Podcasts about creative agencies

Call Her Daddy host and Unwell co-founder Alex Cooper joins Mixed Signals live at Cannes Lions to talk about what it takes to turn a hit podcast into a real media business. Max and Ben ask Alex how Unwell's creative agency ended up going toe-to-toe with Call Her Daddy in revenue, what she learned from her interview with Michelle Obama, and why she's more interested in the marketing than most talent in her field. Sign up for Semafor Media's Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

Daniel Flynn never imagined he'd spend nearly two decades proving that consumerism could fund the end of extreme poverty. What began as a naive 19-year-old's idea-redirecting bottled water profits to clean water projects-evolved into Thank You, a social enterprise that has given $90.3 million to those in need and counting. In this episode of the Mucky Middle, Daniel shares the brutal reality of what happened after the viral helicopters and supermarket victories faded. Learn how the "mucky middle" nearly broke the company-from the New Zealand nappy launch that saw competitors crush their market share, to the burnout that sidelined his wife and co-founder Rachel, to the consultant who told him, "You can't be a 200% company" (and why he was right). Daniel reveals his methodology for navigating the seven-year pivot from manufacturer to brand licensor, his philosophy that "control is the enemy of growth," and how he maintains radical optimism when the marathon becomes a triathlon with hurdles. We also explore why true human creativity is more valuable than ever in the AI age, and what it takes to hold onto naive faith when every business instinct says to quit.

Today on Journey Map, we're joined by Simon Forster, Founder and ECD of Robot Food. In this episode, we discuss Simon's entrepreneurial journey, his experience building a thriving agency outside of tier-one markets, and the relationship between team empowerment and strategic growth. Learn More from Simon and Robot Food:Visit Robot Food: https://www.robot-food.com/Connect with Simon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robotfood/

Every week a project runs late, your agency loses 6% net profit.Not because your team isn't working hard. Not because your clients are impossible. But because of quiet, invisible leaks inside your delivery process that most agency owners never stop to measure.In this episode of the Happy Clients Podcast, we sit down with Robert Patin of Creative Agency Success to break down the real financial cost of client delivery, and why some of your highest-revenue clients might actually be your least profitable.What you'll learn in this episode:-Why timeline slippage is silently destroying your margins (and the math that proves it)-The difference between scope creep and expectation creep, and why one of them is your fault-How an agency was losing $3–4 per hour on a client that made up 80% of their revenue-Why anchor clients give away your leverage without you even realizing it-How one agency went from 8 client revisions to zero, and the simple shift that made it happen-Why leading your clients confidently is the most profitable thing you can do-The 3–5 numbers every agency owner and account manager should be trackingIf you've ever had a client that looked great on paper but felt expensive in every other way, this episode is for you.If you need help with Client Management, visit: www.dotandcompany.co

Irish creative studio, The Studio of Possible, has been appointed by offshore wind and marine survey specialist, Sulmara, to support the business's next phase of growth through strategic positioning, brand storytelling and communications. The partnership spans brand strategy, positioning, digital, social, live experiences and commercial communications, with the work focused on helping Sulmara evolve from a traditional survey-led narrative towards a more future-facing position centred around seabed intelligence. Operating within the rapidly expanding offshore wind and marine infrastructure sector, Sulmara is increasingly positioning itself not simply as a business that gathers seabed data, but as a strategic intelligence partner helping clients make smarter, faster and more confident decisions across offshore energy projects. The appointment reflects growing demand within industrial, energy and engineering-led sectors for stronger strategic communications, clearer differentiation and commercially-focused brand positioning as businesses compete for investor attention, talent and market share in increasingly crowded categories. Founded in Dublin in 2021, The Studio of Possible works at the intersection of strategy, creativity and commercial growth, helping organisations clarify their value, strengthen market positioning and communicate more effectively across digital, brand and experience-led channels. The studio identified an opportunity to help Sulmara move beyond the conventional language commonly used across the offshore survey category, where many businesses communicate in similar terms around vessels, surveys, operations and data capture. Instead, the partnership focuses on developing a clearer and more differentiated narrative around intelligence, innovation and future offshore decision-making. Séamus Begley, founder and creative director at The Studio of Possible, said: "We're incredibly excited to partner with Sulmara, a business operating at the forefront of offshore wind and marine innovation. "As the renewable energy sector continues to evolve at pace, there's a growing need for companies driving real technical progress to communicate their value, vision and impact with greater clarity and confidence. "Sulmara has built an impressive reputation within the industry and our role is to help sharpen how that expertise is articulated across the market. "We believe strategic storytelling and positioning have an important role to play in supporting the future growth of offshore wind, helping businesses not only stand out commercially, but also connect more effectively with investors, partners, talent and the wider industry." Work to date has centred on helping Sulmara communicate its longer-term commercial ambition and innovation story more clearly, supporting the business as offshore wind matures from an emerging sector into a major global infrastructure and investment category. Miek King, Head of Global Sales at Sulmara, commented: "We were looking for a partner that could understand the complexity of our work, while also helping us communicate the bigger commercial value behind it. "The Studio of Possible immediately recognised that Sulmara's role goes beyond traditional survey work and has helped us build a clearer, more future-focused narrative around seabed intelligence, innovation and the role we play in supporting smarter offshore energy decisions." According to The Studio of Possible, branding and strategic communications are becoming increasingly important within technical sectors, where businesses are no longer competing solely on operational capability, but also on clarity, confidence, investor appeal and future relevance. Looking ahead, the partnership will continue to support Sulmara across brand, digital, social, events, investor communications and commercial storytelling as the business strengthens its position within the offshore wind and marine technology space. A podcast with Seamus Begley will be up so...

Today on Journey Map, we're joined by Tom Conlon, Founder and CEO of North Street Creative. In this episode, we talk about Tom's early discovery of digital design, how career challenges sparked the founding of North Street Creative, and what it takes to build, and sustain a creative agency through shifting markets.Learn More from Tom and North Street Creative:Visit North Street Creative: https://northstreetcreative.com/Connect with Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-conlon/

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Trewin interviews Gulliver Moore shares how he scaled Sunday Treat alongside his co-founder Oliver Clubb from a freelance director/DP partnership into a £2M creative agency serving global brands like Google, Disney, and Revolut. In this episode, Gulliver reveals how consistent 20% year-over-year growth, smart hiring, strong company culture, and high-performing video marketing helped the agency expand to a 14-person team with clients across the US and Europe. He also explains how Sunday Treat is adapting to AI, building viral content strategies, and maintaining creativity while scaling fast. Gulliver shares honest lessons about leadership, delegation, difficult management decisions, and why founders should never delegate hiring. The conversation is packed with insights on business growth, branding, team building, and creating a sustainable agency in today's competitive digital landscape.  Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:  What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Gulliver Moore shared that the hardest part of growing a business is consistently delivering on big promises while maintaining quality and trust with clients. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Gulliver Moore said his favorite business book is Radical Candor because it deeply influenced how he manages people, gives feedback, and builds an honest company culture. He also highly recommended The Making of a Manager for its practical advice on leadership and team management. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Gulliver Moore recommended podcasts like Hard Fork, The Vergecast, and Today in Focus to stay updated on technology, AI, and current events. He also emphasized learning through experimentation, especially with AI tools, social media content creation, and hands-on business experience rather than relying heavily on formal coaching or consultants. During the conversation, host Troy Trewin additionally recommended Marketing School, Uncensored CMO, and Everyday AI for marketing and business growth insights. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Gulliver Moore recommended using Claude AI for brainstorming, strategy, copywriting, and improving workflows with AI. He also highlighted Monday.com as a powerful CRM and project management system for organizing teams and client work, while Figma was his preferred platform for creating visually engaging presentations and creative assets. He emphasized that combining strong systems, consistency, and AI tools can significantly improve productivity and business growth. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Gulliver Moore said he would tell himself to trust the process, stay patient, and focus on consistently hiring great people. He emphasized that long-term success comes from building a strong team culture, trusting your instincts during hiring, and sticking with the journey even when growth feels slow or uncertain. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Hiring the right people is the most important investment you can make in your business — Gulliver Moore You don't need to control everything — great teams do amazing work when you trust them — Gulliver Moore Consistency in your process will eventually create the growth you're looking for — Gulliver Moore       

