My story began in suburban Philadelphia (Bucks County, specifically), where I was born and raised. Philly is a working-class, hard-nosed city that also (somewhat under the radar) has some of the best arts, culture and sports fans in the world. It’s a world-class city that often gets overlooked for its neighbors to the north and south, New York City and Washington, D.C., and that underdog mentality really drives everyone who grows up there.
In college, a friend of a friend took a chance and hired me to be his intern at the Associated Press. It was an incredible opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the journalism business, specifically as it pertains to deadlines, because before social media, nobody worked on tighter deadlines than the AP. Looking back, I was lucky to be able to work with, learn from and become friends with Rob Maaddi, who to this day remains one of the best writers/editors I know.
It’s hard to name just one person here. My family and friends are a huge part of my story, as they helped me to become the person I am today but they also keep me grounded. Every person who has hired me and/or been my manager has also had a huge impact, whether they know it or not. I’ve worked with some incredible leaders and would like to say that my leadership is an amalgamation of the many things I’ve learned from them all.
All content does not need to be transactional. One of the biggest mistakes many companies make is using content only to sell. In our fragmented, ad-averse and mobile-first culture, the best way for brands to connect with consumers is to tell real stories with real people, in formats that people want to watch, and to connect on a human, emotional and empathetic level. Ideally, the conversions then follow, but creating content solely for the sake of conversions will rarely lead to success.
Always continue learning, and never be afraid to say you just don’t know.
Lou Dubois is the Director of Global Editorial Content at Hilton. In this role, he works with teams across the organization to help the world better understand the story of Hilton, its 18 brands, 6,300+ hotels worldwide and its employees. Previously, Dubois built and led a similar team at NBCUniversal, working across its 50+ brands and launching multiple award-winning web and mobile series and products. He also led social and digital strategy at NBC News for a team that worked on the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, the 2012 Presidential Election and more, where he won both a Peabody and an Emmy Award. He began his career at Sports Illustrated and has also worked at Inc. Magazine, the Associated Press and Social Media Today. He holds a degree in journalism from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida and lives in Park City, Utah.
