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340: Building a Brand from the Inside with Stephanie McCarty, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Taylor Morrison

With a background in journalism and a career in communications, Stephanie McCarty may not be the typical CMO but that is exactly what makes her perfect for the job. She is leading a marketing revolution in homebuilding by reimagining the marketplace and digital shopping experience at Taylor Morrison. 

In this episode, Alan and Stephanie discuss how to get your entire organization rowing in the same direction by understanding that culture building is the groundwork for success, and why having a consistent compelling message is essential no matter who you are talking to.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

  • The importance of pushing for innovations in established industries 
  • Benefits of building the brand reputation from the inside out rather than trying to shape external opinions
  • Why CMOs need to focus on the employee experience as well as the customer experience

Key Highlights 

  • [02:00] How experiencing loss at an early age motivates Stephanie today
  • [05:20] The nontraditional path that led Stephanie to the CMO role 
  • [16:00] The rapid pace of change in the marketing industry
  • [17:50] Who is Taylor Morrison?
  • [19:30] What marketing and communications look like at Taylor Morrison
  • [25:30] How to stay close to the customer journey    
  • [28:00] Collecting and using data to understand how customers think
  • [33:00] Advice for CMO’s thinking on the employee experience 
  • [35:20] What is TMLiving?
  • [38:50] Defining moments in Stephanie’s life 
  • [41:00] The power of “radical candor” 
  • [42:50] Advice for her younger self
  • [43:20] Focusing on customer effort
  • [44:00] Brands that have nailed the customer experience  
  • [45:45] The opportunity associated with rapid change 

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