From Marketing to GIS: A Passion for Understanding People and Places
The Marketing Foundation: Understanding Human Behavior
My career began in the vibrant world of digital marketing. As a Digital Trainer with Meta (Facebook Marketing) from 2018 to 2019, I had the privilege of training over 4,000 female small and medium enterprises on leveraging Facebook's marketing tools. This experience taught me something invaluable: data tells stories about people's behaviors, preferences, and needs.
Later, as an Online Marketing Manager at Pulse Marketing and Head of Marketing at Mecho Autotech, I dove deep into data analytics, campaign optimization, and audience segmentation. I managed media planning across platforms like DV360, Google Ads, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Snapchat, developing strategies that resulted in successful product launches for over 100 brands across West Africa. At Mecho Autotech, I achieved a 390% increase in sign-ups in just the first month—a testament to the power of understanding your audience and their spatial context.
What I didn't realize then was that I was already thinking spatially. Every marketing campaign required understanding where our audience was located, how they moved through digital and physical spaces, and how location influenced their behavior. I was unconsciously building the foundation for what would become my passion for GIS.
The Moment of Transition: Embracing Uncertainty
The decision to pivot from marketing to GIS wasn't sudden—it was the result of a growing fascination with spatial analysis and environmental science. My undergraduate degree in Meteorology had already introduced me to the power of geographic data, but it was during my marketing career that I truly understood how location and spatial relationships drive human behavior.
In 2022, I made one of the most uncertain decisions of my life: leaving a successful marketing career in Nigeria to pursue a Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems at Eastern Michigan University. The uncertainty was overwhelming. Would I be able to bridge my marketing background with this highly technical field? Could I compete with students who had traditional geography or computer science backgrounds?
The imposter syndrome was real. Here I was, someone who had spent years optimizing Facebook ads, sitting in classes about geodatabases, spatial analysis, and remote sensing. But gradually, I began to see the connections. The same analytical thinking that helped me segment audiences for targeted campaigns was incredibly valuable for understanding spatial patterns in crime data, environmental changes, and urban development.
Finding My Niche: Where Marketing Meets GIS
My unique background became my superpower. While my classmates excelled at technical implementation, I brought something different to the table: the ability to translate complex spatial information into compelling, accessible narratives. This skill proved invaluable during my GIS internship with the City of Grand Rapids.
During my internship from February to April 2024, I developed an interactive map replacing a cumbersome PDF system for the Residential Annual Review, serving over 200,000 residents. I also built a Crime Distribution Interactive Map focusing on "Crimes Against One Person" from 2021 to 2024. These weren't just technical exercises—they were communication tools designed to make complex spatial data accessible to diverse audiences, much like the marketing dashboards I had created in my previous career.
The project that truly showcased this intersection was my ongoing Disease Surveillance System development on ArcGIS Enterprise integrated with DHIS2. This project combines enterprise GIS architecture with health informatics—requiring not just technical skills, but the ability to understand user needs, design intuitive interfaces, and communicate the value of spatial analysis to public health professionals.
Stepping Into the Esri Ecosystem: Conference Experiences
My fascination with Esri began in the classroom. Every day, I was using ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and various Esri tools to complete assignments and projects. I found myself constantly curious about the company behind these powerful platforms that were transforming how I understood spatial analysis. This wasn't just software to me—it was the foundation of an entire way of thinking about the world.
That curiosity led me to apply to be a Student Assistant at Esri conferences. I wanted to be part of the greatness that was Esri, even in a small way. In April 2023, I had the opportunity to serve as a Student Assistant at the Energy Resources GIS Conference. Walking into that conference space, surrounded by energy professionals using GIS to solve complex challenges in resource management and environmental planning, I felt like I was witnessing the future of my field.
The experience was transformative. I wasn't just learning about GIS applications in theory—I was seeing real-world implementations, meeting the professionals who were pushing the boundaries of what spatial analysis could accomplish. I networked with industry leaders, learned about cutting-edge applications I had never considered, and most importantly, I felt the energy and innovation that defines the Esri community.
The following year, in February 2024, I was selected again as a Student Assistant for the Esri Federal GIS Conference. This time, I was deeper into my GIS studies and could appreciate the technical complexity and policy implications of the presentations. Seeing how federal agencies were leveraging ArcGIS Enterprise for everything from disaster response to environmental monitoring reinforced my belief that I wanted to be part of this ecosystem—not just as a user, but as someone who could contribute to its growth and impact.
These conference experiences were pivotal in shaping my career trajectory. They showed me that Esri wasn't just a software company—it was a community of people passionate about using geography to make a difference. I realized that my unique background in marketing and communication could add value to this community in ways I was only beginning to understand.
