Ep 157 – Karna Crawford, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Marqeta

In episode 157, Erik and Kerel talk with Karna Crawford, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Marqeta, the world’s first modern card issuing platform. Karna was born in DC, raised in Indianapolis, moved to Atlanta, and eventually found herself at Tulane University studying biomedical engineering and switching to marketing. Growing up watching her mom work as a paralegal, a steady, solid, job, she knew she wanted to do anything but that, which is why the fast paced marketing work excited her so much. She has gone on to work for JP Morgan, Coca Cola, Miller, Coors, Ford, Motor Company, Verizon, and more.

Karna shares what challenges Marqeta is currently facing, along with the major impact they’re creating in the world, why she chose to work there and why culture was such an important part of her decision. She takes us through her journey of how she figured out what she wanted to do with her life, her mentors who helped so much, helpful advice she has been given and also advice for those who are going into marketing. Karna also talks about what excites her about the future of marketing, where she draws inspiration from, and most importantly – what’s in her music rotation right now.

“Be curious and listen and learn everything that you can. Even when you’ve mastered something, find something else to learn, something else to be curious about, because you never know where that will take you, as well as how well it will position you for influence in whatever situation you may find yourself in.”

Timestamps

:29: Karna Crawford, shares about her fresh start as Global Chief Marketing Officer at Marqeta, what they do and the unique challenges they face

4:16: Karna talks about why she decided to go to Marqeta, why the culture highly impacted her decision, and how she asks the right questions in her interviews to get a good idea of their culture

7:27: Karna shares about her childhood days, why she changed from majoring in biomedical engineering to marketing, and how she got her first job in marketing

11:56: The importance of having a mentor alongside you for your career path and how her goals have changed over the years

17:17: Two of the best pieces of advice Karna has received

19:16: What excites Karna about the future of marketing including culture, social media, and data

21:23: Where Karna draws inspiration from and how the younger generations help with today’s marketing

23:22 Three pieces of advice for someone who’s starting their career in marketing

28:05: What songs are in Karna’s music rotation right now

30:32: How to find Karna on LinkedIn

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