#862 Is AI helping or hurting your creativity and intuition? In this insightful episode hosted by Kirsten Tyrrel, we sit down with Hannah Ryu, co-founder of Oak Theory, a creative tech studio pushing boundaries in branding, UX/UI, and web development. Hannah shares her entrepreneurial journey from immigrant roots to agency ownership, the power of partnership, and how AI is transforming the way we work — both for better and for worse. We explore healthy ways to integrate AI into your workflow without sacrificing human insight, how intuition and analog practices are making a comeback, and why creativity and execution — not just automation — still win in business. This is a must-listen for founders navigating the fast-evolving world of entrepreneurship in the age of AI! (Original Air Date - 8/13/25) What we discuss with Hannah: + Hannah's journey to entrepreneurship + Building Oak Theory and Under the Oak + UX/UI explained through real-world examples + Impact of AI on creative industries + Healthy vs. harmful AI usage + Importance of intuition and analog practices + Benefits of business partnerships + Using AI for operations and proposals + Avoiding overdependence on tools + Seasonality of tech exploration in business Thank you, Hannah! Check out Oak Theory at ⁠OakTheory.co⁠. Check out Under the Oak at ⁠UndertheOak.co⁠. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠video podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Knapman is a PhD-qualified biochemist. Last year, he was working for Sciex, whose campaign on proteomics (don't worry, we'll explain that in the episode) was a perhaps unlikely winner of a Grand Prix gong at The Drum Awards last year. This year he's jumped ship into a perhaps almost-unique role: chief science officer at a creative agency. He tells The Drum why he thinks boom times are coming for science comms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Lamarkism" is a term often attached to a seemingly discredited idea in evolutionary biology: that one organism could acquire characteristics (e.g., becoming stronger through exercise) that would then be inherited by its descendants. This is a different story than the one ultimately told by the modern synthesis of evolutionary biology, according to which inheritance passes through our genome (which doesn't know that we've been working out). In her book The Power of Life: The Invention of Biology and the Revolutionary Science of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, historian of science Jessica Riskin argues that this picture is too simple, and that Lamarck made contributions we should still pay attention to: most significantly, the idea that organisms have a creative agency of their own, in addition to the influences of the outside world. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MINDSCAPE at this link and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/mindscape #sponsored   Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/03/23/348-jessica-riskin-on-jean-baptiste-lamarck-and-life-as-creative-agency/ Support Mindscape on Patreon. Jessica Riskin received her Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently the Frances and Charles Field Professor of History at Stanford University. Among her awards are the Patrick Suppes Prize in the History of Science and the J. Russell Major Award for French history. Her books include The Restless Clock and Genesis Redux, and she is a frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books. Web page New York Review of Books contributor page Amazon author page Wikipedia

What helps students believe they can shape the world with their ideas? And what might quietly discourage them from trying?   In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett speak with creativity researcher Dr. Maciej Karwowski, Professor of Psychology at the University of Warsaw and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Creative Behavior. Together, they explore creative agency and why students need more than creative ability to turn ideas into action. In this episode, we discuss: What a creative agency is and why it matters for student creativity The four key elements of creative agency: confidence, creative identity, risk-taking, and self-regulation Why many teachers and students underestimate their own creativity How beliefs about creativity influence whether students act on their ideas Whether schools actually suppress creativity or help it develop The role of knowledge in supporting creative thinking and learning How students' creative confidence can shift as they gain expertise The opportunities and concerns surrounding AI and creativity in education How AI might support creativity through feedback rather than idea generation   About Our Guest Dr. Maciej Karwowski is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Warsaw and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Creative Behavior. His research focuses on the educational psychology of creativity, particularly creative agency and how classroom environments influence students' creative development. This episode invites educators to reconsider how creativity develops in schools and how teachers can nurture the confidence, identity, and motivation students need to act on their ideas.   Be sure to subscribe to your favorite platform and sign up for our Extra Fuel newsletter for more resources and inspiration. Visit FuelingCreativityPodcast.com for more information or email us at questions@fuelingcreativitypodcast.com.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with Jacob Hicks, a sales strategist and systems thinker passionate about helping entrepreneurs push past their comfort zones, master their time, and build businesses that last.Jacob shares his journey from a shy kid in small-town Iowa to a sales pro who's learned that the best approach to selling isn't closing hard — it's serving authentically. He breaks down the systems, follow-up strategies, and time management frameworks that help small business owners stop being "busy" and start being truly productive.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with serial entrepreneur Jay Sapovits, a builder who knows firsthand how to turn setbacks into springboards.Jay shares his raw journey—from early success in sports media and private aviation, to losing everything during the financial crisis, to rebuilding and scaling Inked, a custom merch company on track to surpass $5M in revenue.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark Labriola II interviews Walter Crosby, CEO of Helix Sales Development, who shares his extensive experience in transforming underperforming sales teams into revenue-generating powerhouses. The conversation covers Walter's journey into sales, the challenges of transitioning from a sales role to business ownership, and the importance of hiring the right salespeople. Walter emphasizes the need for accountability, clear expectations, and effective compensation structures to motivate sales teams, especially during tough economic times. He also discusses the significance of prospecting and how leaders can shift company culture to foster a thriving sales environment.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with Henry Yoshida, CEO and Co-Founder of Rocket Dollar, to unpack what it really takes to build a durable fintech company in a highly regulated industry.Henry shares his journey from a risk-averse upbringing and a stable career at Merrill Lynch to founding multiple companies—including Rocket Dollar, now part of a platform managing $12B+ in retirement assets. They dive deep into ownership, timing, regret vs. risk, venture capital trade-offs, and why paying attention to “small signals” can unlock massive opportunities.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II interviews Greg Stevens, an executive coach and expert in conflict resolution. They discuss the importance of managing emotions in difficult conversations, the journey to understanding and repairing incomplete relationships, and the skills necessary for effective communication. Greg shares insights from his experiences and his book, 'Build New Bridges: The Art of Restoring Impossible Relationships,' emphasizing the need for self-awareness and accountability in both personal and professional relationships. The conversation also touches on performance reviews and how to approach them constructively, as well as the significance of closure in relationships.

