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I believe you should approach every opportunity with purpose and passion. As an…
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisAnyone else feel like they have their feet firmly planted in two worlds? The one we know really well - Search, campaigns, websites, clicks, conversions. We spent years building the playbook, and we got pretty good at it. The second is still taking shape, quickly and with some urgency. All search is AI search now...and every brand is trying to figure out how to be *the* answer to the question. Right? Because it's the question that drives us. ;-) And while we don't have a Neo here to help us, we do have Nikhil Lai, Principal Analyst at Forrester, Chris Andrew, CEO of Scrunch, and Sitecore's own Matt Krebsbach, who will talk about how answer engines evaluate brands, what helps them trust your content, and where marketers should be focusing now. There is so much to figure out. Tomorrow we follow the white rabbit. I hope you will join us. Register now: The AEO opportunities most brands are missing - https://lnkd.in/gciydTQQ
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisOh, what a night. Actually, oh, what a week. I’m likely going to upset a few people when I say this, but I think this might have been the best SKO I’ve attended. And that is saying something, considering we did not do it in the round or open with Thunderstruck on violin. Right, Caryn? The production value was top-notch, and I would expect nothing less from our amazing events team - Marissa, Brooke, and Linda. And Stephanie, who ran this thing like a boss. But what made the week so incredibly strong was the content - from the mainstage to the breakouts. It was sharp, useful, and grounded in what is actually happening in the market. IMO, Chris Andrew was the standout. He helped us make sense of how quickly search is changing, what it means for our customers, and why this moment matters so much. And in doing so, I was struck by how prescient he and Robert MacCloy were when they founded Scrunch just about two years ago. Two years. Who knew? Chris and Rob did. There was so much more, of course: big ideas, pitch presentations, a little bit of rodeo, and, in my case, a ballgown with boots. But what I’ll remember most is how much fun we had together, how many people brought their very best, and how proud I felt watching it all come together. Thankfully, I get to relive at least some of it through this reel. Twenty-five years in, this was certainly not our first rodeo, but it might have been the best.
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisSitecore Surge Day Two in three parts: what I learned, what I shared, and what we celebrated. What I learned: Chris Andrew gave one of the clearest explanations I've heard of what is happening to search. To be clear, all of search is AI search now. People are moving from clicking around to find an answer to simply getting one, and AI is increasingly deciding which brands make the shortlist, even though the purchase may still happen somewhere else. His framing was exactly right: discoverability for agents, experiences for humans. What I shared: I took to the mainstage to talk about what that shift means for marketers. A customer can be very much in market while remaining completely invisible to the traditional funnel. They may not have visited the website, clicked an ad, filled out a form, or given us any of the signals we have spent years learning to track. But the decision is already forming, and the answer is being built from everywhere. As a result, marketing orgs have to understand how their brands are being interpreted by people and machines - and be ready to act when something needs to change. My “if you remember nothing else…” was this: We cannot take the old conversation into a new market. What we celebrated: We held a Texas-sized gala, which meant ballgowns and boots, naturally, because while you can take the girl out of Texas... The highlight of my night, however, was watching members of my team receive recognition for their work. Honestly, there is nothing better than seeing incredibly talented people get the moment they deserve, especially when you know how much work happened behind the scenes to get them there. Twenty-five years in, this is certainly not Sitecore's first rodeo. But this SKO just just feels different. I chalk it up to an entirely new and electric energy built upon an incredibly solid foundation. It’s been a really good event. Now onto Day Three!!! Eric Stine, Sean Broderick, Grace McKay, Sofia Schreiber, Millija E. Ø. Laszkiewicz, Jacqueline Baxter, Nicole Kelley
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisI’ve told this story so many times, but I don’t care. It’s one of my faves. A decade ago, my husband Peter asked me to do him a favor and meet with one of his colleagues’ nieces. She was in college and looking to learn more about marketing and leadership, and I was the head of B2B global marketing at The Weather Company. Of course, I couldn’t say no. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t what I got. This young woman walked into my office, sat down, and interviewed me for an hour. Her questions were thoughtful. She was dynamic. And I kept thinking to myself, she is going to go far with this attitude. At the end of the interview, she leaned forward and said, “I’d really like to work for you. If you have any positions open, I’d like you to consider me.” I didn’t have anything open…until three months later, when we needed an event intern. I called her immediately. Yesterday, I had the absolute privilege and pleasure of watching that same young woman, ten years later, stand on stage and host Sitecore Surge, our sales kickoff. Yes, it was Nicole Kelley. She worked for me at Weather for a while and then went off to do amazing things at Pega Systems. She rejoined me at Skillsoft when I needed to jumpstart our demand engine. And then again at Sitecore, when Emily Nicholls was looking for someone to rebuild North America field marketing. She’s done that and more. As a leader, you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. And if you’re incredibly fortunate, as I have been, you’ll have the opportunity to work with them again and again. Yes, this is about Nicole. But it’s also about the responsibility we have as leaders to open doors, elevate people, and create opportunity.
