This is the fourth blog of our VP Spotlight series. Learn about the people behind Genius Avenue who impact not just our products and services, but also our company’s culture and the Tucson community. The values and lessons each VP brings to our team make Genius Avenue what it is today.
VP Spotlight: Liam Maddock, VP of Marketing
How long have you been in Tucson?
I am a Tucson native, so since the 1970s. I can remember when the city limits were near Wilmot on the East Side of town. I always planned on leaving but I have a large family network here and Tucson is a great place to raise a family.
How did you break into marketing?
I went to college to be a teacher, so my first degrees were in Poetry and History. While I was in school, I worked for my dad, and he taught me about running a business. I decided to go back for an MBA and I realized during one of my early marketing classes that Marketing made all other aspects of the business make sense. It was the language I spoke and understood.
Describe an experience where you learned a lot about marketing I have to say the inbound marketing revolution really inspired me.
Marketing via inbound methodologies is such a fascinating way to engage the customer and provide value at every point of interaction with the product or brand. My time spent as a strategist at an inbound digital agency really shaped my methodologies and pushed my learning curve.
What makes you stay in Tucson?
As I mentioned earlier, I have a huge family network and I love the city. People have great attitudes and the food is fantastic. There was a time when I thought I’d have to move to Phoenix or Austin to do the kind of work I wanted to do but the Genius Avenue opportunity allowed me to do something that pushes my limits right here at home.
What is a part of the city that is special to you?
In particular, I really love the Tanque Verde Valley area on the Northeast side of town. I grew up riding horses in the washes, driving go carts through the desert, and having birthday parties at Agua Caliente. I still live on that side of town, and I love sharing those experiences with my kids.
When did you start at GA, and what is your current role?
I started about two and a half years ago. I am the Vice President of Marketing, which doesn’t quite capture the scope of what we are doing. We are an in-house marketing team, but we are structured like an agency because we help with so many different brands and companies, all with different strategies and tactics.
What good tips do you have for new marketers?
Work on your writing. Producing great copy is always a challenge and it gives you a great skillset that can be applied to dozens of marketing tactics.
Describe the best way to coach and mentor your team.
I try and lead through empowerment, mainly because I hate micromanagement, it is exhausting for everyone. If you are on my team, I trust you. I trust that you will do your job in a way that makes us all (brands and products included) look good. So, I like to give people a lot of room to find the best solutions and maybe learn something new, but I’m here to support if needed.