What if the breakthrough wasn't fame… but discipline?Episode 206 is a powerful one.Joey YAK went from elite athlete to touring artist to walking away from it all. He chose family over fame, got sober, rebuilt his life, became a top-performing sales leader, and eventually founded his own creative agency.This conversation goes beyond business tactics. It's about identity, maturity, responsibility, and building something that actually lasts.If you're a business owner trying to grow without losing your values, this episode will resonate.Thanks for listening and being part of this journey with us.Connect with Joey YAK PieperInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joey.yak/Get Attention STL Website: https://getattentionstl.com/Connect with Builders of AuthorityWebsite: https://buildauthority.comFREE Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/7685392924809322GoHighLevel Extended 30-day Free Trial w/TONS of Personal Branding Bonuses: http://gohighlevel.com/adammcchesney

Big news. I moved to New York for the next few months. My fiancé and I are renting a spot in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I've already managed to get lost on the subway twice. Also, my book tour is coming to a close at Patagonia SoHo on February 19th. If you're in New York, come out, I'd love to hang in person. Event details here. Okay, onto our regularly scheduled programming: David Littlejohn is a magician, cold plunge enthusiast, and the founder of Humanaut, a creative agency based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Under Littlejohn's leadership, Humanaut has executed campaigns for Liquid Death, Organic Valley, Dollar Shave Club, and many other brands that probably live rent-free in your brain. In this episode, Littlejohn and I talked about his love of sleight-of-hand magic, the real job of entrepreneurs, and the benefits of working on nationwide campaigns from a small town like Chattanooga. You can get in touch with him on Instagram and check out Humanaut here. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It's glorious. My first book, ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, is available to order today. Kyle Thiermann is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I also take payments in surf wax. Get full access to Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II interviews Chad Prinkey, founder and CEO of Well Built Construction Consulting. They discuss Chad's journey from a successful corporate career to entrepreneurship, the challenges of building a scalable business, and the importance of leadership and culture in driving growth. Chad shares insights on competing on value rather than price, the mindset shifts necessary for long-term success, and key systems that can help construction businesses thrive. The conversation concludes with actionable takeaways for listeners looking to improve their own businesses.

In this episode of Liftoff, Keith sat down with Arshavir Blackwell, PhD, AI researcher, founder, and author of The Creative Agency's Guide to AI, to unpack what's really happening behind today's AI boom.With decades of experience building neural networks—from Ask Jeeves to enterprise AI—Arshavir explains why most so-called “AI agents” still don't have real agency, why vertical focus is the only way startups can survive Big Tech competition, and how the next generation of companies will be smaller, faster, and radically more capital-efficient.They explored AI interpretability, local vs frontier models, privacy-first AI, and what founders should actually be building over the next 24 months.Connect with Arshavir Blackwell: - Newsletter: insidetheblackbox.ai- Book: tinyurl.com/creativeagencybook- App: yourvoicecraft.ai- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arshavirblackwell Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one. - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cFpLXfYvcUsxvsT9MwyAD?si=f5a14e779777487d - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/liftoff-with-keith-newman/id1560219589 - Substack: https://keithnewman.substack.com/ - Newman Media Studios: https://newmanmediastudios.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftoffwithkeith - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keithnewman74 For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: sponsorships@wherewithstudio.com#Podcast #ArtificialIntelligence #AITrends #AIStartups #Founders #TechLeadership #FutureOfWork #LiftoffPodcast #AIInnovation

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II interviews Emma Tessler, founder and CEO of NinentyFiveMedia, a digital marketing agency. Emma shares her journey from a side hustle in interior design to leading a successful remote team specializing in social media strategy and brand storytelling. The conversation covers the importance of building a strong company culture, the challenges of scaling a business, and the evolving landscape of video content in the age of AI. Emma emphasizes the significance of authenticity in marketing and offers actionable advice for entrepreneurs looking to grow their brands.

This week we're talking about the intersection of AI and creativity. Are copywriters still needed in corporations? We talk to Creative Director Sam Farquharson on her copywriting pet peeves, what some companies get wrong when designing a commercial, and her current tiktok spiral. All of this and your weekly news recap!Top Stories:1. Quick Update on Expedia voyeurism case2. Uwajimaya expands to Tacoma3. Blue Star Cafe closes4. Cider updates: Locust Cider shuts down taprooms & Seattle Cider is acquired by Two Towns5. Microsoft's response to AI data center oppositionAbout Sam Farquharson - Creative Director/Lead Writer, Ampersand:Sam is the Creative Director and Lead Writer for Ampersand as well as the Commercial Director for the production arm of Ampersand. She has a long history of working as a copywriter and creative director for a variety of well known companies including REI.About host Rachel Horgan:Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego.Contact:Email: info@theweeklyseattle.comInstagram: @theweeklyseattleWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theweeklyseattle.com

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Recorded live at Calgary's SocialWest 2025, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features guest host Laila Hobbs, Co-Founder of Social Launch Labs, in conversation with Hiba Amin, Co-Founder of Creative Little Planet.Hiba shares a candid look at navigating imposter syndrome throughout her marketing career, from being the sole marketer during a startup downturn to finding confidence through community, conversation, and lived experience. She also discusses the evolution of content creation, why authenticity resonates more than polished perfection, and how marketers can build meaningful connections with their audiences.The conversation dives into the responsible use of AI in content marketing, including where it can support creative work, where it falls short, and why strong foundational ideas must come before scale. Packed with thoughtful insights and real-world perspective, this episode is a must-listen for marketers navigating growth, creativity, and confidence in a rapidly changing industry.

I chat with filmmaker and producer Soukaina Alaoui El Hassani (https://www.saelhassani.com/portfolio & https://www.instagram.com/saelhassani/?hl=en) to explore her journey from growing up in Casablanca—within a rich oral storytelling tradition—to producing bold, emotionally resonant work across film, advertising, and animation on a global scale.We talk about her path through commercial production, from early work at Vice Media Group to her current role at Versus Creative Studio, collaborating with major brands and media companies while maintaining a strong personal creative voice. Soukaina shares how moving between disciplines has sharpened her storytelling instincts and expanded her sense of what's possible. This is a conversation about craft, identity, ambition, and using storytelling as a tool for connection—and change.

Just because something's labelled ‘small', that doesn't mean it's incapable of achieving great things - it's all about opportunities, not limitations for Small Family Business.Elliot and Eva Harris represent two of the three generations that comprise Small Family Business, whose name alludes to the way they operate - not to the limits of their success.Join the father-daughter duo on this week's episode to explore how reclaiming ‘small', leading with compassion, and combining generational wisdom is a golden recipe.

Robert discusses the challenges faced by business owners in scaling their agencies, emphasizing the need for specialization and shedding unnecessary services, adapting to market conditions, and much more! Robert Patin's journey into the agency world has been far from traditional. Starting with a passion for commercial photography, he quickly realized his true calling lay in finance and strategy. Trading the camera for spreadsheets, he developed his expertise in finance at small CPA firms before rising to head of finance at a creative agency. It was here that Robert discovered a troubling pattern: many agencies were mired in unnecessary complexity, bogged down by administrative demands that stifled both creativity and growth.

