Lots Left to Learn

Last week, I was back on campus... as a student.

I learned that Ashley Konson, my friend and esteemed Schulich School of Business teaching colleague, was teaching a session titled "Considerations for Startup, Ecommerce and B2B Technology Brands" in his Brand Management class.

I already know a lot about ecommerce brands: as it happens, the subject of my "Retail Marketing Strategies" lecture next week is "Direct to Consumer and Subscription Businesses".

But I thought, "I'm building Orbit, and can use all the insights I can get..."

So I asked Ashley if I could attend.

(Not only for the marketing knowledge I knew I'd gain: Ashley has won so many Teaching Excellence Awards that I've lost count of them, and I figured I could only benefit as an Instructor from seeing him in action!)

Ashley graciously agreed to let me audit his class, and attending was well worth my time.

Here's the thing about having over 25 years of marketing experience...

... it can make you complacent.

You can start to assume you already know the answer before someone finishes the question.

You can start to file things under "heard it" and stop really listening.

That's a trap.

I walked out of Ashley's class with several book recommendations I need to read and at least three ideas I can actively use to help me build Orbit.

And I wouldn't have had any of that if I'd spent those three hours doing something I already knew how to do.

The lesson isn't complicated.

If you're humble enough to admit you don't know everything, and curious enough to look for insight in places that aren't obvious, there's a lot left to learn.

And you can learn from anywhere and anyone: a university classroom. A conversation with a peer, friend, or student. A book outside your industry. A podcast you almost skipped.

The information you need to succeed is almost always available somewhere.

The question is whether you're willing to put yourself in a position to receive it.

Most people aren't.

Not because they're incapable, but because it requires admitting (at least to themselves) that there's still something left to learn.

But there is almost always something left to learn.

(And there's usually a lot.)

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P.S. Speaking of learning: if you're a manager, director, or almost-VP looking to sharpen your thinking alongside a small group of peers who genuinely challenge each other, that's exactly what I'm building with Orbit. I'm currently forming founding cohorts. Spots are limited by design. If you're curious, learn more at YourOrbit.co.

P.P.S. The photo above wasn't taken last week; it's from the 2024 Schulich Fall Convocation. Ashley was the one who strongly encouraged me to start attending convocations as an Instructor, and doing so has since become one of my favourite parts of teaching. Please don't be jealous of my sexy hat.