93 - Doug Sweeny, ŌURA

Earned: Unlocking the Power of the Creator Economy

In today’s episode of Earned, we sit down with Oura CMO Doug Sweeny, whose marketing prowess helped drive the $3B+ acquisitions of Nest Labs and One Medical. We start the episode by digging into this success, and hear the qualities Doug looks for before joining a company. Doug emphasizes his interest in companies that are solving real-world problems, and shares his experience working at One Medical during the peak of the pandemic. We then learn what attracted Doug to Oura, before hearing how the company navigates the tech ecosystem and integrates with tech giant Apple. Next, we dive into Doug’s process for crafting Oura’s simple yet compelling brand message of “giving every body a voice,” and discuss the importance of aligning the company around this message. Doug also explains how Oura’s clear mission has helped in establishing partnerships with companies like Strava, Gucci, Best Buy, and Equinox. We switch gears and learn how Oura facilitates content creation among its “rabid fans” and members by introducing new offerings like Circles and the “Refer a Friend” program, as well as partnerships with athletes and wellness influencers. Doug shares how the company constantly leverages its member community for beta testing and product development feedback. To close the show, Doug walks us through why he enjoys taking on advisory roles for other companies outside of Oura, and reveals what kind of startup he’d enjoy leading next.

Resources:

• ŌURA

Connect with the Guest(s):

• Doug Sweeny’s LinkedIn

Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ:

• Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley
• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

Follow us on social:

• CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics
• CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq
• CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq
• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