On life and marketing: Q&A with Soundzipper’s Daryl Stewart

Daryl Stewart is Soundzipper’s head of marketing and a familiar face on this blog. He is responsible for helping spread the word about the company’s work in Singapore and beyond.

Working in a startup is a unique environment, and Daryl Stewart recently took some time to talk about life at Soundzipper and how he spends his time when he’s not shaping the future of acoustics.

What is your role at Soundzipper?

Daryl Stewart is the overall in charge of marketing and strategic planning in the company. It is his job to make sure our brand is being known. “We are trying to bring out more of our business and trying to figure out how we promote something that’s not tangible,” said Daryl who also handles analytics and anything else that has to do with marketing from sorting out the products to ensuring customers get the best value etc. It is all a matter of time.

How did you get the job?

I came here as an intern in 2015 and converted to full time in April 2016. “This was my first job out of university and it comes with a lot of responsibility”. The learning curve was very high. I am also responsible for how the brand is portrayed and managed in a sense. “I have to forecast whatever is important and go from there and delegate as needed.”

My first office job was at OpenRice Singapore. I  learned a lot about responsibility for what I’m supposed to do. I also learned how to align myself with a bigger picture, and that job sparked my interest in marketing.

How does marketing at a startup compare to marketing at a more traditional company?

 

Daryl Stewart: Everyone does everything at a startup. There are so many things to do and really a lot of things to push for. At a traditional company, you are a small fish in a big ocean and it’s hard to see the bigger picture, but at a startup, you are more involved in everything.

It can be a lot of work but can also be fun. It’s really a dream for me and what I’m living is quite a big thing. I get to do everything I want and really have an impact, but the challenge is there. Some of my friends or people I know think I don’t do a lot of work, but then I show them the amount of stuff I have to complete and they don’t believe it.

Working at a startup is a lot of trial and error because what happens if you have to try something and if it doesn’t work you have to adjust and retry. When the flower blossoms then you can see the fruit and see the brand is developing that’s what it’s all about.

What advice do you have for people who are looking to start a career in marketing?

You might want to take an internship if you want to try Marketing. You will never know what the job is like and what it takes. It’s also important to be open and never stop learning. As Marketers, we tend to get stuck in our ways.

We have to realize the power of communication. This is really necessary to get the job done. Don’t be stubborn; we’ve all got to see the other point of view because relationships go both ways. Lastly, don’t be afraid to bounce ideas off of your team members.

What are your career goals?

Ideally, at the end of the day, I want to be a lecturer. “The professors at my university inspired me and I want to teach marketing share the knowledge with others”. Beyond that, it would be really cool if I could be a global brand or somewhere that is nonprofit.

What do you do when you’re not working at Soundzipper?

 

I enjoy cooking and am really into baking things like pies and cakes. “I worked most of my life in food and beverage and it gave me the personality of being proactive rather than reactive.” I am also currently taking vocal lessons and starting to write my own songs. I played the drums for 15 years and bass for 4-5 years. “I was in a hard rock band that broke up a few years ago, but I do enjoy jamming with other guys at Soundzipper.”

Anything else we should know about you?

I am focused on building a life instead of building a career. He believes that there is time for everything; time for family and time for work. As a Catholic Christian, most of the way he plans his life is around God.

“I felt like my life was off track, but I’ve learned that with the proper direction in life, everything is possible.” 

To end off, I will like to quote St Augustine “You have made yourself for us, O Lord and our heart is restless until it rests in you”.

Bonus:
Are you interested in a marketing internship? View more details here and drop your resume at [email protected]