Mark Friedman knows direct-to-consumer marketing. The 30+ year industry veteran has served as the President of eCommerce at Steve Madden, Chief Marketing Officer of Brooks Brothers, mentor to dozens of startups, and even youth sports coach. You’ll take aw
The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman is an exceptional podcast that offers a wealth of knowledge and insights into the world of digital marketing and e-commerce. With a conversational structure, Mark engages listeners with his informative and engaging interviews. The three takeaways at the end of each episode provide practical tips that can be implemented immediately. As someone new to e-commerce, I have found this podcast to be incredibly valuable in learning about the industry and gaining actionable advice.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is the caliber of guests that Mark brings on. From C-level executives in the DTC Retail and SaaS space to marketing experts from various industries, each episode offers a unique perspective and valuable insights. The conversations are not only informative but also entertaining, making it enjoyable to listen to every episode. Additionally, hearing about the early career choices and experiences of the guests adds depth to their expertise, showing that there is no one "right" path in the marketing industry.
While there are many podcasts in the market, sifting through them can be overwhelming. However, landing on The Marketing Playbook has been a fortunate find. Mark's podcast stands out for its informative content, great guests from both technology and retail industries, and its focus on providing actionable tips. Whether you're passionate about marketing, tech, or retail, this podcast delivers relevant information that can be applied to your own work.
In terms of drawbacks, it would be beneficial if there were more episodes available since waiting for new releases can be a bit frustrating when wanting to consume more of this valuable content. Additionally, although Mark has an extensive background in marketing himself, some listeners may prefer a more diverse range of hosts or interviewers.
In conclusion, The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman is an exceptional podcast that provides useful information on digital marketing and e-commerce while delivering engaging conversations with industry experts. With its conversational structure and three takeaways at the end of each episode, this podcast offers practical tips that can be immediately implemented. Despite a minor drawback of limited episodes, The Marketing Playbook is a valuable resource for anyone interested in marketing, tech, and retail.
Trevor Testwuide, the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Measured, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to find a mentor, why you don't need to be a data scientist to be data-driven, how to navigate incrementality & attribution, whether getting your MBA is the right choice, and the parent-teacher conference that changed Trevor's life. Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn and at Measured.com
Ned MacPherson & Rob Jewell, the Chief Growth Officer of Power Digital and Founder & CEO of Uptick, respectively, add their pages to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to experiment with price testing, drive extra revenue with post-purchase offerings, perform a Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) audit for quick wins, the top changes brands can make to offset cost increases due to tariffs, and how to approach clients who “don't do that here.” Connect with Ned at PowerDigitalMarketing.com and on LinkedIn, and Rob at Uptick.com and on LinkedIn
Gavin Hewitt, the Chief Operating Officer of Velou, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to invest in your people, collaborate with the customer in mind, feed AI the best data possible, what Gavin's learned from his experience building hypergrowth startups, and the 14 schools he went to before graduating high school. Connect with Gavin on LinkedIn and at Velou.com
Kim Miller, the President of Saks OFF 5TH, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to prepare to pivot, have empathy, focus on the customer, the story behind Saks Global, and what Kim learned growing up at her grandfather's shoe repair & handbag store. Connect with Kim on LinkedIn and at SaksOFF5TH.com
Ashley Kechter, the Global President of Fabletics, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to help others grow in their career, know your customer, be a disruptor, the unique membership program that fuels Fabletics, and what Ashley learned growing up as an identical twin. Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn and at Fabletics.com
Jamie Domenici, the Chief Marketing Officer of Klaviyo, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to establish & maintain relationships, embrace change, take a big swing when you can, the fascinating family business Jamie was raised in, and her pro sports dream. Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn and at Klaviyo.com
Maria Youth, the Chief Revenue Officer of Path2Response, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to get outside your comfort zone, manage change, set up a roadmap for your organization, what Maria learned buying Super Bowl ads, and whether to go the agency route or brand-side. Connect with Maria on LinkedIn and at Path2Response.com
Chris Danton, the Co-Founder & Chief of Ideas of IN GOOD CO, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you should consider Substack, how to understand your competitors, how generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) will transform retail, how to reposition your brand, and Chris's predictions for the year ahead in retail. Subscribe to GOOD THINKING on Substack and connect with Chris on LinkedIn and at WeAreInGoodCo.com
