Doe Anderson - Building Brand Enthusiasts

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Tom Mudd - Chief Financial Officer

Questions & Answers:

What was your first accounting job?
My first accounting job was an internship at a meatpacking company during college. One of my first duties was compiling the daily “offal report.” Essentially, offal was everything the animals yielded that could not be sold for human consumption. It was sold to firms that produced animal feeds, etc. It made me realize that that industry was very creative in utilizing its inputs.

How did you end up at Doe?
I worked in public accounting for three years after college. I then switched to internal auditing at the school board for a year. While there, I got a call from a management recruiter who was hiring for an expanded finance function at Doe. I interviewed with Bob Allison and several other agency managers and was very impressed with them and the opportunity they described. They offered me the job a short time later.

What excites you most about working here?
The opportunity to work every day with very intelligent, hardworking and creative people.

What's your favorite accounting word?
de minimis (It's Latin for: It's too small to worry about - move on.)

What keeps you at peace?
My faith that there is an all-loving supreme being who has a purpose for this seeming chaos.

What's your favorite philosophy text?
"Candide" by Voltaire

What are you most proud of in your career?
Achieving my CPA and working for great employers throughout my career.

What superpowers do you wish you had?
Doesn't everybody want to fly?

What can't you live without?
My family. Chocolate. Pizza.

Where do you hide your candy?
In the refrigerator - shhh!

There's a saying, "Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow."

In 1915 in Louisville, Kentucky, Mr. Doe and Mr. Anderson believed the same could be said for growing mighty brands. And one simple typographer's symbol later, the acorn starting revealing a wealth of insights we've never forgotten.

First, there are no shortcuts in growing a brand. Cracking open an acorn doesn't give you an oak tree. And cracking one clever ad campaign doesn't make a strong brand. It takes seasons of growth.

You can't grow a tree from the top down, nor a brand. Only by starting at the grass roots can real growth begin. That's why having a word-of-mouth marketing program is so important, and so effective.

Environment is critical. If you create an inviting experience where customers feel at home, they'll not only put down deep roots, they'll invite their friends to join them, and grow your brand exponentially.

Life is a never-ending cycle. Only repeating growth ensures survival. By continually planting new seeds of opportunity, a brand is able to grow in a predictable way. Fortunately, it offers both quick, green growth, and a long-term system for more.

And since 1915, the acorn has done exactly what it is designed to do -- grow.