4 Professors, 4 Perspectives Series: John Stamatis
This article kicks off a four-part series featuring interviews with four distinguished Professors of Practice from the Providence College School of Business. Each professor represents a core discipline within the School of Business and brings invaluable real-world experience into the classroom. This piece features John Stamatis, a highly experienced and respected assistant professor of practice of marketing . Through Professor Stamatis’ insights, we explore how these professors bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application, helping students prepare for the dynamic world of business.
To better understand how these disciplines prepare students for the professional world, we asked each professor the same four questions:
What is your professional experience?
I have spent over 30 years in the corporate marketing world at companies like PepsiCo, Harman International, NBA Properties, World Wrestling Entertainment and Learfield to name a few. This includes working on powerhouse brands like Pepsi Cola, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, JBL as well as with many well-known athletes like Steph Curry, Alex Rodriguez, Drew Brees, John Cena and others. I learned how to tell a brand story, negotiate deals, develop TV campaigns and activate at big events like the Super Bowl. No two days were ever the same which made for tons of interesting memories and experiences. A few highlights from my career were developing award winning Mountain Dew TV advertising, negotiating the Pepsi Half-Time Show at the Super Bowl in Miami featuring Prince, and executing the sponsorship deals with the NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox on behalf of JBL.
What are some traits or skills that you found to be important in the business sector for young professionals to have?
There have been many lessons learned, and skills developed along my journey, but there was a leadership training session that really resonated with me many years ago. It was designed to assist Pepsi executives develop into great leaders and we called it our “Leadership Triangle”. It had three parts just like a triangle; 1. Do you have the ability to set the agenda? Basically are you strategic, can you think a year ahead or just the tasks in front of you? 2. Do you take others with you? Basically, do you share the credit? Or do you blame others for the failures? and 3. Do you do things the right way? Basically, do you act with integrity, or do you cut corners and only do the right thing when people are looking. These are leadership traits that have stuck with me and now I apply them in our classroom with our PC students.
How does PC Business help develop skills that the job market demands?
In the case of marketing, we are establishing equal weight to creativity, core concepts and analytics. Many people think marketing is only creative, and yes that is a part of it, but you need to possess the ability to interpret data and tell a story with that data. We are practicing more experiential learning techniques in our classes and asking students to work within teams. Employers want to see our students tell their personal brand story but also demonstrate that they can work within a team environment.”
What advice would you give to current students to get them ready for the working world?
I always tell my students that there are three guaranteed questions you will be asked in an interview: 1. Tell me about yourself, 2. Why are you interested in us? And 3. Do you have any questions? Let’s go 3 for 3! You need to separate yourself from others and using a marketing term, “differentiate” your personal brand from the competition. We all know those questions are coming so let’s prepare for them and make sure you present your personal brand in a way that breaks through and makes your employer want to “try” you. It’s marketing 101!
This conversation with Professor Stamatis offers a valuable glimpse into how Providence College’s School of Business equips students with the tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. Through our professors’ diverse professional experiences and shared commitment to student development, these professors of practice demonstrate the power of blending academic skills with practical insight. Their advice and reflections serve as a guide for students preparing to transition from the classroom to the working world—ready to lead, innovate, and make an impact.
