The Power of Curiosity and Creating Connection

RollWorks marketing guru Katie Dunn

A jetsetter splitting her time between San Francisco and London, the accomplished marketer dons a degree in PR and journalism.

“I always liked how marketing can make people excited not just about a product, but about a solution,” she explains of her professional path.

In addition to leading all of RollWorks virtual and field events, Katie is currently in charge of all programs, campaigns, and sales/marketing relationships for its commercial (small-business) segment.

But she’s not only effective when it comes to building customer-facing relationships. In 2019, she was also voted “Roller of the Year” by her RollWorks peers.

The marketing guru is inspired by “technology’s ability to connect people,” and her own passion for helping people connect—to a product or to one another—reveals itself easily.

“I hope to see more women in marketing leadership positions,” she says of one intention to create a supportive network. “So I’d like to continue creating more opportunities for women and underrepresented groups in technology.” She believes building a more inclusive and diverse environment fosters creativity, differing opinions, and ultimately better outcomes.

At Dreamforce 2019, Katie began realizing that goal. She co-organized an offshoot event in downtown San Francisco called “Own It: Women Leading Marketing Change,” which brought together three panels of women in marketing.

“It was one of the greatest moments of my career,” she reflects. “It is so powerful when women empower women—and you felt that in the room.”

Off the clock, a focus on curiosity, discovery, and connection directs Katie’s life outside of work.

When she’s not spearheading RollWorks demand gen initiatives, you can likely find her diving into the pages of a history book. “You see me, and I’m a blonde and blue-eyed girl, but I can spit off World War II facts like it’s no one’s business!”

Current read? “The Daughters of Yalta,” a book she describes as, fittingly, about “the role of women who had a hand in ending WWII.”

She believes that history repeats itself, so she aims to learn from it—even when it comes to marketing. For fun, she reads about Coca-Cola’s rise through the 1900s and how the behemoth brand’s marketing strategies developed.

Her pro tip to other marketers: “Do you have a favorite brand that’s been around forever? Go look at their history.”

And then there’s dining. The self-described “huge foodie” swears the Guadalajara Taco Truck in Oakland has the best Mexican food around, and she understands the power of the palate.

It’s no surprise, then, that she gravitates toward sending Sendoso food and drink kits—from cookie kits to cocktail kits. “Those things make me happy, so I hope they make other people happy as well.”

When we chat, Katie’s sitting outdoors against a backdrop of redwood trees in Northern California’s idyllic Russian River. Finally visiting family during an unprecedented pandemic, she reflects on technology during this time.

Whether it’s Zoom or a sending platform, she’s felt now more than ever how tech has helped remedy a lack of in-person contact. “Sendoso kits worked through an entire pandemic, which proved its impact,” she says. “It’s human nature: people love to be gifted things by surprise.”

Looking to the future, she also finds optimism in technologies fighting climate change.

She finds continual inspiration from Pinterest, e-books, and all the online marketing materials now at our fingertips. But even in a “world with digital overload,” human connection remains a source of truth.

At the end of the day, she says, it all comes back to connection.

Whether she’s seeking advice from her direct boss, whom she calls “a wealth of information,” or reaching out to other industry professionals for one-on-ones, conversation-as-research remains gold.

“When you pick someone’s brain about trends, it really gives you perspective on the hottest new thing.”

That element of exploration in her personal and professional life remains top of mind for Katie. What’s her biggest advice to marketing professionals today? It all comes full circle.

“Stay curious,” she says. “Never be afraid to ask a question.”