NextNW

Time to Switch Jobs? How to Navigate a Changing Industry
2023-05-31 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Oregon
Modifying Ferris Bueller’s famous line: The economy moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss your next move.

When is it time to hunker down? When is it time to make a move? If it’s time to make a move, what move?

If you’re asking yourself questions in this orbit, you’ll want to tune in to glean some insight from folks who have built exceptional careers in the industry.

In this conversation, established business strategy and marketing professionals will share their insights about how roles have changed and how they’ve made their career choices.

This is a free event on LinkedIn Live

Speakers:

John Paik, SVP of Global Marketing, MiiR

Mandy Lozano, UVA Darden Trustee; Consultant in Business Strategy and Marketing

Dr. Curtis Bullock, Talent and Leadership Consultant

LinkedIn Live Agency Super Session: Sparking Growth
2023-06-14 14:00 - 14:45 | Oregon
Smaller agencies have enough on their plates. But, keeping an agency flying requires attracting and engaging great people, acquiring more customers and carving out a unique niche.

Join entrepreneurial expert Craig Wiggington as he helps empower small and mid-sized agencies with the knowledge and strategies to overcome their most significant challenges.

This episode focuses on an entrepreneurial approach to:🔥 Developing organizational capabilities🔥 Finding more of the right customers🔥 Differentiating an agency’s USP🔥 Attracting top talent

Learn more about this session and bookmark it on LinkedIn.

The Role of Human Centricity, Design and Creativity in the Age of A.I.
2023-07-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Oregon
This event is from TDA Creative, featuring ThinkNW board member Anthony Reeves.

In an online panel discussion hosted by Eelko Lommers, Experience Design leader at IKEA, a selected panel of Global creative leaders talk about the need for human centricity, empathy, inclusion, curiosity, conceptual and creative thinking, problem-solving and collaboration. And how these qualities will be needed to navigate the challenges and opportunities everyone around the world will face when we transition to this new age of intelligence.

Agency Biz Dev Basics in a Cluttered World
2023-07-12 12:00 - 12:45 | Oregon
Yeah, a lot is going on in advertising and marketing. The constant whiplash can distract from growth.

Lissa Blackaby Forsterer, CEO and founder of agency growth consultancy Cheerful Persistency has seen all kinds of industry changes over the past 20 years.

Yet the basics still matter.

In this LinkedIn Live session, Lissa shares strategies and tactics that:

Maximize current client opportunities

Keep revenue more consistent

Shift to a more positive mindset

Develop old and new relationships

Help you stay focused on what matters—instead of the shiny distractions

The biz is out there—and Lissa can help lead your way forward.

Portland: Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Movie Night
2023-07-20 18:00 - 22:00 | AMC Progress Ridge, 12345 SW Horizon Blvd., Beaverton, Oregon, 97007, United States
It’s a ThinkNW Movie Night at AMC Progress Ridge. Join us for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One at 6:00 p.m. We have 15 tickets available. First come, first serve. And if we run out, you’re more than welcome to join us by purchasing tickets at AMC’s site or app (show time is 6:45).

To get on the list, email us here.

Plan Now: Leveraging the 2026 World Cup in the Pacific Northwest and Beyond
2023-07-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Oregon
LinkedIn Live

Fun Fact: 30 years ago, Nike experienced their fastest growth in company history. What led to that phenomenon?

Well, two of the most significant events on the planet took place back-to-back on U.S. soil in 1994 and 1996 in the FIFA Men’s World Cup, followed directly by the Atlanta Summer Olympics. Both spurred unprecedented local and international interest in sport, soccer and lifestyle culture surrounding both.

And as it turns out, the next window with this rare combination is fast approaching exactly one generation later—and in our west coast backyard.

The FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Seattle, Vancouver, Canada, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the summer of 2026, among other North American cities, followed directly by the LA Summer Olympics in 2028.

You may not know that planning for this ‘perfect storm’ is well underway. And there are ample opportunities to get involved locally, regionally and nationally.

Guests:

Karl Keating, CEO and Founder of consultancy The Perfect Storm LAB, has led planning at Adidas in Portland and Nike in Europe and is now advising brands, agencies and host cities about how to win before the world is watching.

