Getting to Know Brendan Cournoyer

Continuing from last week’s introduction of Rebecca Jacobs, this week I would like to introduce you to the newest member of OpenView Labs‘ marketing team, Brendan Cournoyer.

Brendan joined OpenView last month from TechTarget, where he was most recently a senior editor working with a team of freelance contributors and in-house editors to create editorial content for IT managers and administrators. Brendan graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a BA in Journalism, and was the managing editor for Rhode Island’s only daily college newspaper, The Good Five Cent Cigar. Below please find Brendan’s answers’ to some of our favorite new employee questions…

Q&A with Brendan Cournoyer – OpenView Labs, Marketing Associate

1. Tell us about yourself—Twitter style (in 140 characters or less)B: I like guitars and sports, Mitch Hedberg and The Daily Show, early 90s music and the ‘Net (for all its given us) And I love living in Boston

[Editor’s note: Follow Brendan on Twitter @brencournoyer and check out his blog!]

2. What are you most looking forward to about working on OpenView’s marketing team?B: Coming from a large online publishing company, it’s exciting to get involved with a content initiative that is still so young, with so much room to build and grow. The marketing team has done an incredible job in a short period of time enhancing the OpenView brand with these sites. They’ve utilized blogging, social media, newsletters, podcasting, videos, content curation – the whole shebang! It’s very cool to see what they’ve created, and I’m psyched to be a part of it.

3. What do you think will be your biggest challenge?B: Managing all this content! We crank it out here, and for a small team, the sites have a tremendous amount to offer. So at least initially, getting a handle on everything and making sure the content we deliver is targeted toward the right people will certainly be a continuous challenge, but it’s one I’m looking forward to. The team here is so sharp, and everyone works so well together, that I know we’ll continue to improve day after day.

4. What is your top source for marketing news/information? B: Believe it or not, I actually use Twitter to find most of the latest info on content marketing and SEO. Those who are really interested in the power of online content are naturally also skilled in social media, so as long as you follow the right people, they’ll let you know about the best stuff. Some of my favorite sites are JeffBullas.com, Joe Pulizzi’s Junta42, SEOmoz and SEO Pledge.

5. What is the last book you read?B: I just finished The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons, which I had been reading in pieces since December. It’s a really interesting (and funny) history of the NBA from a fan’s point of view. It also includes a few guest passages from Chuck Klosterman, who is easily my favorite writer.

6. If you had to eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?B: Just one? For whatever reason, my favorite meal is chicken parmesan from Olive Garden. I can’t explain it, but I can never get enough of it. But if you would grant me a dessert, I’d definitely pick the white fudge-covered Oreos that only come out for like three weeks each year around the holidays. They are amazing. I usually buy like eight boxes when they hit the shelves. I doubt I could live off of them for the rest of my life though.

7. What is your favorite neighborhood in Boston?B: My fiancée and I spend a lot of time around the squares just outside the city. I find myself bar hopping in Davis Square quite a bit, but Harvard Square is probably our favorite. If you are ever in Casablanca’s in Harvard, order the duck. It’ll knock your socks off.

8. What are your favorite things to do outside of work?B: Seeing live music, definitely. I like smaller venues around the city like Paradise or Middle East. The Bank of America Pavilion is also a great place to see a show during the summer. A lot of my favorite artists tend to draw smaller crowds, but the energy is a lot better in those kinds of venues.

9. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, which actor would play you in the lead role?B: Clive Owen. I would definitely go see that.

10. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?B: Small forward for the Celtics. I was 5’8” before I was 12, so I thought I might make it. Something went wrong though, because I only grew 3 inches after that. Can awesomeness stunt your growth? That must’ve been it.
Meet more members of the team! Check out our previous Q&As with the three other new members to OpenView’s team in 2011 below…

• Brandon Hickie, Market Research Analyst
• Nick Hammerschlag, Associate
• Aki Balogh, Associate