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisCome spin the Wheel of Opportunity,” he says… followed by a slightly maniacal laugh. 😂 I honestly have no idea what’s about to happen, but I cannot wait to see what fortune the wheel has in store. Sitecore Surge, here we go! #SKO Dave TilburyMichelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisIntroducing… the Sitecore wheel of opportunity 💪
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisThere's something special about being at this year's SKO in the city where I grew up. One of the best parts is that I got a little extra time with my mom. (She would absolutely disown me if I came to Dallas and didn't make time to go shopping with her.) She also came to my keynote rehearsal on Sunday. When Dave asked if she had any feedback, she didn't miss a beat. “Make sure you speak to the person in the very last row. They came here for you." It immediately reminded me of something Jesse Cole said at Symposium last year: "Design for the upper deck." The best experiences aren't built for the people lucky enough to be in the front row. They're built so everyone feels like they're part of it. I love that idea because it applies to so much more than presentations. It's good marketing. It's good leadership. And it makes for a much better customer experience for the person in the waaayyy back. So to my colleagues Emily and Nicole, who are both on stage today, good luck. YOU WILL CRUSH IT. And remember that the people who need to hear your message most aren't always sitting in the best seats. If you're somewhere in the back tomorrow - or watching from another room, another office, or another country - I'm thinking about you too. Happy SKO week. I couldn't be more excited to spend the next few days with this incredible Sitecore team. Betsy Veneziano, Grace McKay, Sofia Schreiber, Amanda Papavasiliou, Kendall Bromberg
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisIs it wrong that I practically gasped when I saw the ice machine? Sitecore London, color me impressed; it's stunning. Danny and I can't wait to show off Salem!Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared this
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisMy mother’s first job out of college was at NASA. Betsy was one of those early women in computing who did the work, but frankly didn’t always get the credit. And she did the thing long before the work was packaged, renamed, and eventually valued differently…for men. So yeah, this TIME piece hit a nerve. https://lnkd.in/e75wBDvm The article by Miranda Shanahan is about the “tech bro-ification” of marketing and the rise of titles like narrative engineer, UGC engineer, media engineer. It is based on this apparent sudden realization that taste, distribution, and marketing matter in a world where AI can generate more content than anyone asked for. And I keep coming back to this line, “Taste is a new core skill.” Except that it’s not. Taste has always been a core skill. Marketers know this. Women know this. Anyone who has ever had to make something matter with imperfect data, too little budget, and a room full of opinions knows this. AI can generate endless content, but it cannot – nor should not – decide what deserves to exist. It cannot feel when something is almost right, but not quite. That is judgment. That is craft. *That* is marketing. And yes, the function is evolving, and it should continue to do so. Marketing has always been part art, part science, and part knowing when the room is lying to itself. ;-) It might be just me, but I don’t think marketing becomes more valuable when you slap the word engineering to the end of it. I think it becomes more valuable when leaders finally understand what the best marketers have been doing all along. https://lnkd.in/e75wBDvm Sofia Schreiber This image was absolutely created with AI.
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisSharing this role to all of my comms friends. If you know someone, please send them my way. Oh, and if you were concerned about the Manchester commute, fear not; we're opening a brand new office space in Salem, NH right near Tuscan Village. ;-)Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek shared thisHelp us tell the story of a whole new category of digital experiences - connecting the world and helping marketers find completely new ways to reach, engage, and serve their audiences. We're looking for an experienced external communications professional to lead proactive media relations, support product and corporate storytelling, elevate executive visibility, and drive earned media programs that strengthen Sitecore’s reputation and market presence. New Hampshire, U.S.: https://lnkd.in/grun6Ne5 London, UK: https://lnkd.in/gaaCB53a
Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek replied to a comment
4d
Asha, oh yes she did!