Lauren Anderson, Director of the Warsaw Sports Business Center at the University of Oregon.

In this LinkedIn Live session, you’ll learn strategies and tactics that:⚽️ Help you understand your new fan heading into ’26 and ’28⚽️ Think about getting involved and be relevant before the ocean becomes red with competitors jumping in⚽️ Leverage this once-in-a-generation moment for growth whether you are involved in sports or not.

2026 is closer than you may think, and those prepared with a plan will reap the benefits—especially in the PNW.

Portland: Extremely Dog-Friendly Happy Hour
2023-08-10 17:00 - 19:00 | Ruse Brewing, 4784 SE 17th Ave, Portland, Oregon, 97202, United States
Our Extremely Happy Hour is back, with a twist. Bring your dog to a summer evening of networking, fun and fantastic beer at Ruse Brewing in SE Portland. Enjoy the nice weather and get those dog pets in as we celebrate all of the great things in our Pacific Northwest industry.

Building a Better Portland
2023-08-11 09:00 - 09:30 | Oregon
The narrative around Portland and the Pacific Northwest comes across as unfavorable to the rest of the world. Yet, despite the challenges and recent national conversation about the city, Portland continues to build, grow and evolve.

Central to the real Portland story is business—particularly local businesses that remain its vibrant lifeblood.

There is no greater advocate for Portland than Stephen Green, who recently accepted the Business for a Better Portland (BBPDX) executive director role—and is committed to solving the city’s challenges.

Join us as we talk to Green about:

⭐️ His goals for BBPDX as executive director⭐️ The most pressing challenges to tackle for Portland business⭐️ How the city and state can continue to come together for the common good⭐️ Untold success stories⭐️ What the rest of the world gets wrong about Portland

ThinkNW Office Hours: Visibility and PR
2023-08-11 14:00 - 15:30 | Oregon
Each month, ThinkNW Office Hours presents subject matter experts on various industry topics and issues.

This private, members-only online forum features ThinkNW board and organization members who provide actionable advice and insight to help grow your talent and business.

ThinkNW executive director Doug Zanger opens the floor on Friday, August 11th at 2 p.m. to discuss visibility, comms and PR.

A former Adweek and The Drum editor, Doug has seen all kinds of pitches and stories from agencies and brands. Additionally, he worked at The Martin Agency, where visibility mattered most.

In this session, he’ll break down:

What matters most when pitching

How to build a strong position and narrative

Approaching journalist relationship-building

Navigating the trades

Additionally, Doug will look at your existing positioning, pitches and comms and give tangible advice and feedback.

ThinkNW Office Hours is a free, members-only benefit. To register, please contact us directly and we look forward to seeing you on the 11th.

To MBA or Not to MBA: Part 1
2023-08-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Oregon
‘To MBA or not to MBA’ is a high-stakes dilemma. Through this two-part series, you’ll learn how to achieve your professional aspirations whether you decide to get an MBA or not.

In part one, on August 17th, we’ll hear from MBA holders about what they got from their experience during and after their graduate school programs.

How do you choose a program? How do you gauge how welcome you’ll be when you get there? What kind of opportunities opened up after the degree was done? And a key question on our minds: Is getting an MBA worth it?

In part two, on August 24th, we’ll hear from folks achieving success and promotion without going the MBA route.

If you don’t have an MBA, how do you compete with folks who do? How can you find other credentials or learning options worth your time? What different paths are there to the next phases of your career? To the summit of the marketing and advertising industry?

Partner Event: NWMMSDC 27th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser & Silent Auction
2023-08-23 09:00 - 15:00 | Oregon
The Northwest Mountain MSDC invites you to join them on Wednesday, August 23rd for a business day on the green at the Golf Club at Redmond Ridge! Enjoy fun activities followed by a Silent Auction, with all proceeds contributing to the MBE Scholarship Fund. Click on the links below for more details about the event.

Register yourself or your foursome for a day of fun on the green! Not a golfer? Register to join us for the lunch and networking portion of the event!

Register as a Team or Individual

Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities

Donate to the Silent Auction

To MBA or Not to MBA: Part 2
2023-08-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Oregon
‘To MBA or not to MBA’ is a high-stakes dilemma. Through this two-part series, you’ll learn how to achieve your professional aspirations whether you decide to get an MBA or not.

