Podcasts about guestif

Meet Sunny Dhillon, Partnerships Marketing at the Seattle Sounders, where he manages the club's biggest accounts - Adidas, Toyota and jersey sponsor Providence.Sunny didn't grow up planning a career in sport. A kid from Wolverhampton who nearly enrolled in a computing degree, he pivoted after a halftime TV advert pointed him toward a football business degree, and never looked back.From pressing names onto jerseys in the Manchester City club shop, to sponsorship operations at Manchester United, global partnerships at his boyhood club, the Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., to building a life and career across the Atlantic in the US, Sunny's path is a masterclass in saying yes to discomfort.Whether you're eyeing your first break or trying to level up once you're inside, Sunny's story is proof that you don't need a perfect plan, just the willingness to follow the spark and keep backing yourself when things get uncomfortable.We cover:(02:53) - Interview begins(05:14) - Quick fire questions(11:37) - Importance of early career experiences in Sunny's journey(14:10) - How Sunny landed his role at Manchester United FC(17:51) - Sunny's move to the Wolves(20:23) - Story behind landing a new kit deal at the Wolves(23:25) - Differences in sponsorships in football in the US and the UK(27:16) - Sunny's move to the US and journey to the Seattle Sounders(29:12) - Sunny's business in sport sponsorship(31:17) - Sunny's role at the Seattle Sounders(35:58) - What does collaboration with other sports clubs look like?(39:00) - What being part of the Club World Cup involved(43:02) - How the Sounders are capitalising on the FIFA World Cup being in town(46:13) - Sunny's predictions for the USA and England at the FIFA World Cup(50:12) - How Sunny decided the career path he wanted to take (52:29) - Impact of mentors on Sunny's career(54:30) - How to land a role in sports partnerships in the next 30 days(56:53) - How far do you have to take yourself to achieve a dream, and when do you think that dream has been reached?(58:25) - Sunny's question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go next:#280: How to get a sports marketing job in the English Premier League with Alex King #314: How Kiri Madhani pivoted into Commercial Partnerships at DAZN #333: Managing Partnerships for the Nike Melbourne Marathon at IMG with Clayton Henderson Want a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Adam Ferreira, the Brand and Creative Project Manager at the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.Born and raised in Mumbai, Adam started out chasing two dreams - playing football and dancing professionally. When a spinal injury ended his ambitions as a footballer and a professional dancer, he pivoted into the business of sport, moving to Toronto as an international student, juggling a 9-to-5 in student housing and a 5-to-9 role at Toronto FC.Over a decade, his career climbed one step at a time: from an event sales internship in 2016, to the game crew at BMO Field working Toronto FC matches during their 2017 MLS Cup-winning run, to partnerships at Allstate Canada. Eventually, he moved west to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, where he now leads brand and creative, including building the signing story around one of football's greatest-ever players, Thomas Müller.In this episode, Adam breaks down how to break into sport from the outside, why networking beats job boards every time, and how to climb from entry-level to leading a department, even when imposter syndrome is screaming at you.We cover:(03:14) - Interview begins(06:42) - Quick Fire Questions(11:52) - When Adam almost moved to Australia instead of Canada(15:16) - Early experiences in Toronto(22:40) - What Adam learnt from his time at the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment(28:53) - Adam's takeaways from working at All State Canada(33:11) - Adam's in Vancouver to his current role(38:05) - How to balance creative ambition with club and fanbase expectations?(41:24) - The story behind marketing the signing of Thomas Müller(46:01) - What project is Adam most proud of?(48:40) - How have the Vancouver Whitecaps capitalised on the FIFA World Cup(52:07) - What the legacy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada might look like(53:45) - Adam's predictions for Canada at the World Cup(55:07) - How to land a job in sports marketing in the next 30 days(56:37) - What are some of the pain points that you've seen in different jobs, that you use in your experience and day to day role today?(58:20) - Adam's question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go next:#267: 10 years at Toyota on the brand side of sport sponsorships with Chelsea Guy #303: Gemba, Marketing Strategy Consultant | Sam Waring #333: Managing Partnerships for the Nike Melbourne Marathon at IMG with Clayton Henderson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet David Basheer, one of Australia's most accomplished sports broadcasters and the lead football commentator at SBSHe is the voice Australians have heard call 11 FIFA World Cups, 6 Olympic Games, Champions League, La Liga, Formula One, Commonwealth Games, the Tour de France, and Grand Slam tennis. He's also a lecturer at La Trobe University teaching the next generation of commentators, and co-hosts a business and sport podcast with Bruce Media.What makes Bash's story so useful for career swappers is that he didn't start in sport. He began with a Bachelor of Business, pivoted into journalism mid-degree, landed a cadetship at the ABC, and built his way up by answering phones at a radio station and volunteering to call state league football, long before anyone was paying him to call a World Cup.We cover:(02:58) - Interview begins(04:04) - How Nathan and David first crossed paths(06:52) - Quick Fire Questions(10:30) - Which is standout event David has worked at(13:10) - David's early breaks into broadcasting(18:04) - Iconic world cup moments David has called(24:53) - What David's preparation for an event looks like(32:20) - David's predictions for the Socceroos at the 2026 FIFA World Cup(37:28) - Biggest influences on David's career(39:42) - Biggest mistake while broadcasting a game(41:37) - Most memorable moment/game(45:41) - Impact of VAR on commentary(48:34) - Favourite World Cup David has commentated on(49:23) - Biggest pinch me moment(49:27) - If you could fix one thing that's wrong with the sports industry overnight, what would it be and why?(51:10) - David's question for the next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go next:#210: How to be a commentator in the AFL with Brian Taylor#263: Journey to become a Sports Journalist with Sarah Burt#293: Careers in Sport Broadcasting with Lucy & Emma Race from Making the CallWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Jamie Fisher, the Precinct Operations Coordinator at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of the world's most iconic sporting venues.Born and raised in Greater Manchester, Jamie relocated to Australia in 2019 with a working holiday visa, no fixed plan, and a determination to never work another bar shift. He's built one of the most diverse and decorated event careers you'll find, working with Manchester City Football Club, the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, Tennis Australia, FIFA Women's World Cup™, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and now the Melbourne Cricket Club.He's stood on the roof of the 'G in front of 100,000 people raising the flag on ANZAC Day, managed Manchester City's title parade as the official bus manager, and somehow hitched a ride from Melbourne to Sydney in a stranger's Suzuki Swift during a COVID lockdown.In this episode, Jamie breaks down exactly how he used casual promo work and brand ambassador work as a backdoor into major events and why saying 'yes' before you've thought it through is actually a career strategy that pays off.We cover:(03:17) - Interview begins(05:50) - Quick Fire Questions(11:21) - Insight into Jamie's early career working in sport(13:18) - How Jamie beat 500 applicants to land his role at Man City(19:34) - Dream moments working with Man City(25:42) - Jamie roles at the Premier League and the Cricket World Cup(28:01) - How Jamie landed his first role in sport after moving to Australia(32:41) - How Jamie found contract work at major sporting events(37:27) - Jamie's role at the Melbourne Cricket Ground(43:26) - What makes it difficult to get a job in sport(44:16) - How Jamie decided working in sport was the path he wanted to take(49:22) - Impact of mentors on Jamie's journey(50:14) - How to land a job in sports events in the next 30 days(51:13) - Biggest 'pinch me' moment working in sport(53:31) - What would life look like if not a career in sport(54:11) - What at the time felt like the biggest mistake in your career, that either turned into the best reroute/diversion or the biggest lesson for you down the track in your career(55:41) - Jamie's question for next guestIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#252: What it's like to work on the FIFA Women's World Cup with Media Volunteer, Vi Truong#289: How to move from London to Australia and work in sport with George Ludlow#296: Manchester City FC Head of Research Tom Wilkins on using fan insights for business growthWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Marnie Cohen, Senior Account Manager - Communications at TGI Sport, one of Australia's leading sports PR and communications agencies.Before landing her first official paid role in sport, Marnie spent seven and a half years building a career in fashion and lifestyle, working at boutique agencies, all while quietly laying the groundwork for the career she'd always dreamed of. Along the way, she earned a nomination for the Quill Award for the Student Journalist of the Year, won the Robert McDonald Journalism and International Relations Prize at Deakin University, and completed a cadetship at The Daily Telegraph in Sydney.When she eventually quit her PR job without a plan, rather than rushing back into full-time work, Marnie made a deliberate decision to step back. She took a part-time receptionist role and used every spare moment to build Kanga TV, a North Melbourne fan YouTube channel that she grew from a standing start into the very thing that helped her land her role at TGI Sport.For anyone wondering if your background outside sport translates and if the switch to sport is even possible, Marnie's story is proof that your transferable skills matter more than you think. Tune in to this week's episode to hear exactly how Marnie did it!We cover:(03:32) - Interview begins(04:30) - Quick Fire Questions(11:28) - How Marnie started creating content for North Melbourne(14:05) - Who helped inspire Marnie along her way in journalism(16:02) - The story of how Kanga TV was born(26:26) - How Marnie balances Kanga TV and her role at TGI Sport(33:09) - Various roles that shaped Marnie's career journey(48:51) - How Marnie landed her current role at TGI Sport(51:14) - How Marnie demonstrated her transferable skills (55:31) - What does Marnie's role look like week-to-week(59:23) - Projects that Marnie has overseen in her role(01:02:15) - Marnie's involvement in the Carlton Draught launch(01:04:19) - Benefits of working in sport agencies(01:06:02) - Challenges faced while breaking into sport(01:09:54) - Impact of mentors on Marnie's Journey(01:13:15) - How to land a job in PR & Comms in the next 30 days(01:14:18) - Biggest pinch me moment working in sport(01:17:42) - What life would look like if Marnie didn't pursue a career in sport(01:18:55) - What would your strategy be to help get people to either attend or watch the upcoming 2026 Golf Australian Open(01:21:40) - Marnie's question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go next:#233: How to be the Chief Media Officer at Formula E with Aarti Dabas#268: From PR agency to Head of Marketing & Comms at Sail GP, with Olivia Hogan#347: Sport Marketing & Communications - How to work in AFL, NBA and Seven Sport with Anthony AlsopWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Riley Bull, the Football Analyst at the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League.After leaving a half-finished Criminal Justice degree behind, it wasn't until he found football analytics that things started to click. He cut his teeth in a 5-month internship at Premier Data during peak lockdown before landing an unpaid internship at Port Melbourne in the VFL. Within 11 months, he was promoted to Head of Football Analysis and Data, a role he held for three years.Along the way, Riley also built transferable data skills in the supply chain industry, proving that analytics experience outside of sport is anything but wasted. Then, through the power of relationships he'd quietly built over years, a non-advertised role at the Saints as Football Analyst, one of the most competitive and niche roles in the sport, landed in his lap. He grabbed it and hasn't looked back since.If you want to hear how to turn data skills from any industry into a role inside an AFL club, this episode is one for you!We cover:(03:15) - Interview begins(04:54) - Quick Fire Questions(09:55) - Riley's first exposure to data analytics in sport(12:24) - Riley's role at Port Melbourne FC(17:15) - How AFL and VFL coaching team structures differ(21:45) - Riley's experience in data analytics outside sport(24:14) - Riley's role at St Kilda Football Club(34:33) - How is a football analyst's performance measured?(37:36) - Inside the coaches box for the largest comeback in AFL history(43:12) - Challenges Riley faced breaking into sport(44:46) - How did Riley decide this was the career path he wanted to take(46:39) - What helped Riley stand out in his roles(47:42) - Impact of mentors on Riley's journey(50:20) - How to land a job as a Football Analyst in the next 30 days(52:12) - What would life look life if not a career in sport?(53:26) - If you could fix one thing that's wrong with the sports industry overnight, what would it be and why would you want to fix that specifically?(55:14) - Riley's question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go next:#230: Performance Analysis at Collingwood Super Netball with Bianca Litchfield#227: How to be a Performance Analyst for Pro Tennis Players with Shane Liyanage#259: How Champion Data deliver analytics all over the worldWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Ryan Patterson, product manager at Premier Data, a fast-growing sports technology startup that's closing the gap between elite-level analytics and grassroots sport.Ryan's path into sport is anything but linear. From scanning groceries at Woolworths at age 15, to progressively building his university qualifications across three degrees, a Bachelor of Business that evolved into Sport Management, and then a double degree adding Sport Science once he realised data analytics was where his future lay, Ryan has consistently leaned into what excited him rather than following a predetermined plan. Alongside his studies, he represented Deakin University on study tours in India and Chicago, always looking to make the most out of every opportunity in front of him.Over six years, he's worked his way through four distinct roles at Premier Data from casual coder to Product Manager, while simultaneously spending seven Australian Opens in the Ball Kids Ops team at Tennis Australia. Ryan has sat courtside for Grand Slam finals, worked inside Collingwood's coaches' box, been featured in a Netflix documentary at the AO, and helped build a startup from 20 games to 250 games a week.But his real superpower? Saying yes before he knew the answer, starting small, and staying long enough to grow into something bigger than he imagined.Tune in to this week's episode to hear exactly how he did it!We cover:(3:18) - Interview starts(5:18) - Quick-fire questions(11:02) - How the study trip to India and Chicago added to Ryan's university experience(15:13) - Ryan's internship with Collingwood FC(18:22) - How Ryan landed his role in the Ball Kid Operations team at the Australian Open(26:31) - Coolest moments from Ryan's time at the Australian Open(28:59) - How Ryan manages his roles across the AO and Premier Data(30:14) - What is Premier Data(37:18) - How Ryan progressed to his current role as Product Manager(41:47) - What does Ryan's look like on a day-to-day basis(45:41) - How Premier Data builds partnerships with new sports(48:50) - Challenges Ryan faced breaking into sport(51:14) - Advice Ryan would give his younger self(52:50) - Impact of mentors on Ryan's journey(56:20) - How to land a job as a Sport Product Manager in the next 30 days(59:06) - Biggest 'Pinch Me' moment in Ryan's career(01:00:00) - What would Ryan's life look like if he didn't work in sport(01:00:42) - What's something we might lose from sport in the next 10 years(01:02:21) - Ryan's question for the next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go next:#227: How to be a Performance Analyst for Pro Tennis Players with Shane Linayage#257: How the AFL analyse their data with Dat Visualisation Lead, Penny Privett#288: How to be a champion data competitions coordinator with Ashleigh Newton-SpenceWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Sarah Dyce, Public Affairs and Marketing Manager at the Victorian Institute of Sport.Sarah has a wealth of experience in sports communications, working behind the scenes of the moments that matter most. After graduating with a Bachelor of Marketing and Public Relations from the University of Notre Dame in Perth, Sarah made a bold move to Melbourne in 2018.But here's the part most people don't know. Sarah never set out to work in sport. She arrived in Melbourne in 2018 with a marketing degree, no contacts, and a determination to avoid a nine-to-five in Perth's mining and oil and gas sector. She found a listing on a website better known for arts and theatre jobs, applied for an unpaid internship at Swimming Australia, and quietly outworked everyone around her until the industry had no choice but to take notice.What followed was years of contract roles spanning Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games as part of the Australian Olympic Committee's Main Press Centre team, worked the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, the World University Games in Berlin, the Australian Open, A-League Finals Series, and helped orchastrate one of the most viral moments of the 2025 Australian Open - the now-famous Carlos Alcaraz and young fan John's encounter that captured the world's attention.In this episode, Sarah takes us through the mindset shift that made contract life work for her, the networking habits she built that kept the opportunities coming, and the deliberate decisions she made along the way that led her to the role she has today. If you've ever talked yourself out of applying for a sport role because you didn't feel "sport enough," Sarah's story is the one you need to hear!We cover:(03:07) - Interview starts(09:23) - Quick Fire Questions(16:32) - Why Sarah moved from Western Australia to Melbourne?(20:11) - What her time at Swimming Australia taught Sarah(24:08) - Why Sarah left a full-time role to pick up contract work(28:48) - Sarah's takeaways from contract work(31:54) - How Sarah managed to stack contracts(36:42) - What a day in the AOC Main Press Centre team looks like(43:14) - Differences and similarities of working at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics(51:53) - The viral AO moment Sarah helped make happen(57:27) - How Sarah landed a role at the World University Games in Berlin(01:02:46) - How Sarah's current role at the VIS came about(01:07:20) - How do you measure success across the various roles Sarah has held(01:09:28) - Biggest challenges in sports media and PR(01:11:16) - How you can stand out in a saturated sports media landscape(01:13:22) - How to handle difficult situations as a sports comms professional(01:16:19) - How to build trust and relationships with variou stakeholders in sport(01:19:00) - Impact of mentors on Sarah's journey(01:24:07) - How to land a job in sport media and PR in the next 30 days(01:25:49) - Biggest "Pinch Me" moment working in sport(01:29:39) - What is a takeaway from a family member that influenced your career in sport?(01:31:22) - Sarah's question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go:#281: Journey to Head of Media Rights at Cricket Australia with Abhi Arunachalam#312: How Vimal Kumar Became a Cricket Writer, Built 600k+ on YouTube & Travelled the World#335: How to land a job at the VIS with Director of People & Community, Daniel SimonsWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Rachael Lynch OAM OLY, former Gold Medalist Hockeyroo, now Nurse/Carer Lead and Wellbeing & Engagement Advisor at Wheelchair Rugby Australia.Rachael is one of Australia's most decorated hockey goalkeepers. She represented Australia in over 230 international matches and is a dual Olympian (Rio 2016 & Tokyo 2020), dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and International Hockey Federation Goalkeeper of the Year (2019). Beyond the pitch, Rachel is a registered nurse with 15+ years of hospital experience, an AOC Athlete Commission member, recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to hockey, a COVID-19 recognition award recipient, corporate speaker, R U OK? Day ambassador, and founder of Stomp Goalkeeping, an online goalkeeping coaching business she built while still competing at the elite level.Rachael's career didn't follow a straight line, she transitioned from elite athlete to wellbeing administrator by blending nursing credentials, lived experience, and a deliberate year of networking before landing her role at the Victorian Institute of Sport and later Wheelchair Rugby Australia.We tend to agree with Rachael that life is too short to do jobs we don't love. So, if you're sitting in a career you're good at but don't love, and sport keeps pulling you back, this week's episode with Rachael is exactly what you need to hear!We cover:(03:12) - Interview starts(05:37) - Quick Fire Questions(12:50) - Where Rachael's passion for nursing and athlete wellbeing stems from(15:21) - How Rachael's first role at the VIS came about(18:18) - What a week in Rachael's role at VIS looked like(20:49) - Rachael's experience working with athletes at Paris 2024(23:19) - How Rachael got her current role at Wheelchair Rugby Australia(30:26) - Balancing high-performance demands and long-term athlete wellbeing(33:10) - How athletes deal with the pressures of high expectations(36:07) - Common mental health challenges athletes face(37:38) - How Rachael measures the success of her roles(38:50) - Why Rachael serves as an R U OK? ambassador(42:00) - Rachael's playing career(44:28) - Potential barriers to becoming a professional athlete(49:38) - Rachael's time with the AOC Athlete Commission(52:19) - How the Order of Australia Award came about(56:37) - Rachael's induction into 'Olympians for Life'(01:00:47) - Rachael's on receiving the Covid-19 Honour Roll Award(01:05:43) - How Rachael decided what career path she wanted to take(01:06:41) - What helped Rachael stand out in each of his roles(01:09:32) - Impact of mentors on Rachael's journey(01:13:38) - How Rachael became a mentor in the SportsGrad Method Program(01:15:30) - How to land a job in athlete wellbeing in the next 30 days(01:16:39) - Biggest "Pinch Me" moment working in sport(01:18:35) - What Rachael's life would look like if she didn't land a job in sport administration post playing career(01:19:22) - How would you spotlight a female in sport?