Clicks 2 Bricks

To become a transformational CIO, one must have key characteristics, capabilities, and leadership styles that foster followership and inspire others to embrace their vision. This is the belief of Michael Chachula, Chief Information Officer for FAT Brands, who joins us today to shed some light on what it takes to manage the marketing tech stack for 18 different restaurant brands in a total of 2,300 locations, including Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, and Fazoli’s. With a background in tech, finance, and hospitality, Michael exemplifies the well-rounded expertise needed to run tech for a multi-brand restaurant portfolio, but it’s his focus on inspiring rather than commanding people to follow him that stands out in this interview. He also shares his take on how artificial intelligence is impacting the restaurant industry today and into the future and we discuss how tech providers can become trusted advisors, why industry experience is more important than the latest tools, and so much more! For a down-to-earth conversation with a true visionary leader, don’t miss this episode with FAT Brands’ CIO Michael Chachula!

Afif Khoury, Founder and CEO of SOCi, discusses the unique AI technology used in their CoMarketing Platform for Multi-Location Brands. They explore the benefits of AI and data analysis in social media marketing, as well as the potential of AI-powered marketing at the store level. They also discuss the evolving landscape of local listings and the future impact of AI on marketing.

With some of the strongest franchise opportunities on the market, BELFOR Franchise Group is a dominant brand in the home services category. For more than 10 years, BELFOR Franchise Group has been empowering entrepreneurs to own businesses that are not only designed for growth but also provide profoundly meaningful services to their communities. Today, you’ll hear from Abigail Baker, Senior Vice President of Marketing for BELFOR Franchise Group, a curated portfolio of brands that often serve businesses and consumers in the wake of natural disasters. Abby is charged with marketing for all 12 brands, some of which are regional, some of which have national footprints, and all of which do business at the hyperlocal level. In this episode of Clicks 2 Bricks, we discuss the marketing challenges Abby faces with some specifics about how she partners with and empowers her franchisees. Tuning in, you’ll also learn about the power of content, why investing in SEO ranking is critical, how to use data to your benefit, and more!

Jeanniey Walden is the founder and CEO of Liftoff Enterprises, an award-winning marketing executive, renowned work-life advocate, and host of the nationally syndicated TV show, Liftoff with Jeanniey Walden. Jeanniey attributes her success to AIR: Authentic, Inspirational, and Relatable interactions, and she applies this lens to everything she does, including her new position as CMO of Rite Aid. In today’s episode of Clicks 2 Bricks, she shares her customer-centric perspective on multi-location marketing and offers some insight into her lifelong mission to inspire others, which not only informed her decision to start her own TV show but permeates every aspect of her role at Rite Aid. We discuss the inner workings of moving from an interim role to a full-time gig, why Jeanniey embraces the hurdles that come with being a challenger brand, and why she believes that networking, a strong work ethic, and asking for guidance are important steps on the journey to success, plus so much more! For insight into the whole health ethos of one of America’s smallest large companies, be sure to tune in today!

We’ve heard many rags-to-riches stories from startups all across the country, but few compare to the near-instant success of the fast-growing food brand, Dave’s Hot Chicken. Its CMO, Brad Haley, joins us once again after his previous appearance on the show as the CMO of IHOP. After finding out an interesting fact about Brad that many didn’t know, our guest then walks us through the story of Dave’s Hot Chicken, what initially attracted him to the brand, Drake and other big-name investors of the company, and how he approaches this role differently compared to his previous jobs. Dave’s Hot Chicken was born in the social-digital age, and our guest explains how Instagram has been key to its success, why cultural impact matters more than sales, adapting to the digital age as a marketer, and everything you need to know if you are a new marketer with CMO aspirations. Few are as accomplished as Dave when it comes to successfully implementing game-changing campaigns, and after summating the current state of marketing, Dave explains why the Jack in the Box campaign stands out from all the rest in his remarkable career. If you’d like to hear more about working with Dave’s Hot Chicken and perhaps becoming a franchisee of your own, then be sure to tune in! 

