Hi I'm Judy. Judy Kariuki
Let me take you on journey, a journey of how I become smarter.
You see, there was a time when I thought intelligence was all about spreadsheets and graphs and being able to exhaust my left brain with digits. Yes, I was that girl in the corner, lost in a sea of binary ones and zeros, while everyone else was talking about color palettes and catchy jingles.
Marketing, to me, was a foreign land of fluffy ideas and gut feelings. A non involving tapestry of la la land dreams. But deep down, I was a pattern seeker. There was something intoxicating about finding order in chaos, a rhythm in the random. Almost like a magician with a wand, numbers, to me, were like puzzle pieces, waiting to be slotted together into a bigger picture. So, I started looking at sales figures differently. Instead of just seeing numbers go up and down, I saw stories unfolding. I saw humans interacting with products from an eye of hope, desire for a better future and expectations of what this product would do for them.
I remember that time when our summer sales were predicted to be a total bust? Everyone was panicking. I was hunched over my laptop, drowning in data. Then, I saw it. A tiny, almost invisible pattern in previous summer sales. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, but when I pieced it together, it was a eureka moment. I saw that by focusing on a specific demographic and tailoring our messaging, to acknowledge them. To finally "see them" and give them a voice like I had wished I was visible when I started my career.
I presented my findings, with my heart pounding to the male dominated boardroom. There was skepticism, of course. even doubt. "What foundation do you have to prove this hypothesis?"
I had spent my whole life proving myself and fighting for recognition as a woman in a data-driven world. Often underestimated I'd sit in meetings, ideas ignored, only to see them implemented weeks later as someone else's brilliant strategy. It was frustrating, but it fueled my determination. I learned to speak "the" language of results and outcomes and to translate my insights into terms "corporate" understood. Sometime the opposition came from fellow women who couldn't understand how ambitious I was at pursuing my career. Looking back I have a feeling it wasn't their fault. It was probably a result of conditioning.
Nevertheless, the board eventually took a chance on the idea. Slowly at first with minuscule sporadic sales alerts, the campaign started to take shape. Then 2, 3 days word got around and the motherload of sales skyrocketed towards the end. $259,275.36 in sales within a week.
I knew I was onto something. It was like unlocking a superpower. Suddenly, I could see beyond the present. I could feel the pulse of the market, anticipate consumer desires before they even knew what they wanted.
It wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, though. There were times when the patterns led me astray. A product I predicted would be a goldmine turned out to be a dud. The sting of failure was real. But every misstep was a lesson, a chance to refine my methods, to get better at pattern recognition.
Now, as I look back, I see how far I've come. From the quiet analyst to a marketing visionary. It's been a journey filled with both triumphs and setbacks, but every step has been worth it. Because when you can see patterns that others miss, you're not just shaping the present, you're writing the future. And that, my friends, is the most exhilarating feeling in the world on exactly how to be smarter.
Looking back, if I could summarize my three major insights that shaped my journey, these would be it:
Patterns are Everywhere: This might sound obvious, but it's the foundation of everything. From consumer behavior to economic trends, patterns are the invisible threads connecting the dots. The trick is to see beyond the surface and uncover the deeper connections.
Intuition is Data-Driven: People often think intuition is magic, but it's actually the result of subconscious pattern recognition. The more data you feed your brain, the sharper your intuition becomes. It's about trusting your gut, but backing it up with facts.
Storytelling is Key: Data is powerful, but it's just numbers until you give it a narrative. People connect with stories, not spreadsheets. Transforming data into a compelling story is what makes the difference between insights and impact.
Don't be afraid to take a chance on ideas you believe in: There were plenty of times the imposter syndrome kicked in. There were plenty of times I got challenged for my gender and not my insights. As you grow professionally, you will encounter these setbacks. It's the universe's way of telling you to chug along. You are worthy!!!! ❤️❤️💕
These three principles have been my guiding stars. They've helped me navigate the complex world of marketing, turning data into decisions, and ultimately, driving business growth. And while the journey continues, I'm excited to see what new patterns the future holds.
Love Judy Kariuki