I was fortunate enough to meet David Sable over a lunch that we hosted almost a couple of years ago. David is the Global CEO of Y&R, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies with over 16,000 employees around the world.
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Here’s a sneak peak and some of my favorite moments from our conversation:
Was the son of a rabbi and so because his dad was always in the spotlight, he always had to be careful of his actions.
Incredible mentors were critical to his development. People such as Edward Chapman III, Harold Burson and Lester Wunderman. Getting mentors was serendipitous and never planned.
Career was never planned and was non-linear. Instead, he chased after opportunities where he could constantly learn and grow. There’s a Yiddish term called Bashert which means "It was meant to happen". If you don’t grab the opportunity, it’s not going to happen.
Nearly botched a major advertising campaign for Kinney Shoes (now Foot Locker) because CBS decided to change the date that they were going to air The Wizard of Oz.
Huge proponent of reading. He recommends reading the classics like Shakespeare and Harry Potter as there's a reason why they have survived through so many generations.
Being in the ad industry during the period of Mad Men was not always easy. There were projects that people wouldn’t give him because he was Jewish and "different". He shared some of those stories on the PBS special, The Real Mad Men of Madison Avenue.
On spending time with family, he believes that if you’re present 100%, it covers the times that you’re not able to be there.
As part of practicing Sabbath, he disconnects from all devices from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. It’s an incredibly powerful way to practice mindfulness, read and listen more. It can almost feel like you’re on vacation once a week. David wrote about this in one of his posts for the Huffington Post. This is something that another leader in the marketing world, Gary Vaynerchuck (4x NYT Best Seller, CEO of VaynerMedia) also practices with his family time.
Always wanted to be an astronaut. He’s scared shitless of heights but would still love to be able to travel to space one day.