Here we are again, at the end of another Marketing Sweats podcast season. Our fifth. We’ve come so far and learned so much since setting out to share the heart, soul and sweat that goes into marketing. And we’re pretty proud of the award-winning podcast we’ve created.
The one and only Mike Rowe helped us kick it all off in Season 1. Although full of growing pains, we interviewed some pretty incredible marketers and set the stage for what Marketing Sweats is all about.
Season 2, recorded in the midst of the stay-at-home order for Covid-19, brought about its own challenges. But, ironically, unfolded with a theme of “purpose, potential and endless possibilities.”
As we began to emerge from our pandemic shells, the notion of a “new normal” began to take shape. Thus, the theme of Season 3 became, “Looking back, to look forward.” It’s all about bridging the gap between where we’ve been and where we’re going.
In Season 4 we talked to leaders, marketers, innovators, entrepreneurs and consultants to really dig into lessons learned from all that self-reflection. They shared the small pushes they’re making behind the scenes to take their organizations to the next level.
So here we are. After two long pandemic-filled years, a new vision of life has come into focus. One where life comes before work. Season 5 represents the relationships, connections and collaboration that puts people first to create opportunity like never before.
Season Five Is Live
From personal and professional development coaches to business consultants and trainers to community leaders, the guests this season have a lot of great insights to share. Here’s a peak at what’s on tap now for your listening pleasure.
Episode 1: Personal and Professional Development with Kathryn Spitznagle, Author of “Rock Star Millennials–Developing the Next Generation of Leaders”
Kathryn learned a lot in her 30-plus years working in five male dominated industries and has made it her mission to foster the personal and professional development of leaders, particularly women millennials. Some topics she shares in this episode include:
- The blessing of cancer and her pink pearls of hope journey
- Strengths and shadows
- Developing quiet confidence
- Naming your negative self
- The relationship between your head, heart and hands
Episode 2: The Evolution of Digital Healthcare with Jennifer Junis, Senior Vice President of OSF OnCall
Jennifer was instrumental in launching OSF Healthcare’s digital health entity, OSF OnCall. A great visionary who knows how to get things done (hint: through people), Jennifer shares what it was like to lead such a transformative healthcare effort. Topics in this episode include:
- The Sisters’ vision for digital healthcare
- Services offered via OSF OnCall
- The B2B aspect of digital healthcare
- The impact of COVID
- How healthcare is changing overall
Episode 3: Rethinking the Pitch Process with Shannyn Lee, Managing Director of Win Without Pitching
Shannyn knows agencies and what brands want from their marketing. Armed with this knowledge, she teaches creative agencies how to uniquely position their business and use a more facilitative approach to sales. In this episode she shares:
- The Win Without Pitching approach to selling
- Using a CRM to track the customer journey and lead stages
- How to be seen as meaningfully different
- Using a qualifying conversation to uncover underlying needs
- Leveraging the Jedi mindset
Episode 4: Evolving the Brand of a City with Dr. Rita Ali, Peoria Mayor
After coming out on top in the closest mayoral race in recent history, Dr. Ali made history by becoming the first woman and first African American to be elected to lead the city. She joins us to chat about her efforts to collaborate with citizens, leaders, local businesses and organizations to drive change. Topics we discuss include:
- The importance of role models
- Her inspiration
- Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion
- Initiatives at the top of her to-do list
- Looking ahead to the future
Episode 5: Community, Connection & Collaboration with Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey, President of Illinois Central College
Dr. Quirk-Bailey is committed to creating pathways to training and support systems to help individuals move their lives forward. She, along with other local leaders, have found they can accomplish far more together than by staying in their own respective lanes. In this episode she shares:
- The critical role community colleges play
- How higher-ed is evolving
- Creating opportunity to break the cycle of poverty
- Strengthening the economic environment through education
- The challenges of marketing to multiple distinct target audiences
Episode 6: Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders with Peter Docker, Author of “Leading From the Jumpseat: How to Create Extraordinary Opportunities by Handing Over Control”
Peter Docker is all about enabling people to be their best selves by helping to unlock their natural talents. His latest book is focused on lifting people up and having their back so that, when the time is right, they can take the lead with confidence. In this episode he shares:
- The story of Calum
- Discovering your non-negotiables
- Responding vs reacting
- The four stages of Jumpseat Leadership
- Handling a four red lights moment without compromising confidence
Episode 7: Positioning Strategy & Organizational Design with Brian Kessman, Founder of Lodestar Agency Consulting
Brian’s 20+ years of agency experience and passion for people inspired him to start Lodestar Agency Consulting. The firm provides positioning strategy, organizational design and leadership training services to creative agencies that help balance the needs of their clients, employees and the business. In this episode Brian discusses:
- The misalignment between clients and their agency partners
- Why organizational structure models are outdated
- The relationship between an agency’s positioning strategy and operating model
- Lodestar’s assessment and implementation approach
- Creating environments that liberate people to do their best work
Episode 8: B2B Sales and the Customer Experience with Tony Fuller, Strategic Business Development Leader
As a seasoned sales leader with over 30 years of equipment sales, marketing and business development experience, Tony Fuller knows how to keep customers coming back. In this interview he shares a wide range of marketing challenges and success that can span any industry including:
- The key to success in sales
- The need for collaboration between sales and marketing
- The importance of branding in the sales process
- Marketing to younger generations
- Challenges of matrixed organizations
Episode 9: Using Brain Science for Business with Diana Lucaci, Co-founder and CEO of True Impact
Diana combined her interest in the motivating factors that drive human behavior with her love of marketing to become a pioneer in the field of neuromarketing. By studying how people’s brains respond to advertising and other brand elements, Diana and her company, True Impact, can help marketers predict how a particular product, service or marketing campaign will perform. In this episode she shares:
- Why consumer neuroscience is key for understanding buying behavior
- The skills and disciplines of the True Impact team
- Services True Impact provides
- How brands can use biometric data to improve their products, marketing and CX
- The difference between bottom-up and top-down processing
Episode 10: Bringing Rigor to Business Development with Brent Hodgins, Managing Director of Mirren
Think your agency is the only one that struggles with their business development approach? Turns out most do. Brent Hodgins, Managing Director at Mirren Business Development joins us to wrap up Season 5 by sharing his insights on improving the business development process and a number of industry-related topics including:
- How Mirren’s mission has evolved
- The impact of COVID and predictions for future agency business
- Combating systemic racism in the marketing industry
- The expanding role of sales and account management
- Buying revenue vs buying talent
Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode of Marketing Sweats. We’d love to hear what you think! Give us a review or leave a comment with your feedback.
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