(01:20:41) - Question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go:#294: Journey to Australian Olympic Committee Project Manager with Lyndall MacInnes #302: Paris 2024, Content Creator | Stella Barry#306: Dandenong Stingrays FC, Strength and Conditioning Lead | Billie LewisWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Steph di Julio. Steph is the HR and Recruitment Executive at Melbourne Football Club - one of the AFL's most storied clubs.Steph is one of the few people who built a career in sport entirely from the ground up. After graduating with a Sports Management degree, having originally enrolled in PE teaching before pivoting in her final year, she cut her teeth in retail management before finding her way into sport through a volunteer role at Football Victoria. She was even rejected three times before landing her first paid role in the industry. What followed was seven years and four progressively senior roles from Summer Sevens Coordinator to MiniRoos Development Officer to Administrative Coordinator, all while completing her HR Management qualifications on the side.When she finally made the leap to the AFL level, both Melbourne Football Club and Carlton came calling in the same week. She chose the Dees and hasn't looked back since.Now she sits at the centre of Melbourne FC's people and culture operation, responsible for recruitment, onboarding, training and development, policy, performance reviews, and keeping the club's engagement scores where an AFL club's need to be.If you want to hear straight from the source on how to break into sport, handle rejection, and build a career from scratch, tune into this week's episode with Steph!We Cover:(03:04) - Interview starts(16:01) - What Steph learnt from working in retail(23:23) - How the HR role at Melbourne FC came about(26:23) - What does a typical day/week look like in Steph's role(29:18) - How HR performance is measured and what initiatives MFC take to improve workplace culture(35:06) - What the recruitment timeline in sport looks like (39:56) - How many people land jobs through references(42:46) - DOs and DON'Ts of applying for a role(45:48) - How Steph tackled the challenges of being a female in a male-dominated industry(48:59) - What challenges Steph faced in landing a job in sport(51:15) - How Steph decided what career path to take when she was lost for career direction(53:31) - What helped Steph stand out in each of her roles(54:24) - Why you need your own 'Board'(57:05) - Why Steph enjoys 'giving back' to people(58:34) - How to land a job in sport in the next 30 days(59:23) - Biggest 'pinch me' moment in Steph's career(01:01:41) - What Steph would have done if not a career in sport(01:02:17) - What a perfect day at work looks like (01:03:34) - Steph's question for next guestIf you liked this ep, give these a go:#286: Inside the GWS Giants Social Media strategy with Jacob Gaynor#284: Journey to Football Operations Manager at the Sydney Swans with Steph Maiolo #193: How to be a psychologist in the AFL with Suzie Rhydderch Want a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Chris Grant, Principal Legal Counsel at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation - the government agency behind two of Australia's biggest motorsport events: the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island.Chris is one of the few people who successfully crossed the bridge from private practice law into the world of professional sport. After graduating from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Laws and completing exchange programs in Shanghai and Denmark, he cut his teeth at top-tier firm Minter Ellison, where years of grinding through clerkships, graduate rotations, and high-pressure corporate work laid the foundation. A pivotal secondment to the Department of Education opened his eyes to in-house life, and sparked the move that changed everything.He put his hat in the ring for a role at AGPC, beat out the field, and hasn't looked back since, earning multiple promotions in under four years to reach Principal Legal Counsel. He was also named a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Sport & Entertainment Awards 2024, and has spoken on the main stage at the ANZLA Sports Law Conference. On top of all this, Chris gives back as a mentor in the SportsGrad Method program.If you're looking to swap your corporate skills into a career in sport, tune into this week's episode with Chris!We Cover:(03:18) - Interview starts(04:39) - Quick Fire Questions(09:00) - Why Chris wanted to become a lawyer and what his journey looked like(14:21) - How Chris' role at AGPC came about and how the AGPC is structured(18:26) - Chris' growth within the AGPC(20:54) - What Chris' role looks like during and outside of event period(23:24) - How Chris supports different internal departments(25:10) - What 'event week' looked like for Chris at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix(27:53) - Insight into negotiations with F1 Management(31:07) - What collaboration with other F1 promoters looks like(32:50) - How does growth in the Legal Team at AGPC come about(33:28) - What AGPC is doing to deliver the final Moto GP in Phillip Island(35:38) - What does working at Moto GP with AGPC look like?(38:24) - Implications of Moto GP moving to Adelaide on the AGPC(39:29) - What contract negotiations with external partners look like(42:25) - Chris's role in contract negotiations(46:28) - What is the impact of AI that Chris has seen in his role(51:01) - How knowledge of contracts and law helps in grassroots sport committees(52:18) - Chris' involvement in the ANZLA Association(54:39) - What makes it difficult to get a job in sport(55:53) - How Chris decided what career path to take when he was lost for career direction(01:02:03) - What helped Chris stand out in each of his roles(01:03:52) - Impact of mentors on Chris' journey(01:05:16) - How Chris became a mentor in the SportsGrad Method Program(01:06:54) - How to land a job in sports law in the next 30 days(01:09:34) - Biggest " Pinch Me" moment working in sport(01:11:33) - What Chris' life would look like if he didn't land a job in sport(01:12:50) - Which sport is the next to have a 'Drive to Survive' style glow up?(01:14:08) - Question for next guestIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#235: How to be the Head of Legal at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with Emily Jackson#243: Living the dream at the NFL, IOC & Brisbane 2032 Olympics with Tom Hickey#265: From Westpac to the Adelaide Crows FC in 29 days with Community Engagement ManagerWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want a job in sport? Start here: www.sportsgrad.com.au/programMeet Anthony Alsop, Senior Marketing and Communications Executive and former General Manager of Communications at the Brisbane Lions.In this episode, we hear Anthony's incredible journey from working at Coles and moonlighting as a tennis statistician to landing dream roles at Brisbane Lions, Richmond FC, Seven Sport, and even the NBA!We learn how Anthony bypassed the traditional "front door" of job applications by starting his own digital platform, how he helped lead the Brisbane Lions' marketing strategy, and his massive impact in the social enterprise space, raising over $7 million for homelessness alongside Ned Brockman.Anthony is a master of the "side door" entry into sport - from ranking AFL Twitter accounts to catch the eye of CEOs, to bringing a 15-slide strategy deck to an interview before he was even hired.So if you're looking to swap your corporate skills into a high-performance sports career, listen to this week's episode with Anthony!We cover:(03:00) - Interview starts(04:21) - Quick Fire Questions(14:36) - Summary of Anthony's Career Journey(15:35) - The inspiration behind creating SportSpiel and Jak Events(20:28) - How the role at Richmond FC came to fruition(25:27) - How Anthony landed his role at the NBA(28:26) - What Anthony's role at the NBA looked like(30:13) - Differences in the Australian and American Sport Industry(33:06) - Anthony's move from the NBA to Seven Sport(38:10) - Transitioning from Seven Sport to Brisbane Lions(47:39) - How Anthony's role at the Melbourne Rebels was unique from others(50:33) - Anthony's recent role as GM of Basketball.com.au(56:31) - Anthony's work with Nedd Brockmann and We Are Mobilise(01:04:35) - What helped Anthony stand out in landing each of his roles(01:06:11) - How Anthony supports the SportsGrad program(01:09:36) - How to land a Sport Marketing & Communications role in the next 30 days(01:10:45) - Biggest Pinch Me moment working in sport(01:11:54) - Anthony's life if he didn't work in sport(01:12:12) - Question from previous guest to Anthony(01:13:00) - Anthony's question for future guestIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#289: How to move from London to Australia and work in sport with George Ludlow#280: How to get a sports marketing job in the English Premier League with Alex King#268: From PR agency to Head of Marketing & Comms at Sail GPWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want a job in sport? Start hereMeet Matt Windley, the Chief Executive Officer at Bruce Media.In this episode, we follow Matt's diverse journey from sports journalist at the Herald Sun, working alongside some of the biggest names in sports journalism like Mike Sheehan to projects such as leading a bid for prospective A-League side Team 11.We breakdown how he supported Melbourne City's move to Casey Fields, set the foundations for Auckland FC and now tells stories of the world game at creative media and marketing agency Bruce Media.Matt has been a popular face around football recently with Bruce Media's Breaking Barriers documentary which is likened to the global phenomenon Welcome to Wrexham on a smaller scale.So if you're looking to build a diverse career in sport, listen to this week's episode with Matt!We cover:(02:40) – Interview starts(05:37) – Quickfire questions(11:17) – The start of Matt's passion for football(13:24) – Matt's experience working at the Herald Sun(21:14) – How Matt builds trust with important figures in sport for stories(23:54) - The birth of prospective A-League club, Team 11(30:22) – Matt's biggest learnings from the Team 11 bid(21:14) – How Matt builds trust with important figures in sport for stories(35:15) – The transition from failed bid to Melbourne City moving to the South-East(47:46) – Matt's experience in the A-Leagues, helping to build Auckland FC(54:34) – What is Bruce Media and what does Matt do?(58:50) – Matt's work on Breaking Barriers, Australia's version of Welcome to Wrexham(1:05:41) – What are the issues Matt thinks people should know before entering the sport industry?(1:07:00) – What path has Matt decided to take when he feels stuck or lost?(1:09:48) – What made Matt stand out when landing his jobs in sport?(1:13:50) – The impact of Relationships on Matt's career(1:17:03) – How Matt would build a career in Sports Journalism from scratch today(1:19:16) – Matt's biggest pinch me moment working in sport(1:22:22) – Matt's life if he didn't work in sport(1:23:48) – Question from previous guest to Matt(1:26:06) – Matt's question for future guestIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#329: How Jarra Davis became a Fox Footy Presenter#328: How Cheets from TYPEMedia became a full-time content creator#325: How to build a career in sports media from scratch with Brody BurrowsThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want a job in sport? Start here: www.sportsgrad.com.au/programMeet Tia Schwalger, the Partnerships Coordinator at Cricket Australia.In this episode, we follow Tia's journey with SportsGrad and how she was able to secure a job at Cricket Australia through the hidden job market.We breakdown her move from the Gold Coast to Melbourne, her recent summer of cricket, the importance of connections in achieving her goals as well as her time working at the Southport Sharks.We also take a deep dive into her experiences abroad from studying in Spain and England, working at Spanish basketball side, UCAM Murcia CB, as a Sport Management intern and her involvement with Blue Star Camps and Camp America.So if you're looking for a job in sport, tune into this week's episode to learn how you can break into the sports industry via the hidden job market.We cover:(03:13): Interview begins(04:12): Quickfire questions(09:22): Tia's first exposure to SportsGrad(10:46): How the hidden job market helped Tia secure a job at Cricket Australia?(12:32): Tia's role as Partnerships Coordinator at Cricket Australia(15:03): How Tia's experience at the Southport Sharks helped her at her current role at Cricket Australia(19:47): Tia's experience working with Camp America and Blue Star Camps(23:15): Tia's experience studying and working in Spain(28:00): How Tia feels to be finally working full-time in the sports industry?(29:33): The three key things when it comes to job hunting(31:04): Why is the sports industry so hard to break into?(32:28): Tia's mentors in her journey(33:53): What made Tia stand out from the rest to get her role at Cricket Australia?(34:56): What Tia would tell her younger self about breaking into the sport industry?(35:52): Tia's pinch me moment in sport(37:38): What would Tia do if she wasn't working in sport?(38:11): How to find experience in sport?(39:49): Question from previous guest to Tia(40:58): Tia's question for future guestIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#338: From the AFL, to Cricket NT CEO at 29, to Executive GM at Cricket Australia with Joel Morrison#337: How Dante beat 99% of Grads to land his dream job at Cricket Australia#309: How I landed my dream job at Cricket Australia | Reuben Williams, Founder of SportsGradThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want a job in sport? Start here: www.sportsgrad.com.au/programMeet Caitlin Hildyard, the Lead Experience Designer at Tennis Australia.In this episode, we follow Caitlin's journey from New Zealand to Melbourne and how she was able to overcome adversity to now have worked at the last two Australian Opens.We breakdown her role leading the end-to-end experience and delivery of the Elite Player App across digital and on-site services. We also discuss her independent agency she started during COVID and her involvement with SportsGrad as a member and mentor.We also take a deep dive into her impact on the golf scene in Wellington as a representative player, manager of the Women's representative team and board member of Golf Wellington.If you want to maximise your time and overcome the challenges working abroad in the sports industry, this is the episode for you!We cover:(03:38): Interview begins(05:09): Quickfire questions(17:11): Caitlin's love for travel and sport(19:55): Caitlin's role at Tennis Australia(22:22): What is the Elite Player App?(26:14): The importance of stakeholder management and relationships(27:31): How Caitlin started her own independent design agency, Lemon Tart(33:10): Caitlin's journey with golf(39:42): Caitlin's biggest takeaway from being on the board at Golf Wellington(41:32): The challenges of moving abroad(44:10): Why is finding a job in sport so difficult?(47:23): The key role of mentors(50:14): Why did Caitlin joined SportsGrad as a member?(53:20): Caitlin's involvement as a SportsGrad mentor(55:44): Caitlin's sliding doors moment(56:45): How would you approach getting a job in sport within 30 days?(59:03): Caitlin's pinch me moment(59:45): What would Caitlin's life look like if she didn't pursue a career in sport?(01:00:04): Caitlin's question for the next guestIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#341: Meet the new host of the SportsGrad Podcast!#339: How to land your first job in sport with Josh Marton, GM of Public Affairs & Marketing in Golf#227: How to be a Performance Analyst for Pro Tennis Players with Shane LiyanageThanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blandvertising [https://marketingexperiments.com/copywriting/writing-meaningful-copy].It's a word I coined 13 years ago to describe a wishy-washy marketing claim.The type of words that fill a copy block. They look right. And it's probably sprinkled with words like “scalable,' ‘ecosystem,' ‘user-centric,' ‘best-in-class,' ‘leading,' and on and on. But after you read them or hear them you realize – they don't really say anything at all. So I loved this lesson I read in a podcast guest application, “A brand that says something is more important than saying everything perfectly.”To hear the lesson behind that story, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Millie Hogue, CMO, Hakkoda [https://hakkoda.io/].Hakkoda is part of IBM. IBM reported total annual revenue of $62.8 billion in 2024. At Hakkoda, Hogue manages an internal team of nine along with an array of 20 vendors and freelancers.Lessons from the things she madeA marketing and sales team divided cannot standA brand that says something is more important than saying everything perfectlyExpertise matters more than everBuild for your audienceThe success of your team is YOUR successJoin us at our next virtual eventAI Executive Lab: Transform billable hours into scalable AI-powered products [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-executive-lab-transform-billable-hours-into-ai-powered-products-tickets-1872389821359] – Tuesday, November 11th at 2 pm EDT. Discussed in this episodeMarketing Experimentation Strategy: Define and differentiate between experimentation and execution in marketing activities (podcast episode #93) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-experimentation]Authentic Brand Transformation: To build a brand that lasts, consider rebranding a team sport (podcast episode #137) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic-brand]Analytics: Driving business value matters more than perfect models (podcast episode #133) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/analytics]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Some of the best conversations I have with my kids are during filler time. Not the quality time you hear hyped up – just a side conversation over breakfast, or driving to an errand, or putting together Ikea furniture.Marketing and public relations can be the same. Instead of focusing all this attention on forcing a customer to take an action, give them value in other ways and naturally bring up your product. Like this episode's guest's story about selling insurance by bringing owls and foxes to schools.  It's not an aggressive sales pitch, it's the side conversation.Which is why a key lesson for this episode's guest is – ‘don't underestimate the soft sell.'To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Kelly Coulter, head of marketing, Private Advisor Group [https://www.privateadvisorgroup.com/].Private Advisor Group has $35.2 billion in advisory assets under management. Coulter leads a small but mighty team of five at the investment service firm, a team located all across the country.Lessons from the things she madeLearn from your mistakes and “let it go”Preparation is the key to successCollaboration is powerfulInvest in your mental healthDon't underestimate the soft sellDon't be afraid to ask for helpAI Executive LabJoin us for AI Executive Lab: Transform billable hours into scalable AI-powered products [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-executive-lab-transform-billable-hours-into-ai-powered-products-tickets-1777237287569] on Thursday, October 23rd at 2 pm EDT.Discussed in this episodeMarketing Leadership Lessons: Kill snakes, create the category, assume noble intent (podcast episode #61) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-leadership]CMO-CPO Collaboration: Bridge Marketing and Product for collaborative growth (podcast episode #95) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/CMO]DTC Ecommerce: Your worst friend is still better than your best marketing (podcast episode #132) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/DTC]Marketing Mentorship: 10 digital marketing lessons your fellow marketers learned from their mentors [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/best-practice/mentorship]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I am not a numbers guy. And I've been in my fair share of meetings with decks filled with endless charts and data and my eyes glazed over. I'm sure you have as well.So were we the problem? Were we just not captivated enough by the correlation coefficient?I think not. And I think the reason why can be best summed up by this lesson I read in a How I Made It In Marketing podcast guest application – Even the most rigorous analysis fails without the right story.Numbers, even very impressive numbers, still need that marketer's touch.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with a numbers guy who also has some deep marketing and business insights to share with us –  Jiaxi Zhu, head of analytics, SMB division, Google [https://www.google.com/].Google's SMB division works with five million customers. Zhu leads the analysis for how to manage and prioritize the division's several-hundred-million-dollar budget.Lessons from the things he madeEven the most rigorous analysis fails without the right storyLanding solutions requires going deep and doing the hard workDefine your data with your business partnersReal influence means accepting the world is not fair or rational by defaultTrue empathy is active workIntellectual curiosity means always asking “why” behind the observationsTurn your knowledge assets into a new revenue streamMarketingSherpa has teamed up with parent company MeclabsAI to produce a research study. We are granting 10 AI engineering vouchers worth $7,500 each to eligible companies. Apply for your $7,500 AI Engineering Voucher [https://meclabs.com/research/ai-engineering-voucher]Discussed in this episodeTransparent Marketing: How to make your product claims credible … not incredible [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/transparent-credible-product-claims]Customer-First Marketing: How The Global Leadership Summit grew attendance by 16% to 400,000 [https://meclabs.com/gls]B2B Marketing Leadership: The higher you get in the organization, the more details you need to know (podcast episode #115) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/B2B-marketing-leadership]Marketing and Brand: Embrace healthy friction (podcast episode #48) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-and-brand]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

