Post Summary
| Bozoma “Boz” Saint John, born in Connecticut in 1977, is a marketing powerhouse who has held roles at Uber, PepsiCo, iTunes, and Apple Music. Raised in Nairobi, Washington DC, and Accra, she later moved to Colorado Springs with her family.
After studying African American and English studies at Wesleyan University, she began her career at Boston-based advertising agency Arnold Worldwide and then Spike Lee’s agency in Brooklyn. Saint John’s career break came in 2005 when she joined PepsiCo as Senior Marketing Manager, creating the Music and Entertainment Marketing department and leading it for a decade. She also worked as Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce at Ashley Stewart between 2009 and 2011. After being hired by Beats Music’s Jimmy Lovine, she transitioned to Apple when it acquired Beats Music and Beats Electronics in 2014, significantly contributing to Apple’s global dominance. In 2017, she joined Uber as Chief Brand Officer during a turbulent time for the company. She later worked for Endeavor and became Netflix’s first black C-level executive in 2019. Saint John has faced personal tragedy, losing her husband to cancer and dealing with a premature child. She has authored a memoir and joined the Black Advisory Board for Impact to help address the exclusion of people of color from the fashion industry. Saint John has garnered various accolades throughout her career, including being inducted into the American Advertising Hall of Fame and the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame. Despite numerous obstacles, she inspires many, especially women of color, with her determination and impact on the marketing industry. |
Biography of Bozoma Saint John
Bozoma “Boz” Saint John is a name that shook the entire marketing world. Trail-blazing and driven, Bozoma started with various low-paying jobs and a mind for advertising.
However, her efforts would turn mildly successful companies into global success, making her one of the richest women in the world.
Bozoma Saint John had many roles, from the Chief Brand Officer at Uber to Senior Marketing Manager at PepsiCo.
She also worked as a marketing executive for iTunes and Apple Music. She rapidly rose in the ranks using her skills, which we will find out about soon enough.
Early Life
Bozoma Saint John was born as the daughter of Rev. Dr. Appianda Arthur and his wife, Aba Arthur, on the 21st of January, 1977.
She was born in Middletown, Connecticut, but she spent most of her childhood years in Nairobi (Kenya), Washington DC, and Accra, Ghana.
When she was only 12, she immigrated to Colorado Springs with her family and settled there.
Her father was a member of the Ghana Army and a clarinet player when he moved to the United States.
There, he would attend graduate school. Saint John claims that her father greatly inspired her to succeed in her dreams and career.
Her father obtained an ethnomusicology Ph.D. in 1977 from Wesleyan University.
Bozoma would go to the same college to obtain a degree in African American and English studies. Bozomma has a sister, Alua Arthur, which became an attorney and a death doula.
Career
Bozoma Saint John started her work life by doing multiple small jobs. However, her first significant opportunity was at Arnold Worldwide, a Boston advertising agency.
Then, in 2000, she started working for Spike Lee’s advertising agency in Brooklyn. There, she would fill the role of senior account executive.
This helped her start her career on a positive note, but her actual career break came in 2005.
Bozoma received a job offer from PepsiCo, where they asked her to be the new Senior Marketing Manager.
She accepted this new role and brought gradual changes to the company, helping it stay relevant and competitive in this new millennium.
Her idea was to set up the Music and Entertainment Marketing department to help PepsiCo reach the music market by sponsoring award shows and festivals.
She was eventually chosen to become the head of the department, a role that she would fill for a decade.
“Pop culture and entertainment can be dismissed as surface, but it’s not. It’s the language we all speak, and it’s the connection point between people all over the world.” ~ Bozoma Saint John
Between 2009 and 2011, she would also work for Ashley Stewart, a brand known for creating clothes for plus-sized women. There, she worked as the Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce, bringing the brand to a new level.
Saint John was later hired by Jimmy Lovine, the co-founder and CEO of Beats Music, to act as the marketing department head.
