Susan McPherson 2014-07-12T06:45:30-04:00 Susan McPherson Copyright 2008,, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Susan McPherson Good old fashioned elbow grease. Views From the Top, an Interview with Venture Capitalist, Jalak Jobanputra,2013:/theblog//3.4094163 2013-10-14T12:27:19-04:00 2013-12-14T05:12:01-05:00 Susan McPherson Jalak Jobanputra, founder of Future Perfect Ventures to discuss her views on today's VC community and innovation.

Tell us about the Fund you are running and why you chose to embark on such a venture?

Future Perfect Ventures is a new fund based in NYC that is the synthesis of my 20 years of working in the global VC, media, telecom, social impact, education, fashion and technology industries. As more people use more technology around the world, we are seeing new applications and usages of data which will result in the next generation of multi-billion dollar companies. The entrepreneurs and investors who have a multi-disciplinary and global perspective are the ones who will be the most successful. I look around me and don't see enough early stage investors that fit this profile.

The fund's thesis is around "Interpretative Intelligence" - not big data, but the usage of data to make our lives more seamless with technology. Right now data is overwhelming our lives and for the most part not enhancing them enough. The companies I am in investing in make data intelligent and more human (although I think it will be a long time before any machine can truly replicate the complexity of human interactions and thought processes). The point is to spend less time interacting with technology and more time living life or running a business. However, I'd like to see the underlying sensors and technology help us to make better decisions than we otherwise would have made without the technology.

Why now?

I've always believed that "to whom much is given much is expected". I've been fortunate to have had a wonderful life to date full of supportive family, friends and colleagues as well as challenges that have provided valuable learnings along the way. I know I'll be adding a lot of value to the entrepreneurs I back through these networks and experiences - I wouldn't start a fund unless I was sure of this.

I have always preferred to be ahead of the curve instead of on the curve. I invested in wireless spectrum in 1996, video on demand in 1997, tablet applications in 2000, in wearable technology/sensors in 2004, personalized online video advertising in 2005, speech recognition in 2005, the NYC ecosystem from 2007-2010 and mobile applications in emerging markets (Africa, India, LatAm, Southeast Asia) from 2011-2012. Throughout my career I've shown an ability to spot emerging trends and markets. I am thrilled to create a portfolio of companies headed by diverse entrepreneurs committed to Interpretative Intelligence as well as common values - while creating a healthy return for investors in my fund.

Not long ago it was a distinct disadvantage to be different. The career office at Penn told me I should consider changing my name in the early 1990s since it was a difficult name to pronounce, and I was graduating in the middle of a recession. I refused - the firms that weren't intimidated by pronouncing a foreign name were the ones I'd want to work for anyway. I started off my career in investment banking on Wall Street in 1993, where most people in positions of power looked the opposite of me. Fast forward to 2013. Over the past year I've seen a steady number of deals come my way given the different point of view I represent to an entrepreneur. The world is increasingly diverse, and the smartest entrepreneurs understand that they need investors who they can collaborate with, as well as investors that represent the diverse world they are creating technology for.

As a woman in the VC community, what do you see as your biggest challenges?

VC is a male dominated industry. Early in my career, I had challenges in being heard - whether in a board room or meetings amongst partners. I'm a petite ex-ballerina who loves fashion and definitely has a feminine streak. That being said, I can name every member of the 1986 Mets World Series team (I grew up being a frustrated Mets fan until that magical year), love to rock climb and have traveled around the world by myself to places like Burma (before it opened up to the West), the Congo, refugee camps in Kenya, and the most desolate parts of the Himalayas. I've motorcycled along the Mexican Sonoran coast. You realize the biases that exist in everyone when you are an outsider - and more often than not, early on in my career I was ignored or underestimated. Over the years I've learned how to be better heard in this environment - and having a strong track record certainly negates questions around competency.

At the end of the day being a successful VC is about finding the best entrepreneurs to back and collaborate with them to grow highly successful companies. My unique point of view, coupled with my extensive experience, now puts me at a distinct advantage. The numerous challenges I've faced by being so different have made me more resilient - and resiliency is the hallmark of any successful person. Of course, I want to see more women investing and more diversity amongst senior partners in the industry - and hopefully will see it in my lifetime. We cannot fund the future of innovation through the eyes of a narrow demographic.