The total addressable market. TAM.We sometimes think the bigger the better, right? Hey, it means I can go to potential investors with a more impressive number.But too large a total addressable market can hinder success. As this episode's guest says, “serving everyone serves no one.”To hear the story behind that lesson, and many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Itai Sadan, CEO & co-founder, Duda [https://www.duda.co/]. Duda has raised $100 million, including most recently $50 million in Series D growth funding. Sadan manages a team of 180 people at Duda.Lessons from the things he madeNo one needs to give you a mandate (even in a big company), just find your customer's problem and solve it for themCrank through itEvolve your product over time to land on the right ideaSpeed in decision making is very importantIf you are feeling the pressure, it means that you are not applying enough pressureSolve the right problems for the right customers…serving everyone serves no oneTurn your knowledge assets into a new revenue streamMarketingSherpa has teamed up with parent company MeclabsAI to produce a research study. We are granting 10 AI engineering vouchers worth $7,500 each to eligible companies. Apply for your $7,500 AI Engineering Voucher [https://meclabs.com/research/ai-engineering-voucher].Discussed in this episodeOpen-Source Start-up Marketing Strategy: Sometimes you need to poke the snake (podcast episode #147) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/open-source]Time To Value: 3 speed-to-value marketing case studies featuring A/B testing, value focusing, and niche ad targeting [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/time-to-value]Entrepreneurial Resilience: Many of the day-to-day annoyances that inspired him to sell, he actually missed after he sold (podcast episode #78) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/entrepreneurial]B2B SaaS Marketing: No progress after Series A without product marketing (podcast episode #148) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/B2B-SaaS]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Data, data everywhere, but not a drop of insight.Excuse my remixing of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, but doesn't it feel that way when staring at a dashboard sometimes.We have so much data – and frankly, our competitors probably have a lot of the same data – but can we turn those numbers into real insights to better serve a customer?Here's one way to do it, that I read in a recent podcast guest application, but you have to close your laptop first – “Walk the market.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Katherine Melchior Ray, faculty member and lecturer at the University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business [https://haas.berkeley.edu/], and author of the book ‘Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to build brand value across cultures' [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brand-global-adapt-local-katherine-melchior-ray/1146174119].Berkeley Haas ranked No. 8 among U.S. business schools in the 2025 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking.During her career, Ray managed teams up to 150 and reported to CEOs in Germany, France, Japan, and the US.Lessons from the things she madeNurture your curiosityHistory is not just for schoolPrioritize relationshipsWalk the marketInfuse a founder's values into the brandCombine audacious risk taking with careOur next eventJoin us for ‘AI Executive Lab: Transform billable hours into scalable AI-powered products' on September 10th at 2 pm EDT. Register here [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec050].Discussed in this episodeCustomer Experience: Great experiences are invisible, but they require relentless alignment (podcast episode #145) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer]An Effective Value Proposition: What it is, why it is so important to business and marketing success, and how to use it [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/how-to/value-proposition-business-marketing%20success]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I love Delta Air Lines. It's my favorite airline. Please understand that.Now, that said, when I was a kid, their tagline was ‘We love to fly and it shows.'I would see the tagline on TV ads. I would see it on giant posters in the airport.And then I would get on the plane. And even as a kid I could tell…the people working on the airplane, are not the ones that wrote the jingle.So I love this lesson from a podcast guest application – Your brand is only as strong as your frontline experience.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Melissa Archer-Wirtz, CEO, Century 21 Circle [https://c21circle.com/].Lessons from the things she madeYour brand is only as strong as your frontline experienceChange management isn't about being right – it's about being clearPeople don't fear change – they fear confusionCulture is built through relationships, not policiesYour integrity is your most valuable assetYou don't have to be the loudest voice in the room to be the most effective leaderDiscussed in this episodeAdvertising and Brands: Details matter, know when to quit, …be nice (podcast episode #27) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/advertising-and-brands]Marketing: It's not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you]Cybersecurity Marketing: You don't need to scare people to sell them security (podcast episode #136) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/cybersecurity]500 Mangled, Stretchy Rubber Guys: Make sure you have the right marketing partner for your super creative plan – Podcast Episode #3 [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/direct-mail-podcast]Adaptive Leadership: It's never too late to reinvent yourself (podcast episode #90) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/adaptive]Transform your intellectual property into a revenue engine…in just daysHow I Made It In Marketing is brought to you by MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company.In just 21 days, you can pilot your first AI-powered product with MeclabsAI [https://meclabsai.com/]Subscribe for more tactics that turn content into closed businessSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I know the pinch when budgets tighten, customers shift, and deadlines close in. Yet, marketers have a superpower: like Superman's X-ray vision, we see through constraints to the core idea.That is the essence of our craft – not waiting for perfect conditions but delivering breakthrough concepts right here, right now.So I loved this lesson in a recent podcast guest application – ‘every challenge is a creative opportunity.'To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Dana Bodine, US VP of marketing, Trustpilot [https://www.trustpilot.com/].Trustpilot is a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange. In 2024, it reported $211 million in revenue.Bodine looks after the entire US market, the US portion of an international audience of 64 million monthly active users.Lessons from the things she madeEvery challenge is a creative opportunityBuilding a relationship with commercial partners is key Stay calm under fire (+ on tight deadlines) Get a seat at the table by creating sales materialsTo truly be customer-obsessed, respect the customer's timeIdeas are only powerful when they come with contextDiscussed in this episodeStrategic Advertising and Marketing: It's not what you make, it's what you make possible (podcast episode #117) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-advertising]Team Building: Loyalty, relationships, pre-selling, and other keys to marketing management success (Podcast Episode #16) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/team-building]Marketing & Communications: It's important to ‘take a beat' (podcast episode #140) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-and-communications]Five Tips From a Personal Care Industry CEO for Setting (and Getting Approval for) Your Marketing Budget [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/marketing/tips-marketing-budget-approval/]Marketing: It's not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you]The Radical Idea: Customer-first marketing prioritizes customer experience over upsells [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/consumer-marketing/the-radical-idea-customer-experience-over-upsells/]AI engineering voucherMarketingSherpa has teamed up with parent company MeclabsAI to produce a research study. We are granting 10 AI engineering vouchers worth $5,000 each to eligible companies. Learn more at https://meclabs.com/research/5k-engineering-voucherNext eventJoin us for AI Hackathon: Build a powerful lead gen agent in just 90 minutes [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec050] on Wednesday, August 20th at 2 pm EDT.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Let's step into these shoes for a minute. You're the sole marketer at a B2B startup. You've been hustling, pitching investors, and finally you close your Series A. Suddenly, you have the budget to make real progress. What do you do next?Here's the lesson that stood out to me in a recent guest application: “There is no real progress in marketing, especially in B2B and post-Series A, without product marketing.”I love that lesson and I think of product marketing as the translator between what engineers build and what customers truly need.To hear the story behind that lesson – and many more insights born from wrestling with real revenue goals – I spoke with Asaf Raz, VP of Marketing at Agora [https://agorareal.com/]. Agora secured $34 million in Series B funding last year and has raised a total of $63 million in funds so far.Raz manages a team of 12 demand gen, product marketing, creative, and field marketing professionals.Lessons learnedMarketing can't be successful without being connected to sales goalsOne of the most important things about being a marketing executive is to know your market really well, knowing the actual people.There is no real progress in marketing, especially in B2B and post-Series A, without product marketingThere's nothing helpful that comes from complaining about things and blaming other people for your problems Take full ownershipFrame for persuasionDiscussed in this episodeMarketingSherpa has teamed up with parent company MeclabsAI to produce a research study. We are granting 10 AI engineering vouchers worth $5,000 each to eligible companies. Learn more at https://meclabs.com/research/5k-engineering-voucherProduct Quality: Marketing's job is to help the product win (podcast episode #97) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/product-quality]Marketing Career: How to become an indispensable asset to your company (even in a bad economy) [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/marketing-career]Customer-First Marketing: The customer is always right … but not always right for your company [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/b2c-marketing-2/customer-is-always-right-but-not-always/]Clarity Trumps Persuasion: How ordinary marketers are learning to write high-impact copy [https://www.meclabs.com/training/misc/optsummit/slides/10-Flint-McGlaughlin-MECLABS-Copywriting-FINAL.pdf]Turn content into pipeline – In this episode, Raz discusses how he uses a podcast to better understand prospects and get more deals. Build your own playbook to get more leads with your content using a multi-agent protocol workflow. Launch the workflow [https://win.meclabsai.com/build-lead-gen] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Subscribe for more tactics that turn content into closed businessSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I love the movie City Slickers.If you're unfamiliar, Billy Crystal is a Manhattanite, has a midlife crisis, and goes out West on a cattle drive to try to figure life out.Spoiler alert, the crusty old cowboy teaches him that the secret to life is – ‘One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean shhh…” Well, you get the idea.It struck me that this is a great brand lesson as well. You've seen the stats – our ideal customer simply gets hammered with messages every day. And there are so many things your internal team could work on. How to break through the noise? How to prioritize? I love what my next guest told me – “If you don't have one clear position of who you are and why they should care, you're just throwing spaghetti at a wall.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Margaret Dawson, CMO, Chronosphere [https://chronosphere.io/].Chronosphere has raised $343 million in three rounds. In its Series C round in 2023, the company was valued at $1.6 billion.Dawson leads global marketing efforts at Chronosphere, overseeing a budget of $12 million and a team of 23 working on digital experience, corporate communications, demand generation, customer marketing, ABM, Marketing Ops, and Product Marketing.Lessons from the things she madeIf you don't have one clear position of who you are and why they should care, you're just throwing spaghetti at a wallSometimes you need to poke the snakeIntegrated marketing moves the needleMentoring is a two-way streetJust because you can do something doesn't mean you shouldDon't focus so much on winning each battle that you lose the warIf you channeled the characteristics that made you so competent and made you authentically you, you would have the greatest powerWe do not serve ourselves or the world by hiding our light or being afraid to stand tallDiscussed in this episodeJoin us on July 30th at 2 pm EDT for AI Hackathon: Build a powerful lead gen agent in just 90 minutes [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec-050-masterclass] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Outside-In Messaging: Nothing counts more than the language of the customer (podcast episode #75) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/outside-in-messaging]The 4 Pillars of Email Marketing [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/email-marketing/4-pillars-email-summit-2014/]Building Brands: People and culture matter a lot, mentorship matters even more, product matters the most (podcast episode #119) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/brands]Marketing Campaigns: Lose the brand ego and lean into humility (podcast episode #130) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-campaigns]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...TApply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Instead of burning budgets on Facebook ads, Talya Elitzer, CEO, Overmind Merchandise [https://www.overmind.co/], grows global merch sales with just seven employees by building worlds, not products.In this episode, she reveals the underground community-building strategies that transformed grassroots buzz into international demand. Hear her playbook using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.Lessons from the things she madeCulture moves in different waysBuild a world, not just a productScale is a strategy, not a starting pointConfidence clears confusionVulnerability builds loyaltyLet instincts override the briefDiscussed in this episodeConnect your product to your customer's story – People don't just buy products; they buy into narratives. A powerful value proposition taps into this emotional connection. Quickly discover if your value prop resonates deeply enough using this MeclabsAI workflow – Is your value prop (really) strong enough? [https://win.meclabsai.com/value-prop] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Marketing Strategy: Data tells stories at Nationwide, fast mistakes, and the triage method (podcast episode #25) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-strategy]Authentic Brand Transformation: To build a brand that lasts, consider rebranding a team sport (podcast episode #137) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic-brand]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”That is a famous quote from Anton Chekhov, and it has informed everything I personally do in writing and marketing. And it's why I was so excited to read a podcast guest application that referenced the famous writer's maxim I've lived my career by – show, don't tell.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Dave Anderson, Vice President of Product Marketing, Contentsquare [https://contentsquare.com/].Contentsquare has secured $1.4 billion in funding, including most recently a $600 million Series F, at which point it was valued at $5.6 billion. Anderson manages a global distributed team of 10 across France, UK, Spain and the US, and currently manages 10 AI tools as well.Lessons from the things he madeGreat experiences are invisible, but they require relentless alignmentTelling stories with data creates internal momentumExperimentation wins, but only if it's culturalDon't make assumptions. Listen to customers.Show, don't tellInnovation isn't about waiting for a perfect idea, its about moving fast, failing smart, and building a culture that learns at speed.Discussed in this episodeIs your value prop strong enough? [https://win.meclabsai.com/value-prop] (MeclabsAI workflow, from MarketingSherpa's parent company)Corporate Marketing: Feedback is respect (podcast episode #44) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/corporate-marketing]Creating a Culture of Testing: How to defeat the tyranny of best practices [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/corporate-marketing]Show, Don't Tell: 3 quick case studies where companies help customers reach their own conclusions [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/show-don-t-tell-3-quick-case-studies-where-companies-help-customers-reach-their-own-conclusions]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Yes, the Super Bowl ad. How exciting. The experiential activation with the major influencer. The new branding campaign roll out. So wonderful.But don't stop there.You could have the most compelling and creative ad campaign, but if you don't optimize for every customer touch point, you are undercutting the expectation you have built for the customer with the reality your brand is actually delivering.So I love this lesson from a recent podcast guest application – “Marketing is the chief customer advocate.”To hear that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Scott Neuman, Corporate Vice President of Marketing, Calix [https://www.calix.com/].Calix is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2024, it reported $831 million in net sales.Neuman leads the corporate marketing strategy team at Calix, including branding, communications, content development, digital and event strategy, and field enablement. Collectively the Calix marketing team is approximately 100 professionals with a primary focus on the North American markets of broadband service providers.Lessons from the things he madeMarketing is the chief customer advocateAlways think B2B2CActivate your social armyGreat marketers are great storytellersThere's more science than art to great storytellingEffective leaders challenge rather than direct“Every day, let 's try to suck less”Discussed in this episodeJoin us Tuesday, July 8th at 2 pm EDT for AI Masterclass: Build a powerful lead gen campaign in just 90 minutes [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec-050-july-8]The Difference Between Marketing and Advertising (and Why It Matters) [https://marketingexperiments.com/digital-advertising/the-difference-between-marketing-and-advertising-and-why-it-matters]Marketing Chart: Biggest challenges to growing membership [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/challenges-to-growing-membership]B2B External Communications: How IBM conveys the value of complex products, spotlights innovative employees and entrusts employees with social media [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/b2b-marketing/ibm-b2b-external-communications/]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

