For anyone who has followed David Meerman Scott work over the years, the phrase “ahead of his time” almost feels like an understatement. He saw the real-time marketing revolution long before the rest of the world caught up, turning that vision into 13 books—including The New Rules of Marketing and PR, now in its eighth edition and published in 29 languages. And in Fanocracy: Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans, the Wall Street Journal bestseller he co-authored with his daughter Reiko, David explored the neuroscience of fandom to understand what truly makes customers become believers.
What I love most, though, is how his professional accomplishments sit side-by-side with his passions — collecting Apollo program artifacts, surfing, and attending nearly 1,000 live music performances, including 105 Grateful Dead shows. That blend of brilliance, curiosity, and joy embodies everything we talk about inside the C-SUITE NETWORK™ when we explore success.
The Early Signals of Success
When I asked David when he first understood what success might look like, he shared a familiar story. His father — an accomplished sales and marketing executive — measured success the traditional way: job titles, recognizable company names, and the right business card. David began his own career with those same benchmarks, spending 15 years in corporate roles, ultimately becoming a Vice President of Marketing for a division of Thomson Reuters.
But even inside a global company, David was already challenging the old rules. He was early to email newsletters, early to implement search engine optimization, early to publishing free online content – all efforts that grew the business while others dismissed them. “People thought I was nuts,” he said with a smile. And yet the results validated everything he believed.
That moment when he realized he was defining success through innovation and impact became the turning point.
The Hard Lessons That Shape Us
Not everyone appreciated David’s forward thinking. As he recalled, one executive said to him, “That’s not how we do marketing here.” And eventually, the company fired him despite the fact that his ideas were working.
But what struck me most was how he interpreted that moment. Instead of seeing it as a failure, he saw it as liberation. Losing his corporate title forced him to let go of someone else’s definition of success. It gave him the freedom to create his own.
Looking back now, it’s impossible not to see that moment as the catalyst to everything that followed. His blog, launched in 2004. The New Rules of Marketing & PR, published in 2007 and immediately took off. His advisory work with HubSpot when they were a tiny startup, now a multibillion-dollar company.
But the real achievement, he told me, wasn’t the books sold or the companies scaled. It was the people who approached him over the last 18 years to say, “Your ideas changed my life.”
To David, their success is his success. That’s the kind of leadership we need — leaders who understand that our impact is measured not by accolades, but by the impact we create in others’ lives.
Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Personal Brand
David and I share a belief that many business leaders still struggle with the outdated idea that our personal and professional selves must be separated. Through his research for Fanocracy, he saw clearly that authenticity — and even vulnerability — is what drives real connection.
As he put it: Why hide the things you love?
David lives this out openly. His love of the Grateful Dead, surfing, and space history aren’t side notes. They are foundational to his personal brand. In fact, when Dead & Company announced their shows at the Las Vegas Sphere, more than 100 people messaged him — not because he told them he’d be there, but because they already knew who he is.
And that’s the lesson: When we bring our whole selves forward, we attract the right people, the right opportunities, and the right partnerships. Those who aren’t aligned simply fall away and that, in itself, is a form of success.
The Power — and Privilege — of Saying No
This was a theme that resonated strongly throughout our conversation. David has reached a point in his life and career where he can say no, and he sees that as one of the greatest measures of success. Not because “no” shuts doors, but because “no” protects what matters.
When we put our real selves into the world, people have a sense of who we are long before they work with us. Those who resonate are already aligned. And those who don’t? We can say no and move forward confidently, purposefully, authentically.
Entering the Third Stage of Life: Giving Back
David shared a powerful framework that got me thinking:
- The first third of life is for learning.
- The second third is for acquiring.
- The final third is for giving back.
He’s now fully in that third stage – donating time, contributing to meaningful causes, mentoring, teaching, and finding new ways to serve. His voice becomes even more essential as he leans into topics like AI, the ethics of technology, and the broader societal impact of platforms like Facebook.
A Final Thought
As we wrapped our conversation, I found myself both inspired and energized. David’s definition of success is not about status but about meaning. It’s about sharing what you love. It’s about courage. It’s about trusting your instincts even when the world says no. And most importantly, it’s about lifting others as you rise.
That is the heart of true leadership.
Catch the full interview on C-Suite TV and the podcast on C-Suite Radio, Spotify, or whatever platform you listen to podcasts.