In part one, we hear from MBA holders about what they got from their experience during and after their graduate school programs.

In part two, on August 24th, we’ll hear from folks achieving success and promotion without going the MBA route.

If you don’t have an MBA, how do you compete with folks who do? How can you find other credentials or learning options worth your time? What different paths are there to the next phases of your career? To the summit of the marketing and advertising industry?

2023 ThinkNW Open Golf Day
2023-09-28 00:00 - 23:59 | Langdon Farms Golf Course, 24377 NE Airport Road, Aurora, Oregon, 97002, United States
The ThinkNW Open is the largest golf tournament held for the advertising, marketing, and media communities in the Pacific Northwest.

Not a golfer? We got you. This is an inclusive event for anyone in our industry who wants to get out, have fun and support our community programs.

ThinkNW Radio on Amazon Amp: Episode 1
2023-10-04 15:00 - 16:00 | Oregon
We’re music fans—and fans of Amazon Amp. Creating a real radio show from your smartphone? Count us in.

We’re kicking off ThinkNW Radio with guest DJ Jeffery Bartley, manager of corporate services marketing and communications at the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council. Join us as he creates a middle-of-the-week musical menagerie.

One of our Industry Impact Partners, the Northwest Mountain MSDC does remarkable work in our industry—learn more about them here.

Member Check-In: Odd Notion
2023-10-13 11:00 - 11:45 | Oregon
To keep telling the Pacific Northwest industry story, we check in with ThinkNW members to learn more about their work and what’s on the horizon.

On Friday, October 11th at 11 a.m. Pacific, we check in with ThinkNW members Odd Notion on LinkedIn Live. They’re fresh off a few big creative award wins, and founder Eleazar Ruiz updates us on how they’re finishing the year strong.

Member Check-In is about raising visibility, an essential benefit of ThinkNW membership. Members can contact us to schedule a member check-in on LinkedIn Live.

Partner Event: Co-Lab23 in Seattle
2023-10-18 08:45 - 17:00 | Block 41, 115 Bell Street, Seattle, Washington, 98121, United States
Join industry leaders for thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, intimate roundtable sessions and networking at Co-Lab23 in Seattle.

This diverse lineup of expert speakers shares insights and practical knowledge about marketing strategy, emerging trends, and how to drive intended outcomes.

Topics that are currently at the forefront of marketers’ minds, such as AI, employer branding, and improving your marketing strategy, will be covered.

Attend Co-Lab23 to gain fresh perspectives and join a community of passionate marketers.

Presented by Hansen Belyea and Project Bionic, the schedule includes:

Out of the Shadows: Building a Unified Marketing Movement in Seattle – Kevin Urie

Beyond Chat GPT: How to Master AI for Content Design – Amy Balliett

Crafting Compelling Content – Brianna Home and Ron Hansen

Take a Stand for Your Brand Culture to Market Smarter – Eben Tobias Greene and Bill Hayes

The Power of Personal Culture – Cletus Coffey

Panel on Artificial Intelligence with Lawrence Lerner, Boaz Ashkenazy, and Amy Balliett

The Canary and The Coal Mine: Why Social Strategy Is More Important Than Ever – Josh Dirks and the Project Bionic Team

Gaming and Reaching Gen Z – Zack Rozga

Capitalizing on NIL (Name, Image, Likeness): How Brands and College Athletes Can Mutually Benefit from Partnership – Betsy Sperry

Seattle: ThinkNW Gaming + A.I. Breakfast
2023-10-19 09:00 - 12:00 | Seattle Marriott Waterfront, 2100 Alaskan Way, Seattle, Washington, 98121, United States
Expert panelists explore how endemic and non-endemic brands continue to impact the gaming space—and what the future holds. Additionally, we explore the current state of artificial intelligence and how it’s changing the industry.

Breakfast and networking start at 9:00 a.m. The program begins at approximately 10:00 a.m.

