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As the year winds down, many leaders find themselves in a familiar ritual: closing the books, reviewing revenue targets, and drafting ambitious financial goals for the year ahead. These practices are important. But after years of designing teams and advising organizations at different stages of growth, Ive come to believe that the most valuable year-end ritual has little to do with money alone. Instead, its about setting nonfinancial metrics alongside your financial ones. Revenue tells you where your business landed. Nonfinancial metrics tell you why and whether the success youre chasing is sustainable. They reveal the health of your organization from the inside out, often long before that health shows up on a balance sheet. The quiet stretch between Christmas and New Years is an ideal time to step back and ask a different set of questions. Not just Did we hit our numbers? but What did it cost us to get there? And What kind of organization are we becoming in the process? Why Financial Metrics Alone Arent Enough Financial metrics are essential, but they are lagging indicators. By the time revenue dips or margins tighten, the underlying issues such as burnout, disengagement, inefficient processes, or stalled innovation have often been present for months or even years. Nonfinancial metrics, on the other hand, act as early signals. They help leaders understand whether the systems, culture, and behaviors inside the organization are aligned with long-term success. Consider employee engagement. Teams that feel trusted, challenged, and supported tend to deliver better work, collaborate more effectively, and stay longer. Gallup research shows that highly engaged teams deliver significantly better business outcomesincluding up to 23% higher profitability and 41% lower absenteeismindicating that engagement metrics act as early predictors of future performance rather than just retrospective measures. Or look at client satisfaction. Loyal clients dont just renew contracts; they deepen their engagement and/or refer others and become partners in growth. Operational efficiency, learning velocity, and innovation milestones similarly tell a story about whether an organization is built to adapt. When these indicators are strong, financial results often follow. When theyre ignored, revenue gains can be fragile or short-lived. Making the Intangible Measurable One reason leaders shy away from nonfinancial metrics is the belief that theyre too soft to track. But meaningful doesnt have to mean vague. The key is choosing a small number of metrics that reflect what actually matters in your context. A startup might track time to decision or experiment-to-launch cycles. A growing team might focus on employee engagement scores, internal mobility, or manager effectiveness. A client-facing organization might prioritize retention, net promoter score, or qualitative feedback trends. These metrics dont need to be perfect or overly complex. What matters is consistency and intent. Even a quarterly pulse survey or a structured retrospective can surface patterns that financial numbers alone wont reveal. For individuals, the same principle applies. Instead of setting only income or productivity goals, you might track energy levels, learning hours, or the quality of your working relationships. These nonfinancial indicators often predict performance more accurately than output alone. Turning Reflection Into Ritual The end of the year offers a rare pause: a liminal space where urgency softens and perspective sharpens. Rather than rushing straight into next years goals, consider making reflection a deliberate leadership ritual. Start by reviewing the nonfinancial signals from the past year. Where did momentum build naturally? Where did friction show up repeatedly? Which systems supported your work, and which quietly drained it? Then, as you look ahead, set intentional nonfinancial metrics alongside your revenue targets. Ask yourself: If we succeed financially next year, what must also be true about our people, processes, and culture? Write those answers down. Revisit them quarterly. Talk about them as openly as you discuss financial performance. A Different Kind of New Years Resolution New Years resolutions often fail because they focus on outcomes without addressing the conditions required to sustain them. Nonfinancial metrics flip that script, shifting attention from sheer output to the inputs that make great work possible. In doing so, they offer a more humane, and ultimately more effective, approach to leadership and work. They remind us that organizations arent machines that run on numbers alone. Theyre living systems shaped by trust, clarity, learning, and adjustment. As the year draws to a close, you can still set ambitious financial goals. Just dont stop there. Pair them with measures that reflect the kind of organizationand leaderyou want to be. Because when you measure what truly matters, the numbers tend to take care of themselves.
