Years in Cable: 10
One Word that Best Describes Me: Passionate
With the venerable Grossman at the helm, this veteran quintet of executives at HSN continues to keep vibrant the company’s $4 billion direct to consumer portfolio that includes live content retailer HSN and the Cornerstone portfolio of home and family lifestyle brands. Brand has been a transformational leader in the media, retail and entertainment industries for 25 years. He specializes in building strategic partnerships that create meaningful content that drives the business. He has created alliances with global companies including Toyota and Coca-Cola. Under Cotter’s leadership, her team develops cross platform content and executes all launches and partnerships for celebrities and industry influencers. She launched HSN’s first turnkey studio space, The Loft, which is dedicated to creating digital-first content. Over Schmeling’s 22 years at HSNi, she has contributed significantly to the company’s growth and development including taking the company public in 2008. Meanwhile, Ruben oversees cable and satellite distribution for HSN and has been instrumental in launching and leading distribution efforts for HSN Shop by Remote.
Q&A
What inspires you most about this industry? Right now, it’s the drive towards personalization and customization of viewer content. That’s the Holy Grail in retail, and a platform-agnostic, customer-centric focus will be transformative for both industries.
The biggest innovation in cable over the last year? TV everywhere apps that allow viewers to watch both live and VOD programming anywhere/anytime.
My OTT prediction is… As more and more programmers ink deals with OTT distributors, customer growth will accelerate faster than predicted.
What are the top three qualities you look for in a hire? I want to work with people who are passionate, obsessively curious and who strive to make a significant impact.
What product or service could you not live without? My iPad is with me wherever I go. It’s the best way for me to stay connected to the world and most importantly, stay in close touch with my family —my new obsession is Facetime with my new granddaughter.