Who inspires you?

My parents. They came as immigrants to the US from Africa at a point when there was a lot of political turmoil, although they had a stable life. They moved to a small town, had to learn a whole new way of living, and we all encountered prejudice. They were highly educated and responded to the prejudice by teaching, not by being spiteful. Every Diwali my parents would invite the neighbors over, and bit by bit awareness and appreciation replaced ignorance. I've often thought about this as I've stuck it out in the VC industry, in a world that ironically has not always been open to a different type of person with a different point of view. Over the past 15 years, bit by bit, with many successes and some failures under my belt, I've proven my staying power in the industry. You can't be discouraged by points in time but need to work towards building the future you want to see. My parents have always handled themselves with grace, and have instilled in me a sense of purpose, values and integrity that I am so thankful for.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you change first in your world?

I'd want the world to be a true meritocracy, where the best and brightest people, regardless of gender, schooling or ethnicity, are successful, where children around the world are able to get equal access to quality education. When I trained women entrepreneurs in Tanzania in 1999 - I saw firsthand how much they were able to achieve with just a modicum of training and I strongly believe that people will soar if you provide them with wings. If we want to overcome the global challenges we face, I want participation from the resourceful villagers in India as well as CEOs of major corporations.

What keeps you up at night?

I have a lot of opportunities coming my way - and it's a good problem to have but I can't possibly individually help everyone who reaches out to me. I've always believed that with great opportunity comes great responsibility but I think that a balanced life is also key to long term success and impact. So maintaining that balance, especially as I embark on this fund is important to me. I keep in mind that they are not mutually exclusive. I've had some of the best ideas and inspirations come to me when I've been hiking on vacation or walking through 2000 year old ruins somewhere in the world. So never underestimate the power of downtime!

What's next for you?

I'm excited to be an entrepreneur again and create a fund with an inclusive culture that reflects all the advantages of being based in NYC - from a geographic and cultural perspective. I'll continue making investments in companies that are going to change the world we live in. I look forward to working with the next NYC administration as I did with the Bloomberg administration in ensuring that every citizen of the city has broadband access, workforce training and strong K-12 education to prepare them for a digital future. I want to continue to be as curious and appreciative of the world we live in as I have always been (and when I lapse on that front, I channel my 3 year old nephew who is one of my favorite companions!) And I'll continue my decades old work on initiatives around education reform, women's/girls' rights globally, and social entrepreneurship. And maybe finally get to see the 7th continent. I really believe the best is yet to come, for me personally and professionally, as well as for the broader world. I feel so fortunate to be alive at this time!

For additional information about Jalak, follow her at @jalak on Twitter. If you have suggestions for other women innovators to interview, I'd be delighted to receive your ideas at @susanmcp1 on Twitter.]]>
A Life Permanently Changed,2013:/theblog//3.4014033 2013-09-30T16:58:51-04:00 2013-11-30T05:12:02-05:00 Susan McPherson
As a young child I used to have a reoccurring dream that my neighborhood burned down and took everyone and everything with it.

Fast forward to New Year's Eve 1986. I was 21 and living in Washington, D.C. My boyfriend at the time had invited me down to Richmond, Virginia, for a New Year's Eve party. We were driving there with another couple, and then staying overnight and returning on New Year's Day.

Like any 21 year old who was smitten with her boyfriend, I couldn't wait for my first overnight trip with him.

As I was getting prepared for the trip, I was listening (and dancing) to Earth Wind & Fire when there was a news interruption on the radio about a hotel fire erupting in Puerto Rico. My heart skipped a beat -- my parents were vacationing in San Juan for the holiday week.

I called my brother and learned that my parents were not staying at that particular hotel. In fact, they were staying on a different side of the island. Phew. Instant relief. I went about curling my hair, trying on a dozen different outfits until I found the right one and putting the finishing touches on my makeup.

Finally at 8 p.m., we began our 90-minute journey to the party.

