The Speed of Culture Podcast: The Incredible Journey of Kofi Amoo-Gottfried to CMO of DoorDash

Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, the Chief Marketing Officer at DoorDash, shared his incredible journey from growing up in Ghana to becoming a key figure in the marketing world. In this inspiring conversation, Kofi discusses the importance of understanding people and their behaviors, taking risks, and navigating change to build a successful business.

From Ghana to Minnesota: Discovering a Passion for Marketing

Kofi's journey began when he moved from Ghana to St. Paul, Minnesota, to attend college. Initially an economics major, Kofi accidentally stumbled upon a recruiter from Leo Burnett and ended up joining the advertising agency as an intern. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for marketing, combining his love for understanding people with his interest in driving business growth.

Building the First Majority-Owned Agency in Sub-Saharan Africa

After working at Leo Burnett and Widen+Kennedy, Kofi took on the challenge of establishing the first majority-owned agency across all holding companies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Pubasis Ghana. This entrepreneurial experience provided Kofi with invaluable knowledge and helped shape his future career moves.

Transitioning to the Client Side: Bacardi, Facebook, and DoorDash

Kofi's career saw a significant shift when he joined Bacardi as their Global Brand Director. Moving to the client side allowed him to explore different aspects of marketing and expand his skillset. Later, he joined Facebook as the head of marketing for internet.org, focusing on expanding internet access to emerging markets.

In 2019, Kofi joined DoorDash as VP of Marketing, eventually becoming the Chief Marketing Officer. As CMO, he has played a crucial role in guiding the company through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and driving its growth into new categories and international markets.

Navigating Change and Embracing Risk

Kofi credits his background as an immigrant and the early loss of his mother for shaping his attitude towards risk-taking and seizing opportunities. He believes that one should always be ready to respond to change and adapt to new situations. This mindset has helped him navigate the rapidly evolving marketing landscape and drive success for DoorDash.

Key Lessons for Building a Successful Business

Kofi shares three key lessons from his journey:

1. Stay curious: Keep learning and expanding your knowledge to stay ahead in the ever-changing business world.

2. Be kind: Treat others with kindness and empathy, as everyone is fighting their battles.

3. Remember that light is always at the end of the tunnel: Stay optimistic and focus on finding solutions even in challenging times.

By following these principles and staying in tune with consumer trends, Kofi has played an instrumental role in DoorDash's growth and expansion into new markets and categories. His inspiring story serves as a reminder of the importance of curiosity, kindness, and resilience in both life and business.

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Key Takeaways:

• 09:17 – 11:06 – Embracing Risk and Change – Amoo-Gottfried’s career is characterized by embracing change, which he views as opportunities for growth. Immigrating to a new country taught him that taking risks can be invaluable in achieving success, regardless of the challenges presented along the way. Pairing hard work with a continuous curiosity gives him strength to move boldly into future endeavors.

• 11:06 – 15:38 – Prioritizing Support for Restaurants and Dashers – In the wake of a pandemic, DoorDash provided immense support for its restaurant partners. Its “Open for Delivery” awareness campaign ensured that restaurants were front and center in customers’ minds. It also reduced commissions by 50%, navigated schedule changes, and implemented instant payment to demonstrate its commitment to keeping restaurants open during hard times. 

• 15:38 – 18:48 – Empowering Small Businesses – DoorDash is on a mission to help small businesses reach new heights, both domestically and abroad. With ventures into grocery and retail, the brand adapts its marketing strategies for an ever-evolving customer base. Growth doesn’t stop at borders either as DoorDash pursues international expansion initiatives. The company is also fine-tuning its ad platform that charges based on conversion rates to give every business the potential of success.