Building Brands, Embracing Curiosity: Marketing Lessons from Soyoung Kang on Marketing / And
Season six of Marketing / And is in full swing, and one question AMA CEO and podcast host Bennie F. Johnson loves to ask always lands with impact:
“What advice would you give to marketers?”
In a recent episode, Bennie sat down with Soyoung Kang, newly appointed President of eos Products, for a conversation that spanned architecture, brand desire, creative joy, and the power of asking questions. Soyoung’s career has been anything but linear. Before leading eos, she served as an executive at Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, and Boston Consulting Group, advised multiple companies, and earned a BS in architecture from MIT and an MBA in marketing and finance from Wharton. She was also a Fulbright Scholar.
What emerges from her journey is a powerful reminder for today’s students and early-career professionals: you don’t need your major, or even your future career, figured out on Day 1. The world is no longer siloed, and disciplines you never expected to connect can strengthen your work in surprising ways.
The Architecture of a Marketing Mind
Soyoung didn’t anticipate a career in marketing when she entered MIT’s architecture program, but the lessons translated beautifully.
Most majors revolve around daily or weekly assignments; architecture requires months-long projects where ideas evolve over time. “You’re investing in a months-long development and you are iterating and changing along the way. You are presenting and defending your ideas, and sometimes evolving because you have to reflect and assess how you incorporate feedback,” she recalls.
Without realizing it, she was rehearsing the very process marketers follow when crafting creative briefs, pitching concepts, and selling ideas to teams and clients. Her story underscores a truth many young people need to hear: your major is a starting point, not a destiny. Skills compound, experiences translate, and curiosity opens unexpected doors.
Be Okay Starting from Zero
Now stepping into her role as president, Soyoung is refreshingly transparent about the humility required to keep learning.
“If you don’t ask the questions, you’re never going to get from zero to expert. If I let my ego prevent me from asking the questions, I’m just going to be spinning close to zero for way too long.”
Her advice dismantles the myth that leaders must know everything. Instead, she frames curiosity as a strategic advantage. Asking the “basic” questions early frees you to think at a higher level sooner. Lifelong learners aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones unafraid to seek them.
Advice for New Marketers: Try Anything
Soyoung’s guidance for emerging marketers is simple and liberating: try things. All kinds of things.
“Every single experience that you get under your belt just makes you a better marketer for the next bigger experience.You may not even know what your ultimate goal is. It took a series of calibrations through my career journey for me to finally end up where I am so passionate about what I do.”
It’s an empowering message in an era when young people often feel pressure to choose a major or map out their future before they’ve even lived it. Soyoung proves that exploration isn’t a detour, it’s a catalyst. Experimentation builds clarity. Experience builds confidence. And curiosity builds careers.
Build Something That Lasts
Soyoung also believes enduring brands are built on joy, connection, and community. She shares a snapshot that captures the elasticity of the eos brand: tween boys—including her own—and a septuagenarian in the Midwest all expressed how much they love the product.
“This brand is so stretchy and it’s because when your brand elicits joy and desire, it’s truly timeless.”
For her, success isn’t just about quarterly wins, it’s about resonance.
“Winning for us from a marketing and brand standpoint is creating something that lasts beyond me… rooted in something that feels very true and community-centric.”
Soyoung’s journey is proof that careers don’t need straight lines, majors don’t define destinies, and great marketers stay curious—always learning, always building, always asking the next question.
Listen to the full episode to hear her insights firsthand.
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Marketing / And explores life through a marketing lens, diving into the moments where creativity, purpose, and culture intersect. Each episode introduces you to visionaries whose stories you might not know yet—but absolutely should. Because at its best, marketing isn’t just about selling something. It’s about shaping stories, shifting perspectives, and inspiring what comes next.