Once in Richmond, we attended the bash until well past midnight and then headed to the Hampton Inn.

When we turned on the TV at the hotel, CNN was the first channel that popped up. Splashed on the screen were horrifying images of the hotel fire that I had heard about earlier in the day. By now they were starting to count the number of dead and interview some of survivors. The Dupont Plaza Hotel fire had been set at 5 p.m. ET by a disgruntled employee and within minutes, spread from the casino to many floors of the building. Images flashed showing terrified victims jumping from windows, ambulance sirens shrieking in the background and smoke billowing from every opening in the building.

Deep breath, Susan. Your parents were nowhere near the hotel. My boyfriend suggested -- actually demanded -- that I turn off the TV and go to sleep and we'd find out all was okay the next morning. But the TV was like Pandora's box for me. How could I shut it off? Thankfully he won the argument, as what I would have seen had it stayed on would have probably caused me to go into shock.

My father was next up to be interviewed on the news.

The next morning, I woke up at 8 a.m., startled  --  an early hour for anyone on New Year's Day. It was sleeting, which only added to the dreary feeling engulfing all four of us. We started our trek home, slowly, because of the weather. Legend says that Virginians don't drive well in freezing rain and snow.

When we stopped for gas, I decided to call the apartment I was staying in to see if anyone had called for me. Reaching into my jeans pocket, I fished out several dimes and dialed. My roommate answered the call before I could even blubber out a whisper of "good morning" and almost shouted: "Where are you and how far are you from D.C.?"

He told me that my brother and cousin had each called before 9 a.m. A wretched feeling came over my body, and I felt as if I might throw up. I asked for more info, but he didn't share -- all he said was hurry back. My head hung low as I wandered in a blur back to car.

As we headed north, I stared outside counting the icicles drop from the sky as they smacked the sides of the car. Washington's all-news radio religiously repeated the headlines every seven minutes with the increasing numbers of the victims. First 35, then 45, then 60 and up. The drive seemed to go on for an eternity, and remember, these were the days without Internet, smartphones, or even in many cases, answering machines. There was literally no way to get updates.

Finally, four hours after leaving Richmond, we pulled into my aunt's driveway in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. Standing at the door were my cousin Anna and my Aunt Arlene. I began my dizzying walk up the long staircase. When they opened the door, I knew that the worst moment of my young life had occurred. My beloved mom was missing and not expected to be found. I fell into their arms.

Ninety-six people perished on that fateful day and left 96 families and loved ones in utter despair. I came face to face with the nightmare that had plagued me as a young child. The fire had won this time. My life would be irrevocably changed forever. There was no turning back.

Almost 30 years later, there are few days that go by that I don't think of her and the senseless and tragic loss of her life. What I do carry with me is a strange and rather bizarre gift  --  a gift of having experienced one of life's worst tragedies. I confronted terror head-on. It was challenging and harrowing -- the hardest time of my life. But ultimately, I survived. I endured. And I know that no matter what life throws my way, I will eventually be okay.

For more by Susan McPherson, click here.

For more on emotional intelligence, click here. ]]>
The 10 Most Generous Marketing Geniuses,2013:/theblog//3.3312261 2013-05-20T16:00:56-04:00 2013-07-20T05:12:01-04:00 Susan McPherson
This past fall, a group of marketers, led by the 92nd Street Y and the UN Foundation, created the first annual day of giving: Giving Tuesday. No single person owned the day and more than 2,500 corporations, non-profits, small businesses and consultancies participated to celebrate helping others. What launched as a small grassroots effort soon took on a life of its own and is now poised to grow far beyond U.S. borders.

Every day, we are seeing more and more innovative organizations and companies forming to help give back and marketers are using their skills to drive social change, change behaviors and raise awareness. Enlightened companies are no longer reticent to frame their corporate responsibility as part of their core mission, delivered to customers via products and marketing channels. Additionally, they are not shy to say it is beneficial for their business. A recent study by the Marketing Science Institute revealed that investing in socially responsible causes not only creates goodwill towards a company but also bolsters consumer perceptions of the performance of company products. In other words, doing good can actually translate into doing well.

