Headliners: Hims & Hers CCO Kathryn Beiser

(MENAFN- PRovoke) Our Headliners series gets under the skin of PR and communications leaders around the world who have made PRovoke Media headlines recently. The conversation uncovers the risks they have taken in their career, the people, brands and work they admire, their advice for industry newbies, and their guilty pleasures.

In this week's Q&A, we speak to Kathryn Beiser who has been appointed wellness brand Him & Hers new CCO. Beiser is a veteran communicator who brings experience from spending five years as CCO at pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Kaiser Permanente before that.

What's the biggest career risk you've ever taken? How did it work out?

Taking a year-long sabbatical was probably the biggest risk I've ever taken – and I didn't make this decision easily as my career has long been a huge part of my identity. I spent the first month adjusting to my new and improved mental load (my closets have never been more organized!) and taking a much-needed vacation. Then I got intentional. I took courses, I wrote, and I spoke with lots of smart people. I felt more creative than I've been in years. Importantly, I gained clarity about what I wanted to do next in my career. As a result, when the opportunity at Hims & Hers came along, I knew after only a few conversations with the executive team that it's where I wanted to be. Several weeks into my new role, it's clear I made a great decision!

What's the biggest creative risk you've ever taken?

Without a doubt, it was staging a flash mob during our president's remarks at a town hall when I was at Discover. I had asked my team for an unconventional way to launch our new company intranet to employees and they delivered – including dancers wearing LED-lit t-shirts bearing the site's name. While we had some jitters about not telling our president in advance, I knew their idea wouldn't work if it wasn't a true flash mob, so I assured the team I would take any heat.

I will never forget the delight of our employees (many danced in the aisles!) during the event. And the look on our president's face as it dawned on him what was happening was priceless-he loved it, though he got me back by announcing to the audience he was going to remember this "special moment" during my annual performance review.

What do you think are the most important character traits for a great PR person?

I think it's less about single traits and more about the combination of them. For example, you've got to have well-developed strategic chops plus strong creative capabilities, intellectual curiosity and a bias for action, and ecosystem thinking along with a comfort with incomplete information. Certainly, too, great communicators balance emotional intelligence with the courage to make tough decisions, principled consistency with the need to continuously evolve, and executive presence with humility.

Which company or organization do you most admire in terms of PR, branding or reputation management?

I love a great“back to the future” story, and it seems to me that Nike is reformulating its brand, culture, and products in a way that's deeply connected to its past while firmly focused on the future. As a long-time fan of the brand, I'm eager to see how this evolution contributes to the company's performance in the coming years.

Which individual, in any field, do you think exemplifies outstanding leadership or communication skills?

Not surprising to anyone who knows me, I think Bruce Springsteen is a great communicator. His music speaks to universal experiences in a deeply personal way (he clearly knows the“power of one” theory of storytelling), taps into the tension of myths and shared narratives, understands pacing and the power of silence, and consistently delivers what his audiences come to hear.

What's the best campaign you've seen recently?

I thought Chili's“fast food financing” pop-up stunt next to a McDonald's in New York City was genius. They tapped into a relevant consumer concern, added some cheeky humor and delivered messages about the value of their dining experience–and the results were impressive.

Is there an industry trend or discussion you think is over-rated or exaggerated or just plain stupid?

For years I've heard people in our profession talk about comms“getting a seat at the table” and how important it is to develop our business acumen, cultivate relationships, deliver outcomes, etc. I've said this often! What I've realized over time, however, is that no matter how well we show up, some organizations are just never going to value the function as a strategic business driver. So the question for each of us is whether we can get comfortable in those environments or if that's a sign we should take our talents elsewhere.

What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone entering the PR industry today?

Be an AI-native, business-savvy person first and a communicator second.

What's your guilty pleasure when you need to unwind from the high pressure of PR?

I took up tennis a few years ago–there's something deeply satisfying about hitting a ball with a bunch of competitive people.

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