By Lacie Blankenship
Jen Riley, Senior Lecturer of Marketing, Vanderbilt Business
Jen Riley, Vanderbilt Business Senior Lecturer of Marketing, earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration and Marketing from Kennesaw State University, an MS in Marketing from Georgia State University, and a BA in Marketing Communications from Oglethorpe University. Before coming to Vanderbilt, Riley served as an Assistant Professor at the Purdue Center for Professional Selling and as a Teaching Professor at the National Strategic Selling Institute at Kansas State University. Riley’s research focuses on professional sales, social media marketing, diversity and inclusion, and negotiations. Her research is published in top journals such as the Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, European Journal of Marketing, Information & Management, and Marketing Education Review, and she has written 4 books including, Unlocking the Digital Code: A Guide to Strategically Master Social Media and Entrepreneurship: How to Start, Grow, and Scale a Business.
What motivated you to pursue a career in academia?
I spent 10 years in industry roles, with the initial goal of becoming a chief marketing officer. I explored different majors, including psychology, math, accounting, and Spanish, in undergrad. When I was working on the marketing team at my school (Oglethorpe University), I was working on the website for individually planned majors and ended up doing that. My final major was Communications and Rhetoric Studies with an emphasis in Graphic Design, Business Administration, Marketing, and Advertising. I really wanted to be able to find a job, graduating around the Recession. I realized that I should specialize in one thing I can champion unequivocally “my thing.” I went to Georgia State for my Master’s in Marketing, where I was introduced to academic careers. At Georgia State, one of my professors, Nita Umashankar, now at San Diego State, talked to me about academia and academic research.
I tried to find my footing in the corporate world, but a pivotal moment happened when I offered a new solution to a client problem, and a supervisor told me that they weren’t paying me to think, that they were paying me to do what I was told. That’s when I finally decided that I wanted to get paid to think. I really found my passion for teaching during a guest lecture and pursued opportunities as an adjunct instructor. I eventually discovered Kennesaw State’s Ph.D. in Marketing program, and it was the perfect fit. I didn’t have to move or give up my whole life to complete the program like other Ph.D. programs require. I juggled corporate consulting with adjunct teaching and other side jobs during the program until I secured a full-time visiting faculty position in Alabama.
What attracted you to Vanderbilt Business?
I started my academic career with positions at Alabama A&M and Kansas State and then went to Purdue. I found myself driving through Nashville a few times, and as an aspirational thing, I’d stop by Vanderbilt. I started looking into Vanderbilt more and liked what was happening here, and the University’s prestige was always appealing. I saw this position open, and I contemplated it for a while. The opportunity to work with master’s students, guiding them through their academic journeys, meant I could influence people in a similar situation to what I was in during my Master’s at Georgia State, just like Dr. Umashankar did for me. I love research, but helping students connect their passions and find direction is what drives me in academia.
I found myself in Nashville before applying and talked to Kelly Haws about the position; we talked about today’s students and the classes needed, and it felt like a culmination of all my experiences thus far. My entire career, I’ve been told you can’t be good at graphic design and marketing, or you can’t do marketing and entrepreneurship, that it was all too different, but this role is an opportunity for me to bring all of my different experiences together for the good of the University. I love that I can do what I love, and it’s welcomed here. That makes it a great fit!
Can you tell us about your research?
My research follows my passions – I currently have 16 projects in the pipeline. I have 3 main areas of interest: marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship. My dissertation was on integrating technology into the sales process for salespeople, so everything from smartphones to email to artificial intelligence and social media. I got to see the underbelly of how companies integrate this new technology into sales departments.
I am a mixed methods researcher, and pedagogy is one of my huge passions. I have a project right now that’s out for review that’s looking at the impact of guest speakers on students’ intentions to pursue certain careers. I also look at integrating diversity into the classroom. I am currently revising and resubmitting a study that looks into ways to integrate diversity, equity inclusion, belonging, and access into marketing curricula outside of having this one specific module that says, “Hey, diversity is important.” For example, how we talk about diversity with new product development— like with makeup wipes, we don’t have to say this is a makeup product for women or cisgender women or females because more than that group wears makeup. We, as marketers, have the power to bring inclusive language to the table. Another project I’m working on utilizes the Mozart effect, so applying music to learning marketing, and another study I have is on sustainability and utilizing QR codes in classrooms.
What’s a course you’re particularly excited to teach?
I am teaching New Product Development right now, and I love it because it’s the intersection of engineering with marketing and consumer behavior, market research, sales, and entrepreneurship. The course is a culmination of all these different areas that I am really passionate about, and then you get to challenge students to think outside the box. So, we do a lot of interaction. I love seeing students’ creativity for new products.
I’m also excited about Digital Marketing Strategy in Mod 4 because that’s my bread and butter. It’s the creepy marketing tactics (she said, laughing), the follow-you all around the internet, and social media efforts. It’s crazy because digital marketing changes every day, which is a welcome challenge that I like to bring into the classroom. I love integrating things that we see on a daily basis into classroom conversations and asking what we can learn from this and how to apply this to future careers and the projects that we’re working on. We’re going to get out in the community with local businesses, and students are going to write case studies for digital marketing. Then, for any students interested in academia or publishing, I will offer to partner with them to get it published as well.
What is a piece of advice for any of your future students?
Come ready to engage. Come ready to interact; I hate boring classes. I tell students at the beginning of my classes that I’m not going to just sit here and talk to them. We need to have a meaningful discourse. We’re going to have a meaningful back-and-forth to further everybody’s learning. So, be ready to engage; I do cold-call.
What should the Vanderbilt Business community know about you?
I’m here to contribute; I’m here to help. I love interdisciplinary work and am open to collaboration among fellow faculty members and the greater Nashville community. Alumni, current students, and prospective students can always reach out to me.
Outside of work, what are some things you’re passionate about?
My dog, Lyla Lane, I have a collage of her in my office. I also love coloring because it has medical benefits and helps with anxiety and stress. I made an adult coloring book with motivational phrases as a fun project before starting my Ph.D. I was looking for an adult coloring book that wasn’t so complicated; I wanted a coloring page where I could sit down and color the picture in 30 minutes or less. I also play video games–Forza Horizon Five, anything Mario–and I like watching movies. I’m also a competitive person. I did competitive public speaking and want to get back into it; I did Toastmasters International before starting my Ph.D.
What excites you most about moving to Nashville?
I am excited to have access to both options of a larger city while still being in a supportive, collegiate environment. I’m also excited to explore different parts of the city, like restaurants and the cultural aspects. When I lived in Atlanta, I used to go to the High Museum of Art every Friday after work, and I am excited to explore Nashville’s art scene. My family lives 3.5 hours away from here, and I’m really close to them. It’s really cool to be able to leave early Saturday morning and make it back for a family event or just see my nephews.