Our latest guest is Maya Ackerman — AI‑creativity researcher, professor, and author of Creative Machines: AI, Art & Us (Wiley), as well as founder of WaveAI and LyricStudio (View recent colab with NVidia).Maya's perspective is not just insightful — it's a necessary reality check for anyone building AI today. She challenges the comforting narrative that AI is a neutral tool or a natural evolution of creativity. Instead, she exposes a truth many in tech avoid: AI is being deployed in ways that actively diminish human creativity, and businesses are incentivized to accelerate that trend.Her research shows how overly aligned, correctness-first models flatten imagination and suppress the divergent thinking that defines human originality. But she also shows what's possible when AI is designed differently — improvisational systems that spark new directions, expand a creator's mental palette, and reinforce human authorship rather than absorbing it.This episode matters because Maya names what the industry refuses to admit. The problem is not “AI getting too powerful,” it's AI being used to replace instead of elevate. Businesses are applying it as a cost-cutting mechanism, not a creative amplifier. And unless product leaders intervene, the damage to creativity — and to the people who rely on it for their livelihoods — will become irreversible.Listen to the Episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YoutubeWe're engineering a global creative regression and pretending we aren't.Generative AI could radically expand human imagination, but the systems we deploy today overwhelmingly suppress it. The literature is unequivocal:* AI boosts creative output only when tools are intentionally designed for exploration, not correctness.* When aligned toward predictability, AI drives conformity and sameness.* The rise of “AI slop” is not an insult — it's the logical outcome of misaligned incentives.* New evidence shows that AI-assisted outputs become more similar as more people use the same tools, reducing collective creativity even when individual outputs look “better.”* Homogenization is measurable at scale: marketing, design, and written content generated with AI converge toward the same tone and syntax, lowering engagement and cultural diversity.* Repeated reliance on AI weakens human originality over time — users begin outsourcing ideation, losing confidence and capacity for divergent thought.Resources:* The Impact of AI on Creativity: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395275000_The_Impact_of_AI_on_Creativity_Enhancing_Human_Potential_or_Challenging_Creative_Expression* Generative AI and Creativity (Meta-Analysis): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2505.17241* AI Slop Overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_slop* Generative AI Enhances Individual Creativity but Reduces Collective Novelty:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11244532/* Generative AI Homogenizes Marketing Content:https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/5367123.pdf?abstractid=5367123* Human Creativity in the Age of LLMs (decline in divergent thinking):https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.03703 BOTTOM LINE: If your product optimizes for correctness, brand safety, and throughput before originality, you are actively contributing to the global collapse of creative quality. AI must be designed to spark—not sanitize—human imagination.Thanks for reading Design of AI: Strategies for Product Teams & Agencies! This post is public so feel free to share it.Award-winning creative talent is disappearing at scale, and the trend is accelerating.The global creative workforce is shrinking faster than at any time in modern history. Companies claim AI is “enhancing creativity,” yet most restructuring reveals the opposite: AI is being deployed primarily to cut labor costs. In general, layoff announcements top 1.1 million this year, the most since 2020 pandemic.What's happening now:* Omnicom announced 4,000 job cuts and shut multiple agencies — Reuters reporting: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/omnicom-cut-4000-jobs-shut-several-agencies-after-ipg-takeover-ft-reports-2025-12-01/* WPP, Publicis, and IPG executed multi-round layoffs across design, writing, strategy, and production.* Digiday interviews confirm AI is used mainly to eliminate junior and mid-level creative roles: https://digiday.com/marketing/confessions-of-an-agency-founder-and-chief-creative-officer-on-ais-threat-to-junior-creatives/The most important read on the future & destruction of agencies comes from Zoe Scaman. She always brings a powerful and necessary mirror to the shitshow that is modern corporate world. Read it here:Freelancers and independent creatives are being hit even harder:* UK survey: 21% of creative freelancers already lost work because of AI; many report sharply lower pay — https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2025/03/report-finds-creative-freelancers-hit-by-loss-of-work-late-pay-and-rise-of-ai/* Illustrators, motion designers, and concept artists report declining commissions as clients adopt Midjourney-style pipelines.* Voice actors face shrinking bookings due to synthetic voice models.* Stock photography, stock audio, and digital concepting have been heavily cannibalized by tools like Midjourney, Runway, and Suno.The research into AI shows even deeper risks:* The Rise of Generative AI in Creative Agencies — confirms agencies deploy AI for margin protection rather than creative innovation: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2%3A1976153/FULLTEXT03.pdf* IFOW/Sussex study shows AI exposure correlates with lower job quality and salary stagnation for creatives: https://www.ifow.org/news-articles/marley-bartlett-research-poster---ai-job-quality-and-the-creative-industriesBOTTOM LINE: Creative roles are vanishing because AI is being optimized for efficiency rather than imagination. If we want creative industries to survive, AI must expand human originality — not replace the people who produce it.:** Creative roles are vanishing because AI is being deployed for efficiency rather than imagination. If we want a future with vibrant creative industries, AI must be designed to amplify human originality — not replace it.Please participate in our year-end surveyWe are studying how AI is restructuring careers, skills, and expectations across product, design, engineering, research, and strategy.Your responses influence:* the direction of Design of AI in 2025,* what questions we investigate through research,* what frameworks we build to help leaders adapt—and protect—their teams.Take the survey: https://tally.so/r/Y5D2Q5Understand your cognitive style so you know how to best leverage AI to boost youThe Creative AI Academy has developed as an assessment tool to help you understand your creative style. We all tackle problems differently and come up with novel solutions using different methods. Take the ThinkPrint assessment to get a blueprint of how you ideate, judge, refine, and decide. Knowing this will help you know in which ways AI can boost —rather than undermine— your originality. For me it was powerful to see my thinking style mirrored back at me. It gave structure to what enhances and undermines my creativity, meaning I better understand what role (if any) AI should play in expanding my creative capabilities. Thank you to Angella Tapé for demonstrating this tool and presenting the perfect next evolution of Dr. Ackerman's lessons about needing AI to be a creative partner, not cannibalizer. BOTTOM LINE: Without cognitive self-awareness, you're not “partnering” with AI—you're surrendering your creative identity to it. Take the ThinkPrint assessment and redesign your workflow around human-led, AI-supported thinking.We are trading away human intellect for productivity—and the safety evidence is damning.The research is now impossible to ignore: AI makes us faster, but it makes us worse thinkers.A major multi-university study (Harvard, MIT, Wharton) found that users with AI assistance worked more quickly but were “more likely to be confidently wrong.”Source: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4573321This pattern shows up across cognitive science:* Stanford and DeepMind researchers found that relying on AI “reduced participants' memory for the material and their ability to reconstruct reasoning steps.”Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.01832* EPFL showed that routine LLM use “led to measurable declines in writing ability and originality over time.”Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.00612* University of Toronto researchers warn that repeated LLM use “narrows human originality, shifting users from creators to evaluators of machine output.”Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.03703In other words: we are outsourcing the exact cognitive muscles that make human thinking valuable — creativity, reasoning, comprehension — and replacing them with pattern-matching convenience.And while we weaken ourselves, the companies building the systems shaping our cognition are failing at even the most basic safety expectations.The AI Safety Index (Winter 2025) reported:“No major AI developer demonstrated adequate preparedness for catastrophic risks. Most scored poorly on transparency, accountability, and external evaluability.”Source: https://futureoflife.org/ai-safety-index-winter-2025/A companion academic review by Oxford, Cambridge, and Georgetown concluded:“Safety commitments across leading LLM developers are inconsistent, largely self-regulated, and often unverifiable.”Source: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2508.16982We are weakening human cognition while trusting companies that cannot prove they are safe. There is no version of this trajectory that ends well without deliberate intervention.Resources:* The Hidden Wisdom of Knowing in the AI Era: * A Critical Survey of LLM Development Initiatives: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2508.16982* Future of Life AI Safety Index (Winter 2025): https://futureoflife.org/ai-safety-index-winter-2025/* Supporting Safety Documentation (PDF): https://cdn.sanity.io/files/wc2kmxvk/revamp/79776912203edccc44f84d26abed846b9b23cb06.pdfBOTTOM LINE: Tools that reduce effort but not capability are not accelerators—they are cognitive liabilities. Product leaders must design for mental strength, not dependency.Schools are producing prompt operators, not original thinkers.Education systems are bolting AI onto decades-old learning models without rethinking what learning is. Instead of cultivating reasoning, imagination, and embodied intelligence, schools are teaching children to rely on AI systems they cannot critique.Resources:* UNESCO: AI & the Future of Education: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ai-and-future-education-disruptions-dilemmas-and-directions* Beyond Fairness in Computer Vision: https://cdn.sanity.io/files/wc2kmxvk/revamp/79776912203edccc44f84d26abed846b9b23cb06.pdf* AI Skills for Students: https://trswarriors.com/ai-education-preparing-students-future/BOTTOM LINE: If we do not redesign education, we will create a generation of humans who can operate AI but cannot outthink, challenge, or transcend it.Featured AI Thinker: Luiza JarovskyLuiza Jarovsky is one of the most essential voices in AI governance today. At a time when global AI companies are actively pushing to loosen regulation—or bypass it entirely—Luiza's work provides a critical counterbalance rooted in human rights, safety, law, and long-term societal impact.Why her work matters now:* She exposes the structural risks of deregulated AI adoption across governments and corporations.* She documents how weak or performative governance puts vulnerable communities at disproportionate risk.* She offers practical frameworks for ethical, enforceable AI oversight.Follow her work:BOTTOM LINE: If you build or deploy AI and you are not following Luiza's work, you are missing the governance lens that will define which companies survive the coming regulatory wave.Recommended Reality ChecksTwo critical signals from the field this week:* Ethan Mollick on the accelerating automation of creative workflowshttps://x.com/emollick/status/1996418841426227516AI is quietly outperforming human creative processes in categories many believed were “safe.” The speed of improvement is outpacing organizational awareness.* Jeffrey Lee Funk on markets losing patience with empty AI narrativeshttps://x.com/jeffreyleefunk/status/1996612615850676703Investors are separating real AI value from hype. Companies promising transformation without measurable impact are being punished.BOTTOM LINE: The creative and product landscape is shifting beneath our feet. Those who don't adapt—intellectually, strategically, and operationally—will lose relevance.Final Reflection — Legacy Is a Product DecisionEverything in this newsletter points to a single, unavoidable truth:AI does not define our future. The product decisions we make do.We can build tools that:* expand human originality,* strengthen cognitive resilience,* elevate creative careers,* and produce a generation capable of thinking beyond the machine.Or we can build tools that:* replace the creative class,* hollow out human judgment,* weaken educational outcomes,* and leave society dependent on systems controlled by a handful of companies.As product leaders—designers, strategists, researchers, technologists—we decide which future gets built.Legacy isn't abstract. It's the cumulative effect of every interface we design, every shortcut we greenlight, every metric we reward, and every model we deploy.If you want to build AI that strengthens humanity instead of diminishing it, reach out. Let's design for human outcomes, not machine efficiency.arpy@ph1.ca This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit designofai.substack.com