Panel One: The Evolution of Brands in Gaming

Competition in gaming is fiercer than ever. And we’re not talking about players going against each other. The new battlefields are the brands working hard to stand out while authentically connecting with a hard-to-reach audience. In this session, we track the evolution of endemic and non-endemic brands and how they have found success (and a few bumps along the way). We’ll also share some best practices on how brands and agencies can use the wide range of gaming platforms more effectively.

Panelists:

Nate Hunt, VP of Client Strategy, Twitch

Nathan Stewart, VP of Marketing, Blizzard Entertainment

Brian Karlin, Head of PC and Wireless Advertising Sales, Amazon

Panel Two: Agencies and AI

Julian Douglas, VCCP’s International CEO and Vice Chairman shares the latest bold work coming from the agency community, how artificial intelligence continues to impact creativity and how brands can use it in meaningful ways.

Please contact us for more information.

Presented by:

Agency Super Session: Why Business-First Leads to Better Client Outcomes
2023-10-26 10:00 - 10:30 | Oregon
Cultivagency founder Lori Bartle has 30 years under her belt in this industry. A ThinkNW member, she’s smashed it in:

Media sales

Media buying/planning

In-house

Agency account management

Lori also picked up an MBA in the middle of it all.

Lori shares some key pieces of her six-week Building Business Acumen workshop in this session. It’s an opportunity to practice, receive feedback and

develop a business-first mentality and discipline

Learn to:

Foster a greater understanding of business context

Build confidence in the ability to understand and speak the language of business

Enhance ability to function as informed, proactive partners to clients and agency teams

More effectively cultivate growth for clients and agencies

After this enticing sampler, ThinkNW members can take advantage of a 20% discount for the entire six-week session.

Inclusivity: The Ultimate Superpower in Advertising
2023-10-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Oregon
Imagine living in a world filled with superheroes, each possessing unique gifts and abilities. Now, picture seeing an advertisement for a product promising to boost those superpowers. However, the ad only showcases one type of superpower – and it isn’t yours. How does that make you feel?

Fast-forward a few years, and another brand’s advertising campaign emerges, showcasing a diverse spectrum of superheroes, each celebrated for their exceptional abilities. Their message is clear: their boosting product is designed to support all, irrespective of individuals’ distinctive superpowers.

Crystal Foote, founder and head of partnerships at Digital Culture Group, explains how and why inclusion can be more relatable and accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the subject.

Foote aims to inspire and equip brands across various sectors with the tools to harness inclusivity as a potent force for positive change in their marketing and society at large.

Join us on LinkedIn Live.

ThinkNW Logo Remix Reveal
2023-11-01 09:00 - 09:30 | Oregon
Join us on LinkedIn Live as we reveal ThinkNW’s Logo Remix for November 2023. Artist Sharmila Akula shares the new logo, the thinking and approach to the work.

Partner Event: How to Develop a More Effective Outbound LinkedIn Sales Strategy
2023-11-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Oregon
Developing an effective outbound sales program on LinkedIn is challenging. pdxMindShare founder, Kent Lewis worked with a biz dev coach to develop a solid strategy. This led to closing the largest client in his agency’s history.

Learn from Kent in this webinar about how to:

Understand the power of using LinkedIn to drive qualified sales leads

Apply proven best practices to generate MQLs and SQLs via LinkedIn

Learn about automation tools that can help improve your outreach efficacy

Partner Event: pdxMindShare Happy Hour
2023-11-15 17:00 - 19:00 | Oregon
Our partners at pdxMindShare reserved the back room at Paddy’s Bar & Grill to network, connect and grow personally and professionally. The format hasn’t changed since the first gathering in 2000.

Bring your business cards and a few dollars to buy a drink or two. Be prepared to share your story and ask or offer help to other area professionals.

Member Check-In: Portland Garment Factory
2023-11-17 10:00 - 10:30 | Oregon
To keep telling the Pacific Northwest industry story, we check in with ThinkNW members to learn more about their work and what’s on the horizon.

On Friday, November 17th at 10 a.m. Pacific, we check in with ThinkNW members Portland Garment Factory on LinkedIn Live. They’re got so much great stuff cooking, and founder Britt Howard updates us on what’s up for the end of the year and 2024.

Member Check-In is about raising visibility, an essential benefit of ThinkNW membership. Schedule your member check-in here.