It's easy for me to say that giving and social good have gone mainstream. In my life, it has. I work at Fenton, a communications agency that has been dedicated to social good since its inception in 1982. Outside of work, I sit on several nonprofit boards and advise multiple others. My romantic partner Fabien, the first grandson of Jacques Cousteau, has dedicated his life to educating others about the importance of our water world and environment. Both my parents were stewards of good, as my father was a professor for more than 35 years and my mother toiled for public television.

But it's not just me. Giving is truly becoming the new "getting." At what other time have we seen the New York Times Magazine dedicate six pages to a professor who prides himself on sharing his time to help others?

The trend includes both global names such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nike and Toyota as well as smaller, cutting-edge stalwarts like Warby Parker, Panera Bread and Runa Tea. Panera Bread, for example, recently opened several Panera Cares Cafes at which customers pay according to their financial means. Profits from the ventures will be used to fund job-training programs to help elevate the disadvantaged in the area.

These companies are finding new and innovative ways to connect with their core customers and prospects--and using social good as the means of connection. In an era when listening and interacting trumps old school broadcast messaging, social tools allow companies to be authentic and transparent, and to form a 360-degree relationship with their customers.

Further, businesses are committing to longer social good programs. Given the need to partner with customers for success, a longer trajectory gives a campaign or program more time to grow and prosper. Since 2006, Bono and Bobby Shriver have been engaging private sector companies to create a licensed product with the (RED) Product logo with the purpose of raising awareness and funds to fight AIDS in Africa. More recently, when Warner Bros. wanted to fund famine victims in the Horn of Africa, its "We Can Be Heroes" program was launched as a two-year project rather than a limited one-off promotion.

One thing is clear: the social good and marketing worlds are intersecting in a powerful way. Brands, nonprofits, and social businesses have an incredible opportunity to tap into the public's increasingly visible affinity for social good and transparency. In the pages that follow, you'll meet some of the spectacular marketers and communicators who are doing just that.

Every Monday and Wednesday over the next five weeks, read about a new honoree who is using his or her creative smarts to effect positive change. We've gathered in-depth profiles that get to the heart of who these visionaries are and how they are using their time and talents for good.

Keep Reading to Meet the Top 10>>]]>
A Small Island Nation Uses Film/Art/Interactive to Help Our Global Environment,2012:/theblog//3.1863149 2012-09-12T16:00:04-04:00 2012-11-12T05:12:01-05:00 Susan McPherson Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), organized by Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) in Santa Domingo. Although, one normally visiting Dominican Republic away from work may be inclined to head to a day of surf and sand, my goal was to view and appreciate the screenings and the powerful messaging presented.

During the six-day festival, there will be 24 film screenings, including 13 international feature films, panel discussions, workshops and other activities in a variety of venues in the cities of Santo Domingo, San Francisco de Macorís, Santiago, Punta Cana, Baní, Puerto Plata and Sosúa. Panels will feature interactive discussions with directors and experts in five critical areas: oceans, biodiversity, ecological economy, sustainable agriculture and climate change.

DREFF launched last evening with the screening of the Spanish version of the documentary film, My Father, The Captain: Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The film is an intimate portrait of oceanography legend, Jacques Yves-Cousteau, told by his son, Jean-Michel, and introduced live on stage by the grandson of the famous ocean explorer, Fabien Cousteau.

The festival's goal is to raise awareness and deepen the understanding of environmental issues among Dominican audiences, while celebrating the beauty and diversity of the country's natural heritage. Through screening a diverse selection of high-quality films on matters of environmental concern, and organizing panel discussions with environmental experts, filmmakers and other stakeholders, the festival seeks to foster dialogue and to inspire Dominican audiences to adopt practices that will ensure the health and environmental sustainability of the country.

By bringing together youth, scholars, experts, activists, filmmakers, representatives of public, private and nongovernmental institutions and the general public, DREFF hopes to promote programs and projects that will contribute to the island's (and the larger world's) environmental protection, conservation and sustainability.

