Understanding the Distinction Between Branding and Marketing

In this powerhouse episode, AJ welcomes longtime friend and marketing strategist Lee Pepper to unpack what most brands miss—real strategy. From leading marketing for a private equity-backed company that scaled 60X to writing a leadership playbook rooted in military mental models, Lee brings the kind of clarity most execs never get.

The conversation dives deep into:

• Why most marketing fails (spoiler: it’s not the tactics)

• How military frameworks like “Commander’s Intent” translate to corporate innovation

• The overlooked role of marketing in HR, finance, and company-wide leadership

• Real vs. vanity metrics (and how to stop being "Twitter rich and dollar poor")

Whether you're scaling a startup or revamping a marketing team, this episode delivers the insight and strategy you’ve been missing.

🎯 Pre-order Lee’s book Never Outmatched: neveroutmatched.com