Member Check-In: Food Court Creative
2023-12-15 11:30 - 12:30 | Oregon
To keep telling the Pacific Northwest industry story, we check in with ThinkNW members to learn more about their work and what’s on the horizon.

On Friday, December 15th, at 11:30 a.m. Pacific, we check in with ThinkNW members Food Court Creative from Seattle on LinkedIn Live. Founder Aaron Feiger drops some serious knowledge and shares the agency’s creative (and tasty) chops.

Member Check-In is about raising visibility, an essential benefit of ThinkNW membership. Schedule your member check-in here.

ThinkNW January 2024 Logo Remix Reveal
2024-01-04 09:00 - 09:30 | Oregon
One of ThinkNW’s favorites, our logo remix, kicks off 2024 with Olivia Stephens, illustrator and graphic novelist from Seattle. Join us on LinkedIn Live to learn more about the inspiration and approach to this month’s remix.

And check out how Pacific Northwest artists interpreted our logo in 2023.

ThinkNW Member Check-in: Broadhead
2024-01-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Oregon
To keep telling the Pacific Northwest industry story, we check in with ThinkNW members to learn more about their work and what’s on the horizon.

On Friday, January 12th at 10:00 a.m. Pacific, we check in with ThinkNW members Broadhead. With a rich history in Portland, we learn more about the agency’s 2023 and its optimism for 2024.

Member Check-In is about raising visibility, an essential benefit of ThinkNW membership. Schedule your member check-in with us here.

Marketing All-Stars Honoree Celebration: Jaime Ekman, Stoltz Marketing Group
2024-01-18 14:00 - 14:30 | Oregon
Each year, we proudly celebrate the achievements of the Pacific Northwest’s marketing greatness. We’ll share insights from our 2023 ThinkNW Marketing All-Stars class from now through April.

The ThinkNW Marketing All-Stars presents a rare opportunity to delve into the minds of some of the world’s top leaders and talent shaping our industry and region.

On Thursday, January 18th, we celebrate Jaime Ekman, President and CEO of Stoltz Marketing Group, our Agency Leader of the Year honoree. Join us as we learn more about Jaime’s leadership, the agency and Boise’s dynamic creative and advertising community.

January 2024 Extremely Happy Hour in Portland: Adult Recess
2024-01-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Portland Garment Factory, 311 SE 97th Ave, Portland, Oregon, 97216, United States
Let’s kick off 2024 with a bang. Portland Garment Factory hosts our first Extremely Happy Hour of the Year with a fun theme: Adult Recess.

We’re talking food, drinks and going back to our roots as kids for an evening of community, connection and a ton of fun.

Save the date, get your tickets, and we’ll have more details soon.

Logo Remix Reveal: February 2024
2024-02-02 10:00 - 10:30 | Oregon
Every month we collaborate with creative talent in the PNW to participate in our Logo Remix.

We’re counting down the days till our next Logo Remix Reveal with Ren Strapp, comic artist and designer.

Join us on our LinkedIn Live Interview with Ren for some creative inspiration and to kick off the beginning of February.

Take a look at January’s logo remix from Olivia Stephens.

Revamp Your Career Search: Resume & LinkedIn Review
2024-02-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Oregon
In our first 2024 Talent Talks, we dig into current market trends and how to revamp your search. 52 Limited talent managers Colleen Finn and Crystal Pak share expert insights on how to raise your visibility and stand out in a crowded field.Join us as Colleen and Crystal focus on updated resume tips and best practices to adopt on LinkedIn.Resume advice includes:✅ Getting past the average of 8 seconds recruiters spend looking at a resume✅ Understanding the purpose of your resume✅ Tailoring your resume to fit the job description.✅ Utilizing ChatGPT✅ Formatting guidelines, quantifiable achievements and skills using action verbsLinkedIn insight includes:✅ Completing all sections of your LinkedIn profile✅ Using a professional profile picture✅ Crafting a concise and engaging summary✅ Optimizing your Experience section✅ Keywords, keywords keywords✅ Leveraging Job Search and Open to Work preferences✅ Networking strategies✅ Including languages, licenses and certifications✅ How to stay active on LinkedIn
