In an interview with Forté Business 360, Chief Marketing Officer Amanda Hodges describes her career journey that has spanned GE Plastics, McKinsey, and Dell Technologies – and an MBA from Harvard Business School, what it takes to be successful in her role, and advice for young women just starting their career in business. Here’s an excerpt from the interview:
What is the primary mission/business of Republic Services?
Our vision is partnering with customers to create a more sustainable world. Whatever our customer’s goals are – net zero emissions or reduction, recycling, or circularity – Republic Services is uniquely positioned to help achieve them. We don’t create waste, but we help people and companies take care of it in the best way possible.
In your role as EVP/CMO for Republic Services, what are examples of some of your daily activities? What are you trying to accomplish overall?
There are three main areas where I spend time – Customers, Digital, and Sustainability – to understand how they work together to drive business outcomes. For example, all our drivers have tablets in their trucks, and we use data to optimize their routes to reduce emissions and to enable our customers to locate trucks.
What characteristics does someone need to be successful in a role like yours?
Someone who has a customer mindset and is focused on business outcomes. Too often in companies, specialists within their function or industry can lose sight of how a customer experiences a product or service. Spending time with customers is critical for us to be able to deliver value to them. With a lot of competing priorities, we have to spend time and resources where we can make the most impact.
To read the full interview with Amanda, click