When we talk about transformational leaders, only a few names stand out, like Vladimer Botsvadze. Vladimer is a world-renowned, multi-award-winning social media and digital transformation influencer, thought leader, mentor, trainer, and internet personality. Ranked as the No. 1 Global Marketing Leader by Thinkers360, Vladimer is frequently invited to the world’s top business schools, corporate meetings, and conferences to deliver inspiring speeches. Vladimer is known for his commitment to excellence and his ability to think outside the box to transform businesses worldwide. Recently we got a chance to sit down with Vladimer to learn more about his work and how he is transforming businesses across the world.
Below are the highlights of the interview.
Q1) Please tell us about your professional journey.
Vladimer: I’m a world-renowned, multi-award-winning digital transformation and social media influencer, thought leader, keynote speaker, futurist, start-up advisor, and media personality. I’ve always been at the forefront of fast-paced industries. I’ve more than 15 years of international experience in marketing and innovation with a proven track record of guiding executives and top brands worldwide to initiate change, drive growth, and position brands as market leaders in their industries. I have enjoyed an outstanding career at the top of the technology industry, and I’m recognized as one of the brightest minds in digital transformation. With such a world-class career, I continue to play a pivotal role in maximizing top brands’ success. I have been described as ‘’a force of passion and unique insights for business’’ by global audiences. I’m an Advisory Board Member at the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute, the United States Data Science Institute, and the United States Cybersecurity Institute. I also serve on the Advisory Council of the Harvard Business Review. I’m a mentor at Abu Dhabi SME Hub. I’m a jury member at the Gartner and Communication Awards, the Prolific North Marketing Awards, and the Lisbon Advertising Festival. I’m a member of the Marketing Judging Committee of the American Business Awards.
I have played an instrumental role in the market domination of my personal brand and established a world-class reputation for always bringing innovation to the table with every project. Based on my consistent and robust performance, I’m ranked as the No. 1 Global Marketing, Social Media, and Retail Thought Leader by Thinkers360. RETHINK Retail recognized me among the Top Global Retail Influencers in 2022. Sparity has acknowledged me among the Top 25 Digital Transformation Influencers. I have been recognized as an influencer by Onalytica, The Awards Magazine, Kred, GlobalData, Retail Insight Network, Rise. Global and the Keenfolks. My awards epitomize my success as a tech thought leader, sharing how I have shaped my name into one of the biggest personal brands and transformed the marketing industry.
I have a real passion for technology, having consistently built my Twitter for 10 years and accumulated a strong track record by performing at top global events such as Digital Talk Forum, the Asia Retail Summit, the Global Marketing Summit, etc. My dedication to building Twitter has put me at the forefront of entrepreneurship as to how social media plays a key role in building businesses worldwide. I have risen to global prominence and gained popularity singlehandedly, building my Twitter (55,400 followers), Linkedin (27,650 followers), and Instagram (9,920 followers). My work has reached 40 million people annually on Twitter. Addressing audiences internationally, encouraging actionable change, and motivating people to become more confident, I’m guaranteed to leave a lasting impact on all audiences.
Q2) Going back to your early career decisions, please tell us what factors influenced you to have a career in digital marketing.
Vladimer: I moved to the United States and the United Kingdom with a desire to grow myself. I have started seeing the world faster, easier, and clearer. The experiences of both countries have instilled a competitive advantage. I started from scratch and my mentality helped me climb every mountain in marketing. Everyone sees who I’m today, which is an amazing story. I’m self-made, because I was learning, working, exploring, climbing, and moving forward. I sacrificed so much and I love everything I achieved because I have done everything to the best of my ability.
I knew that Twitter would be instrumental in my career and I fired on all cylinders. I have come a long way for my success, made a dent in technology, and reached my stride. I have a way with storytelling, the Midas touch in business, and I have what it takes to succeed. Taking action is what makes all the difference as I go into full swing, strike while the iron is hot, and make hay while the sun shines. As a result, I’m ahead of the game and hold all the aces. Week in and week out, I put in the work and hit the ground running.
I have worked every single day in my 20s which set me up for success in my early 30s. My success was possible by burning the midnight oil, giving every project my best shot, and putting my shoulder to the wheel. I was bent on driving my results, and I adopted a policy of Kaizen that is all about continually improving results. It’s as clear as crystal where I stand as the No. 1 Global Marketing Thought Leader was triggered by the right investments, curiosity, perseverance, hungriness, and discipline. I’ve always gone the extra mile to possess a gold mine of information, and I know business backwards and forwards.
My intelligence has also been instrumental in my transformation because I’m as sharp as a razor and use my gray matter. At the end of the day, I’m happy because I live my life on my terms. Constant dropping wears away a stone, and I believe in discipline. Motivation has always been the bedrock of my growth because I wake up with determination and possess lots of get-up-and-go. I take pride in seeing my results that are as solid as a rock, and from the vantage point of the present, I have achieved everything to the best of my ability.
