TurtleBox playbook: small bets and strong people

Jonathan's closing advice: take conservative small bets, learn fast, and surround yourself with good people.

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In this episode of Marketing Operators, Cody and Connor break down how growth teams are rethinking measurement heading into 2026 - especially the rising importance of brand tracking. They discuss why click-based attribution alone no longer works, how incrementality and geo tests fill in the gaps, and why tracking awareness, consideration, and “future demand” is becoming essential.

Then they’re joined by Austin Santino, Client Development Manager at Tatari, and Jonathan McKenzie, Co-Founder of Turtlebox. Jonathan shares the brand’s unique origin story - four best friends building a rugged speaker for their sailboat before realizing it could become a business. Austin breaks down how Tatari has helped Turtlebox validate audiences and content through high-signal CTV testing and confidently expand into larger live-sports and linear placements. Jonathan also shares how Turtlebox is aiming to move from fast-cycling, performance-style creative toward more intentional, long-form storytelling as the brand matures.

This episode delivers the frameworks, tactics, and operator-level insights you need to sharpen your measurement strategy and scale your TV investment with confidence.

Tatari: https://www.tatari.tv/?utm_campaign=29640555-Operators%20Podcast%20Nov%20%2725&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=operators

If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:06:32 - Implementing Brand Tracking

00:20:45 - The Value of Earned Media Value (EMV)

00:35:26 - Turtlebox Audio: Origin Story and Product Differentiation

00:48:11 - TV Content Strategy

00:58:25 - 2026 Planning and The "Small Bets" Philosophy for Founders

Motion.

https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trends

Prescient AI.⁠⁠⁠

https://www.prescientai.com/operators

Richpanel.⁠⁠