Marketing Sweats

In this episode of Marketing Sweats, Misty chats with Jason Brown, insights director at Simantel, about our latest research report: Problem-solving Through Partnerships. Spoiler: Strong, long-term partnerships matter more than flashy campaigns.

In this episode of Marketing Sweats, Simantel owners Misty and Tim sit down with advertising lawyer Joe Rosenbaum as he reveals his approach to marketing law and how he continues to avoid litigation with all his clients. 

Join Misty to analyze agency growth and new-client relationships from an outside perspective with agency search consultant and AAR Partners President, Lisa Colantuono.

In this episode of Marketing Sweats, listen to executive facilitation expert Tim Leake explore the hidden powers of workshops and the importance of making them fun.

Hispanics make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population. They're no longer just an opportunity for advertisers, they're a necessity. Listen to MARCA Miami VP Kristen Sabina dive into the power of the U.S. Hispanic market and why we need to make them a priority.

In this episode of Marketing Sweats, listen to prolific author Matt Heinz give advice on embracing revenue responsibility with predictable, repeatable and measurable marketing.

In this episode of Marketing Sweats, listen to business expert Spencer Lodge reveal why “sales” isn't a dirty word and how to not shy away from sales in marketing as a discipline. 

Sit with Misty over a glass of wine as she discusses influencer marketing with recovering pageant girl and new-age influencer, Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett.

Listen to renowned digital prophet David “Shingy” Shing give us the straightforward advice we needed to challenge conventional marketing norms, embrace what makes us different and identify emerging trends.

Greg Batton, co-host of The Greg and Dan Show on WMBD Radio, is a gifted storyteller driven by a desire to connect and entertain. He's a force for good and leverages positivity to bring joy to the community both on the air and off.

Jennifer Zammuto, President of the Heart of Illinois United Way, shares how her organization determines the best way to allocate charitable donations to maximize return on investment and the impact that has on the whole community.

Nikki Romain, Executive Director of Artists ReEnvisioning Tomorrow Inc., overcame a difficult childhood by expressing herself through art. Now, she's helping empower women and youth in the region through arts programs.

Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, talks about the many business-friendly advantages in Greater Peoria, the role of the EDC and the many partnerships in place to drive regional economic development.

Dr. Keith Knepp, President of Carle Health Greater Peoria, talks about growing up in Central Illinois, serving in his hometown as a physician and how he transitioned to leadership to make a wider impact on health care and the region he loves.

Bob Sehring, Chief Executive Officer of OSF HealthCare, shares why “the closer to home you can receive care, the better.”

Dr. Chris Reynolds, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Bradley University, learned early on how athletics can change the lives of students by providing structure, teaching lessons and establishing connections to lifelong mentors.

John D. Morris, CEO and President of the Peoria Riverfront Museum, talks about leading his hometown's museum and about his commitment to growing Greater Peoria's wealth of activities and resources.

Laura Cullinan, President of the Gilmore Foundation is a driving force behind Choose Greater Peoria. By facilitating collaboration among community leaders, she's carrying out Bob Gilmore's legacy to improve the livability of Greater Peoria.

Valerie Duque joined BNSF Railway as an engineer right out of college. Today, she brings a diverse skillset to her role as Director of Marketing – Consumer Products at BNSF, where she strives to lead with self-awareness and positivity.

Karen Jensen, President & CEO of Farnsworth Group has spent nearly 40 years honing her engineering and business skills. She's learned from experience that focusing on employees leads to better client satisfaction – and that's a win-win for everyone.

Rakshan Syed, Director of Digital Integration Services at a fortune 100 manufacturer of heavy equipment and author of the book Embolden Women: Unapologetically Me, fearlessly challenges gender biases and leads with optimism and positivity, always.

Keally DeWitt, VP of Marketing and Public Policy at GAF Energy has been an environmentalist and feminist since she was a little girl. Today, she cultivates a DEI-centered organization through servant leadership and celebrating diverse perspectives.

Aryn Drawdy, Corporate Communications Director at AGCO, knows the heavy industry. She started her career in construction, embraced being a woman in a male-dominated field, and seamlessly transitioned to her leadership role in agriculture.

Women from Kiewit, one of North America's largest engineering and construction organizations, talk about life in the industry and strengths they've developed working in a male-dominated industry.

Lauren Parker, VP of Operations at Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) learned early on how to hold her own and show her value as a woman in the male-dominated civil engineering field. Today, she brings a natural confidence to the way she leads.

