Kirk McDonald: “It’s always been about consumers, content, and connections”

The Sundial Media & Technology Group, CEO, Kirk McDonald, path through major media companies might seem like a series of strategic moves. But the real story behind his decisions reveals what he's been chasing this entire time: figuring out how people actually connect with content and each other.

Kirk's got some unexpected perspectives on where consumers are heading and what that means for how companies need to transform. His approach to building something new at Sundial challenges assumptions about what media companies should actually be doing. Additionally, his personal philosophy on career decision-making may surprise anyone who believes strategic planning is the key to success. The conversation reveals someone who's learned to navigate industry shifts in ways that consistently put him in interesting positions.

Kirk McDonald: How He Transformed Publishing Into Community Convening Power 💥

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Consumers-Content-Connections Evangelist: Built his career around understanding why consumers trust certain content sources, how they make decisions, and how they create communities through shared opinions 📱
Community Platform Transformer: Leading Sundial's evolution from traditional publishing to experiential convening power, creating festivals and platforms where communities connect and refill their energy 🌟
Media Evolution Veteran: Navigated through Ziff Davis, Conde Nast, programmatic ad space, AT&T's Time Warner acquisition, and GroupM North America CEO role, always chasing the same mission 🚀
Curated Content Prophet: Predicts the trend toward micro-influencers and trusted sources as consumers seek WhatsApp groups and curated feeds over content saturation 💭
Trust-Your-Instincts Advisor: Would tell his younger self to trust his curiosity more, believing his early reads on culture and trends were "spot on," but he sometimes dampened them ⚡