Hats off to the creators for spreading such a vital message for our planet and let's hope it can be replicated in other similar countries in the future.]]>
What Keeps Rock Star Entrepreneur Amy Webb Up at Night?,2012:/theblog//3.1834674 2012-08-28T18:31:47-04:00 2012-10-28T05:12:04-04:00 Susan McPherson Webbmedia Group

Amy, tell us about the Webbmedia Group and why it's so unique?

Webbmedia Group is a very unorthodox consulting firm. In fact, I hesitate to even use the word "consulting," because it really evokes a kind of work that we shy away from. I like to think of us as a team of digital Avengers. Each of the brilliant women and men who works with us offers a different super power (professional game building, behavioral economics, IP law, marketing, anthropology), and we join forces to both solve problems and to think big for our clients, who are some of the world's largest corporations. We focus on emerging technologies and try to understand how consumer behavior is changing. We're constantly evaluating very early stage startups and thinking about the future impact they might make on a community.

What led you to build such a company?

I'd been living in Tokyo and Hong Kong as a reporter, and I remember seeing the first widespread use of smartphones, which hadn't yet made it to America. I fell immediately in love with the technology, but I also recognized how much it would wind up changing consumer culture. When I came back to the U.S., I had a really difficult time fitting back in to a traditional newsroom. I wanted to convert and use audio into mp3s for use on websites, and to make documents I'd used for reporting more interactive online. I always faced a tremendous uphill battle with my editors, and eventually I decided that I'd be happier and more useful outside of a newsroom setting.

Because of my knowledge of code and hands-­on experience with emerging tech (which at the time was much more advanced in Asia) I was often asked for advice and to help others with their projects. My parents and then-boyfriend (now husband) kept urging me to charge for that advice, and one day I finally relented. It started with one very small arts and culture website client, and within the first six months I had three clients on retainer and another handful of projects located all along the East Coast in the works. By the end of that first year, I started recruiting my team. Since then, I've been quietly running a stealth firm that whispers into the ears of executives, helping them learn about the next big changes in digital communications and tech before everyone else has had the chance to figure out what's happening.

As a successful female entrepreneur, what are you most proud of?

I've launched several companies and I also advise a number of startups. Of everything I've done, I'm probably most proud of a project we just finished. Recently, we worked with the City of Chicago to re­‐imagine the library of the future. That body of work included a new organizational chart and new job descriptions, with an emphasis on digital. We also developed ideas and plans for cloud-based library cards, partnerships with local hacker communities, different ways to log and track the digital assets used at the library, and the first‐ever set of benchmarks (more than 80!) that a library can use to measure and prove its effectiveness and benefit to the community. With the blessings of the Chicago Public Library, we turned those benchmarks into a toolkit and distributed it -- for free -- to libraries all over the world. We've received tremendous feedback so far and know that the benchmarks are catalyzing serious change throughout numerous communities. I'm proud of the fact that there's a social good component to everything we do at Webbmedia Group.

What gets you motivated in the morning?

The opportunity to help disrupt something, whether it's a conference or an industry or just a usual train of thought, is what drives and excites me. One entire wall of my office is covered in IdeaPaint, and we use that surface to track not just ideas, but to map out changes that we see coming. So many executives fear those inevitable evolutions. My team is there to get in the sandbox, play around, get really messy and to then develop the winning strategies that ultimately put our clients ahead. We absolutely love it when a client tells us that XYZ is coming, and it's going to kill their industry. Or that they're in some kind of impossible situation, and they need great, big ideas to get themselves righted again. The messier my team can get, and the harder we're forced to think, the better.

What keeps you up at night?

Letting a client -- or anyone, for that matter -- down. We work with a very limited number of companies at a time, in order to immerse ourselves in their challenges. That means being available to them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I've had a client wake me up in the middle of the night, because he was consumed with worry about a vendor meeting the next day. I made a cup of coffee, went down to my home office, and talked through strategy with him for more than two hours. We'll do everything in our capacity to make sure our clients are always the smartest people in the room, that they're executing on the most creative digital strategies and that they feel empowered to act on great ideas. If I thought for a second that someone we advise wasn't happy with our work, it would absolutely kill me.

