Aniesia Williams, Chief Client Officer at Epigen: “Empower employees to contribute ideas and initiatives that enhance the customer experience”

When Aniesia Williams was honoured with a 40 Under 40 award by The Network Journal – a publication dedicated to educating and empowering Black professionals and small business owners – she was, by her own admission, both flattered and excited. But not validated.

That’s because validation had long arrived and was part of her core, stemming from the knowledge that your value and success don’t depend on others recognising it. “To all the hardworking entrepreneurs out there, don’t wait for permission to be great” she said in an interview with Black Enterprise, reflecting on her success as an entrepreneur.

True to her word, Aniesia hasn’t wasted any time turning her many talents into a successful career. A prolific journalist, she has written about entertainment, lifestyle and technology for publications as well-known as Business Insider and Lonely Planet. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

When she’s not writing, Aniesia flexes her storytelling skills in the service of marketing and leadership. She has worked as a Managing Director, Global Inclusion & Health Equity at Real Chemistry, as the Founder + Fractional CMO of AW&CO and, in her latest role, as the Chief Client Officer at Epigen Technology, a boutique technology advisory firm based in Arlington, Virginia.

How has this well-decorated career shaped her views on marketing? Read on to find out.

Why Dust or Magic? That stems from a quote by legendary American advertising creative director, William Bernbach: “An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.” (And if you’re wondering where you’ve heard the name, Bernbach was the inspiration behind Don Draper of Mad Men fame.)

Could you please introduce yourself to our audience? What motivated you to pursue a career in marketing, and how did you embark on your journey in this field? 

I like to fashion myself as a corporate executive with entrepreneurial tendencies. My ability to use education and experience in media, technology, and communications to build a bridge to companies that seek authentically skilled and highly capable people has been instrumental in my success.

Building something from the ground up has required a certain tenacity, skillset, unwavering dedication, optimism, and vision that not everyone has. Fortunately for me, I honed my skills in different sectors by volunteering for tasks when other folks didn’t want to do them. I never waited to be voluntold… I just raised my hands and I got to work on different clients in different sectors that would take me all over the world. 

How do you ready yourself for an AI-driven landscape as a marketing leader? What new skills do you need? 

Gain a foundational understanding of AI concepts, including machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics. You don’t necessarily have to be the one that’s coding, but familiarising yourself with how AI technologies work and their applications will be critical. This field is changing daily, so you must be willing to learn and pivot continuously when necessary.

As I work with clients throughout the year, AI allows me to provide solutions with the most value, whether in customer segmentation, predictive analytics, or personalised content delivery. Having a customer-centric approach and mindset allows me to understand what resonates with a particular audience and help train AI models that we work with for implementation for our organisation and clients.

By developing a well-rounded skill set that combines technical knowledge, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities, you’ll be better equipped to navigate and lead in an AI-driven marketing landscape. 

Related reading: Hospitals aren’t ready for AI — but it’s ready for them

How do you think AI might evolve B2B marketing and/or ABM strategies in 2024?

There are a few ways that AI can shape how we approach AI in B2B marketing. Utilising AI can help marketers analyse customer interactions across various touchpoints to create more accurate customer journey maps. This will allow a better understanding of the entire customer experience and identify opportunities for optimisation.

Adding blockchain technology will enhance trust and transparency in B2B transactions as well. This is particularly relevant for industries where secure and transparent transactions are critical. Lastly, tailoring AI tools to generate content will allow marketers to save time with routine tasks, freeing up time to focus on strategy and creatives. 

What core values have played a pivotal role in shaping your approach to marketing and communication?

Core values play a crucial role in shaping approaches to marketing and communication. They guide organisations in defining their identity, building relationships with stakeholders, and making ethical decisions. While specific values may vary between organisations, these are the ones that guide me:

• Integrity
  • Being honest in communicating goes a long way. I’m not the one to tell the client what they want to hear but the truth so that I can help them solve their problems effectively. 
• Authenticity
  • Authenticity creates trust with clients. The relationship’s foundation will be shaky if you don’t have that.
• Customer Centric
  • Focusing on what they need and delivering that creates loyalty in a client as well.
• Teamwork and Collaboration
  • You can’t do the work we do alone. It takes collaboration and teamwork to ensure you are always on the same page and aligned.
• Innovation
  • Constantly seeking new and effective ways to engage audiences, staying ahead of industry trends, and adapting to changing consumer behaviours is critical in our business. Bringing new ideas to clients keeps them as clients. 
• Accountability
  • A firm that is accountable for the impact of campaigns acknowledges mistakes, and learns from them to improve future strategies is what any client wants. This is the bedrock of our values at the firm. 

Related reading: Midjourney website now lets you generate images without Discord

What major hurdles have you encountered as a marketing leader, and how did you surmount them?

As a Black woman and a business owner who built a brand from scratch, I know how tough it is to succeed in the traditional corporate American setting. I’ve seen first-hand how women of color get shut out of meaningful conversations where we have been told that we have a seat at the table, dealing with “cultural fit” misconceptions while the goalposts continue to move, and lastly, microaggressions cloaked in racism.

From a leadership perspective, I implemented work-from-home opportunities that helped to create a more supportive environment, created and led ERG groups to share and create solutions to promote a more inclusive workplace, and tied diverse goals to leadership bonus goals for accountability. 

What piece of advice would you offer to fellow marketing leaders that has been particularly beneficial to you personally?

As business landscapes evolve, and customer preferences change, stay agile and be willing to adapt your strategies based on shifting customer needs and market dynamics. Ensure that everyone in the organisation understands the importance of a customer-centric approach. Empower employees to contribute ideas and initiatives that enhance the customer experience. Map out the customer journey to identify touchpoints and opportunities for improvement. This understanding helps tailor marketing strategies to align with the customer’s experience.

Prioritising a customer-centric approach may require a cultural shift within the organisation, but be open to it. By embedding this mindset into your team’s values and daily practices, you can create a marketing strategy that attracts new customers and fosters long-term relationships and loyalty.