience a new mindset and perspective that leads to breakthrough ideas and innovation Are you ready to face your deepest, darkest fears?

★ Disrupting Digital

The turn of the century saw the revolution of digital. It ushered in an era of instant commerce, communication and collaboration that forever changed the lives of consumers, businesses and brands. Bricks and mortar crumbled, entire industries vanished and new markets were created in their place.

Digital changed everything. It did then. It does now. It will in the future.

The only problem is that digital has become Vanilla. Tired. Boring. Expected. Predictable. And to add insult to injury, there are far more toys and shiny objects now that dilute, distract and detract. Some are real and some are fake. Don’t be fooled by bright and shiny objects.

Instead, focus on one single question: are you changing the game with digital? If not, you’re just another lemming waiting to fall off the cliff.

★ Customer Obsession as the Killer App

Forget customer service, customer experience or customer centricity. The new obsession is….customer obsession Just ask Jeff. He’ll tell you. Bezos spoke about customer obsession back in his very first letter to shareholders, and it’s no coincidence that brands like Starbucks, Netflix and Nike stand tall next to Amazon. Most others prioritize “strangers” (first time buyers) and “prostitutes” (switchers) over fans, advocates, ambassadors and zealots. But take heed… brands that continue to drink from the swill that is acquisition marketing will eventually be met with a dry pipeline and a painful death. • Discover how to flip the funnel where retention becomes the new acquisition • Learn how customer intimacy can convert into an unassailable competitive advantage Uncover a series of game changing strategies and tactics that can help you drive real and meaningful growth

★ Ban the Employee

In these turbulent times, companies will live and die based on the extent to which they are able to win the talent war. And spoiler alert: they’re losing it right now. Big time! Instead of harnessing the collective creativity and incredible entrepreneurial potential of talent, companies take the low road of cost cutting, dehumanizing and automating, but guess what? You can’t automate stupid! But what if companies could transform their “employees’ into intrapreneurs, and instead of controlling, litigating or repressing them…

• Fund them
• Liberate them
• Empower them It’s time to ban the employee (or at least the word!)

It’s time to embrace a new world order where talent is a direct innovation catalyst and exponential growth driver

★ The Evolution of Capitalism

Companies talk about Corporate Social Responsibility or Purpose Marketing, but it’s just PR Spin. They are bad actors. Irresponsible denizens that turn a blind eye as the planet continues to spin out of control, the Amazon burns and humans suffer under the burden of obesity, drug dependency and credit card bills. In order to DO good, you have to BE good. In a world where big government continues to fail its people, can big business step in and become the hero? The answer is a definitive yes if – and only if – they adopt an approach of transparency, integrity and soul.

• Take stock
• Take responsibility
• Step up
• Be a corporate citizen.

It’s not just common sense; it’s good business sense too. Obviously.