Leanne Skuse, President of River City Construction, loves the energy of a job site. At the start of her career, she was one of the only females in Central Illinois in her industry. Today, she builds teams diverse in both gender and the way they think.

Workforce innovation is a true calling for Amy Volz of Trane Technologies. It allows her to combine her passion for marketing and brand strategy with her love for helping to unlock the potential of women and create opportunity for all.

Misty Dykema becomes a guest on her own show—interviewed by her 9-year-old daughter, Myah. She shares stories of her work solving challenges for industrial brands and what she's learned about leadership as a woman working with male dominated industries.

Executive Creative Director, Chris Moehn, narrates his Point of Pride story – a peek into Simantel's past and how our reputation for having such a crazy talented staff was built and lives on today.

Associate Content Director, Kelly Luttinen, narrates her Point of Pride story about her experience collaborating on a video for the OSF Healthcare Foundation to support funding for ALS research after losing her dad to the same rare disease.

Creative Director, Jake Beyhl, narrates his Point of Pride story about highlighting the best of the best technicians and working with Mike Rowe on Caterpillar's Technician Recruitment campaign that won big at AdAge's award ceremony.

Associate Media Director, Clay Deal, narrates his Point of Pride story about how his non-traditional career path led him to self-discovery and his position leading Simantel's media team.

Senior Web Developer, Alan Wilson, narrates his Point of Pride story about his experience collaborating with teams throughout the agency to develop an interactive QR code experience to engage attendees at CONEXPO.

Director of Organizational Design, Gena Killion, narrates her Point of Pride story about the time she learned how admitting failure can build trust with clients and improve leadership skills.

Marketing Automation Consultant, Jane Olson, narrates her Point of Pride story about changing roles and diving into a new opportunity for a brand new account after only a month at Simantel.

Insights Director, Jason Brown, narrates his Point of Pride story about learning that his coworkers are more than just that – they're family.

Creative Director, Van Burnett, narrates his Point of Pride story about creating an aligned messaging framework that unified content for multiple Caterpillar aftermarket product groups.

Senior Project Planner and DEI committee co-chair, Megan Gibbons, narrates her Point of Pride story about the challenges and successes of starting up the employee-led DEI committee at Simantel and what the work has meant to her personally.

Associate HR Manager, Nick Knuffman-Brewer, narrates his Point of Pride story about making HR more of an employee experience and ways he strives to make it a positive one for all Simantelites.

Senior Communication Strategist, Pam Aiello, narrates the story of how she learned about the lasting impact of a campaign through the words of her daughter.

Director of Experience Strategy, Sara Ingles, narrates the story of what it was like to co-direct Caterpillar's Dozer Pride rap video, challenging the status quo to create a video that still resonates today.

Executive Director of Service Management, Lori Johnson, narrates the story of how she found her true passion professionally while balancing life as a mom.

Executive Strategy Director, Erin Bowald, narrates the story of how the strong female leadership at Simantel has influenced her and given her hope for her daughter's future.

Marketing and Brand Director, Alicia Ruemelin, narrates the story of her involvement in a big milestone at Simantel and an all-time favorite event for so many people tied to the agency – our 40(ish) anniversary celebration, Ish Fest.

Marketing and Brand Director, Alicia Ruemelin led the planning and execution of Ish Fest, Simantel's 40(ish) anniversary celebration in the fall of ‘22. It took a ton of work, but in the end, the event went off without a hitch(…ish).

Executive Strategy Director, Erin Bowald, has learned a lot in her 15 years at Simantel. Hear how it prepared her for the role she's in today, what she learned from the strong female leadership of the past and how she's now shaping the next generation.

Lori Johnson, Executive Director of Service Management, always knew she wanted a career and to be a mom – of three. But when it became difficult to balance both, she had to find a way to create some flexibility in her schedule in order to “have it all”.

Director of Experience Strategy, Sara Ingles has poured her creativity into many projects at Simantel, but one really stands out: the Dozer Pride rap video she co-directed. It went viral, and six years later, it still resonates with operators today.

Senior Communication Strategist, Pam Aiello, was hired by Jim Simantel as the agency's first writer. She's made her mark on many people and campaigns during her tenure here, not the least of which was her own daughter and the City of Peoria's “Don't Shoot” campaign.

Nick Knuffman-Brewer recently brought his wealth of corporate retail HR experience to Simantel in his role as Associate HR Manager. Hear how his background influenced his take on HR and how he's infusing that into the employee experience.

As co-chair of the DEI committee, Senior Project Planner Megan Gibbons, fosters an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued and free to be their full and authentic selves. Through her work, she empowers others to create the culture they wish to see.