Influence and the Future of Marketing Programs at Business Schools with Amanda Russell

Amanda Russell has been referred to as “Carrie Bradshaw meets fitness.” As an award-winning brand creator and international digital marketing strategist, Amanda helps companies re-imagine how they interact with their customers and manage their businesses in the new digital world.

She is the creator of Fit Strong and Sexy, an online fitness and lifestyle community for women. Amanda has been featured in publications including Forbes, The Huffington Post, Women’s Health Magazine, SELF and SHAPE. Selected as one of the world’s Most Popular YouTube Fitness Stars by Ryan Seacrest, Amanda knows first-hand what it takes to build a strong brand.

Amanda designed & co-created UCLA's Influencer Marketing course, the world’s first fully accredited program in Influencer Marketing. She has now brought that curriculum to the University of Texas at Austin and is in instituting it in universities across the globe.

Amanda and I discuss her new book “The Influencer Code: How to Unlock the Power of Influencer Marketing” as well as the state of marketing curriculum at Business schools. Amanda also shares her inspiring story of missing the Beijing Olympics due to a career ending injury and how she used that experience to a pivot and become a successful entrepreneur. 

Amanda has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Richmond, Robins School of Business and an MBA from Mercy College. 

Discussion Topics:

(3:07) How MBA programs should be updated to meet the changing nature of modern-day marketing.

(9:11) How to find and exercise one’s influence.

(10:38) Influencer marketing misconceptions: buzz vs. influence.

(13:15) How best to justify your marketing spend and win budget.

(18:14) Free versus paid advertising and attribution.

(25:40) Legal considerations for Influencer marketing.

(29:48) Amanda’s story of launching a business in NYC and early Youtube days.

(41:45) Rapid fire questions.