We've got Matt Dean from Dean&Co on to share some expert knowledge on what it takes to build a successful Denver brand, from development + architectural design all the way down to strategic marketing and branding. Gain some insight on where our city is heading and what's holding it back!   As always, we've got the top Denver news and things to do on our radar this week as well. Follow RGD: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8u8GmvBi6th6LOOMCuwJKw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real_good_denver/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realgooddenver   Do you have a Denver event, cause, opening, or recommendation that you want to share with us? We want to hear from you! Tell us what's good at tom@kitcaster.com. We're opening up early access to a custom Denver job alert program through our newsletter thanks to https://www.jobstreamai.com/. Sign up at realgooddenver.com to be the first to know when it's ready!!   News & Events:   Ball Arena Phase 1   Real Snow coming to Denver     Promo   New Year's Eve party from our friends over at Drink Denver     Shout Out:   https://www.deancostudio.com/ ​​Music produced by Troy Higgins   Goodboytroy.com  

On this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with my dear friend Christina Cone in her home here in East Nashville. I knew she would be the perfect person to talk with about how to maintain one's creative and artistic identity while simultaneously diving headfirst into motherhood. Christina fronts the band Frances Cone along with her husband, Andy. She also founded Phases, a boutique creative agency for independent artists, earlier this year. She and I spoke about the terror and magic of motherhood, the necessary price we pay to live in community, the journey of healing from religious trauma, dismantling the legacy burden of codependency, and strategies for keeping the creative flame burning all the while. Follow Christina's work and various projects here and here! Psyche Magic Website, Socials and more!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychemagic.substack.com/subscribe

Points of Interest00:01 – 02:30 – Introduction: Marcel and Kristen introduce the episode's focus on productized services versus custom work and set the expectation for a nuanced, non-dogmatic discussion for agencies.02:31 – 07:25 – Defining Productized Services & Common Misconceptions: Marcel defines productization as selling a clear outcome for a fixed price, explains that backend processes do not need to be identical every time, and debunks the idea that productized services must be rigid or factory-like.07:26 – 11:31 – Benefits of Productized Services for Sales and Operations: The hosts outline how productized services can shorten sales cycles, simplify proposals and contracts, standardize onboarding and delivery, and support more scalable, profitable operations when paired with strong process and pricing.11:32 – 15:43 – Hidden Costs and Rigidity of Productization: Marcel explains how process investments create product and operational debt that are expensive to maintain and slow to change, highlighting the risk of misfit productized offers in complex or iterative work like web and software development.15:44 – 19:00 – Pricing Model Quadrant and Scope–Contract Alignment: The conversation explores the value–risk pricing quadrant and shows how flat-fee or fixed-scope productized offers can clash with agile, fluid scopes when every backlog change forces contract renegotiation and erodes margin.19:01 – 22:33 – Abstracted Time & Materials as a “Productized” Offer: Marcel introduces abstracted time and materials models such as leasing a cross-functional team per sprint, arguing that agencies can sell clear “products” without fixed deliverables while using pricing structures that better share risk with clients.22:34 – 27:10 – Strategic Upsides of Custom Work for Complex Problems: The hosts outline how custom work suits complex, high-value, or enterprise-level problems, enables larger deal sizes and higher absolute profit, and lets agencies operate in less crowded, harder-to-solve problem spaces.27:11 – 29:40 – Staffing Strategy for Custom Agencies: Marcel describes a staffing model built around a small core of senior experts and a flexible bench of freelancers or contractors, enabling agencies to absorb project volume swings without constant hiring and layoffs.29:41 – 33:44 – Pricing, Delivery Margin, and Contractor Economics: The discussion dives into calculating delivery margin targets for internal staff versus contractors, marking up units of time appropriately, and deciding when to treat outside experts as pass-through costs while still protecting project profitability.35:07 – 37:48 – Debunking the Myth That Custom Work Cannot Scale: Marcel challenges the claim that custom work is inherently unscalable or unprofitable by pointing to large professional services firms, while acknowledging the real challenges around utilization, staffing, and pricing on time and materials.37:49 – 42:32 – Market Context, Price Ceilings, and Competitive Pressure: The hosts explain how custom approaches can price agencies out of mid-market segments where clients do not value extensive process, and emphasize matching the business model to what the market needs and is willing to pay for.42:33 – 48:53 – Choosing the Right Model and Recommended Resources: The episode closes with a call to map services against value and risk, design pricing and delivery models accordingly, avoid chasing productization as a silver bullet, and check out suggested experts and resources on productized services and pricing.Show NotesPricing Model QuadrantChris DuboisAnthony GindinBrian KessmanGreg Hickman Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Hochhauser and Jena Wolfe didn't quit their jobs to build Piecework Puzzles—and that's exactly why it worked. The cofounders share how they turned a stormy weekend experiment into a multi-million dollar lifestyle brand, all while maintaining full-time careers. As VP of Marketing for Goop Kitchen, and renowned Author and creative agency owner, the duo are mastering the art of balancing everything, in real time. From starting with just four puzzle designs shot in Rachel's grandmother's garage, to spawning an entire aesthetic movement in the industry, Rachel and Jena have made their mark. They aren't afraid to do things differently, constantly learning and iterating from production nightmares and successful campaign launches. Discover their unconventional approach to entrepreneurship, product development, and world building in this candid interview. They both reveal why bootstrapping gave them the creative freedom they craved, how they navigate being business partners and best friends, and the unexpected pivot that led to their viral cocktail napkin line.In This Episode You'll Learn: Why NOT taking investor money gave them complete creative controlThe “advice tour” strategy that helped them solve business problemsHow they went from puzzles to viral tomato napkins (and why that shouldn't have worked)What happened when their manufacturer dropped them during the pandemicWhy working with your best friend can actually be brilliantTheir approach to brand partnerships with everyone from Goop to Better Homes & Gardens Chapters:00:00 Introducing Piecework Puzzles and The Stormy Weekend That Started It All 3:30 How to Find Your Gap In the Market & Stand Out6:00 Design Philosophy 101: How to Create Products That People Connect With8:40 The Importance of Creative Freedom & How to Obtain It!10:45 How to Run a Successful Business with Your BFF13:50 Starting Cultural Moments: The Origins of The Tomato Craze16:20 The Product Expansion That Shouldn't Have Worked (But Did)20:15 Advice for Overcoming Manufacturing Nightmares23:00 The “Advice Tour” Strategy That Has Saved Piecework Puzzles26:49 Brand Partnerships: From Goop to Broccoli Magazine29:15 Addressing Dupe Culture… 32:45 Leadership Tips For Building a Lean & Productive Team Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Iain Thomas is a poet, author, and the Chief Innovation Officer at Sounds Fun—an advertising and creative agency that he co-founded with the belief that human creativity could be enhanced, rather than diminished, with the help of AI. It's a realization that actually began to dawn on Iain a few years prior, after his mother died. He wasn't sure how to explain death to his children, so he turned to an early version of ChatGPT for help—and was so impressed by the poetry of its responses that he came away convinced of AI's immense potential as a thought partner for his creative work. On this episode, Iain talks about using AI to make more space for the creative parts of your work, and why, in a world where everyone has access to the same tools, it's never been more important to lean into the skills, context, and experiences that make each of us most unique—and most human.Learn more about Sounds Fun soundsfun.co~ ~ ~Working Smarter is brought to you by Dropbox Dash—the AI universal search and knowledge management tool from Dropbox. Learn more at workingsmarter.ai/dashYou can listen to more episodes of Working Smarter on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. To read more stories and past interviews, visit workingsmarter.aiThis show would not be possible without the talented team at Cosmic Standard: producer Dominic Girard, sound engineer Aja Simpson, technical director Jacob Winik, and executive producer Eliza Smith. Special thanks to our illustrators Justin Tran and Fanny Luor, marketing consultant Meggan Ellingboe, and editorial support from Catie Keck. Our theme song was composed by Doug Stuart. Working Smarter is hosted by Matthew Braga. Thanks for listening!

