Erik Hauser, the interviewer, is the Founder of the Experiential Marketing Forum

It is with great pride that I introduce The Experiential Marketing Forum's Profiles in Leadership. 

The idea for it arose after I began connecting recently with a bunch of EMF community members who wanted to chat about the economic changes and what was going on with the industry.  Everyone seemed to be asking like-minded questions re: what was going to happen next and how we would all be affected. 

By now, everyone kind of knows my style :) - In typical Erik fashion I spent many hours on the phone just talking to people.  The most important part of the conversations wasn’t the part when I was talking - it was the part when I was listening to what the community had to say.

It occurred to me that we could create a new tool on the EMF that would offer the community keen insights about our industry and other relevant subject matter from the best minds working with, and around, us all.  

In reality the idea flows back to what my mom told me when I was a kid.  She said,” If you find things in life that you like then associate yourself with them - if you can’t find these things - create them.”  This forum is built on the vision of those words  -- and  I still hear her in my head each day.  From a personal perspective, at the time I created the EMF I was looking to create order in the chaos I felt during one of my initial phases of my career.   I needed an outlet where people spoke the same language and understood that a rising tide lifts all ships. The goal was to build a place where people would come to learn - a place where there would be interactions and give and take  -  even among competitors - for the greater good of the industry.  

We've named this section EMF Profiles In Leadership because it involves forward thinking practitioners and theorists.

I figured that I’d throw out some questions to industry heavyweights and it could be a great learning tool for everyone to see what others are doing to make it through these tough times.  Most importantly, I thought in addition to my own conversations, it would start to help answer some of the questions that the community was posing to me, and in general.  

I really look forward to having some distinguished people answer some simple questions that can help the community grow their businesses, perform better at their current jobs or even help someone decide which major to select in college.

Click here to visit the Experiential Marketing Forum Profiles In Leadership Archives

Would you like to have your profile featured? Click here to contact Erik Hauser.

Tim Collins
SVP – Experiential Marketing
Wells Fargo

Education:
Johns Hopkins University Undergrad, and Kellogg Graduate School of Management  MBA

Books Reading:
Reading a lot of Eastern European literature (Kafka, etc.) in preparation for a vacation there next spring.

I dare to ask age: 
After the three alarm fire atop my last birthday cake, the fire department suggested I stop counting.

Inspirational Figures: 
The guy that held back the Tanks as they were heading to Tiananmen Square.  I wonder if I, put in the same situation, would have the guts.

Relationship Status: 
Married

Favorite Quote:
“The future ain't what it used to be.”   Yogi Berra