Executive Class:

Meet Cabot Woolley: Marketing master

Cabot Woolley is senior vice president at Trialogue Direct.

Cabot Woolley is senior vice president at Trialogue Direct, a full-service marketing company in Las Vegas. He also speaks four languages and has lived on several continents.

Quite the Renaissance man, right? Woolley spoke with VEGAS INC about his philosophies and the most common marketing mistakes business people can make.

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What is the business philosophy that you follow most?

People, people, people. If you hire the right people, most everything else will fall into place.

Do you have a personal motto?

Every day, give everything the best that I have. And try to be nice. I try to do my best at both of those for sure.

What’s the most common marketing mistake you see companies make?

They think they know their audience when they really don’t. I think it’s that people often treat their marketing department as a cost center when it should be a profit center.

Do you think you’ll stay in Las Vegas?

I’ve been in Las Vegas for two years, and it’s the longest I’ve been anywhere. For me it’s a record. I love it, but I’m a restless soul.

What’s the best advice your mother ever gave you?

"If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all."

What’s the best restaurant in town to close a business deal?

I’ve spent a lot of time in Japan and I speak Japanese, so I think for a really quiet, wonderful meal, the place is Raku.

What languages do you speak?

English, French and Spanish. I’ve lived in Korea, England, Japan, France, Brunei, Australia and lots of other places.

If you could change one thing about Las Vegas, what would it be?

I love trees. I wish we had more. Thank goodness for Mount Charleston.

What is your most valuable possession?

My wedding ring. There’s a lot that’s replaceable, but I’d freak out if I lost it.

What’s the one movie you could watch over and over again and never tire of?

"Bringing Up Baby." It’s an old classic with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. It’s just silly. I like to watch movies as an escape, and it always makes me laugh.

What are the two albums you would want with you on a desert island?

I’d never tire of Vivaldi’s "Four Seasons" and I’d be happy listening to some Latin meringue, too.

What instruments do you play?

The piano.

What was your first job?

Putting Christmas lights on trees at a Nordstrom store in Ogden, Utah. I was 15, so I was technically underage. I’m sure I made quite a lot—maybe $6 per hour. (Laughing)

What was your most unusual job?

For a little less than a year, I was the private secretary to the prince of Brunei. His name was Prince Abdul Hakeem. I was looking for an internship where I would get to use French or Spanish, and this seemed like a cool opportunity. I applied, and then got a call: “His highness would like to hire you.” I dropped out of school at BYU, for a time, and went the next day.

What was your worst job?

I had a summer job at a small law office. I was a filing clerk. It was a personal injury and divorce law firm. I don’t know how bad it was, though, because it was when I realized that I didn’t want to be a lawyer.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

Keeping ahead of the technology curve. Marketing is changing so quickly because of technology. It takes a lot of effort to stay abreast of where it’s all going.

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