It's a noisy world out there.So anytime you have that most valuable of things – a small window into your ideal customer's attention span – are you clear and memorable with your value proposition?Of course, that is all the more complicated by the fact that the small window of attention isn't only when they see your big TV campaign or whatnot, it can come from so many places – it's also when they step into your store, add something to the cart on your website, reach out to customer service, and on and on.Which is why this lesson from a podcast guest application stood out to me – “Even bad brands can be good, when they're consistent.”To hear the story behind that lesson, I talked to Drew Holmgreen, CEO, PPAI [https://www.ppai.org/].PPAI is the Promotional Products Association International, the largest trade association in the world for the $27 billion promotional products industry – a community of 15,000 members.Holmgreen manages a team of 50 and a budget of $25 million.Lessons from the things he madeRally together to overcome Murphy's LawWhen you can't send a sample, send the entire stateFormalize the brand and consistency will comeTell them what you know definitively. Not what you think.Even bad brands can be good, when they're consistentVolunteers are your best resourceYou should always have a chip to help push you forwardDiscussed in this episodeWhen you can't send the entire state, send a customer story. In this episode, our guest discusses sampling on an experiential marketing scale. If you don't have that budget, try sending a customer story instead. Our latest MeclabsAI Workflow makes it easy – turn a client win into more leads [https://win.meclabsai.com/]. (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).B2B Marketing Leadership: The higher you get in the organization, the more details you need to know (podcast episode #115) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/B2B-marketing-leadership]Creative Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Hold the line & get a door kicker (podcast episode #84) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-marketing]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Data-driven marketing.That is an oft-repeated phrase in our industry. It's hard to find a LinkedIn profile that doesn't make a claim of being a data-driven marketer these days.And while data is helpful, it's not the only thing that should drive you, my next guest says. Be human first, because people drive brands.To hear that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Desiree Sanchis, VP of Marketing for Beliv US [https://belivcompany.com/].Beliv has sold a million cases across 40 brands in 30 countries. Sanchis manages innovation, marketing, and e-commerce for Beliv's U.S. portfolio of eight active brands in addition to those in the company's development pipeline Lessons from the things she madeHuman First: People drive brandsDream big and embrace changeFind your purpose and execute relentlesslyLead with empathyStorytelling is powerfulBuild internal momentumDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]CPG Campaigns: Marketing is often about showcasing human truths (podcast episode #107) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/CPG]Marketing Storytelling Examples: How 3 brands told their stories (with results) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/marketing-storytelling]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Timing is key to successful marketing.If you broke it down, that's probably a third of it. Right offer to the right prospect…at the right time.But how well do you focus on timing for your personal brand in your own career?You can hear ideas for that from this episode's guest – she said one of the key lessons in her career is ‘know when it's time to leave.'Here to share the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, is Lisa Lahiji, CMO, Eurest [https://www.eurest-usa.com/] and ESFM [https://www.esfm-usa.com/].Eurest and ESFM are part of Compass Group, a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange. It reported $42.2 billion in revenue in 2024. Lahiji oversees the strategy for 45 marketers. Lessons from the things she madeKnow when it's time to leaveScaling up means letting goWhen the world changed, so did weAdvocate for othersRelationships matterRaise your handDiscussed in this episodeAdvertising and Brands: Details matter, know when to quit, …be nice (podcast episode #27) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/advertising-and-brands]Marketing Adaptability: The art of letting go of creative ideas so you can champion future concepts (podcast episode #112) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-adaptability]Elements of a Landing Page, Advocate Marketing Program, and Conversion-Optimized Blog Post: 3 quick marketing case studies [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/elements-of-a-landing-page]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