Karen Schmidt, the Chief Marketing Officer of Schmidt Bros., adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to learn foundational elements throughout your career, focus on what you do best, overcome lack of experience, what you can learn as a consultant, and the subject Karen's parents didn't allow her to study. Connect with Karen on LinkedIn, at SchmidtBrothers.com, and on Instagram & Facebook @SchmidtBros
Ned MacPherson, the Chief Growth Officer of Power Digital, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to take advantage of the opportunity to sell your business, how to understand your finances, how to experiment & measure your marketing results, how Ned sold Endrock Growth & Analytics to Power Digital, and the aspects of starting a business that are harder than expected. Connect with Ned at PowerDigitalMarketing.com and on LinkedIn
Scott Perry, the Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Worldwide Golf Shops, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you must have a data strategy if you have a retail business, how to make sure your loyalty program has a positive ROI, how to test marketing channels & tactics, Scott's entrepreneurial background in the furniture business, and how comic book ads inspired his career. Connect with Scott at ScottPerry.com
Nik Sharma, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Sharma Brands, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you have to give something to get something, why you should reposition instead of rebrand, how to take a full-funnel approach to marketing, how Nik became The DTC Guy, and his lessons from growing Hint Water and marketing with Snapchat Geofilters. Connect with Nik at Nik.co and on X @MrSharma
David Cost, the Vice President of Digital and eCommerce at Rainbow Apparel Co, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why it takes time to build a great team, why replatforming is not for the faint of heart, how to give your customers a consistent experience, the 3 long stints of David's career, and what he learned from the world of technology consulting. Connect with David at RainbowShops.com and on LinkedIn
Josh Golden, the Chief Marketing Officer of Quad, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to find great talent, tell an engaging story, be transformative, make the jump from the agency world to the brand-side, and what Josh learned from his father's time leading marketing for Crayola. Connect with Josh at Quad.com and on LinkedIn
Alex Faherty, the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Faherty, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you should speak to fellow entrepreneurs who have been there before, how to admit when something's not working and try something else, how to find a way to stand out, the brilliant strategy behind Faherty's retail store locations, and the work dynamic between Alex, his twin brother Mike, and wife Kerry. Connect with Alex at FahertyBrand.com and on LinkedIn
Jonathan Packer, the Co-Founder of G.O.A.T. Foods, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you should get foundational finance experience, how to find your hook, how to leverage the best-in-class digital providers, the family businesses close to Jonathan's heart, and what he learned from his previous life in the accounting world. Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn
Donna Belardi, the Chairman and CEO of Belardi Wong, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why direct mail and catalogs are not dead, how to start your own business, why networking is a two-way street, how Donna fell in love with marketing, and the backpacking Eurotrip that changed her life. Connect with Donna on LinkedIn
David Norton, the Managing Director of GALE, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you should work in a range of different industries, how to keep the focus on the customer, how to use analytics and metrics to fuel your decisions, David's biggest accomplishments as CMO of Caesars, and lessons from his book, The High Roller Experience. Connect with David on LinkedIn and X @DavidWNorton
Jason Nyhus, the President and General Manager of Shopware, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to find the white space opportunity, why you should care deeply about what your customers care about, how to find a job that fits your personality, Jason's passions for sports and marketing, and the role the Mall of America played in his career. Connect with Jason on LinkedIn
Grace Fooden Correy, the Beauty and Fashion Brand Executive, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why titles do not always matter, how to understand the numbers and metrics that drive the business, why you shouldn't be afraid to start your own business, what Grace learned from fellow founders across her career, and what she loves about mentoring. Connect with Grace on LinkedIn and on Instagram @ThisIsAgingWithGrace
David Wish, the Founder of Inspired Digital and the Commerce Syndicate, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to have tough conversations with clients, think across channels, build and maintain a network, what David learned switching from the agency side to the brand side, and his best career advice. Connect with David on LinkedIn and at GetInspired.Digital and CommerceSyndicate.com
Djalal Lougouev, the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Ometria, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to understand your customers, how to find and retain top talent, why you need to demonstrate a new tool's ROI (Return on Investment), the different cultures Djalal experienced growing up, and how he found inspiration in an infamous video game. Connect with Djalal on LinkedIn