She already had experience in the music industry thanks to her PepsiCo involvement, so Lovine believed she was the perfect fit for the job.
In 2014, Apple Inc. bought Beats Music and Beats Electronics for $3 billion in cash and stocks.
After that, Saint John was appointed the leader of iTunes and Apple Music’s Global Consumer Marketing Division. She would excel in that role, significantly contributing to Apple’s global dominance.
For example, Saint John was the one that put together the popular commercial featuring Kerry Washington, Mary J. Blige, and Taraji P. Henson. She was also in charge of Beyoncé’s Superbowl XLVII performance, which turned out to be iconic.
In 2017, Saint John left Apple to become a part of Uber. Uber received poaching accusations during that time, but Saint John denied everything.
When she joined the global transportation tech company, the business was going through rather turbulent times.
For example, one of the company founders, Travis Kalanick, turned in his resignation after claims of sexual harassment.
“Risk is the essence of any reward – to try the thing that no one else is willing to try.” ~ Bozoma Saint John
After discussing matters with Ariana Huffington (co-founder of The Huffington Post) and Kalanick, she agreed that joining the Uber team was a great career move. She then accepted the role of the Chief Brand Officer of Uber.
There, she was tasked with telling the stories of millions of driver and rider partners all over the 600+ cities they were operating in.
She left Uber to join Endeavor in 2018, acting as their chief marketing officer. She left this job, as well, because the environment was difficult, especially for women of color.
Finally, she became the chief marketing officer for Netflix, where she would stay between 2019 and 2020, and she was the company’s first black C-level executive.
Personal Life
While at PepsiCo, Bozoma met the man who would become her husband, Peter Saint John.
The couple had a daughter together, Lael Saint John, but in 2013, Peter passed away as a victim of Burkitt lymphoma. After her husband died, she and her daughter moved to Los Angeles.
Saint John had various hobbies, mostly revolving around the creative arts. In 2012, she co-produced a short film starring Mfundo Morrison, Called Vet.
She also had a passion for writing, which led to the creation of her memoir, “The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival.”
“Bring your whole self to work because, that way, you can bring full ideas and the wholeness of your unique abilities.” ~ Bozoma Saint John
In the book, she talked about the heartbreaks and lessons she learned upon losing her husband to cancer. In addition, she talked about her grief, having lost her college boyfriend after he committed suicide and entering an interracial marriage.
She also disclosed her grief and challenges of a prematurely born child before they had their daughter. This led to Bozoma and Peter’s separation.
However, once Peter learned that he had terminal cancer, he gave Bozoma a wishlist, which included fixing the wrongs and canceling the divorce.
Achievements and Awards
Her career brought several achievements that made Saint John a force to be reckoned with.
2014 she joined the American Advertising Hall of Fame, further strengthening her name. She also joined the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame in 2022.
Moreover, Billboard gave her two awards throughout her career: “Top Women in Music” in 2015 and “Female Executive of the Year in 2016”.
Ebony listed her as one of the “100 Powerful Executives,” Glitz Africa Magazine mentioned her in the “Top 100 Most Inspirational Women of the Year” in 2019.
“There’s no more exciting moment for me as a brand strategist than a turnaround.” ~ Bozoma Saint John
Overcoming Obstacles
Upon her husband passing away, Saint John had to overcome a series of obstacles. Her career was skyrocketing, but she was dealing with unspeakable grief. She also had to deal with sexist jokes at her expense.
However, Saint John was not afraid to take on a challenge, which inspired many women in the industry.
She talked about seeing the bigger picture and why it is always important to follow your gut.
Considering how she brought success to several big companies, her legacy impacted the marketing industry significantly.
Future Aspirations and Plans
Very little is known about her precise future aspirations, but her memoir tells us one thing: she wants to live her life urgently.
In addition, she’s looking to draw attention to women of color, which is why she became a member of the Black Advisory Board for Impact. Through this, she wants to address how people of color have been systematically excluded from the fashion industry.