According to a recent survey, Coldwell Banker was the most recognizable real estate brand of 2021, with 91% of surveyed consumers correctly identifying the brokerage's logo. How does a business achieve this level of brand recognition? Finding the right Chief Marketing Officer is a good place to start! CMO might be his title, but “brand champion” might be a more appropriate moniker for David Marine, who has worked in the marketing group of the most recognized brand in real estate for more than 20 years. He says that his superpower is storytelling, which has enabled him to reshape the brand’s luxury and commercial divisions, create the first real estate video-centric YouTube channel, and even develop what is considered the highest-rated real estate ad of all time. In this episode, David joins us to share some insight into his journey and highlight some of the marketing strategies that made him the CMO he is today. We discuss how marketing in the real estate world has changed pre- and post-pandemic, how David ensures that Coldwell’s messaging is consistent across its network of 100,000 agents, and how he and his team are thinking about the technology topic du jour: AI-powered marketing. We also touch on search engine ads, influencer marketing, and so much more, so you won't want to miss this instalment of Clicks 2 Bricks with Coldwell Banker CMO David Marine!

On the show today, we have the massively experienced and insightful Jason Seeley, who currently holds the position of Vice President of Digital at CKE Restaurants. CKE is the corporation behind Hardee's and Carl's Jr., and we get to hear from Jason about his role at the company and how he approaches each of these brands and their marketing initiatives. Our guest has a really interesting career journey, and he talks about how he started as a graphic designer and his time at Walmart and Wendy's, which ultimately led to him transitioning into digital marketing and moving up the corporate ladder. We also spend some time on the impacts of the pandemic, what the digital marketing landscape looks like at this specific point in history, and where it might be headed in the next few years. Jason weighs in on the impact of AI, finding great tech partners, and also offers some helpful advice for young marketers trying to accrue good experience and enhance their resumes. Join us to hear it all!

The world around us is constantly changing but there is one thing you can be sure will always stay the same: marketing fundamentals. Today’s guest, Mike Templeton is the director of Digital Experience for Casey’s, the third-largest convenience store chain and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the country! One of the core themes of this episode is the “phygital” experience (if you haven’t heard the term before, don’t worry, you’re not alone), which deals with the interconnectedness between the digital and the physical world. Tune in today to hear about Mike’s fruitful career journey in the marketing space and absorb invaluable knowledge as he shares his thoughts on how to use the power that consumers have in the marketplace to your advantage, things to take into consideration when choosing technology partners and solutions, the importance of prioritizing localization, why he is excited about the potential of AI, and so much more! 

Retail juggernaut, Walgreens is beginning to prioritize healthcare across all their service offerings. Linh Peters is Walgreens’ CMO, and she joins today to describe the role that marketing will play in her employer’s new venture. Linh has worked with other huge brands including Calvin Klein, Best Buy, Target, and Starbucks, and she explains how the challenges in her current role differ from the other jobs she’s worked before. As a loyalty specialist, Linh goes into detail about the current state of marketing, the ins and outs of Walgreens’ myW™ Days program, why brands have less power now than they did before COVID, and how a rewards program influences a CMO’s marketing strategy. We learn about how the data alone can validate any rewards program, why the most important thing is to connect with customers as opposed to giving out freebies, the biggest mistakes that first-timers make when launching a loyalty program, and whether the recent changes in marketing are for better or worse. Our guest also explains how a harrowing 5months on a boat informed her worldview, how her upbringing in Vietnam and migration to America influenced her career choices and bred her passion for healthcare, how having a personal board of directors could grow you as a leader, and what the future of Walgreens looks like: healthcare, marketing, and beyond! 

Studying the liberal arts can be beneficial to almost every aspect of your life, as it forces you to develop a level of critical thinking that is necessary for navigating the world that we live in. Moreover, anthropology can provide a firm foundation from which a prospective marketer can grow and flourish. That is the journey of today’s guest, Andrea McCauley, as she explains how her love for anthropology provided the vital skills that she still uses in marketing today.  Andrea is the Head of Marketing and Senior Vice President for Massage Envy, a nationwide wellness franchise that provides massage, stretch, and skin care services. After Andrea and Rob agree on the undeniable benefits of the liberal arts, the conversation then turns to how COVID has affected marketing as a whole, the biggest challenges that marketing leaders are currently facing, and how Massage Envy uses marketing to support its franchisees. We discuss Andrea’s career trajectory and the challenges she faced when becoming CMO, the technological shifts that Massage Envy has made since COVID, what our guest thinks about AI in relation to her current role, and so much more! Andrea’s lightning round of questions explores TikTok, branded content, Yelp, and Facebook, and she delivers some important advice for all aspiring marketers.