Zbog njega Miljakovac ima svoj klub, a Beograd novu priču o humanosti. Epizoda 341 Pojačala sa Jovanom Simićem je topla, energična ljudska priča o dečku sa Miljakovca koji je sport pretvorio u alat za zajednicu: od odrastanja među parkićima, šumom i sportskim idolima, do formiranja vrednosti koje su ga zauvek vezale za kraj i ljude oko sebe. Razgovor prati njegov put od čuvene humanitarne aukcije dresova iz 2014, koja ga je “izbacila u orbitu,” preko niza akcija i događaja poput Sportskog bazara i “Penala za život,” do osnivanja FK Miljakovac kao lokalnog, humanitarnog kolektiva koji okuplja komšiluk i menja navike navijanja ka “klubu iz kraja.” Usput, čujemo kako je iz praktičnog rada u fudbalu (Voždovac) sazrevao u komunikacijama i organizaciji, kako su se krupne ideje rađale iz malih gestova, i zašto je knjiga “878” njegov drugi front na kojem spaja istoriju, fikciju i identitet Beograda. Ukratko, epizoda je kolaž uspomena, akcije i vizije: kako sport, pripovedanje i lokalni ponos zajedno stvaraju trajne promene. O čemu smo pričali: - Najava razgovora - Početak razgovora - FK Miljakovac i knjiga 878 - Kad porastem biću... - Fudbal, menadžeri i ljubav ka dresovima - Put do prve akcije - Brendiranje, ženski fudbal - Aktuelni projekti i zaključak Podržite nas na BuyMeACoffee: https://bit.ly/3uSBmoa Pročitajte transkript ove epizode: https://bit.ly/4hysJZm Posetite naš sajt i prijavite se na našu mailing listu: http://bit.ly/2LUKSBG Prijavite se na naš YouTube kanal: http://bit.ly/2Rgnu7o Pratite Pojačalo na društvenim mrežama: Facebook: http://bit.ly/2FfwqCR Twitter: http://bit.ly/2CVZoGr Instagram: http://bit.ly/2RzGHjN

Want Rory's system to turn one brief into 100+ assets with AI? Get it here: https://clickhubspot.com/drf Ep 368 Ever wonder how you can use AI to reduce the amount of money you're spending on ads to acquire more customers? Kipp and Kieran dive into how to leverage AI to scale creative asset production and transform your marketing workflow with expert insights from AI creative mastermind Rory Flynn. Learn more on building prompt formulas for high-quality imagery and video, deploying node-based tools like Weavy to automate and batch-create assets, and reverse engineering creative building blocks to make every marketer self-sufficient in the age of AI. Mentions Rory Flynn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-flynn-ai Midjourney https://www.midjourney.com/ Weavy https://www.weavy.ai/ Claude https://www.midjourney.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We're creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you're facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we've put together a survey and we'd love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

What if your best marketing asset isn't your funnel or ad spend — but your values?Darren Magarro, founder and president of The DSM Group (https://thedsmgroup.com), joins me to unpack how he built one of New Jersey's top marketing agencies from scratch — starting with just his gut instincts, a deep belief in community, and zero cold calls.Darren's story is raw, real, and refreshingly grounded. From walking away from Wall Street to scaling a multi-million-dollar agency in an industry obsessed with flash, Darren shares the mindset shifts, hiring mistakes, and personal breakthroughs that helped him build something sustainable, profitable, and purpose-driven.

In this episode, I sit down with Joel Pilger, former agency founder and now global advisor to creative studios, to uncover the root causes that hold many photographers and creative agencies back from sustainable growth. Joel brings real-world lessons from his two-decade journey running Impossible Pictures, through its rise, sale, and his transition into consulting for hundreds of studios. We dig into: Common growth traps creative agencies fall into (feast-or-famine cycles, underpriced services, lack of systems) How creative companies can evolve from “order-taker” to strategic, high-impact partners Business development & positioning strategies that differentiate your brand Pricing, operations, and mindset shifts needed to scale How to future-proof your agency with long-term value and resilience If you're building or leading a creative agency, this episode is a masterclass in combining artistry and business discipline. Connect with Joel Pilger at https://www.joelpilger.com/ or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelpilger/  Connect with James Patrick at https://jamespatrick.com/ 

