Working at the Intersection of Technology, Creativity and Business: Meet Christian Cobb ’14

Innovative. Observant. Business minded. These words describe Christian Cobb ’14. They also encapsulate the work Cobb does at Copurpose, the Syracuse-based marketing firm he founded. Now in its third year of operation, Copurpose marries mission and strategy. Cobb and his team help their clients, from businesses to nonprofit entities, identify their purpose, embrace fundamental principles, and use digital tools in ways that are both ethical and effective.

Prior to founding Copurpose, Cobb says that he occupied “nearly every modern marketing role.” When his last employer was sold to a venture capital firm, he decided the time was right to strike out on his own. It was, he acknowledged, “a leap of faith”. However, with the support of his wife, Alexandra Cobb ’14, he took it. Copurpose does not have the feel of a traditional marketing firm. Salary and job descriptions are shared internally. Staff members are given ergonomic sit-stand desks. The office in Armory Square is stocked with snacks and drinks. All of this is by design. Cobb’s aim is to provide his six-person team with a balance of autonomy and support so that they can succeed in their area of expertise. 

Cobb credits his time at Le Moyne, where he studied management and leadership and information systems, with helping to prepare him for this work. Not only did he become more curious and open minded on the Heights, but he also cultivated an interest in the psychology of business. In particular, Cobb learned to ask himself the following questions: How can people work together effectively? What is the best way to build trust? Which attributes make someone a good leader? 

In what was truly a full-circle moment, Cobb returned to campus a few years ago to teach marketing to current Dolphins. Among other things, he stressed to his students the importance of being a life-long learner. As he pointed out in his classes, 10 years ago automation was shaping the world of business and marketing. Today it is AI. Who knows what forces will be uncovered 10 years from now? That is why it is critical for people in his field to offer what he calls “true marketing expertise, not a single digital tactic.”

Cobb is dedicated to uplifting Syracuse. It is a city he knows well, having gone to school here and lived in nearly every major neighborhood. He wants to contribute to its vitality, and is proud that his team includes three Le Moyne, alumni – Jhon Cifuentes ’14, ’15, Kelli Tierney ’21 and Thomas Radley ’24.  Moving forward, Cobb says that his intention is not to grow the company simply for the sake of growing it, but to scale in a way that makes sense and aligns with the firm’s values.

“My goal is not to grow a big company,” he says. “It is to do great work and to love that work.”