Exploring Business Paths: Marketing & Finance

  Exploring Business Paths: Marketing & Finance

When it comes to choosing a business major, two fields are often grouped together: marketing & finance. On the outside they might seem like two very different paths. However, they are deeply interconnected. Not only are they close when it comes to college classes; marketing & finance are the spine of a successful business. Understanding the basics of how these two fields work individually and together can help you throughout your business career.

What is Finance?

Finance — “They system or study of creating, circulating, and managing money.”. At its core, finance is all about money: how to manage, invest, grow, and save it. Finance jobs include a wide range of responsibilities such as budgeting, investment, forecasting, and risk management. People in finance determine a lot of things, these include: determining best use of money, how to invest for profit, affordability, and more. In the professional field, finance often consists of analyzing data, making real world decisions, building spreadsheets, and preparing budgets. Experts use their insights to guide an organization or a personnel to make smart financial decisions for the future. 

There are two main branches in finance: Corporate Finance & Personal Finance

Corporate Finance: 

• “The subfield of finance that deals with how corporations address funding sources, capital structuring, accounting, and investment decisions.” 

Personal Finance:

• “The management of financial activities by an individual either for themselves or for their household.”

Each type of finance has their own unique working environments, expectations, and skills. Corporate jobs are data-driven, fast-paced, interactive, and require business & analytical knowledge. Personal jobs focus on interconnectivity with the client, following client’s requests, and business & analytical knowledge. 

Some of the most famous financial jobs are:

• Financial Analyst – Studies market trends, company performance, and financial data to recommend investment strategies.

• Investment Banker – Helps companies raise capital by issuing stocks and bonds, or advises on mergers and acquisitions.

• Accountant – Keeps track of financial records, ensures compliance with tax laws, and helps businesses and individuals plan financially.

• CFO (Chief Financial Officer) – A top executive responsible for a company's overall financial health, strategy, and planning.

• Financial Planner (Corporate/Personal) – Works with clients or companies to create long-term strategies for financial stability and growth.

What is Marketing

Marketing — "Activities a company undertakes to promote the buying and selling of a product or service.”. It focuses on reaching, persuading, and retaining customers. Marketing jobs also require a wide range of responsibilities such as: studying customer behavior, using social media, designing websites, track data to figure out a problem, deal with real world problems, and create advertising campaigns. Marketing professionals deal with a lot of questions, those are: What the customer wants, how to communicate a brand with a customer, some strategies to grow market share, and why their marketing ways don't work. Overall, marketing professionals create value for the customers; their goal is to create a loyalty loop so the customers keep coming back. 

Some popular marketing jobs include:

• Marketing Manager –  Plans and oversees marketing campaigns to meet company goals and manage teams.

• Digital Manager – Promotes brands online using social media, SEO, email, and analytics tools.

• Brand Strategist – Shapes a brand’s image and message to connect with target audiences.

• Market Research Analysis – Studies customer and market data to help businesses make informed decisions.

• CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) – Leads the overall marketing strategy and manages the entire marketing department.

How Marketing & Finance Work Together

Though it may seem different, marketing & finance rely on each other constantly and are the backbone of a business or organization. Marketing needs finance to set budgets and measure the return on investment of campaigns to see if it was effective. Without financial analysis, marketers can’t justify their strategies. Marketing estimates how much a product will sell based on demand. Finance uses that data to forecast revenue and plan investments. Inaccurate marketing forecasts can cause budgeting problems.

Choosing the Best Path For You

Marketing & finance are similar but can have varied interests based on personalities. If you enjoy working with numbers, analyzing data, and real world problem solving, finance might work for you. If you are creative, able to build relationships with people, and persuasive, marketing might work for you instead. However, you don't just have to choose one path. You can dual major to show off your skills to companies, making you more valuable. 

Finance and marketing may seem like separate paths in your career, but in today’s business world, they are the backbone of an organization. Finance gives a business structure and clarity, while marketing provides loyalty and creativity. Together, they balance each other like peanut butter and jelly.

Whether you choose one path or blend both, exploring finance and marketing can open the door to a variety of exciting, impactful careers. By understanding how these fields work together, you’ll be better prepared to contribute to any business—and to shape a successful future for yourself.