Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, ad tech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
This week we speak to Ranieri & Co co-founder and CEO Rob Ranieri.
Time at the company:
Three months.
How would you describe what the company does?
We find the sweet spot between what brands want to talk about and what audiences are genuinely interested in: stories that inspire, inform and entertain. This is why we’ve recently partnered exclusively with Wondery, the world’s largest independent podcast publisher whose vision and content aligns precisely with what we do.
What do you do day-to-day?
Very succinctly, everything I do is around growing Ranieri & Co. into one of Australia's premier podcasting agencies.
Define your job in one word:
TheBestThingThatEverHappenedToMe.
I got into social media marketing and podcasting because:
I hated life as a stockbroker and found social media a fascinating way to market. I realised I wanted my work to be interesting, something I could be passionate about. I hate sounding so cliché, but that’s the truth. That interest has since shifted to podcasting.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Paparazzi. Also, there’s been a huge shift in mindset for me with this role. My career has gone from something that provided for me, to something I’m creating that will meaningfully impact the lives of others and provide for them. That’s not only for our clients, but includes those who work for Ranieri & Co. It’s been wonderful, but changes how I think and make decisions.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
I believe as an industry we’re slow to adapt: some of the biggest chunks of advertising revenue still go to mediums with the lowest measurement/analytics/attribution simply because they’ve been around for ages and that’s how budgets have always been spent. There’s a lot of that rinse-wash-repeat mentality that we need to move past.
Previous industry related companies you have worked at:
I’ve mainly worked for myself with clients such as Australian Almonds and Aria Property Group, but companies I’ve worked at include OMD and TRIBE: I’ve met some of the most amazing people at each, making me one lucky duck.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
My dad has always been my go-to mentor. He’s had an incredible career, culminating as a CFO at one of the world’s largest privately held companies. More importantly, he has always been shockingly modest. That’s why I go to him. He has a strong sense of values and what’s meaningful, which at the end of the day are what I want to bring into my work.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
I have that entrepreneurial spirit, so for me it’s all about calculated risk. I have worked for myself for a long time and over the years calculated risk has evolved from working a part-time job as I grew a client base, to having back up plans if a deal didn’t come through. It’s a bit of a conundrum: I believe in having a laser-like focus on one thing and doing everything in my power to see it through, but need to have some peripheral vision just in case.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Tom Ford.
My mantra is:
Be kind. You have the ability to bring a smile to someone’s face every day. I was talking to someone recently and they were wondering if they’d get along with their new team. I replied, “That’s not up to chance. Be excited to meet them. Act like they’re already your best friends.” It’s not a philosophy for everyone. I just really like people.
My favourite advert is:
Isla Fisher for ING: it’s equal parts insane and hilarious.
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
Not The Masked Singer. I do love podcasts and am currently binging Business Wars. On Netflix I adored La Casa de las Flores.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’ve played the cello for Lady Gaga. I went to an all boys high school in New York and she went to our sister school. She was the lead in all of our school plays, so I got to play with her. She was incredibly talented and focused even as a high school student, but this question is about me, so you should know I’ve always been terrible at playing the cello.
In five years' time I'll be:
36.
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