Conclusion
Bozoma Saint John inspired many people, especially women of color. Her climb up the ladder was fast but smooth, and she achieved more in two decades than most have achieved in a lifetime.
Driven and always listening to her gut, she changed the marketing world forever, and we must thank her for that!
“I believe in manifesting the words that are coming out of my mouth. I’m very careful with what I say because the intention is then out in the universe.” ~ Bozoma Saint John
Timeline of Bozoma Saint John
1977:
Bozoma Saint John is born in Middletown, Connecticut.
1990s:
Saint John spends most of her childhood years in Nairobi, Washington DC, and Accra, Ghana.
1990s:
Saint John immigrates to Colorado Springs with her family when she is 12 years old.
1990s-2000s:
Saint John does various small jobs before starting her career in advertising.
2000:
Saint John starts working for Spike Lee’s advertising agency in Brooklyn.
2005:
Saint John receives a job offer from PepsiCo and becomes their Senior Marketing Manager.
2009-2011:
Saint John works as the Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce for Ashley Stewart.
2012:
Saint John co-produces a short film called Vet.
Saint John publishes her memoir, “The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival.”
2013:
Saint John’s husband, Peter Saint John, passes away as a victim of Burkitt lymphoma.
Saint John becomes a Black Advisory Board for Impact member to address how people of color have been systematically excluded from the fashion industry.
2014:
Apple buys Beats Music and Beats Electronics for $3 billion in cash and stocks, and Saint John is appointed as the leader of iTunes and Apple Music’s Global Consumer Marketing Division.
2014:
Saint John joins the American Advertising Hall of Fame.
2015:
Saint John receives various awards, including “Top Women in Music”
2016:
Saint John receives “Female Executive of the Year in 2016” by Billboard.
2017:
Saint John joins Uber as their Chief Brand Officer.
2018:
Saint John joins Endeavor as their chief marketing officer.
2019-2020:
Saint John becomes the chief marketing officer for Netflix.
2022:
Saint John joins the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame.
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Lessons From The Life of Bozoma Saint John
We can learn a great deal from Bozoma Saint John’s experiences. Nevertheless, I will focus on a single lesson in this article: embracing diversity.
Saint John’s childhood experiences living in different countries, such as Kenya, the United States, and Ghana, contributed to her creativity and ability to adapt and excel in various roles and industries throughout her career.
Bozoma had some great ideas that can only come from experience and creativity.
When you learn about other cultures, that understanding will show up later in life, even though it may not immediately be apparent.
Being raised in one country and living in another for about 17 years, I can tell you this experience can add value to your life and help you achieve your goals.
When I went overseas as a teenager, I dreaded the experience. But, looking back, rather than looking at everything in the negative and just wanting to go home, I could have benefited more by realizing that my time there is something I can benefit from.
When you are exposed to a different culture and country, you expand your experience and thinking.
Consider this point of view: let’s say you lived in a small town for your whole life and never left that town. How limited would your experience be?
Learning from other cultures can help you in your life. When I returned home, I would catch myself applying things I learned overseas to everyday things.
Not only do you have more life experience, but your friends may become interested in what you say and the stories you have from experience.
Many of the issues you can use are how people on the other side of the world approach problems, their outlook on life, and their way of doing things.
Some will make sense, while others won’t. Either way, it’s a learning experience you can apply when living in another area.
Saint John’s life experience, whether she knew it or not, allowed her to excel in the marketing industry, which takes creativity and an open mind.
As well, experience in different regions with different cultures helps with creativity.
15 Facts Related to The Life of Bozoma Saint John
1. Bozoma Saint John has held positions such as Chief Brand Officer at Uber and Senior Marketing Manager at PepsiCo.
2. She was born on January 21, 1977, in Middletown, Connecticut.
3. Bozoma spent her childhood in Nairobi, Washington DC, and Accra, Ghana.
4. She immigrated to Colorado Springs with her family at the age of 12.
5. Bozoma attended Wesleyan University, where she obtained a degree in African American and English studies.
6. She started her career at Arnold Worldwide, a Boston advertising agency.
7. In 2000, she worked for Spike Lee’s advertising agency in Brooklyn as a senior account executive.
8. In 2005, Bozoma joined PepsiCo as the Senior Marketing Manager and eventually became the head of the Music and Entertainment Marketing department.
