Mark Kornblau

Impact is what’s always driven me. After working on campaigns and on Capitol Hill, I had the privilege of serving as spokesperson for the US ambassador to the United Nations at a time when the Obama administration was re-engaging with the international community following the Iraq War. At JPMorgan, I managed communications in the aftermath of the financial crisis, helping to restore trust in an institution critical to the American economy. I ran communications at the NBCU News Group at a time of unprecedented turmoil and change in the media industry. In all these roles, I was surrounded by incredibly talented people with a passion for changing the world for the better. 

At SoftBank, I saw an opportunity to be part of a high-performing team dedicated to making a similar kind of impact. We’re obsessed with human progress, with creating a world that's more connected, more empowered, and more joyful. The companies we invest in are shaping the world in almost every way you can imagine: whether through education and learning, healthcare, sustainable farming, or even democratizing access to banking and financial tools. And because of SoftBank’s global reach, our work has a real and substantial positive impact on billions of people.

Campaigns are the ultimate startup. The growth mentality at our portfolio companies is very similar to what you experience working on a campaign. You begin with nothing but a goal, a shoestring budget, a candidate, and big aspirations. You have to be disciplined and laser focused on building toward your goal. And you need to get people to believe in your vision. 

It’s the same for founders and their teams at the startups that we support. It’s more than just a job for them — they’re putting all their blood, sweat, and tears into what they're trying to build.

There’s no substitute for spending time embedded in a newsroom, as I did during my eight years running communications for the NBCU News Group. Understanding how journalists see their roles — the way they process information and interact with their subjects — made me a far better communications practitioner. On top of that, being part of the organization’s leadership during a uniquely challenging period for media companies, as changes in audience behaviors and consumption patterns threatened established business models, was invaluable. It gave me insight into how businesses can evolve in a changing world and transform challenges into opportunities for growth.

It’s an incredibly gratifying feeling to help someone tell their story. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a startup, a campaign, a government agency, or a large company — as a communications professional you get to show the outside world why your team is putting so much time and emotional investment into reaching their goal. You have to be consistent in your approach over the course of months or years, while always finding new ways to tell their story. Even as you’re conveying one central truth and one core narrative, you have to do it persistently, through different approaches, different examples, different vignettes. 

I love this type of work because I get to help a team communicate its values to the world. In all these organizations, there are so many smart people who are keeping their heads down, doing their jobs — chipping away at their piece of the puzzle. My job is to think about how to convey the importance of their work. When we do that effectively, their work generates more value and impact.