Challenging Vs. Disrupting With SmileDirectClub’s John Sheldon

Alan Hart

2 years ago

Challenging vs. Disrupting with SmileDirectClub’s John Sheldon

Did you know that 60% of counties in the US do not have an orthodontist within the county? So, what do those people do when they find themselves needing orthodontic care?

This is the question that John Sheldon set out to answer. John is the chief marketing officer at SmileDirectClub where they are leading the charge with accessibility, increased convenience, and at a lower cost than competitors of orthodontic care.

In this episode, John and I discuss how the company started out as a disruptor and is moving towards becoming a challenger against their primary competitor. Listen to the full episode to learn more about the benefits of challenging the market and how the customer experience plays a key role.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The benefits of challenging the market
Why you should center innovation around the customer experience
Where data plays a role in your brand

Key Highlights

[01:18] How John is responsible for many marriages and divorces
[02:15] John’s path to CMO at SmileDirectClub
[05:01] Who is SmileDirectClub?
[07:45] Scaling as a challenger vs. a disruptor
[10:37] Innovating around the customer experience
[12:56] How data plays a role in brand story-telling
[15:04] Investing in TikTok as a marketing strategy
[20:32] Pivoting with the changing landscape
[23:45] An experience that defines John
[25:05] John’s advice to his younger self
[27:15] What marketers should be learning more about
[29:03] The brands and organizations John follows
[30:55] The biggest threat and opportunity for marketers

Resources Mentioned:

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth opportunities. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine companies.