The Marketing Scientists

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Daniel McCarthy breaks down how top brands like Netflix and Nike use customer lifetime value (CLV) to drive smarter growth decisions — and why most startups are still stuck on outdated metrics.We dive into the science behind CLV modeling, what CAC doesn’t tell you, and how to use predictive analytics to scale efficiently. Daniel also shares how CLV can shape everything from brand strategy to investor valuation, and why cohort retention is the growth metric that actually matters.About the guest: Daniel McCarthy is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He’s one of the world’s leading voices on CLV, customer analytics, and predictive modeling — with research that’s influenced startups, Fortune 500s, and VCs alike.#CustomerLifetimeValue #CLV #StartupGrowth #MarketingScience #MarketingPodcast

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Elaine Zelby shares the real levers behind startup growth — and it’s not just product or GTM strategy. Elaine dives into how culture, hiring, and operational systems shape whether a marketing engine can actually scale.From building trust and clarity across teams to designing systems that don’t break at $10M ARR, Elaine breaks down what most founders miss. She also shares why brand is often an output of culture, how to hire for execution and alignment, and why growth marketing fails without shared values at the core.About the guest: Elaine Zelby is the Co-Founder and CRO of TofuHQ, and a growth advisor to early-stage startups. With leadership experience spanning marketing, operations, and product, she brings rare clarity to the intersection of brand, culture, and scale.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Dyan Khor shares the strategy behind Cash App’s explosive growth, and why true scale requires more than channel hacks. Dyan built Cash App’s full-funnel growth engine, developed user-level LTV models, and implemented incrementality testing before iOS 14 changed the game.We dive into how brand, creative, and product come together to drive results; why “growth” isn’t a department , it’s a company strategy; and how AI is reshaping team workflows, content pipelines, and experimentation velocity.About the guest:Dyan Khor is a growth advisor and fractional marketing leader who scaled Cash App through its hypergrowth phase. With deep experience in data modeling, cross-functional growth, and performance strategy, she’s now helping top tech startups build marketing systems that last.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Nik Sharma and Ari Murray of Sharma Brands break down how they manage one of the most creative and data-driven growth machines in e-commerce. From launching up to 1,000 ads a week to testing across every stage of the funnel, they share how smart systems — not just instincts — drive results.We dive into the shift from DTC to retail, why attribution is mostly noise, how incrementality testing is changing everything, and why creative velocity (done right) beats any channel hack. They also unpack the impact of AI on workflows, how they keep a swipe file in Slack, and why truly understanding your customer is still the ultimate unlock.About the guests: Nik Sharma and Ari Murray lead Sharma Brands, a full-service growth engine helping consumer brands scale through sharp creative, efficient media buying, and relentless experimentation. Their work spans eComm, retail, and content — and they’ve built one of the most respected voices in the DTC space.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Amrita Mathur, former marketing leader at Superside, ClickUp, and Zapier, shares hard-earned truths about startup growth, product-market fit, and why creativity — not just tactics — drives sustainable success.Amrita challenges the common myths around growth hacking, breaks down why product strategy is inseparable from marketing strategy, and explains how smart brands are navigating the AI disruption without losing their edge. She also dives into the importance of differentiation, the hidden power of creative obsession, and why building your own brand “universes” is the future of marketing.About the guest: Amrita Mathur has scaled some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in the world and now advises early-stage startups on brand, marketing, and growth strategy. With deep hands-on experience from 0 to 1 and beyond, she brings a rare, practical lens to what really works — and what’s just noise.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Ian Martins, Managing Director of Zenith, joins us for a no-filter look at the modern agency world. Ian unpacks why the creative/media divide is still costing brands big money, how the traditional agency model is ripe for reinvention, and why the current obsession with AI-driven cost savings is missing the point.We explore the rise of "Power of One" models, why media teams need a seat at the creative table, and how smart brands are blending brand + performance thinking. Ian also shares practical insights on creative testing, algorithmic buying, and why most media metrics are still chasing the wrong goals.About the guest: Ian Martens is the Managing Director of Zenith , part of the Publicis Groupe. With a career that spans scrappy independents to global HoldCos, Ian brings a uniquely candid perspective on what’s broken — and what’s possible — in media, creative, and marketing leadership today.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Keith Putnam-Delaney, CEO of Primer, reveals how his company is reinventing B2B audience targeting across channels like TikTok, Instagram, and even Amazon. He unpacks the limitations of traditional ad targeting, the misconceptions around "dead" channels, and why marketers need to rethink attribution and incrementality. Keith also dives into the evolving role of AI in advertising, shares a spicy take on LinkedIn ads, and explains how creative and audience experimentation is still the ultimate unlock.About the guest: Keith Putnam-Delaney is the co-founder and CEO of Primer, a fast-growing startup transforming how B2B marketers activate audiences across social and programmatic platforms. With a background in data and growth strategy, Keith brings a sharp and opinionated view on what’s broken in modern marketing—and what’s coming next. From holdout tests to AI-driven targeting, he's helping companies navigate the future of ad performance with clarity and precision.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientists Podcast, Kerry Cunningham, former Forrester analyst and now Head of Research at 6sense, unpacks the broken state of B2B marketing. He explains why most MQLs are a dead-end, how the concept of “buying groups” is transforming the demand funnel, and how third-party intent data—when combined with AI—can actually deliver real insight. Kerry also shares the backstory behind the famous Demand Unit Waterfall, reveals what most marketers get wrong about in-market signals, and offers a data-backed strategy for winning more high-intent buyers.About the Guest:Kerry Cunningham is a leading B2B marketing strategist and researcher, currently serving as Head of Research at 6sense. Previously, he helped design the Demand Unit Waterfall during his time at SiriusDecisions and Forrester. With decades of experience in B2B marketing innovation, Kerry brings unmatched insight into intent data, marketing measurement, and the science of modern revenue generation.

In this episode of the Marketing Scientist Podcast, Pranav Piyush, CEO of Paramark, breaks down the flaws of traditional marketing attribution and why Incrementality Testing is the key to smarter budget decisions. He explains why Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) often misleads marketers, how Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) compares, and why most brands are wasting money on ad spend without realizing it.Pranav shares insights on why marketers should rethink their brand search ad spend, how to run effective marketing experiments, and the role of causality in measurement. He also discusses how top brands are using incrementality testing to prove real ROI, optimize budgets, and drive efficient growth.

Matt Bahr, CEO and co-founder of Fairing, shares his expertise on optimizing marketing spend through post-purchase surveys. He reveals how brands can decode marketing attribution and extract hidden customer insights. Bahr discusses the challenges of data accuracy in fragmented markets and emphasizes the need for first-party data. The conversation also covers innovative methodologies for tracking marketing effectiveness, including touch-based attribution and the value of customer feedback in decision-making.