If there's one word that defines what I've seen in the marketing industry in my career, it's ‘acceleration.'When I started, I was writing print ads in The Wall Street Journal for clients all over the country. So the deadline was when FedEx came to our building…or if we were really pushing it, FedEx's deadline at the airport. This created a natural ebb and flow.Then PDFs came along, and well, that deadline got pushed much farther back. But because it still ultimately had to go to print, there was still an ebb and flow.Fast forward to today. Everything is always on, real time, with endless data streams. It feels like there is no more ebb, only flow.Which is why this lesson really caught my eye in a podcast guest application – It's important to ‘take a beat.'To hear that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Cindy Van Horne, global head of marketing & communications, McKinsey & Company [https://www.mckinsey.com/].Lessons from the things she madeIt's important to ‘take a beat'   Be fearless with your ambition  Reinvention is not optional   When goals are not hit, leadership is about finesse The pathway to innovative campaigns is about breaking down barriersReal change comes when others are inspired to break their own ceiling Discussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Strategic Marketing Collaboration: Find your partner in crime (podcast episode #68) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic]Branding Lessons from TV Production: Don't focus on failure, keep moving towards success (podcast episode #92) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/brand-lessons]Leadership Development: Network every day (podcast episode #72) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/leadership-development]B2B Marketing Leadership: The higher you get in the organization, the more details you need to know (podcast episode #115) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/B2B-marketing-leadership]Customer-First Marketing: Every click is a wish (podcast episode #85) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer-first]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer-first] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

