Inside Look: Doug Cofer’s Journey into Marketing

Well...it's a long and winding road. Looking back I've always felt I was on the path to where I am today. I have strengths both creatively and analytically, which I attribute in part to my parents, an AP English Lit teacher and an Economics professor. I drew a lot as a kid but also did math in my head well beyond my years. Without knowing it, I was, in some way or another, doing marketing in high school at times. I went to college to be an architect, and I loved those classes but didn't want to put in the time needed to excel for Calculus 2 and 3 – I was too busy being a college kid having fun. After a semester as an archaeology major (which I also loved) I decided I didn't want to teach nor did I want to spend 20 years in a remote location constantly searching for something exciting to do.

I reverted to the business school where my father earned his degrees. One of the first classes I took was a marketing course with Mark Dunn, an influential professor. He changed the direction my life was going, and from that point on, I was on board. I got two degrees in marketing (an MBA with statistics as a second major), and while at Baylor, I sojourned into entrepreneurial pursuits as well as website development a few times with decent success. I also involved myself in marketing roles within the university, then went off to conquer the world.

I spent five years in media sales which was significant for establishing the results based principles upon which Four Columns operates. I then climbed the ladder for a few years until I found myself the CEO of a company at 29. The birth of my second child, Katie, prompted the need abandon my 70-80 hour work weeks and establish a more harmonic work-life balance. This decision took us to New Mexico where I led the sales department at Angel Fire Resort. It was there that I moved back into marketing, continued expanding my experience in digital marketing, and most of all, I realized I was fed up working for other people.

In 2007, we moved back to Waco and I founded Four Columns Marketing. It was small for a while – but in time with support from my amazing wife, Christine, the company blossomed and began its new chapter in 2014. Since then, we’ve been growing quickly but steadily with a niche in branding, full-service marketing management and execution, and digital marketing. I’m surrounded by a fantastic team--we have a fun, unique office culture and our momentum has been steadily gathering. This year is poised to be just a breakout year (knock on wood). We’re really excited!

And, that’s how I got into marketing.