If you're tired of spending every Monday scrambling to create content for the week or feeling like you're constantly behind on your marketing, this episode will completely transform how you approach content creation. Today I'm sharing my Marketing Marathon framework, which allows me to create an entire month's worth of content across 6 different platforms in just 3 focused days. Batching content is a way of working smarter, not harder and it doesn't need to be exhausting.  I used to do content creation weekly, dedicating every Monday to marketing, and while it worked for a while, I started hitting roadblocks when I wanted to get more creative or when I had travel or time off. Instead of forcing a system that wasn't working, I analyzed what was actually causing the bottlenecks and created a solution that fits my current season of business. The key to this framework is preparation. I never show up to ideate during my Marketing Marathon. I come with content topics already collected throughout the month, a calendar strategy for Instagram, custom templates from my Sales Studio team, and a clear plan for what gets done on which day. This allows me to focus purely on execution, which is why I can record five podcast episodes back-to-back without breaking a sweat. I'm breaking down the exact 3-day structure: Day 1 for video and audio recording (highest energy), Day 2 for Instagram content creation (medium energy), and Day 3 for writing and scheduling (lowest energy). Plus, I'm sharing all the prep work that makes this possible and why separating ideation from creation is absolutely crucial. In today's episode, we're talking about: Why weekly content creation was burning me out  The 3-day Marketing Marathon structure  The preparation that makes this framework possible  Why ideation and execution must be separated  How custom templates and delegation through Sales Studio makes the design process seamless and fast Connect with me:  Website Join our email list! Instagram Pinterest Get creative support to turn your content into sales before, during and after your launches. Get custom designed assets completely done for you, so you can hit your next record-breaking launch inside Sales Studio. Join today: https://highflierpowerhouse.com/retainer  Get the photoshoot, website, and content strategy you need to increase your business revenue and reputation. Apply for The Rebrand Experience https://highflierpowerhouse.com/rebrand-experience  

Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com   Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com  **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102   See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire   See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

In this Mission Matters episode, Adam Torres interviews Jesse Gilmore, Founder of Niche in Control. Jesse explains why most agency bottlenecks start with the founder, not demand, and walks through his Leverage for Growth framework. He shares a practical time audit plus a 4-step method—Eliminate, Automate, Delegate, Time-block—to free capacity, build systems, and scale from operator to visionary. Jesse also highlights his book, The Agency Owner's Guide to Freedom, which provides mindset shifts and strategies to help founders buy back their time and build businesses that run without them. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Jason Miller interviews Miriam Agrell and Kavita Vora from The Fraction Collective. Throughout the conversation, they highlight different ways that creative agencies and ESOPs intersect. The group discusses the reality of succession planning and how ESOPs are an attractive option for business owners who are looking for an exit strategy.

We are so excited to be joined by Arianne Virsunen today to talk about her journey of launching BLOND BRANDS— a boutique creative agency specializing in branding, creative content, and experiential marketing. From balancing creativity with business to standing out in a crowded industry, she shares lessons every entrepreneur and creator can relate to. Ari's Instagram: @arivirsunenBLOND BRANDS: @blondbrandsDanielle's IG: @shestyledwhatAllysa's IG: @allysa.larsonThe Influence Community IG: @theinfluencecommunityAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

#540 Is AI helping or hurting your creativity and intuition? In this insightful episode hosted by Kirsten Tyrrel, we sit down with Hannah Ryu, co-founder of Oak Theory, a creative tech studio pushing boundaries in branding, UX/UI, and web development. Hannah shares her entrepreneurial journey from immigrant roots to agency ownership, the power of partnership, and how AI is transforming the way we work — both for better and for worse. We explore healthy ways to integrate AI into your workflow without sacrificing human insight, how intuition and analog practices are making a comeback, and why creativity and execution — not just automation — still win in business. This is a must-listen for founders navigating the fast-evolving world of entrepreneurship in the age of AI! What we discuss with Hannah: + Hannah's journey to entrepreneurship + Building Oak Theory and Under the Oak + UX/UI explained through real-world examples + Impact of AI on creative industries + Healthy vs. harmful AI usage + Importance of intuition and analog practices + Benefits of business partnerships + Using AI for operations and proposals + Avoiding overdependence on tools + Seasonality of tech exploration in business Thank you, Hannah! Check out Oak Theory at OakTheory.co. Check out Under the Oak at UndertheOak.co. To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to hear from more incredible entrepreneurs? Check out all of our interviews ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

300. Building Creative Magic with Simon Rogers: Mission, Meaning, and Making an Impact In this episode of Creative Chats, Mike Brennan speaks with Simon Rogers, founder of A Little Better Co., about the essence of creativity, his evolution in professional life, and the importance of aligning creativity with personal values. They discuss the challenges creatives face in a tech-driven world, the role of curiosity, and the responsibility of creatives to use their power for good. Simon emphasizes the need for mission-driven creativity and the joy found in the creative process, encouraging listeners to engage actively in their creative journeys. 3 Key Takeaways:

In this episode, I dive into the types of businesses that are typically challenging to sell. We explore why businesses built on personal brands, online courses, and creative agencies often face hurdles in creating enterprise value. I also discuss the effect of low barriers to entry, lack of proprietary intellectual property, and the impact of AI on these industries. Additionally, I offer actionable advice on how to potentially turn these unsellable models into sellable ones by focusing on systematizing processes, creating recurring revenue streams, and building robust sales pipelines. Remember, if your goal isn't to sell, that's perfectly fine, but it's crucial to set realistic expectations and goals for the future of your business.   What You'll hear in this episode: [00:45] Understanding Sellable vs. Unsellable Businesses [02:30] Challenges of Personal Brand Businesses [04:45] The Decline of Online Courses [07:40] Creative Agencies and AI Impact [10:55] Risks of Affiliate and Trend-Based Businesses   If you like this episode, check out: How to Confidently Leave Your 9 to 5 and Embrace Entrepreneurship How Katie Savarise Built a Culture, Not Just a Brand How to Value a Business   Want to learn more so you can earn more?   Visit keepwhatyouearn.com to dive deeper on our episodes Visit keepwhatyouearncfo.com to work with Shannon and her team Watch this episode and more here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMlIuZsrllp1Uc_MlhriLvQ Connect with Shannon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/shannonkweinstein/   The information contained in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only and is not individual tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional before implementing anything you learn.

What do you do when the world shuts down 10 days after you launch your dream business?   In today's episode of the Leaders Across America podcast, Steve Acorn catches up with Simon Fraser, a standout leader in the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program back in 2013-2015, and now the founder of Headlamp Studios, a Utah-based video production company. Simon first joined YEAA as a student at Ohio State, running a $60K branch his rookie year and scaling to over $750K in sales as a GM. But this conversation is about what came next—and how he built a business (and a life) from the ground up.   Simon opens up about leaving his job at a video company in Charleston, moving across the country, and launching Headlamp just before the pandemic hit. He shares what it was like to go from freelance survival to leading a team of 15+ contractors, working with brands like Microsoft and Aspen Valley Hospital, and producing documentaries that light him up creatively. He also reflects on how the YEAA program gave him more than skills—it gave him the mindset to keep going when things got hard.   From sharing a Jeep Wrangler with his brother to building a values-first creative agency, Simon's story is packed with practical insight, honesty, and inspiration for anyone trying to create something meaningful on their own terms.   If you've enjoyed this episode of the Leaders Across America podcast, be sure to leave a review and subscribe today!   Enjoy! In This Episode You'll Learn: How Simon started over in a new city—and new industry—during COVID Why being scrappy early on taught him to lead with creativity, not ego How he scaled Headlamp Studios while staying true to his values Why entrepreneurship isn't about speed, but about staying in the game The surprising ways the YEAA program still shows up in Simon's business Why self-awareness might be the most important skill you gain in this program Why Simon chose flexibility and fulfillment over fast growth And much more… Guest Bio: Simon Fraser is the founder and CEO of Headlamp Studios, a creative video production company based in Utah. A graduate of the Young Entrepreneurs Across America program, Simon scaled his student painting business to over $240K before joining the YEAA team full-time. After a few years in commercial video, he launched Headlamp Studios in 2020, where he leads a team of contractors and creatives producing ads, brand films, and documentaries for clients like Microsoft, Firestone, and Aspen Valley Hospital. Simon's work has been featured in multiple film festivals, and his company is known for its grassroots, story-first approach.    Resources: YEAA Website Leaders Across America 100 | CEO Steve Acorn Tells His Story Connect with Simon on LinkedIn Headlamp-Studios.com  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Leaders Across America podcast or its affiliates. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. We make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this podcast and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Listeners should consult with a professional for specific advice tailored to their situation. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that any reliance on the content is at your own risk.  