Category:
E-Commerce
For 10 years, I obsessed over finding a 70s-era corduroy car coat like the one Wynona Ryder wears in the first season of Stranger Things. Not a vintage inspired fashion version, but an American classic turned velvety with wear. That meant thrifting at resale shops. Always on the lookout, I never scored because the outerwear selection in my size (large) was bleak. But today I am thrifting in the age of Ozempic, when women jettison entire wardrobes as an act of reinvention after dramatic weight loss, often monetizing through consignment and resale. As a result of all the larger sizes flowing into stores, I finally possess my unicorn: a heritage LL Bean corduroy coat as soft as cashmere in the groovy retro color of faded citron, all for the price of a burger at my neighborhood pub. Where once I had trouble finding my size, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs produces almost too many possibilities. Winter has always been my wardrobe low point: black, black, and, for a little fun, maybe some charcoal gray. But now my closet looks like I am in the wrong house. Color! Texture! Print! Thanks to Ozempic, selections are vast and wildly diverse, and prices are low. A thrifting bonanza I am not on the consignment hunt for couture; I am shopping for solid regular women brands that are still in good shape even as resale items because they arent fast fashion. Although Ive never been a blazer wearer, I now have two: bouclé wool in deep sienna and a tuxedo-style smoking jacket with green velvet lapels and buttons. Each great closet addition cost me less than two bowls of pho. Women arent selling off wardrobes because their clothing is out of style. The use of GLP-1 drugs can radically shift sizing so that even beloved items have to go, and Im far from the only one taking advantage of this quality thrifting bonanza. According to data from online resale marketplace ThredUp, the annual Capital One Shopping report, and spending behavior analysts Consumer Edge, the 2025 U.S. secondhand market is worth an estimated $56 billion (up 14.3% from 2024) and visits to resale stores were up 39.5% in 2025 (compared to Q2 2019), with an 80% rise in thrift and consignment spending among GLP-1 users. There are many reasons people frequent resale shops, from the economical to the environmental. Approximately one-third of clothing and apparel items purchased in the U.S. over the past year were secondhand, saving manufacturing resources and carbon emissions. A renewed sense of discovery But to me the best part of thrift shopping is cultural. Frequenting resale shops can provide that lovely convivial experience we once had when our shopping companions were friends, not phones. Im often surrounded by other shoppers inspired and excited by the prospect of what we might find and open to the unexpected. Because the nature of resale makes the clothing one-of-a-kind, theres a sense of discovery and camaraderie with shared conversations about a garments value and discussions about fit even among strangers. With expanded size range and diversity of brands, todays resale stores are more like independent boutiques, which are harder and harder to find due to the financial hardships based in fluctuating consumer habits. These old-school stores were vision-led, with gut-sense merchants assembling intentional collections from many different brands, often with an artisanal vibe. Their small inventories were always percolating, bubbling up something new, in contrast to brand-led stores offering mass-produced clothing under the same label: racks of algorithmic-driven styles that may work conceptually in the boardroom, but not so much in the dressing room. How to pick your spot Because people tend to sell quantities of clothing close to home, the best way to thrift in the age of Ozempic is to pick a shop in an area where women are likely to wear the brands you want to find and go there regularly. My usual spot is on a cobblestone-lined street in a village-like neighborhood a short train ride away from the center of the city where I liveonce called a railroad suburb. Look for a well-lit, well-organized store where the clothing is neatly hanging on uniform hangers. If you do become a regular and see the same garments week after week, move onthat store isnt getting enough traffic to keep things interesting. Because you dont have to settle. Closet upheavals due to GLP-1 drugs are plentiful, giving us lots of options. So, experiment until you find your own resale sweet spot, then start building the wardrobe youve always wanted: Their loss is your gain.
