Kathrin Bussmann, Founder & Principal, Verbaccino
Kathrin Bussmann, Ph.D. is the Founder & Principal at Verbaccino, an international marketing consultancy that helps businesses leverage today’s global, social, multilingual marketplace. She’s also the award-winning Producer & Host of The Worldly Marketer Podcast, a weekly audio show that explores how even small brands can go global. Her mission is to help startups and SMEs build a more global brand presence and succeed beyond their current borders. A dual citizen of Canada and Germany, Kathrin grew up equally fluent in English, French and German, and has always been passionate about language, culture and good communication. She believes that multilingualism and cultural intelligence are becoming increasingly important in this age of digital globalization.
“Things are changing all the time, so you really have to be a life-long learner to compete.”
Who do you most admire in business?
Self-made women like J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Blakely, Arlene Dickinson, Manjit Minhas, Michele Romanow.
What companies or brands do you likeor do you think are getting it right?
Global brands that I admire include Apple, Nike, IKEA, Microsoft, Netflix, and Spotify.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
As a perfectionist, I needed to hear this when I was trying to finish my doctoral thesis: “The best dissertation is a finished dissertation.” The same principle – don’t let perfectionism get in your way – definitely applies to starting your own business.
What drives or motivates you each day?
Being useful. Creating a positive role model for my daughter. Bringing value to my audience. Helping my clients succeed. And proving to myself that I can build my own dream career.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
Brands will need to work much harder to earn people’s trust, let alone their loyalty. People are deluged with branded content now, and they’re relying more and more on word-of-mouth (online and offline) for their purchasing decisions. Brands need to understand this new dynamic and rethink their marketing strategies accordingly.
Do you have a mentor or do you mentor anyone?
Because of my podcast, I’m fortunate to have some truly wonderful thought-leaders in my network now, and I’ve certainly benefited from their time and wisdom.
How do you network?
My interview-style podcast has turned out to be a fantastic networking tool. All the experts whom I’ve featured on my show are now part of my professional network, and I keep in touch with many of them. Some have even become good friends. I also try to participate in one or two conferences every year, because there’s no substitute for meeting people in person and having time to chat properly. At the local level, I’ve recently helped launch an Eastern Canada chapter of Women in Localization, and we plan to put on several networking events every year. And of course, I don’t know what I would do without LinkedIn. It’s become an indispensable tool to find, reach out to and keep in touch with potential interviewees, clients and colleagues.
How did you get into this line of work and what advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same line of work?
I come from a very academic background, but I was ready to break out of academia. I wanted to be my own boss, I wanted to do something with an international perspective, and I wanted to put my knowledge and skills to good use. So I decided to focus on global branding and marketing for startups and SMEs. The podcast is really a content marketing platform for my consulting practice. As for advice, I would say: know your strengths, look for the thought-leaders in your industry, and always, always keep learning. Things are changing all the time, so you really have to be a life-long learner to compete.
What’s the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
People sometimes think there’s a template for success. There really isn’t. Just because something worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. You have to leverage what makes your particular situation unique. And you have to focus on what’s going to move the needle. And you have to be persistent. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
What are you most proud of in your life?
My daughter. She’s so smart, decisive and self-driven. She’s more of a natural entrepreneur than I’ll ever be. I can’t wait to see what amazing things she does with her life.
How do you define success?
Knowing that I have helped my client’s business be successful, as well as my own. But ultimately, feeling that I’ve contributed in a positive way to society and to the future of my daughter’s generation.
What do you think your unique skill(s) is that has helped you become successful?
I think that being immersed in three different cultures (Canadian English, Québécois French, and German) from the time I was born gave me the kind of cultural intelligence that’s hard to acquire later in life. And as a natural introvert I never thought I’d say this, but it turns out I’m actually very good at networking. I’m good at connecting with different kinds of people in different situations. And I really enjoy it, too.
What valuable lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
Always know who your audience is. Really understand that audience. Look at things from that audience’s perspective. That’s the first rule of marketing, and it will serve you well in other areas of life too.
Is there anything new you are working on that you would like to share?
I just launched a menu of ‘prix-fixe’ services, which will help startups and SMEs get started on their path to going global. These new services involve a pre-determined scope or work, a fixed price, and a money-back guarantee. They range from brand naming, to country-specific market research, to a website audit, to a marketing-content audit for global readiness.
Where’s your favourite place?
I’m based in Toronto, and I love living here. It’s one of the most multicultural, multilingual cities in the world, and proudly so. It’s also developing a very exciting tech startup ecosystem. To me, the only downsides about living here are the long winters and the traffic congestion.
Your social media platform of choice?
If I had to choose just one, it would be LinkedIn. I’m on it every day, and I can’t imagine doing business without it now. My other go-to network is Twitter. Despite its faults, it’s still the best way to stay up-to-date on current events, and to quickly find or share links on topics of interest. Once you’ve figured out how to use hashtags and Twitter Lists to your advantage, it’s an incredibly useful network.