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisMichelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisMe enjoying the Sitecore SKO posts 😍 Before the team got on planes to Dallas we asked them to show up and show out on social. This resulted in a LinkedIn takeover the likes of which we have never seen before. The team brought the same level of personality and insight to their social posts, as they did to their in person interactions in Dallas. Starting the year with a Surge 📈📈📈
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisMichelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisIn all my time with Sitecore I’ve rarely come across an instruction I found so hard to follow 😂🤩😂🤩😂🤩
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek liked thisMichelle Boockoff-Bajdek liked thisOff the back of the best SKO I’ve ever been a part of, one of the major highlights for me was sitting down with Kristen Cousins for a fireside chat in front of many of Sitecore’s most strategic partners. We spent time talking about what makes partnerships successful. For me, it comes down to one thing: creating value for each other - partnerships are never one way! When both organisations are genuinely invested in helping the other grow, the partnership becomes a true force multiplier. At Sitecore, we’ve made a significant investment in our DAM business - our people, our technology and our go-to-market strategy. Just as importantly, my team understands that the strongest partnerships are built on shared success and we’re committed to creating opportunities, driving demand and winning business together….the only real metric to measure how successful a partnership is! AI has fundamentally changed the role of DAM. It’s no longer just about creating, governing, discovering and delivering content at scale. Organisations now need content that’s trusted, structured and discoverable by two audiences: humans and AI. Helping our customers build that new foundation is one of the biggest opportunities we have together. A huge thank you to Kristen for hosting such a great discussion and to our partners in the room! Accenture Altudo Americaneagle.com CI HUB Connector Constant Contact Dataweavers EPAM Systems Genpact Horizontal Digital Icreon Microsoft Nishtech One North Perficient Vercel Velir Verndale XCentium #Sitecore #DigitalAssetManagement
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisMichelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisLast week was the highlight of my career (so far). I had the incredible privilege of hosting our FY27 Sales Kick Off in Dallas. Being in a room with the colleagues I work with every day, celebrating everything we accomplished over the last year while looking ahead to what’s next from a completely different perspective, is something I will never forget. A consistent message kept coming up throughout the week: push yourself to be brilliant, every day. If there is one thing this experience reinforced for me, it is the power of saying yes to the opportunities that scare you. Stepping so far outside of my comfort zone ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I plan to embody that as much as I can as we go in to FY27. Thank you, Dave Tilbury , for trusting me with this opportunity. I am incredibly proud of everything the Sitecore team accomplished this past year, and even more excited for what is ahead. Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek , thank you for nearly a decade of believing in me, challenging me, and putting me in positions to learn and grow. Your mentorship has shaped so much of who I am, and I will always be grateful for your support. Here’s to pushing ourselves to be brilliant every single day. Let’s go, Sitecore!!
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Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisMichelle Boockoff-Bajdek reacted on thisOn the first day of Sitecore’s Sales Kickoff, Dave Tilbury shared a simple promise: “Everyone will leave a little better than they came.” Reflecting on the week in Dallas and reading the posts from so many of my colleagues, it seems that promise came true in all sorts of ways. Everyone left a little better not only because I taught them to add grenadine to their Diet Coke (you're welcome, though) but thanks to the thoughtful contributions of many. We left better because our incredible partners showed up not only to support us, but to teach us and strengthen the way we collaborate on behalf of our shared customers. Because Carrie W. brought the women of Sitecore together (again!) and reminded us what an incredible, powerful, and undeniably badass presence we have across this company. Because Brad Slitz showed us how to pitch #Scrunch to an audience of hundreds with the confidence and conviction of someone who had created it himself. We left better because Josh Frickle reminded us that sometimes the most effective sales strategy is also the most human one: be authentic, and genuinely connect with your customers. Because Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek and Chris Andrew articulated what so many marketers are navigating today: buyers are discovering brands in entirely new ways, and Sitecore is uniquely positioned to help companies meet them there. Because Nicole Kelley, MVP of the week, hosted an awesome speed-dating-style session that gave us the opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world whom we may never otherwise have had the chance to know. The conversations at dinner, the laughs after hours, and the feeling that you were truly surrounded by hundreds of brilliant people. How could we not all leave a little better!? Good kickoff events leave you energized for a few days. Sitecore’s events team put on a week that changed the way we think, sell, collaborate, and show up for the people around us... Marissa Dresnek + team: no words! I left a little better than I came, and it was because of all of you. #Sitecore #SitecoreAI #SalesKickoff #FY27 #Scrunch #SitecoreSKO
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The YMCA of Greater Nashua is an organization committed to “building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities” through programs and services that “develop healthy spirit, mind, and body for all!”
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