But here’s the question no one’s asking enough … especially young marketers trying to find their edge in the B2B industrial space:
What actually prepares you for a 40-year career in a world that’s changing every 4 minutes?
If your answer is "technical skills" alone, you’re already behind.
I’ll say it loud and clear: A liberal arts education is the most future-proof foundation you can invest in ... especially if you're aiming to lead, think independently, and stand out in the evolving world of marketing.
And yeah ... I’m biased. I'm a proud graduate of Adrian College, a small liberal arts school in Michigan. But I can tell you … with decades of business-building and client-facing work under my belt … that my time there was the start of everything that works for me today.
In industrial marketing, it used to be enough to learn a process, apply it, and repeat. But that formula’s toast.
AI can generate reports, crank out code, even create decent content. Tools like ChatGPT are eliminating the need for surface-level knowledge work ... fast. The “safe” majors of yesterday … computer science, engineering, finance … are suddenly less secure. Why? Because entry-level jobs in those fields are now being handled by machines.
But there’s one thing AI still can’t do … and probably won’t for a long, long time:
Think like a human.
- Interpret nuance.
- Ask better questions.
- Connect seemingly unrelated dots.
- Read a room.
- Tell a story that moves a prospect.
These are the very things that B2B buyers … especially in, long-cycle, industrial markets … respond to.
That’s the currency of leadership and longevity.
Let’s stop calling them “soft.” They’re mission-critical.
A liberal arts education teaches you how to think critically and contextually. It arms you with the ability to communicate clearly, read between the lines, and make persuasive arguments. It trains your brain to live in ambiguity and find clarity ... to adapt.
Sound familiar? That’s exactly what B2B industrial marketing demands … day in, day out.
You’re constantly balancing complex product specs with human decision-making. You’re managing long buying cycles with even longer technical PDFs. You’re influencing engineers, purchasing agents, and C-level execs ... often all in the same call.
That’s not something you learn in a Python class.
Adrian College didn’t just give me an education. It gave me tools for transformation.
I studied English, philosophy, history, literature, accounting, Spanish AND marketing … disciplines that force you to explore, analyze, and defend your ideas.
It was at Adrian that I learned how to lead a conversation with curiosity instead of ego. How to write with precision. How to frame a complex issue in a way that invites engagement, not confusion.
(And...found the love of my life, Nancy!)
Those skills translated directly into my career in industrial marketing ... not overnight, but consistently over decades.
Adrian’s liberal arts foundation gave me the flexibility to evolve … from marketing to consulting to launching my own business. It gave me the confidence to step into rooms where the rules weren’t clear and make things happen anyway.
That’s what the next generation of B2B marketers needs ... and it’s why I recommend a liberal arts education without hesitation.
We’re not in the industrial age anymore. Careers aren’t linear. Neither is the economy. Disruption is constant ... and opportunity favors those who can pivot.
That’s why your education needs to be about more than getting a job. It needs to be about building a mind that can survive … and thrive … across industries, technologies, and roles that haven’t even been invented yet.
You can’t automate agility. You can’t systemize curiosity. And you sure can’t replace human empathy with a line of code.
That’s why the liberal arts matter now more than ever.
If you're an aspiring B2B marketer … especially in the industrial world … don't just chase the shiny tools.
Don’t fall for the myth that a technical degree guarantees safety. It might help you get your first job ... but it won’t help you keep it, grow it, or evolve it.
Instead, ask yourself:
The right answer starts with the right educational foundation.
To parents reading this ... guide your kids toward a foundation that will serve them in 2045, not just 2025.
To students ... don’t just ask, “What job will this get me?” Ask instead, “How will this prepare me for the unknown?”
And to my fellow marketers ... if you're hiring, stop looking for tools on a resume and start looking for thinkers across the table.
The future belongs to those who can learn fast, think smart, and communicate clearly.
I am sure glad Adrian College delivered those attributes to me.
Want to know more, go to What We Do or Contact Me in the menu above. Or give me at call at 269-375-0349