Every week we’re highlighting marketing leaders, experts, and disruptors within the SUM community sharing real advice, insights, and perspective.
This week, we caught up with Ted Wirth, Sr. Director of Digital Media & Content at Blood Cancer United, where he spearheaded the redevelopment and strategic restructuring of a 10,000-page website into a streamlined, user-centered platform while helping guide the organization’s historic national rebrand and advancing digital fundraising, engagement, and content strategy. Ted has more than 30 years of experience building iconic brands, leading enterprise digital strategies, and driving business growth across Fortune 500 companies and mission-driven organizations. With expertise spanning AI-enabled marketing to enterprise website strategy, he is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to create engaging digital experiences.
What's one habit that's made you a better marketer?
Listening more intently. A simple leadership truth is that people don't just want to be managed—they want to be understood. Leaders who listen well often earn greater influence because their teams know their perspectives matter.
What's the best thing a fellow marketer has ever taught you?
Keep an open mind—great ideas can come from anywhere. While data should guide decisions, don't ignore marketing instinct. The strongest strategies come from balancing what the numbers tell you with what experience, curiosity, and human insight suggest.
Where do you find your people in this industry?
Among those who are both logical and creative—the ones who can appreciate the data but also see beyond it. I connect with people who are passionate about their work, open to different perspectives, willing to challenge assumptions, and humble enough to keep learning. And if they bring a good sense of humor to the table, even better. Those are usually the people who make the work, and the journey, more rewarding.
What's the last thing you learned that actually changed how you work?
Take emotion out of the equation when making decisions. Not passion—passion is essential. But emotion can sometimes cloud judgment. I've learned to step back, assess the facts, look at the data, consider the broader context, and make decisions based on what's best for the organization. It leads to better outcomes, more productive conversations, and stronger leadership
Diversify your skill set and focus on understanding strategy.
What would you tell a marketer just starting out today?
Diversify your skill set and focus on understanding strategy. It's easy to become an expert in a single platform, but that platform is only one piece of a much bigger equation. When you understand how channels, audiences, content, data, and business goals work together, you can apply your marketing expertise almost anywhere. Platforms will change, trends will come and go, but strategic thinking will always be valuable.
What’s your least glamorous marketing superpower?
Visual precision. I can spot when spacing, font sizes, alignment, colors, or layout elements are even slightly off. It may sound minor, but those details add up—small inconsistencies can distract from the message, while a polished experience builds credibility and trust.
Where do you go when you need inspiration?
Constituents: Stay connected to constituent stories to keep decisions grounded in impact. Intentional Reflection: Schedule time to think, learn, and turn insight into action.