211. Jacob Baadsgaard — Building an Entrepreneurial Success From a Foundation of Authenticity

Season 7 Episode 12: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Jacob Baadsgaard, founder and CEO of Disruptive Advertising. 

Baadsgaard discusses his journey from working at Omniture to founding his data-driven marketing agency. He highlights the importance of connecting marketing data with business data and how his agency helps small to medium-sized businesses act on that data. Baadsgaard emphasizes the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, stressing the need for authenticity and a willingness to learn from successes and failures. 

He also discusses Disruptive University, an initiative he founded to help marketers and entrepreneurs find clarity and authenticity in their work and personal lives. He explains how the program addresses the challenges of balancing business success with personal fulfillment. The university offers online courses and in-person summits, focusing on aligning personal values with professional goals. Baadsgaard praises Utah's supportive environment for entrepreneurs, citing the state's driven population, strong university connections, and pro-business government. He expresses enthusiasm for the future of his ventures — particularly his goal of encouraging widespread authenticity — and his thoughts on how AI will impact the advertising industry.