Retailers are facing a rapidly evolving landscape where consumer expectations, AI advancements, and social media platforms like TikTok are redefining engagement. It feels like the holiday shopping season just ended, but when do retailers start planning for the next one, and some retailers already behind the curve for this season?Joining us today is Carey Cockrum, Director of Consulting at Cella by Randstad Digital, where she helps major brands and marketing teams optimize their strategies with data-driven insights, AI-powered content creation, and cutting-edge retail marketing trends. With the holidays just around the corner, she's here to share what's next for retail marketing, campaign optimization, and how brands can stay ahead in a hyper-competitive space.ABOUT CAREY COCKRUMCarey has been a part of the Creative Agency space for nearly30 years. She has served as Designer, Creative Director, Creative OperationsLead and Agency Lead in both internal and external agencies (big and small).Carey has worked directly with C-suite stakeholders to understand organizationalstrategies that inform effective creative solutions. She is a bit of a data nerd andloves demonstrating results. Brands she's supported include Fruit of the Loom,Wendy's and Humana.In her free time, she enjoys going back to her creative roots through painting anddrawing. She also spends her time improving upon the house she lives in todayin Southern, MI - inside and out.RESOURCESCatch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brandsDon't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retailers are facing a rapidly evolving landscape where consumer expectations, AI advancements, and social media platforms like TikTok are redefining engagement. It feels like the holiday shopping season just ended, but when do retailers start planning for the next one, and some retailers already behind the curve for this season? Joining us today is Carey Cockrum, Director of Consulting at Cella, where she helps major brands and marketing teams optimize their strategies with data-driven insights, AI-powered content creation, and cutting-edge retail marketing trends. With the holidays just around the corner, she's here to share what's next for retail marketing, campaign optimization, and how brands can stay ahead in a hyper-competitive space. ABOUT CAREY COCKRUM Carey has been a part of the Creative Agency space for nearly 30 years. She has served as Designer, Creative Director, Creative Operations Lead and Agency Lead in both internal and external agencies (big and small). Carey has worked directly with C-suite stakeholders to understand organizational strategies that inform effective creative solutions. She is a bit of a data nerd and loves demonstrating results. Brands she's supported include Fruit of the Loom, Wendy's and Humana. In her free time, she enjoys going back to her creative roots through painting and drawing. She also spends her time improving upon the house she lives in today in Southern, MI - inside and out. RESOURCES Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brands Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Embark on an inspiring Entrepreneurial Journey with Parveen Dhupar, Founder and CEO of BTI Brand Innovations, in this captivating episode of The Proven Entrepreneur Show. Host Don Williams delves into Parveen's remarkable 25-year career, extracting invaluable Startup Success Lessons and insights on Building a Creative Agency.This episode is a masterclass in overcoming entrepreneurial burnout and achieving sustainable success. Parveen shares his experiences with Risk-Taking in Business, navigating the challenges of Work-Life Balance for Entrepreneurs, and the power of Goal-Setting for Success. Discover how he transformed BTI Brand Innovations from a $3 million to a $10 million agency, showcasing effective Business Growth Strategies.Gain unique perspectives on Branding and Marketing, Creative Agency Success, and Insights on Branding and Marketing Strategies. Parveen emphasizes the importance of Leadership and Storytelling in Business, demonstrating how Storytelling in Business and Experiential Marketing can drive growth.This isn't just a business story; it's a deeply personal narrative. Parveen opens up about Family-Driven Entrepreneurship, balancing personal and professional life, and the pivotal moments that shaped his path. Learn about Overcoming Burnout in Business, Lessons from Failure, and the significance of Purpose-Driven Leadership.For aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs alike, this episode offers a treasure trove of knowledge, including:Entrepreneurship Mindset: Cultivating the right approach to business challengesCanadian Entrepreneurs: Success stories from the Canadian business landscape.Immigrant Success Stories: The drive and determination behind immigrant entrepreneurship.Mentorship and Goal-Setting: Practical tips for achieving your ambitions.Featured:Guest: Parveen Dhupar, Founder/CEO, BTI Brand InnovationsHost: Don Williams, The Proven Entrepreneur ShowEntity: BTI Brand Innovations: A fully integrated creative agency.Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a seasoned entrepreneur who has truly seen it all. Tune in for actionable strategies and heartfelt wisdom.

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader Chris Beresford-Hill is the Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at BBDO. Previously he spent 2 years as North America President and CCO of Ogilvy, where he helped bring the agency and its clients a new level of relevance. He brought Workday to the Super Bowl, led the team that brought in the Verizon account, and one of the biggest Super Bowl campaigns ever, “Can't B Broken,” featuring Beyonce, and created the most celebrated Super Bowl campaign of 2024, the social & influencer lead "Michael CeraVe," for CeraVe. Chris and his teams have won every award for creativity and effectiveness many times over. He has been included in ADWEEK Best Creatives, the ADWEEK 100, and Business Insider's Most Creative People in Advertising. Notes: Cold Emails: Be specific in your praise and specific in your ask. The lame "Can I pick your brain" type emails get deleted and ignored because they aren't specific. You never need permission to take responsibility. Chris learned this from Ed Catmull's book Creativity Inc.… And he's embodied this his entire career. The people who build huge careers take ownership of their own and regularly solve problems and improve their clients' and colleagues' lives. Chris has done this since his early days as an intern. At any level taking on responsibility yourself, unasked, makes you stand out. Competence combined with insane follow-through. For some clients, it takes 50 ideas to get to the one that will work. Creating a culture where the team can share all of their bad ideas safely to get to the one great one. The creative process: Brain dump everything. Purge your brain of everything it has. When you think you're done, you're not. There's more. You have to get it all out. "A lot of creative people aren't fully aware of the process or the structure, they just feel it (Rick Rubin). "When you can see it lift off the page, you feel a sense of mastery over it." Chris's first Super Bowl commercial -- Emerald Nuts. He won it because he was both funny and added the fact that the product provided energy. Most people only covered one part, Chris did both. Push your edges - Chris is like Lionel Messi. He's always walking around in the office, asking questions, looking for ideas, being curious. Then he sees an opportunity and goes for it 100%. Chris has a standing reservation every week at the same restaurant where he meets with a mentor, mentee, or peer to deepen the important relationships in his life. That would be a good idea for us all to do. Chris was pen-pals with Dave Matthews for 8 years.  Chris saw that they recorded at Bearsville studios and wrote a letter to Dave there. He also said, "Show up with gifts." He gave Dave a Beatles Bootlegged album. A leader takes what comes and then turns it into an opportunity. The formula is Competence + Insane Follow-Through. How to build relationships: Meet with people in person. Get drunk with them. Do hard work with them. Go through something bad with them. Laugh with them. I got hired from my internship by cold calling Mark Cuban to get him to approve of using his name in an ad. The best ideas are often bad in their first moments, or massively wrong, and then someone flips it or unlocks it. You have to stay on things and play around. I made my first ad by going through a garbage can to learn how to write a script and sending a bunch of Budweiser scripts to my boss. The art of finding an idea on the edge of possible, and the value of going over your skis when on the cusp of greatness - having a stomach for it. I've told a lie to keep things moving on every great campaign I was part of. I learned the best lesson in leadership when we lost our biggest account (Accenture).  I put Danny Meyer's mentality into practice, and we took that moment to put the business and clients second and play for each other. Culture carried us. Culture is built by the stories we tell and the behaviors we highlight.