Dr. Andrew (Andy) Rohm has spent 20+ years in academia as a marketing professor, first at Northeastern University in Boston, a year in the Netherlands as a Visiting Professor at Maastricht University, and now at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Before that, he was an aerospace engineer, migrant worker and cattle station hand in North Queensland, Australia, and a marketing executive in the athletic footwear industry at Brooks and Reebok.
Meet Dr. Rohm - Cool guy with a sense of humor, and out-of-box thinking, excited about life and loves interacting with students! Read our Q&A session below.
What’s the best way students learn?
Nowadays, in the year 2023, we’re all collectively bombarded by a tidal wave of information, some of it interesting, most of it not. We feel as if we need to attend to it all for fear of missing out (yes, FOMO). I believe this has shortened the human attention span to less than that of a goldfish you’d buy at PetSmart. What I’ve found in my over 20 years of teaching is that my students learn best when doing and working on course subject matter in class. For instance, if teaching a module on the marketing funnel, have students pair up and create their own unique funnel for a recent purchase experience. Of course, we need to deliver the goods, the mcontent. But the days of the one-hour lecture are over in terms of truly connecting with our students.
What is one industry book that a newcomer must read?
Although I don't like a lot of business books out there--most of them are too focused on principles and examples that are soon outdated--I like Malcom Gladwell's ability to identify perspectives that are timeless and that are applicable to all types of organizations, companies, and brands. I also loved reading Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard. It dives into detail about how Patagonia walks the walk when it comes to creating a truly sustainable sustainability business model.
How did you end up where you are today?
Although it might have taken longer than most, I recognized I could be a good teacher when I spoke to Professor Tom Boyd's Marketing course at Miami University while working at Reebok. It was the first time in my life I felt like I had something important to say to people (aka students) who were actually listening to me. And then experience took over whereby, in the spirit of continual development, over time I was able to learn from my mistakes and failures as a teacher. Prior to entering academia, I had been floundering in a sea of mediocrity.
What gives you fulfillment in life?
Three things: 1) pushing myself relentlessly, whether it be in the classroom, in the pool, or thinking of cute, pithy things to say in this interview; 2) developing the ability to talk to strangers, for you never know whom you might meet and what you might learn; and 3) seeing my children grow up and enter adulthood as fully functioning human beings.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Younger self: “Live more in the present.” Relax, everything will work out.” “Judge less and be more kind to people. You never know the inner battles and demons they’re battling.”
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