Driving Innovation with CMO Coach, Nancy Zwiers

Nancy Zwiers began her brand-building career at Procter & Gamble, where she developed a strong strategic foundation that would propel her into leadership roles in the toy industry. As Senior Vice President of Global Marketing for Mattel’s Barbie® brand, Nancy led her team to achieve historic revenue highs through groundbreaking product and marketing innovations.

After a decade at Mattel, Nancy founded Funosophy, Inc., a consulting and toy invention firm. Over 16 years, she worked with over 200 clients, ranging from large corporations, like Disney, to small startups. Her company licensed multiple toy inventions, earning over $1 million in royalties—a testament to her ability to innovate and build successful products. In 2017, Nancy transitioned from entrepreneur back to corporate leadership, joining Spin Master Inc. as Executive Vice President and Global CMO. Spin Master, known for creating the beloved Paw Patrol franchise, is a global innovation leader, launching over 100 products annually.

Nancy’s wealth of real-world experience has made her an expert in driving innovation grounded in consumer insights. She shares examples of her successes with brands like Polly Pocket, Barbie, and Hatchimals. According to Nancy, fear is the main barrier to innovation, which is why basing innovations on deep consumer insights helps teams take calculated risks.

Now an executive coach with CMO Coaches, Nancy specializes in self-leadership, entrepreneurial thinking, and business growth. Her ability to blend strategic insight with real-world experience makes her a sought-after coach for leaders looking to build both their personal and business potential.

Timestamps:

• [00:30] Introduction
• [01:45] Why Nancy is passionate about innovation
• [04:00] McKinsey Report skills that lead to successful innovation
• [05:15] What defines an innovative-oriented industry
• [07:05] Being a Barbie Girl
• [08:10] Advice on driving innovation
• [09:30] Success with Barbie Collector 
• [15:00] Picking up Polly Pocket
• [20:25] Hyping up Hatchimals 
• [25:30] Overcoming obstacles for innovation
• [29:45] Finding the right coach 
• [33:05] Key takeaways

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