Why do so many great marketing plans get kneecapped by…ego? 🤯 You know the drill: a founder who “already knows” the playbook, a swoop-and-poop exec, or a client who hires you for your expertise—then ignores it.

In this episode, we’re joined by marketing strategist and consultant Rissy La Touche (Dimple Studio; ex-Square) to unpack how ego shows up at the top, how to spot it early, and how to navigate it without losing your mind—or your results.

We get into:
✅ Red flags on discovery calls (no questions, prescriptive “do this,” trash-talking their team, refusing audits/strategy)
✅ Curiosity as a power move: “What makes you believe that?”—and other ego-disarming questions
✅ When to walk away (and why solo-founder gigs can be the toughest)
✅ “Most founders don’t need a podcast” 🙃 — hard truths about shiny-object marketing
✅ Using ego for good: value props that make buyers look brilliant at work (hello, promotions & advocacy)
✅ Keep your receipts: decision logs, recap emails, and notes that save your sanity
✅ Culture math: why leaders’ “bad-day behaviors” trickle down—and how to push for change
✅ Building allies across the org (the simple “time to chat?” outreach that actually works)
✅ Early-stage reality checks: experiments, resources, and the Square pivot story
✅ Staying sane: feedback loops, mentors, boundaries, and choosing freedom as a consultant

If you’ve ever been steamrolled by a HiPPO, battled a micromanager, or just want better tools for managing up—this one’s for you.

We’re Ruta and Emma, the marketing consultants behind Blame it on Marketing.

If you’re in B2B SaaS or professional services and looking to do marketing that actually drives revenue and profit, we’re here for it.

Visit blameitonmarketing.com and let’s get this show on the road.

Chapter 9: The Count