Welcome to the Episode 100 Special of The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman! Thank you for making this podcast possible. In this special episode, you'll hear the 3 most common themes from the game-winning plays in each of the first 100 episodes - with highlights from special guests: how to network effectively, how to pivot throughout your career, and how to understand the metrics. Subscribe to The Marketing Playbook with Mark Friedman on your favorite podcast platform, and connect with Mark on LinkedIn
Michelle Wahler, the Co-Founder and Former Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Yoga, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why it's all about the product, how to slow down, when to ask for help, why she ended up selling the company to Levi Strauss & Co., and how to become business partners with your significant other. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn
Michelle Cutter, the Vice President of eCommerce at REI, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to know your customer, why you should consider working for founder-led brands, how to take a step back to move forward, what Michelle learned from Kate Spade and Tory Burch, and lessons from her parents and that log cabin growing up. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn
Viveka von Rosen, the Founder of Beyond the Dream Board, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to do what you were put on this earth to do, confront your fears, pivot your career, embrace the liminal zone, and her hobbies of hang gliding and scuba diving. Connect with Viveka on LinkedIn
Doug Weich, the Founder and CEO of Sophelle and Connecter for the Retail AI Council, and Shirley Gao, the Chief Digital and Information Officer of PacSun and member of the Executive Leadership Committee of the Retail AI Council, add their page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to embrace AI (Artificial Intelligence), follow your passions, watch out for shiny object syndrome, Doug's family ties to BJ's Wholesale Club, and Shirley's favorite use cases for AI. Connect with Doug and Shirley on LinkedIn and at RetailAiCouncil.com
Nadina Guglielmetti, the Chief Customer Officer of The Vitamin Shoppe, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear what you can learn from spending time with your frontline workers, how to earn the respect of your peers, how to cut through the clutter in an election year, how Nadina's international background has helped throughout her career, and what she learned from creating a relationship advice app. Connect with Nadina on LinkedIn
Kristi Daraban, the Associate Vice President, Social Media at Nationwide, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you should spend more time on recruiting, how to be a trailblazer, how to be smart about social media marketing, Kristi's approach to being helpful to job-seekers, and her social media stories and lessons that range from ice cream to Disney. Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn
Andy Ostroy, the Founder of The Adrienne Shelly Foundation, Director and Producer of "Adrienne", and Host of "The Back Room with Andy Ostroy", adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to do your due diligence on potential partners, be resilient, find your calling, the top lessons from Andy's wide-ranging career, and how he ended up co-owning Samuel's Sweet Shop. Connect with Andy on LinkedIn and X @AndyOstroy
Ali Wing, the Chief Executive Officer of Oobli, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to go back to school, think brand first, how to re-enter the corporate world, what Ali learned working at Nike, and her stories from growing up as 1 of 10 kids. Connect with Ali on LinkedIn and X @AliWing and try Oobli at Oobli.com
Margaret Moraskie, the Chief Executive Officer of Levenger, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to embrace change, seek the unknown, focus on great product and great customer service, what Margaret learned growing up in London, and the newspaper ad that changed her career. Connect with Margaret on LinkedIn, Instagram @MMActually, and Instagram @Levenger
Sabrina Cherubini, the Senior Vice President Brand & Digital at Hanky Panky, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to expose yourself to different cultures, seek early-stage experience, meet and understand your target customer, what Sabrina learned growing up in France and Sweden, and how she liked “The Dark Side” aka agency life. Connect with Sabrina on Instagram @SabCherubini and LinkedIn
PJ Oleksak, the Chief Executive Officer of Nuts.com, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to understand the P&L, treat the business like your own, use the data properly, the dynamics of working in a family business, and PJ's experience growing up with a busy household. Connect with PJ on LinkedIn
Jessica Jensen, the Chief Marketing Officer of Indeed, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to practice empathy, stay ready for the next opportunity, protect your brand, what Jessica learned at Apple, Meta, and other top brands, and a 90's vocab lesson. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn
Sherene Hilal, the Chief Product Officer of Bluecore, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to implement a proof of concept, why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, why it always takes hard work, Sherene's experience working through multiple acquisitions, and her math degrees. Connect with Sherene on LinkedIn