I've been criticized before by my male counterparts for having this sort of emotional attachment to my work. And I see countless articles written about how men are more stoic, and are therefore better qualified to work in high-stress situations. I don't buy that at all, not one bit. I think I've been successful precisely because of how competitive I am, and because I express an emotion or two.

Whats next for Webbmedia Group and for Amy?

Since we launched, we've centered a lot of our work around media. This fall, we're expanding our services and client base to include law, publishing, government, health care and retail. With all of the changes we're seeing in social media, mobile, gaming, crowdfunding and digital education, we feel pretty strongly that those are the next industries that will experience significant disruption. In order to manage that incoming client base, we named a new Director of Operations and have brought on a few new Avengers this summer.

As for me, I have a new book coming out. In a way, it fits squarely with what I do every day at work. It's about how I gamed online dating in order to meet my husband. It's called Data, A Love Story, and it's on presale now and launches in bookstores nationwide January 31st.

Tell us something no one knows about your firm, but they should?

We are a completely virtual operation. We've created an internal management system out of Evernote, Google Docs, Dropbox, a few CalDAV accounts and instant message clients, and we operate as a distributed network. That allows my staff to live in cities that are most comfortable for them, and to work hours that accommodate their lifestyles. We have regular meeting times during the day and week, and otherwise everything happens in the virtual environment we developed. We work incredibly hard, but we do it in spaces that are comfortable and convenient.

If you have suggestions for future interview candidates, please ping me at @susanmcp1 on Twitter. Thank you.]]>
8 Takeaways From the CECP Corporate Philanthropy Summit,2012:/theblog//3.1582371 2012-06-08T18:01:26-04:00 2012-08-08T05:12:10-04:00 Susan McPherson
1. Women were in top form at the summit.
At a time when so many conferences agendas are heavily weighted by male speakers, it was refreshing to see 30-plus women take center stage. It's telling about the industry as well.

2. Collaboration leads to real impact.
Many speakers stressed the importance of partnerships in solving social problems. Arianna Huffington contended that our society is moving away from competition and survival toward collaboration and meaning. Cory Booker agreed, explaining that partnerships between the public, private and nonprofit sectors are crucial to transforming cities like Newark.

3. Companies should focus on social issues that align with their business and skills.
I had the pleasure of moderating a panel with senior leaders from Chevron Corporation, Hilton Worldwide and the Verizon Foundation. Each of these organizations explained how the social issues they focus on are linked with the identity of the company. For example, Verizon's HopeLine program involves using phones and technology to prevent domestic violence and help victims rebuild their lives. Other panels focused on skills-based volunteering, which Morgan Stanley's executive director of community affairs argued is a crucial investment that transforms how employees and stakeholders view the company.

4. Transparency is key.
One of the most popular Twitter takeaways the summit, originally tweeted by @DoSomething: "So much more good could happen in the world if people could honest about failure." Honesty and transparency are paramount to effective corporate citizenship, with social media making it even more crucial for companies to be honest with their external stakeholders and "fail forward." Transparency is also a key ingredient to successful corporate/NGO partnerships; these relationships will fail when both parties are not upfront with goals.

5. Social media increases impact.
Arianna Huffington touched on this theme early on, using Kickstarter and as examples of how the Internet can help solve social problems. Social media is not about technology -- it's about building relationships with your stakeholders, mobilizing them around your brand's cause and communicating impact. Chase's giving platform has 3.5 million fans, which is more than any other single Chase entity in social media. And how about this crazy stat: There are more people on Facebook today than on earth 200 years ago.

6. The time for corporate philanthropy to soar is now.
All indications show that corporate giving is growing and companies are reaping the benefits due to enhanced reputation, stronger employee engagement and consumer spending. Sixty percent of companies have increased their total giving since 2009, and 48 percent reported increases of more than 10 percent. If we continue down this path, impact investing in the United States -- currently totaling $300 billion -- could reach $600 billion in the next 5-10 years.

7. CECP knows how to orchestrate a stellar event.
All ran like clockwork, materials were well-created and there was no plastic to be seen. It was truly inspirational to meet so many new people from across sectors energized about working together to create social good.

8. Arianna Huffington and Cory Booker will never be out of fashion.
Enough said.]]>