Q3) How do you ensure work-life balance?
Vladimer: Work-life balance is a significant yardstick of success. I plan my vacation and days off in advance, adding exercise as part of my daily routine. I enjoy activities that can only boost my mood.
Q4) Having worked with some of the biggest companies worldwide, what are the biggest challenges businesses are facing nowadays?
Vladimer: I believe brands need to be close to their consumers and build connections with them, communicate, and care about their social media tribes. Nowadays, brands face a catch-22 situation and tell their stories on the wrong channels where people no longer spend their time. You have to tell your story and capture attention to win in the long term. Without the shadow of a doubt, brands are transactional and management teams care about a short-term ROI. It’s harder for them to think in the long term. They only ponder about what happens in the next five to ten months, not in the next five to ten years. Brands are not using social media to their fullest advantage. They are spending 90 percent of their marketing budget on worthless channels, and if they put that money into social networks, they would start accelerating their growth. Social media is a listening platform and brands use it like email marketing. The right channels always pay off and it’s up to marketing managers to change the horse in the midstream. In a nutshell, storytelling across social media channels truly guarantees long-term success and sustainability.
Q5) How do you motivate creativity and innovation in the workspace while maintaining a healthy environment?
Vladimer: Creativity is one of the core drivers of business success. In a healthy work environment, productivity increases, innovative ideas are born, and employees gain momentum. I encourage interaction and collaboration among my colleagues that generate new ideas. I intend to build a strong and diverse team. Employees from all walks of life provide solutions in unique ways. Cutting-edge ideas can challenge the status quo that empower brands to drive results. I hire people who are passionate about what they do and strive to improve results. Their contagious attitude takes success to the next level.
Q6) What are your thoughts on diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
Vladimer: Inclusive companies are more likely to become market leaders. Every single person in the workplace should be valued, heard, and empowered. Organizations should hire people with different educational backgrounds and experiences. So many examples have demonstrated that diversity and inclusion create benefits for employees, customers, and corporations. Brands need to attract committed employees who can contribute to the organizational culture.
Q7) What milestones and achievements are you most proud of?
Vladimer: I have spoken at the Global Marketing Summit, where I’m listed as a speaker alongside Philip Kotler. I have become an Advisory Council Member at the Harvard Business Review. Gartner has elected me as a judge for the Marketing and Communications Awards. I’m one of the most requested global technology and marketing speakers. I help global brands generate more revenues, and I lead them to a path of success and growth. Moreover, I have delivered hundreds of successful virtual events. I’m a top addition to any marketing summit line up. With a solid track record of groundbreaking initiatives and exponential growth, I have been ranked as the No. 1 Global Marketing Thought Leader by Thinkers360. My expertise is trusted and recognized by the American Marketing Association. I hold industry badges in Metaverse, NFT, 5G, Blockchain, Retail, and SportsTech. My presentation at the Global Marketing Summit has been watched by 50,000+ participants from 143 countries, 6 continents, and 922 cities. My clients are always prepared for the future of marketing, I play an active role on the Advisory Boards, and my global audiences are engaged, inspired, and armed with practical and actionable marketing strategies. I’m proud of my expertise, which allows me to be named one of the most influential marketing influencers. Inspirational, phenomenal, unique, pioneer, and visionary – these five words show up most often in recommendations I receive on Linkedin after my keynote speeches.
Q8) What are your priorities for 2023 and beyond?
Vladimer: My career has finally reached its peak, and when I wake up, it’s a race against time because I have so many ongoing projects. I’m due to speak at more global marketing events. I’m on the verge of collaborating with UCLA Anderson School of Management and mentoring startups at UCL Innovation and Enterprise. I’m a one-man band and very versatile in business. I enjoy creating my path rather than following the crowd. Based on my strong performance, I’m at the top of my game, and I fire on all cylinders.
I’m driven by empathy, kindness, gratitude, and teamwork. I’m just lucky that I have experienced the United States as a teenager and the United Kingdom in my 20s. I have ended up in environments where they have cherished and applauded my work ethic, commitment, passion, and dedication. I’m proud to be surrounded by my kith and kin who support my journey, and I’m very grateful to them. I’m interactive with my audience, which allows me to build relationships with my tribe. When I’m invited as a guest speaker to business schools, I tell them that any skill set can be taught, and I look forward to teaching other kinds of skill set that will empower them to build a solid reputation. Building a personal brand is of paramount importance to anyone who wants to be in growth mode in the long term. I will be speaking on how mobile is changing industries and why Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, YouTube, and other networks are the ultimate drivers of business results.
I’ve been trailblazing marketing, whether it was social media or building my website; I enjoyed the process of doing something new. I have started from scratch, and I have brought myself to the top because I love what I’m doing. I encourage anyone who listens to my keynotes to be more patient. I will be delivering my business tips to the masses. Through my tweets, videos, blog posts, and keynote speeches, I have shown the world why I’m ahead of technological trends.