As an entrepreneur, as a marketer, the world is conspiring to grab your attention and distract you.For example, when I started in this career, there were really only a few channels you could go to. Newspaper. TV. Radio. Direct. Maybe outdoors.Now, that number has exploded.Just one example of how many things you could possibly do with your business and your campaigns and your budget and your time.But to find success, my next guest says – focus on one thing.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Gidon Rotteveel, co-founder, Delka Talents [https://www.delkatalents.com/]. Gidon manages a team of 25.Hear the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.Lessons from the things he madeYou always have to separate work from your personal lifeGreat things take time to growFocus on one thingYou don't need 100 employeesEntrepreneurship does not have an ageInfluencers come and goDon't let small setbacks in the business distract you from your insane visionDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Adaptive Leadership: It's never too late to reinvent yourself (podcast episode #90) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/adaptive]Female Entrepreneurship and Marketing: Having built a big community doesn't mean you will be able to monetize it (podcast episode #71) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/entrepreneurship]Best Practices Are Pooled Ignorance: 4 quick marketing case studies of brands that found success by taking a different approach [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/best-practices-different-approach-brands-marketing-case-studies]Customer-First Marketing: Every click is a wish (podcast episode #85) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/customer-first]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Career growth is a funny thing.That is the goal after all right? Junior copywriter, Senior copywriter, creative director, etc.? We all want a career path.But that journey towards something – often people leadership – can also pull us away from something else. And it can be the thing we were most passionate about and got us into this industry to begin with.So when I saw this lesson in a recent podcast guest application, it grabbed my attention – strike a balance between management and production.That is, really, one of the core challenges of growing a marketing career.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Mary Church Cornette, CEO and Head of Creative, FUEL [https://www.fuelforbrands.com/].Lessons from the things she madeStrike a balance between management and productionLearning and adapting to new tools will serve you wellMaybeBuild brands as systemsAppreciative leadership is powerfulCuriosity fuels leadership growthDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Fintech Marketing: Creativity and technology is a killer combo (podcast episode #50) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/fintech]Creative Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Hold the line & get a door kicker (podcast episode #84) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-marketing]Building Brands: People and culture matter a lot, mentorship matters even more, product matters the most (podcast episode #119) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/brands]Career Adaptability: Marketing can lead to many other things (podcast episode #103) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/career-adaptability]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I'll tell you what happened in my career before. Maybe you've been there, too.There's a sponsorship, sometimes a fairly high-profile sponsorship, and I have gotten asked to write it about it in an ad or email…but, there wasn't really a strategy. That is not the way to get the best ROI, the most juice for the squeeze.Sponsorships truly succeed when they tie into the value proposition of the brand. So this lesson in a recent podcast guest application really grabbed my attention – “Maximize brand awareness by going beyond the ‘logo slap' sponsorship”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Rebecca Biestman, Chief Marketing Officer, Guild [https://guild.com/].Guild raised $175 million in a Series F funding round in 2022, at a $4.4 billion valuation. Wellington Management led the financing, and Oprah Winfrey participated in the round, along with other backers. Biestman manages a team of 70 in the marketing department.Lessons from the things she madeMaximize brand awareness by going beyond the “logo slap” sponsorshipEmbrace new tech that helps drive your brand strategyTo build a brand that lasts, consider rebranding a team sport Be prepared to step up when the unexpected happensThe best candidate for a role isn't always the one who has done it beforeMaking a difference and building something great aren't mutually exclusiveDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for MEC050: Let AI Agents Market For You [https://join.meclabsai.com/ai-agents] on Tuesday, May 13th at 2 pm EDTCreative Marketing: Does it all make sense? (Podcast Episode #19) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative]Marketing at 200 MPH: Sports sponsorship lessons from F1 & finance (podcast episode #125) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/sports]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

