Andrew Kraft: Why You Can’t Earn a Degree in C-Suite

On today’s episode Andrew Kraft reveals how he created a path to the role of CEO by working in positions at every level, creating his own degree in leadership. Listen in as Deborah and Andrew discuss why becoming a COO was possible because of his prior roles, why he strives to never be the smartest person in the room, and the right questions to ask yourself to reach your next career milestone. Andrew also shares how you can use your current experiences to learn the communication strategies that truly prepare you for a C-Suite role.   Andrew Q. Kraft has served as Chief Operating Officer of The Arena Group since October 1, 2020. Mr. Kraft first joined us in December 2018 as Chief Revenue Officer and then Chief Venture Officer. He transitioned to a consulting role in early 2020 before rejoining the company as COO.Prior to his time at Arena, Mr. Kraft served as the “utility infielder” on the executive team at AppNexus (acquired by AT&T as part of Xandr) for seven years. Roles at AppNexus included head of business and corporate development, co-founder of the company’s publisher business, global head of ad sales, and interim Chief Financial Officer.Previous roles included Senior Vice President, AMP & Publisher Solutions for Collective, where he led business development for the company’s audience management and monetization platform, as well the Head of Revenue & Member Services for the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).Mr. Kraft, who studied Physics and Theater at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before leaving to help join the “web” business at Sapient, lives with his family in Hillsborough, NJ. He spends summers slow-cooking Texas-style BBQ and winters participating in curling tournaments throughout the Northeast.   You can connect with Andrew via his website: https://thearenagroup.net/   Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.