Category:
E-Commerce
Never before has the CMO position been more complexor more essential to driving business results. The mark of success for any chief marketing officer is their impact on the long-term trajectory of a beloved brand. So, what does that look like in a year as chaotic as 2025, where there’s been on-again, off-again tariffs, massive holding company mergers, and the continued rise of AI across the board? I reached out to CMOs from Hinge, McDonalds, Crayola, State Farm, and Kraft Heinz, five marketing leaders operating at the top of their game, navigating the chaos, and getting results. We talked about what lessons theyve learned from the past year, issues theyll be facing in the coming year, and what they expect to be the biggest shift marketers and brands can expect in 2026. Here’s what they had to say… What was your most important lesson or insight of 2025? Invest in listening and learning! Remarkable strategy and creative work are always grounded in true insight and original ideas. Hearing your core audience, and their needs, must be central to how you do the work. Knowing which audiences are the most important to center, and learn from, is also important. Having a diverse, empowered team is a short cut here, for sure. At Hinge, our employee base mimics our user base. That is a powerful advantage. Hinge CMO (now CEO) Jackie Jantos The pace of change is overwhelming for everyone (both our fans and our teams). Our most important job is to maintain human connections and be a place of joy for our fans.Morgan Flatley, McDonalds Global Chief Marketing Officer & Head of New Business Ventures The best brand moments can’t always be planned. They come from teams that stay agile, take smart swings and can move in real time. Our decision to release our Batman vs. Bateman spot in March was carefully considered. We couldve launched it anywhere, but the alignment with college basketballwhere our brand is strong and the audience overlap is realmade the story land bigger. We kept our Super Bowl-level tactics across the entire campaignincluding cross-channel build-up and sneak previews, fan giveaways, top-tier talent, and it became one of March Madness top-performing campaigns. It’s important to build the muscle to move with audiences, show up with authenticity and add value in real time. State Farm CMO Kristyn Cook 2025 has been a whirlwind. Consumers and companies across the world have seen a lot of challenges and uncertainty. In these moments, I have learned it is more important than ever to focus on what is within your control. Focusing on brand superiority, the role our brands need to play in their respective categories and the joy they bring to consumers. It is not the time to sit back; it is the time to focus, invest in brands, and execute flawlessly. Kraft Heinz chief growth officer Diana Frost “The most important lesson this year, again, is that brands cant just show up in culture, they need to create and contribute to it in ways that feel authentic and connect people. For Crayola, that meant adopting a more expansive brand narrative that reinforces our deep cultural roots and underscores our purpose: championing creativity as a lifelong skill. Its not only about products, experiences, and content that bring creativity to life, its about being recognized as an advocate for creativity as essential to growth and wellbeing.” Crayola CMO Victoria Lozano How did the role of marketing change the most in 2025? Marketers have a lot to contribute across the whole business. They should influence growth and business strategy, product development, and guide organizational culture. Hinges goal is to get daters off the app and into great dates. Delivering on this deeply human mission requires deep and nuanced understanding of core audiences and their relationship needsand a lot of imagination around which challenges we can take on, and how we can be in service of people. This is where marketings contribution can be profound. Hinge CMO (now CEO) Jackie Jantos Marketing is central to our business growth, and this year we made some big bets that paid off. Take a look at Minecraft, where we brought together two iconic worlds that invited fans of all ages to play, eat, and build together. We proved that when we combine genuine passion for an idea, the power of our brand voice, and a killer fan truth, we can do incredible things for the business. This partnership increased traffic to our restaurants, fan excitement across nearly 100 markets, and success for the movie at the box office, too. Weve also gotten much better as a system in sharing and scaling great ideas. Campaigns like The Grinch Meal and Menu Heist are examples of how fan-centered ideas can cross borders while adapting to local nuances and flavors. Often, the most powerful brand asset you have is your product. Morgan Flatley, McDonalds Global Chief Marketing Officer & Head of New Business Ventures Every company is exploring how AI can sharpen their marketing. While AI is boosting the scientific side of marketing, the true strength comes from balancing science with artinstinct, human connection, and, most importantly, creativity. Creativity remains the ultimate differentiator for brandsit’s the force multiplier that enables everything else. If your creativity doesnt grab attention or stop the scroll, none of it matters. State Farm CMO Kristyn Cook What will be the biggest difference