FUD. Fear, uncertainty, doubt.I first learned about this sales and marketing tactic – which is aimed at influencing perceptions by highlighting potential negative outcomes – early in my career when working with big tech companies.An example – nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.Then later in my career when I worked with cybersecurity companies, I saw the tactic on steroids.But I always wondered – is this really the most effective way to treat our potential customers? Is this customer-first marketing? Is there a better way?So I rejoiced when I saw an anti-FUD lesson in a recent podcast guest application. To hear that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to B2B fractional marketing executive Nick Lagalante.Lessons from the things he madeConsultative selling sharpens your messageYou don't need to scare people to sell them security (FUD vs. value-driven messaging)Research-driven rebranding preserves valueGenuine partnerships redefine tech PRCollaborative creativity sparks breakthrough campaignsStrategic internal comms empower brand resilienceDiscussed in this episodeThe 8 Micro-Yes Architecture that Drives Conversion – Join us on Thursday, May 8th at 1 pm EDT for the latest session of MEC200: Design Your Offer [https://join.meclabsai.com/design-your-offer] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company). Discover how a series of small, affirmative steps can guide your prospects toward a big, final “yes”...transforming incremental trust into measurable conversion. Content & Communications: Use your marketing budget and AI to make your customers' lives more fun and interesting (podcast episode #51) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/content-and-communications]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

The artificial intelligence revolution is upon us. Today we see AI doing everything from taking orders in a drive-thru to serving as a pseudo boyfriend or girlfriend.But, according to my most recent guest, more importantly – AI boosts revenue.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Dario Markovic, CEO, Eric Javits [https://ericjavits.com/].Eric Javits had $15 million in revenue last year and is tracking to hit $18 million this year.Markovic manages a team of 10 with a three- to four-million-dollar marketing budget, along with a worldwide vendor ecosystem.Lessons from the things he madeData winsAI boosts revenueSustainability sellsFunnels = profitsRetention over acquisitionSell outcomes, not productsDiscussed in this episodeLearn how to craft an Offer Value Proposition in our April 24th session of MEC200: Design Your Offer [https://join.meclabsai.com/design-your-offer]. Join us at 1 pm EDT for a live online, interactive session (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Conversion Rate Optimization: 3 effective marketing strategies explained by the marketers who created them [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/conversion-rate]MarketingSherpa Customer Satisfaction Research Study [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/freestuff/customer-first-study]Online Business Strategy: Steps marketers took to create powerful marketing funnels with Google, Amazon, and Facebook [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/online]Help, Don't Hype: A guide to customer-first marketing [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/customer-centric-marketing-2/help/]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

There are always tough times as you build and grow a startup.So how do you keep a team going when times are tough? ‘Culture is the glue' my next guest says.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Dawn van Hoegaerden, CMO, DefectDojo [https://defectdojo.com/].She is building out the marketing department at DefectDojo, has three vendors, and recently made her first hire. DefectDojo recently announced a $7 million funding round. It has been downloaded 38 million times.Lessons from the things she madeAdaptability creates opportunities‘Soft skills' are really hard skillsCustomers will tell you how to market to them if you ask themFind a mentor who champions your growthCulture is the glueIf you don't want the job, rethink the pathDiscussed in this episodeLet AI Agents Market For You – April 23rd at 2:30 pm EDTAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Career Adaptability: Marketing can lead to many other things (podcast episode #103) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/career-adaptability]Marketing Career: What you need to understand at each step of the job seeker's journey (even if you're not looking) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/how-to/job-seekers-10-step-journey]Marketing Mentorship: 10 digital marketing lessons your fellow marketers learned from their mentors [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/best-practice/mentorship]The Prospect's Perception Gap: How to bridge the gap between the results we want and the results we have [https://meclabs.com/education/Flint-prospects-perception-gap]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Want to move up in your organization? Here's the best advice I've gotten in my career – ‘train others to replace you.'Hey, it's a bit scary. If others can replace you, it's easy to fire you, right? However, if you're truly providing value, once others can do your current tasks, it also makes it possible for you to move up to the next level in your organization.Now here's another version of that same wisdom – ‘automate your job.'That's a lesson from my most recent guest. To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Prateek Shrivastava, advanced analytics manager, Cummins [https://www.cummins.com/].Cummins is a public company traded on the New York Stock Exchange. It reported $34.1 billion in revenue for 2024.Shrivastava leads a worldwide team of five data scientists, and his team estimated they generate $50 million in annual savings with their models.Lessons from the things he madeEmbrace failurePivoting is a superpowerDriving business value matters more than perfect modelsHelping others creates genuine connectionsAutomate your jobBe your own brandDiscussed in this episodeCustomer-First Offer session of MEC:200 Design Your Offer [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/DTC] – April 10th at 1 pm EDTSocial Media Marketing: Educate your executives (podcast episode #123) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/social]Value Proposition Power: 3 ways to intensify the force of your value proposition [https://meclabs.com/course/sessions/value-proposition-power/]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

I realize everyone who listens to How I Made It In Marketing is not a marketer, per se.Entrepreneurs also listen. Not native to our industry, so to speak, but you still need to know it well enough to get customers…so you can run your business and do whatever it is that you really are passionate about.Well take heart in a lesson from my next guest – everything is learnable. Even marketing. Even photo shoots.To hear the story behind that lesson, along with more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Connor Swegle, CMO and Co-Founder, Priority Bicycles [https://www.prioritybicycles.com/]. Priority Bicycles started by raising $565,000 on KickStarter 11 years ago, and now has 35 models and fields 25,000 orders a year. Swegle manages four brands – including e-comm, omnichannel, advertising, and events – with a core nimble team of six.Lessons from what he madeEverything is learnableWhatever they said about lemons and lemonadeYour worst friend is still better than your best marketingYou can (and should) be yourselfPeople want your story – be brave enough to tell itYou are not aloneDiscussed in this episodeJoin us to learn how to craft a Customer-First Objective in Session #2 of MEC200: Design Your Offer [https://join.meclabsai.com/design-your-offer] on April 10th at 1 pm EDT (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Creative Social Media Marketing: When to break the rules (podcast episode #129) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-social]Strategic Advertising and Marketing: It's not what you make, it's what you make possible (podcast episode #117) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-advertising]Email Marketing: 3 award-winning lessons about relevance [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/email-marketing/email-awards-winners-relevance/]3 case studies of marketers that made a positive change in customers' lives (while getting results for their business) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/positive-change-marketing-case-studies]Content and Communications: Tenacity, keep it simple, authenticity works (podcast episode #33) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/content]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters]to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/ free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Perception changes everything.Think about many of the chores your customers endure in their lives. Or you do personally. The perception of a chore is not positive, right?Take shaving – dragging a sharp metal object across your face every morning to meet societal norms…sometimes even drawing blood. Ouch. Literally.So how do you turn something like that into a luxury experience? According to my latest guest, that is ‘the power of storytelling in branding.'To hear the story behind that lesson, along with more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Eric Malka, CEO and Founder, Strategic Brand Investments [https://www.strategicbrandinvestments.com/], and author of On The Razor's Edge: The story of The Art of Shaving [https://www.strategicbrandinvestments.com/projects-1].Malka was the co-founder and CEO of The Art of Shaving and sold it to Procter & Gamble. He currently advises and coaches seven entrepreneurs and founders through Strategic Brand Investments. He has invested in more than half of their companies.Hear the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.PLAYER GOES HEREListen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on Amazon MusicKey lessons (backed by critical case studies) from what he made:The power of storytelling in branding Truth in marketing matters now more than everWord-of-mouth helps you find your best customersActionable takeaways from the people he made it withGreatness in the detailSometimes firing someone is doing them a favorEvery brand should have a battle cryDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Authentic Brand Storytelling: Embed creative within your business model (podcast episode #105) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic]“Authenticity” vs. “Professionalism”: Should you be your authentic self in your brand's content and marketing? Or must you adhere to certain strictures considered “professional” in your industry? [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/authenticity]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Would you ever launch a campaign celebrating your brand as second best? That's exactly what Sandy Rubinstein did at Nick at Nite.I sat down with Sandy Rubinstein, CEO, DX [https://dxagency.com/], to discuss that story, and many more lesson-filled stories, in this episode of How I Made It In Marketing.DX is a 20-year-old company with $20 million in revenue. Rubinstein manages a team of 70 across five cities in three countries.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingSeek serendipityLose the brand ego and lean into humility Bet on yourself Seek out every voice in the roomBe the all-weather friendMentorship is not a one-way streetDiscussed in this episodeWant to boost your conversions and collaborate with customer-first marketers? Claim your free 3-month AI Guild scholarship [https://join.meclabsai.com/] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company). Innovative Marketing Leadership: It is okay to think outside the box but make sure you don't create surprises (podcast episode #82) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovative]Marketing: It's not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you]Marketing Career: How to become an indispensable asset to your company (even in a bad economy) [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/marketing-career]Voice-Over Coaching: Tips for improving external webinars, internal trainings and other content [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/video-marketing-2/voice-over-coaching/]Creative Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Hold the line & get a door kicker (podcast episode #84) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-marketing]Marketing Mentorship: Direct feedback is a gift (podcast episode #98) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-mentorship] Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters]to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Sometimes we overlook the ends, because we're so focused on the means.Today in marketing, that means can be algorithms and machine-built lookalike audiences and automations.But as our latest guest explained in her podcast guest application, all that technology doesn't matter if you don't focus on the right ends: “It's all about the story – and it needs to include empathy.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Carmen Collins, director of social media, Generac [https://www.generac.com/].Generac is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange and reported $4.3 billion in net sales for 2024. Collins manages a team of three at Generac.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingSometimes, you just do it. Consequences be damned. Your network is your net worth. It's all about the story – and it needs to include empathy.Speaking of breaking rules, that's her biggest learning, and it's taken her a long time.Metrics are the best sword and the best shield when it comes to social media marketingHave your own Fabulous Personal Advisory BoardAdvocate and champion for each otherDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild – Want to boost your conversions and collaborate with top marketers? Claim your free 3-month AI Guild scholarship [https://join.meclabsai.com/] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa's parent company).Social Media Marketing: Educate your executives (podcast episode #123) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/social]Substance Over Style: Good work has to speak for itself (podcast episode #111) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/substance-over-style]CMO-CPO Collaboration: Bridge Marketing and Product for collaborative growth (podcast episode #95) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/CMO]Innovative Marketing Leadership: It is okay to think outside the box but make sure you don't create surprises (podcast episode #82) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovative]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