Current Reality: Technical Support at Esri
Today, as a Technical Support Analyst at Esri, I work with ArcGIS Enterprise components, resolving complex technical issues and developing knowledge base articles. This role represents the culmination of my journey—combining deep technical expertise with communication skills honed through years of marketing experience and fulfilling my desire to be part of the Esri greatness I first witnessed at those conferences.
My daily work involves troubleshooting ArcGIS Server, Portal, and other Enterprise components, but it's so much more than technical problem-solving. Every support ticket is an opportunity to understand user needs, translate technical solutions into accessible language, and improve the overall user experience—skills directly transferable from my marketing background.
The interdisciplinary nature of my experience has proven invaluable. When I collaborate with development teams to identify product defects, I bring not just technical knowledge, but an understanding of user experience and communication design that enhances our solutions.
Navigating Uncertainty: Lessons Learned
The transition wasn't without challenges. There were moments of doubt, especially during my first semester when I was learning Python programming for GIS applications while my classmates seemed to pick it up effortlessly. The key was recognizing that my different path was an asset, not a liability.
Here are the strategies that helped me navigate the uncertainty:
- Embrace Your Unique Perspective: Your non-traditional background isn't a weakness—it's your competitive advantage. My marketing experience helped me excel at data visualization, user interface design, and stakeholder communication in ways that purely technical backgrounds couldn't.
- Focus on Transferable Skills: The analytical thinking, project management, and strategic planning skills from marketing translate beautifully to GIS. Don't underestimate the value of your previous experience.
- Build Bridges, Don't Burn Them: I maintained connections with my marketing network while building new relationships in the GIS community. This dual network has opened doors I never expected.
- Become a Translator: The ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences is incredibly valuable in GIS. Use your communication background to bridge the gap between technical implementation and user needs.
Looking Forward: The Future of Interdisciplinary GIS
The future holds incredible possibilities for professionals who can bridge traditional disciplines with GIS. I'm currently earning certifications in Generative AI, Large Language Models, and Responsible AI—technologies that will revolutionize how we interact with spatial data. My marketing background gives me unique insights into how these technologies can be implemented ethically and effectively for diverse user communities.
The projects I'm working on—disease surveillance systems, municipal transparency platforms, environmental monitoring tools—all require understanding both the technical capabilities of GIS and the human needs these systems serve. This is where my marketing experience becomes invaluable.
Advice for Future Career Changers
For ESRI YPN members considering similar transitions, or those from non-traditional backgrounds entering GIS, here's my advice:
Trust the Process: Career transitions are inherently uncertain. Embrace the discomfort of not knowing exactly where you're heading—often the most rewarding paths are the ones we couldn't have planned.
Leverage Your Unique Value: Don't try to become exactly like everyone else in GIS. Your different background brings perspectives the field needs. The intersection of your previous experience and GIS is where innovation happens.
Build a Portfolio of Diverse Projects: My projects range from crime analysis to environmental monitoring to public health surveillance. This diversity showcases the breadth of applications possible when you combine GIS with other domain knowledge.
Stay Connected to Your Roots: I still follow marketing trends and maintain those professional relationships. The cross-pollination of ideas between fields often leads to breakthrough innovations.
Invest in Continuous Learning: The field evolves rapidly. My current certifications in AI technologies represent my commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation in spatial analysis.
The Intersection of People and Places
Looking back, I realize that both marketing and GIS are fundamentally about the same thing: understanding the relationship between people and places. In marketing, I analyzed how location influenced consumer behavior. In GIS, I analyze how spatial relationships influence everything from disease transmission to urban development to environmental change.
The tools have changed—from Google Ads and DV360 to ArcGIS Pro and Python—but the fundamental curiosity about human behavior in spatial context remains the same. This realization has given me confidence that my transition wasn't just a career change; it was a natural evolution of my interests and skills.
Conclusion: Embracing the Unknown
My journey from marketing to GIS has taught me that the most rewarding careers often emerge from the intersection of seemingly unrelated fields. The uncertainty that once intimidated me has become a source of excitement—each new project, each new technology, each new application represents an opportunity to combine my unique perspective with cutting-edge spatial analysis.
For young professionals in the ESRI YPN community, I encourage you to see your diverse backgrounds not as obstacles to overcome, but as assets to leverage. The future of GIS lies not just in technical innovation, but in our ability to make spatial analysis accessible, meaningful, and impactful for diverse communities.
The path from marketing to GIS may have been uncertain, but it has led me to work that combines technical excellence with social impact, individual growth with community service, and established methodologies with innovative applications. In a world where understanding the relationship between people and places has never been more critical, this intersection feels like exactly where I'm meant to be.
Adedayo Adeyemi is a Technical Support Analyst at Esri and holds an MS in Geographic Information Systems from Eastern Michigan University. He has interests in enterprise GIS implementation, disease surveillance systems, and the intersection of spatial analysis with public health and urban planning. Connect with him on LinkedIn or explore his work on his GIS