9. Between 2009 and 2011, she worked as the Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce at Ashley Stewart.
10. After Apple bought Beats Music and Beats Electronics, Saint John was appointed the leader of iTunes and Apple Music’s Global Consumer Marketing Division.
11. She joined Uber as the Chief Brand Officer in 2017.
12. In 2018, she became Endeavor’s chief marketing officer.
13. Bozoma worked as Netflix’s chief marketing officer between 2019 and 2020.
14. She has received awards such as “Top Women in Music” from Billboard and was inducted into the American Advertising Hall of Fame.
15. Bozoma is a member of the Black Advisory Board for Impact, focusing on addressing the systematic exclusion of people of color from the fashion industry.
15 Questions and Answers About Bozoma Saint John
The information in this post answers many of the questions about Bozoma Saint John. In addition, this section provides a summary and any further information.
1. Who is Bozoma Saint John?
Bozoma Saint John is a trailblazing marketing executive who has worked for various high-profile companies and helped them achieve global success. She is considered one of the richest women in the world.
2. What are some of the notable roles held by Bozoma Saint John?
Bozoma has held roles such as Chief Brand Officer at Uber, Senior Marketing Manager at PepsiCo, marketing executive for iTunes and Apple Music, and Chief Marketing Officer for Netflix.
3. When and where was Bozoma Saint John born?
Bozoma Saint John was born in Middletown, Connecticut, on January 21, 1977.
4. In which countries did Bozoma spend her childhood years?
Bozoma spent her childhood in Nairobi (Kenya), Washington DC, and Accra, Ghana.
5. What degree did Bozoma Saint John obtain from Wesleyan University?
Bozoma obtained a degree in African American and English studies from Wesleyan University.
6. Where did Bozoma start her marketing career?
Bozoma started her marketing career at Arnold Worldwide, a Boston advertising agency.
7. How did Bozoma Saint John contribute to PepsiCo’s success?
Bozoma set up the Music and Entertainment Marketing department to help PepsiCo reach the music market by sponsoring award shows and festivals. She eventually became the head of the department and held that role for a decade.
8. What was Bozoma’s role at Apple Music and iTunes?
Bozoma was appointed the leader of iTunes and Apple Music’s Global Consumer Marketing Division.
9. Why did Bozoma Saint John join Uber?
Bozoma joined Uber as their Chief Brand Officer after discussing the opportunity with Ariana Huffington and Travis Kalanick, believing it to be a great career move.
10. What personal tragedy did Bozoma face in her life?
Bozoma faced the loss of her husband, Peter Saint John, who died as a Burkitt lymphoma victim in 2013.
11. What is the title of Bozoma Saint John’s memoir?
Bozoma’s memoir is titled “The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival.”
12. What are some of the awards and achievements earned by Bozoma Saint John?
Bozoma has been inducted into the American Advertising Hall of Fame and the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame. She has also received awards from Billboard, Ebony, and Glitz Africa Magazine.
13. What are Bozoma’s future aspirations?
While her career aspirations are unknown, Bozoma wants to live her life urgently, draw attention to women of color, and address the exclusion of people of color from the fashion industry through her work with the Black Advisory Board for Impact.
14. What happened to Bozoma Saint John’s husband?
Bozoma Saint John’s husband, Peter Saint John, tragically passed away in 2013 due to Burkitt lymphoma.
15. Why is Bozoma Saint John famous?
Bozoma Saint John is famous for her impressive career in the marketing world, where she helped transform mildly successful companies into global successes. She has held various high-level positions in companies such as Uber, PepsiCo, iTunes, Apple Music, and Netflix.
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