How do you stand out in a sea of competitors when margins are thin and trends shift overnight? For Jaci Volles, the answer is: serve your customer's customer – and innovate when the budget is tight.Jaci Volles, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Jelmar [https://www.clrbrands.com/] shared the lessons and stories from her career journey in this episode of How I Made It In Marketing.Jelmar is a 50-year-old, third-generation family-owned business that is best known for its CLR and Tarn-X cleaning product brands. Volles leads the sales, marketing, strategy, and product development teams, a total group of 100 internal and external professionals.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingWhen innovation meets tight budgets, be creative where you look for inspirationStand out in a crowded market by serving your customer's customerFind your brand's competitive advantageRespect the brand, history, and people when going through an acquisitionFocus on what you can control to lead through transitionsBe open to new possibilities while leveraging your core skills to break industry boundariesConcentrate resources to make the biggest impactDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Marketing Pragmatism: Embrace ‘hand-grenade math' over false precision (podcast episode #101) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-pragmatism]Marketing 101: What are decoy marketing and price anchoring? [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/consumer-marketing/marketing-101-decoy-marketing-price-anchoring/]B2B Marketing Infographic: How are B2B marketers optimizing their funnel? [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/b2b-marketing/infographic/]Value Focus: Which aspect(s) of your product should your marketing emphasize? [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/value-focus-aspects-of-product-marketing]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

What if collaborating with a competitor could significantly boost your revenue? That's exactly what Sagnik Roy, SVP at Times Internet [https://timesinternet.in/], did. In this episode, he shares how listening before selling and prioritizing soft skills reshaped his career.Times Internet has 571 million monthly users and a US audience of five million. It is owned by the Times Group, publisher of The Economic Times and The Times of India, the largest English-language newspaper by circulation. The Times Group is a private company and claims revenue exceeding a billion dollars a year.Roy manages a team of 15 to 20 people across three customer-facing brands.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingAsk, or you'll never knowPrioritize soft skills when hiringListen first, sell secondLead with latitudePrecision builds trust Transparency is strengthDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for Get Productive With AI [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec050-accelerated] on February 27th at 1 pm EST.Strategic Delegation: Time is your most precious asset (podcast episode #96) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-delegation]Marketing Pragmatism: Embrace ‘hand-grenade math' over false precision (podcast episode #101) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-pragmatism]Sustainable Marketing: Take the time to understand your target audience deeply and your value proposition (podcast episode #104) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/sustainable]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

To me, every customer touchpoint is a thing of value.And yet, some brands will pour millions of dollars into a Super Bowl ad while at the same time cutting customer service to the bone.Yet, both ads and customer service are valuable customer touchpoints.So I saw a kindred spirit when I read this lesson in a recent podcast guest application that came across my desk – “Brands are built by how you show up every day.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Thea Hayden, Interim CMO at Cognizant [https://www.cognizant.com/us/en].Cognizant reported $19.4 billion in revenue in 2023. Hayden manages a team of 350 across brand and digital marketing, global communications, events and sponsorships, field marketing, marketing operations, and technology marketing.Hear the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingCommunication can be hard…and it's criticalAlways start with the end in mindBrands are built by how you show up every dayThe best cultures can be both positive and aggressiveEnthusiasm and optimism can be contagiousPay attention to your say/do ratioDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for Get Productive With AI [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec050-accelerated] on February 27th at 1 pm EST, taught by Flint McGlaughlin. There is no cost (from MarketingSherpa's parent organization, MeclabsAI).Corporate Communication and Marketing Innovation: The dangerous delusion of safety – playing it safe can hurt you more than you know (podcast episode #41) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/corporate]Using the Science of Habit Formation in Customer-First Marketing (interview with Charles Duhigg) [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/marketing/charles-duhigg-interview-part-two/]Marketing, Advertising and Brand Strategy and Culture: You don't “build" community, you “facilitate” community (podcast episode #52) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-advertising]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Your first day at a new job. Sounds exciting, right?Now imagine it's at a major bank in crisis, fresh off a £40 billion taxpayer bailout. Oh, and you're in charge of sports sponsorships – an easy target for public outrage.That's exactly where Louise Johnson found herself. What did she learn from that experience? 'You must be a master of yourself during uncertain times.'To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from throughout her career, I talked to Louise Johnson, Global CEO, Fuse [https://fuseint.com/].Fuse is part of Omnicom, which reported $14.7 billion in revenue in 2023. Johnson is a Board Director at Omnicom Media Group UK, and manages a team of 400 at Fuse.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingInstill emotional disciplineYou must be a master of yourself during uncertain timesBe restless and challenge the status quo“You cannot fail unless you quit” Ignore purpose at your perilSay it how it is from the very beginningDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for How to take a conversion marketing approach to Agentic AI and RAG (with zero tech skills) [https://meclabsai.com/Conversion] on February 12th at 2 pm ESTAuthentic Brand Storytelling: Embed creative within your business model (podcast episode #105) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic]An Inspirational Guide for Uncertain Times: 7 ideas and resources for marketers and business leaders to help spark your next great success [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/inspirational-guide-in-uncertain-times-for-marketers-business-leaders]Marketing Chart: How a customer experience #fail affects brands [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/customer-experience-fails]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

In marketing, it's easy to become a manager and lose touch with the craft. Val Riley, VP of Marketing & Strategy at Unbounce [https://unbounce.com/], has embraced the ‘Player-Coach' mindset, blending leadership with hands-on execution to stay relevant and drive results.I sat down with her to discuss how she learned that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from her career.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingTake risks to propel your careerStay a ‘Player-Coach' as long as you canM & A = OpportunityMarketing is like a soccer teamReflect on the dayWhy kindness is a competitive advantage in leadershipDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for How to take a conversion marketing approach to Agentic AI and RAG (with zero tech skills) [https://MeclabsAI.com/Conversion] on February 12th at 2 pm ESTEntertainment Industry Marketing: Never forget the independence of your imagination (podcast episode #121) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/entertainment]Customer Engagement: Marketing case studies from Coors Light, a professional soccer team, and a private jet charter [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/customer-engagement]Copywriting Contest: Write the best-performing subject line and win [https://marketingexperiments.com/copywriting/subject-line-reader-contest]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

There's a great Chris Rock bit where he says educational leaders lie to kids when they say kids can be anything they want. He says to – tell kids the truth, “You could be anything you're good at. As long as they're hiring. And even then, it helps to know somebody.”The good-at part, hopefully we help you with that everyday on MarketingSherpa.But the “it helps to know somebody,” that ties into one of the key lessons my next guest has learned in his career, and he uses the famous Porter Gale statement to explain it “Your network is your net worth.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from throughout his career, I talked to Carlos Gil, U.S. Market Brand Evangelist, GetReponse [https://www.getresponse.com/], and author of The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-end-of-marketing-carlos-gil/1138482940].Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingBuild a brand around authenticityEvery piece of content is a stepping stone to something biggerEducate your executivesPivoting fast and recognizing opportunities is keyYour network is your net worthFailure is a stepping stone to reinventionThe right leaders can unlock your potentialDiscussed in this episodeEducate yourself. Join us for How to take a conversion marketing approach to Agentic AI and RAG (with zero tech skills) [https://meclabsai.com/Conversion] on February 12th at 2 pm EST. There is no cost (from MarketingSherpa's parent organization, MeclabsAI).Social Media: Marketing to millennials [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/consumer-marketing/ecommerce-eretail/social-media-millennials-2/]Authentic Brand Storytelling: Embed creative within your business model (podcast episode #105) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic]Strategic Marketing Communication: Don't do something for the sake of ticking a box (podcast episode #91) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-marketing]Marketing: Sometimes you have to throw the business model out (podcast episode #34) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-business]Strategic Marketing Communication: Don't do something for the sake of ticking a box (podcast episode #91) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-marketing]Innovation Leadership and Coaching: You should almost always do less than you think (podcast episode #46) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovation]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

“Incorporate lessons from others' mistakes into your business strategy.”I read this lesson in a recent podcast guest application and I thought, ‘well, that is actually a pretty good summary of what we do here on How I Made It In Marketing.' You can tune in and learn from others' mistakes so you don't have to make them yourself.And, of course, their triumphs as well. What fun would it be to only discuss the mistakes?So I talked to the man behind that podcast guest application – AB Lieberman, CEO and Founder, Clicks Talent [https://www.clickstalent.com/] – to hear the lessons from his triumphs and mistakes, along with the stories behind those lessons. Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingAct FastLocation mattersA $300,000 Wake-Up Call: Why your accountant mattersIncorporate lessons from others' mistakes into your business strategyThe customer is always right and make sure they are always happyLook at the person, not at the productDiscussed in this episodeGet Productive With AI [https://meclabsai.com/GetProductive] – January 8th at Noon ESTCopywriting: Every word matters in these marketing case studies from AAA, a consultant, and a real estate company [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/brand-direct-case-studies-AAA-word-marketing-examples]Help, Don't Hype: A guide to customer-first marketing [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/customer-centric-marketing-2/help/]Marketing Experimentation Strategy: Define and differentiate between experimentation and execution in marketing activities (podcast episode #93) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-experimentation]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you'd like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Watch the full video version here: https://youtu.be/pm5LNnZcaUcLinks mentioned in the episode:Free Training on "Holding the Pose": wealthyconsultant.com/holdIf you or someone you know would be a great guest for the show, fill out the form here: taylorawelch.com/guestIf you have a story of how this show has impacted you and you'd like to share it with us, let us know here: taylorawelch.com/story