Lorrin Pascoe knows a think or two about the marketing field. As a senior marketing executive working for companies like Adidas and Sonos, Pascoe describes himself as “a strategic and passionate marketer”.

In college, Pascoe knew he wanted to get into this industry. He’s always been drawn in by stories and storytellers. Early in his professional career, he was attached to stories that sports brands like Nike and Adidas were telling through their campaigns. He had to work his way up, however.

After spending his first two years out of college marketing in the automotive industry for Honda, Pascoe landed at Adidas. When asked what his professional goals were at that time, he told me, “I wanted to learn as much as I could. I wanted to do things that were meaningful.” Things like “building teams, fostering growth, mentoring.” He then gradually worked his way up the ranks of the company by being an active listener and building meaningful and impactful relationships.

I asked him what his favorite project at Adidas was: “Hands down, working with Derrick Rose.” Rose was Adidas’ brightest star at the time, becoming the youngest player ever to win NBA MVP in 2011. He then suffered a career-altering injury during the 2012 playoffs and his stock at the brand took a major hit. However, Pascoe became the lead marketer for Rose’s comeback campaign called “The Return” later that year. Centered around a new shoe release, Pascoe flew to Chicago and led the reinvigoration of Rose’s career at Adidas and in the NBA.

After almost nine years at the company, Pascoe eventually packed his bags for Santa Barbara and was hired by Sonos. “I didn’t want to work at the same company my whole career,” he told me. And after seven years as a Senior Director of Marketing at Sonos, he has a new plan for his career. Still living in Santa Barbara, Pascoe is leading a start-up with fellow ex-Adidas and Nike executives, advising for public brands and “taking a break from the corporate world.” The main goal he’s set for himself at this stage of his career is to make a direct impact on brands and individuals in the marketing world. Now working freelance for a start-up, he has the freedom to make the world his oyster.