between 2025 and 2026? Getting people off the app and into great dates remains core to everything we do at Hinge. When daters have better outcomes their trust in Hinge grows, as does our businessorganically. But many emerging tools and technologies arent built with long-term user outcomes in mind. In 2026, well see an even sharper divide between brands that use technology guided by a set of valuesthat put peoples needs and wellbeing firstand those that dont. And young people will notice and care. Purposeful technology will increasingly become a differentiator. Hinge CMO (now CEO) Jackie Jantos While the pace of change feels faster than ever, the fundamentals wont shift as much as we think they will. Technology and media are evolving, but the power of storytelling, killer creativity, and human connection remain constant. I read a striking thing at the start of this year: that TV is the most popular device for watching YouTube on, more than a cellphone or desktop. So, when people talk about the ‘death of TV,’ its not the death of watching things on a TV, in your living room, often with friends and family. Its just where that content came from and how it was served to you. Thats an important distinction. Our job is to navigate through the change, while not forgetting whats most important and meaningful to our brand and or fans.Morgan Flatley, McDonalds Global Chief Marketing Officer & Head of New Business Ventures It is my belief that 2026 will have a lot of continued themes from 2025. That said, the pace of AI-powered marketing will continue to accelerate. AI-powered marketing will allow marketers to have a faster path than ever before to insights and analytics, brand co-pilots, innovation, content and recipe formulation. That said, it will never replace human curiosity, connection, and brand authenticity. Marketers require the ability to balance AI scale with human credibility.Kraft Heinz chief growth officer Diana Frost What will be the most significant shift or issue for marketers in 2026? Were entering a moment where technology and AI can meaningfully add value, but can also convincingly mimic empathy and smooth the friction that actually helps us grow as humans. That creates a new responsibility and accountability for marketers. Human relationships are complex, imperfect, and deeply important, and the products and messages we introduce into the world shape how people connect. So the key question for marketers in 2026 will be: Who is our work truly serving? What are we contributing to culture and community? To stay relevant and build trust, brands will need to build with intention and continuously design for more positive human connection.Hinge CMO (now CEO) Jackie Jantos Building the foundation with Gen Alpha. The entire brand economy has been focused on Gen Z. Were looking at whats next; how we earn a place in the world of our future customers so when theyre ready, we already feel familiar and trusted. They aren’t ‘younger Gen Z.’ Gen Z grew up digital, and Gen Alpha is growing up algorithmic. They expect content to know them, adapt to them and evolve with them in real time. We are doing our homework nowstudying how they stream, the platforms they are native to and how they want to engage with brands. Platforms like Twitch and the streamers leading the conversation are shaping Gen Alphas taste. Community is very important niche fandoms, creator-led ecosystems, gaming environments will all matter more than broad channel reach. We need to build trust early on with moments and experiences they truly want, and create a world where content is hyper-personal, participatory, and always evolving. State Farm CMO Kristyn Cook “Marketing is evolving from omni-channel storytelling to connected ecosystems in an AI-mediated world. But in a world of big data and advanced language models, the most powerful insights still come from real, human experiences. What scales isnt the broadest messageits the most authentic one. Listening to customers matters more than ever; the role of influencer content to drive preference is growing. In a landscape chasing ‘perfect’ information, creativity, empathy, and humanity arent just nice-to-havestheyre what set brands apart. The future of marketing isnt about chasing every channel. Its about the small, personal observationsthe little details about how people actually live and behaveand creating connected experiences that feel seamless, even when the ecosystem isnt. Consumers expect brands to meet them in these micro-moments with relevance and purpose, not noise.”Crayola CMO Victoria Lozano Our role as marketers is to understand consumer behavior and use those insights to move people to engage with our brands. It is an art and science and there are key skills and capabilities required to do that now and in the future. As marketers, creativity and innovation are critical in this moment. AI supercharges conventional wisdom; creative problem solvers are the present and future of marketing. It has never been more important to be data proficient. We have more data than ever at our fingertips but using it to power insights and execution is key. How consumers discover, connect and transact with brands continues to evolve. Those who can best understand and breakthrough in the new consumer journey will win. Kraft Heinz chief growth officer Diana Frost
Category:
E-Commerce
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