We lost a great one. Scott Cohen, managing director and founding partner of Quattro, passed unexpectedly this month.
Scott was our fearless leader for over twenty years. He was generous with time and praise, and he always had a joke on hand to ease even the tensest moments. I wish I could come up with one now, but it feels too hard to laugh.
Instead, I wanted to take a moment to outline some of the key lessons he taught me. I believe that to learn from someone is to learn about someone. You discover their dreams, goals, worldview, lifestyle. What they care about, what they don’t. And by sharing what you learn, you’re keeping the fire burning. You’re keeping their spirit alive.
The following lessons can make you a better marketer, but more importantly, they will make you a better person. For Scott, it was one and the same. The reason he was a brilliant, successful, charismatic adman was because he was a brilliant, successful, caring human being.
Build connections
No one could work a room like Scott Cohen. Watching him back-slap and chat was like watching a world-class orchestra. There was the eye contact, the subtle nod of approval, the twinkling smirk, all working in harmony to disarm and enchant. Some might say that symphony of charisma was the natural result of so many pitches and performances. But I think he came by it honestly. He just liked people. He’d be hobnobbing no matter what.
You could tell because he always went out of his way to talk to us. Not just the partners and clients. He met with every intern and every plus one at every event. By authentically building relationships with as many people as possible, he was opening up endless pathways for the future. Maybe someone you meet offhand will help you out down the line. Then again, maybe it was just a nice conversation. Either way, it’s always worth getting out there and shaking hands.
Share success
Every spring around Earth Day, Quattro teams up with Jenkins Arboretum to move rocks, plant trees, and help out Mother Nature. I would always go because I like being outside. Scott would always go because he really liked being helpful. It was inspiring to see an incredibly busy guy put everything aside and dig in the dirt like the rest of us, simply because it was the right thing to do.
And that’s just one example. Scott was on the board of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania for many years. I think he considered helping them one of the very best parts of his job. He had resources to offer, and he offered them generously. And the joy that it so obviously brought him will always remind me that it feels good to do good.
Stay positive
I once interviewed Scott in order to write a condensed history of the agency. It was fascinating. As he retold the stories of the peaks and valleys, it dawned on me that he didn’t really believe in valleys at all. When he told me about losing partnerships or opportunities, he never got mournful or apologetic. It was natural, like talking about the seasons.
He understood the industry better than most people. He knew that what goes up comes down, and what goes down always manages to bump back up. You don’t always control these shifting tides. But you do control your reaction to them. Scott was an expert at that. Amazingly, no matter how bad things seemed, he always stayed composed and optimistic, primed and ready for the next win.
And so in the spirit of this most important lesson, let’s all lift a martini glass and try to carry on a little brighter. It’s what Scott would have wanted. And after all, we are better off having learned so much from him.