Bernhard Schroeder, Director of the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center Programs at San Diego State University, shares insights from his book Brands and BullS**t. Excel at the Former and Avoid the Latter. Find out how to build a brand that creates such a powerful connection in a customer’s “mind and gut” that they feel there is no substitute for your product or service.
About Bernhard Schroeder
Bernhard Schroeder brings over 20 years of marketing and entrepreneurial experience both as a Senior Partner in a global integrated marketing agency and as a former Chief Marketing Officer on the client side. Today, Bernhard is the Director of the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center Programs at San Diego State University and he oversees all of the centers undergraduate and graduate experiential programs.
Bernhard has worked with hundreds of start-ups in San Diego, on and off the campus, is a strategic advisor to several start-ups and is quoted frequently in both local and national media and has spoken at TEDx events.
He also teaches several entrepreneurship courses (Creativity and Innovation, Entrepreneurship Fundamentals, Business Model/Plan Development for Entrepreneurs) within the College of Business Administration at San Diego State University. His first book, Fail Fast or Win Big was released in February 2015, followed by: Simply Brilliant, Powerful Techniques to Unlock Your Creativity and Spark New Ideas in October, 2016, and Brands and BullS**t. Excel at the Former and Avoid the Latter. A Branding Primer for Millennial Marketers in a Digital Age. in October, 2017.
Since moving to San Diego in 1997, he specialized in working with founders and venture capitalists in either growth or turnaround opportunities with several companies ranging from $10 million to $150 million. He has experience working with Fortune 100 firms like Apple, Nike, General Motors, American Express, Mercedes Benz, Kellogg's and others as well as start-up companies. He was involved in the initial branding and marketing launches for companies like Yahoo!, Amazon, Corbis, ESPN and Travelocity.
Prior to moving to San Diego, Bernhard was a Senior Partner in the worlds' largest integrated marketing communications agency, CKS Partners, which in 1998 had offices in over 30 countries, more than 10,000 employees and over $1 billion in revenue. He joined CKS in 1991 when the firm had only 21 employees and just $2.5 million in revenue. He opened the first out of state agency office for CKS in 1993 in Portland Oregon and, working with the other four partners, grew the firm to almost $40 million in revenue by 1995 and led CKS to a successful initial public offering that same year.