Andrea Moore, the Chief Digital officer of NEST New York, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to build and maintain your network, let the customer shop where they want to, use the tools you already have better than you're using them today, transition from interim to full-time leader, and Andrea's lessons from vastly different industries. Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn
Sheryl Clark, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Boston Proper, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to understand the numbers, use acquisitions as learning experiences, listen to offers from recruiters, the top lessons Sheryl has learned in the fashion industry, and how she navigated initial pressure from her parents to go in a different direction. Connect with Sheryl on LinkedIn
Maryssa Miller, the Chief Product Officer of Mint House, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why your skills are more important than the vertical you're in, whether to get a graduate degree, how to understand what goes into the other side's decisions, why Maryssa has always enjoyed reading and learning, and the story of her entrepreneur mother and rocket scientist father. Connect with Maryssa on LinkedIn
Gary Vaynerchuk, the Chairman of VaynerX, Chief Executive Officer of VaynerMedia, and Serial Entrepreneur, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to focus on what's good, be accountable for the things you do and don't do, learn valuable lessons from your experiences, Gary's journey towards buying the New York Jets, and the lessons he learned from an early age thanks to selling trading cards and growing his family wine business. Connect with Gary on social media @GaryVee
Jenna Posner, the Chief Digital Officer of Solo Brands, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to advocate for yourself, invest in brand awareness, understand how buyers and sellers make their decisions, Jenna's thoughts on AI (artificial intelligence) in retail, and her professional rugby career. Connect with Jenna on LinkedIn
Chad Stark, the Chief Executive Officer of STARK, Co-Founder of Ashley Stark Home, and President of The House of Scalamandré, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to lead with authenticity and empathy, learn from your mistakes and failures, create a business roadmap, Chad's approach to running his 3rd-generation family business, and what he learned from DJing in college. Connect with Chad on LinkedIn
Bill Bass, the Chief Marketing Officer of FULLBEAUTY Brands, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear the use cases for generative AI, how to avoid the shiny objects and stay focused on what really matters, create your cabinet of trusted peers, Bill's lessons from the early days of the Internet, and stories from his time as an Army pilot and paratrooper. Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
Vanessa Cartwright, the Chief Executive Offer (North America) of Astound Commerce, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you shouldn't hide behind email, how to be clear about your goals, hire for work ethic, empathy, and compassion, how to deal with tough clients, and Vanessa's approach to a left brain-right brain skill set. Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn
Carlos Dunlap-Beard, the VP, Business Development & Loyalty Strategy at ebbo, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to be prepared, ask your customers what they want, make sure someone owns your loyalty program, the brands with the best loyalty programs, and how Carlos became a Maker's Mark Ambassador. Connect with Carlos on LinkedIn and Twitter @CarlosDunlap
Ken Pilot, the Retail Tech Executive, Founder, Advisor, and Investor, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to create your own opportunities, leverage wholesale, create your investment thesis, Ken's take on the retail climate today, and his hilarious childhood take on the Rorschach test. Connect with Ken on LinkedIn
Amy Carr, the Chief Marketing and Digital Officer of ThirdLove, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear why you should have regular conversations with noncompetitive companies, get back to the office and interact with colleagues, incorporate direct mail into your media mix, what Amy learned growing up on a dairy farm, and her lessons on marketing and loyalty from Gap, Sephora, and more. Connect with Amy on Instagram @AmyRGCarr and LinkedIn
Michael Relich, the Co-Chief Executive Officer of PacSun, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to prioritize profitable projects, fail fast, question what you're doing, stories from the early days of eCommerce, and Michael's motorcycle collection. Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
Rose Hamilton, the Founder and Principal Consultant at Compass Rose Ventures, adds her page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to know your metrics, why collaboration is key, how to focus on the North Star, the beauty of storytelling in the retail space, and Rose's favorite podcasts. Connect with Rose on LinkedIn and CompassRoseVentures.com
Ujjwal Dhoot, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Allivet, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to have the basics covered, push yourself outside your comfort zone, find inspiration with your mentees, the future of the CMO title, and Ujjwal's lessons from growing up in a big city and small town in India. Connect with Ujjwal on LinkedIn
Vijay Talwar, the multinational sports and retail business leader, adds his page to the Marketing Playbook. Hear how to understand your finances, focus on the bottom line, why it's okay to stretch yourself, where Vijay first found inspiration to be an executive, and his lessons from Nike, Foot Locker, Bain, and beyond. Connect with Vijay on LinkedIn