Meet Andy Slipher | Independent Marketing Strategist and Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andy Slipher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andy, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I’ve been running my own business for over 20 years. My work/life balance has certainly changed during that time.

I’m one of those fortunate individuals who gets to get up every morning and do what I love. I look forward to doing my job every day. However, there is a downside that I learned early on — working too much. Too much of anything is not good, and working too much can easily lead to burnout. As a result, I’ve learned a couple of important lessons:

1. Know when to stop. I set limits on both the number of hours I’ll work in a day and how late I work. Routine is my friend.
2. Aim for outcomes, not hours. Focusing on outcomes has taught me to be more productive and not aim for busyness or perfection.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have been an independent marketing strategist and consultant since 2003. In the last 10 years, my consulting has evolved to include serving as fractional chief marketing officer for many of my clients. What sets me apart from my peers is both my understanding of strategy (I wrote a book on strategy in 2018) and my ability to implement marketing strategy as an effective system that actually works.

Fortunately, post-pandemic, the fractional role has really taken off with companies, and I’m seeing more businesses seek me out. They’re more comfortable than ever working with a contracted officer role for a defined period and with defined outcomes. It’s more cost-effective and generally can produce better results with the right expert in the role. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a number of less experienced marketers in recent years call themselves fractional CMOs when really they have little experience in the role or are simply in between full-time gigs.

I’ve gotten to where I am by dedicating myself to truly helping and being there for my clients. I’ve also recognized over the years when to evolve with market demands. I’ve learned how to grow professionally and financially by seeking the help, guidance, and training of other experts. Finally, I’ve dedicated myself to constant improvement while rolling with the changes that happen in life and business. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it comes with much reward.

If there’s anything I’d want others to know about success, whether working with me or others, is that you have to be tenacious and steadfast if you want certain outcomes. Stick to it and you’ll get there.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Dallas-Fort Worth is a great place to live. You have the size and dichotomy of two adjacent, but very different cities. Here are the things I’d recommend doing and places to go in Dallas: – Deep Ellum: shops and restaurants worth discovering
– Lower Greenville: clubs, bars and even more restaurants
– Downtown, I’d hit the Farmer’s Market and the Arts district for good food, entertainment, and museums such as the Dallas Museum of Art and the Crow Collection of Asian Art
– For the best in window shopping and restaurants, you can’t beat Highland Park Village. My favs are The Honor Bar and Bistro 31. Don’t miss the hidden gem, The Monkey Bar upstairs.
– Fort Worth has the Stockyards
– Also in Fort Worth, all of its phenomenal museums — The Amon Carter, The Modern, and the Kimbell

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had a lot of important influencers in my life who I’ve learned from over the years. However, more recently, one of my biggest influencers is Alan Weiss, a master of business consulting. Over the years, I’ve read many of his books (multiple times) and have sought his personal instruction multiple times over the past several years. Implementing his approaches in my business has led to important breakthroughs in my personal and professional success.

Website: https://slipher.com and https://thebighow.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-slipher/

Twitter: @Andy_Slipher

Image Credits
Christina Childress