Adam Mendler recently interviewed me for his blog, originally published at https://www.adammendler.com/blog/ahmet-bozer/ 

Below is an excerpt from the interview. 

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Ahmet: Looking back, the best answer now feels like: through a carefully curated journey, some parts planned by me and others for me. I was born and raised in Turkey and came to Atlanta to pursue a master’s degree in Information Systems. I began my career in teaching, then transitioned into auditing and consulting before joining The Coca-Cola Company, where I eventually stepped into senior executive leadership roles. Across these transitions, the constant thread was exposure to diverse cultures, markets, and ways of thinking. That global perspective, combined with a long-standing fascination with how people grow and develop themselves, ultimately led me to my second career: focusing on how to help individuals unleash human potential. This journey began with writing Soulgery (short for “Self Surgery of the Soul”) and continues today through a range of initiatives designed to expand its reach and practical adoption.

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?

Ahmet: In my previous life as a global executive at Coca-Cola, scaling a business meant continually and deliberately investing in brands, in customers, in people, and in organizational capability. Today, that same principle applies to building Soulgery, even though I see it as a social enterprise rather than a purely profit-driven one. The fundamentals of growth do not really change. You still need clarity about the value you are creating, consistent investment in reaching the people you serve, and the right capabilities to deliver that value effectively. The main differences are that the “product” is your message and the team is often not inside a single organization, but a network of experts who must still align around a shared purpose and execute with the same discipline.

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of marketing and branding?

Ahmet: One principle I always emphasize is not becoming too inwardly focused. Strong marketing comes from staying closely connected to the outside world: consumers, retailers, partners, and the broader ecosystem. Continuous engagement with these stakeholders deepens your understanding, helps you build more meaningful brands, and sustains them over time. Second, don’t pursue something simply because it’s popular or demanded by others. Do it only if you are convinced it genuinely strengthens your brand and its long-term position.  Finally, develop a holistic perspective. Marketing never operates in isolation. Your decisions influence areas beyond marketing, and what happens outside marketing shapes your results. The more you understand these connections, the more effective your brand leadership becomes.

Read the rest at https://www.adammendler.com/blog/ahmet-bozer/