CHAD HEYWOOD

Get to Know Chad Heywood, a 2021 40 Under 40 Winner!

CHAD HEYWOOD

Founding Partner, Camelback Strategy Group

How did you first get involved in politics? When I was in college I was the early state chair of Students for Mitt. Interned for my Congressman. Became a Precinct Committeeman in the Republican Party. The rest is history!
Who has been your biggest mentor in this industry? Learned a lot from my first boss Mike Haller who loved data targeting and coupling it with campaign budgets and field. Mike found his true calling, left politics, and became a CPA! No joke. A guy who ran Congressional races is now a respected Tax guy.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received? “Whatever you are, be a good one!” – Abraham Lincoln
What might your colleagues be surprised to know about you? I play the violin and sang in a boy band. Well sort of. I sang in an Acapella group in high school. We recorded a CD. Our moms purchased all of them.
What was your first impression of the industry? What is your impression now? My first impression of the industry were characters like Josh Lyman on the West Wing. Books were my early teachers before I was an intern. I would read books I could find by operatives like Karl Rove or memoires like “All Too Human” from George Stephanopoulos. Some of those stories were actually helpful because they came up the ranks and did some pretty ordinary things like running for College offices and working on state and local races. The reality is that most campaigns are filled with a lot of research and a ton of project management. The glamour comes on occasion but it is mostly just hard work.
What do you wish other people knew about political consulting? Most of the people I have met in the industry are wonderful and high caliber. You don’t really last unless you have a lot of passion, grit, and get along with people. Business people learn this when they run for office. They almost always come into a campaign thinking the “private sector” is the most innovative and most competitive place to be. They find as the campaigns go on that there is a high degree of expertise in campaigns and they are more competitive and zero sum than business. They learn to trust that most of the people in the industry are professional and give them their best advice.
What is your favorite campaign you have ever been involved in? The first Mayor race I ran for a community leader I had always looked up to. I was young and hungry to prove myself. Great candidate. Grassroots activities you could see right in front of you. Doors, yard signs, kickoff breakfasts, etc. It all sticks with me. It was new and felt like I was doing something I loved and believed in. Good memories.
Who have you not worked with yet but would like to? Most people go all in with a Presidential campaign when they are younger. I was a young Dad, so I’m going to stay healthy, wait until the kids are out of the house, and beg some impressive rising star like Daniel Cameron in Kentucky to let me help them run for President in 15-20 years. They can stick me in Iowa or New Hampshire in the Winter so I can check those moments off my bucket list.
What sparked your interest in political consulting? I like ideas and people. Wasn’t disciplined enough to be an academic although I love to read and learn. Did sales and marketing and was decent but not passionate about it. Political consulting was the perfect way to merge my interests.
How did you recover from your first campaign loss? Not well. I still remember losing a congressional and being absolutely depressed for a few days. Just sitting in it. Left it all on the field, great candidate, just wasn’t our time. Still was absolutely the worst feeling in the world. My then pregnant wife who had barely seen me that year, gave me about 48 hours to wallow in my sorrow, looked me in the eye, told me to get over it, that she was going to have a baby. I woke up to reality quickly. Life moved on!