Open Market

Join Tim and Chris Vanderhook, co-founders of Viant, as they dive into the groundbreaking launch of ViantAI, showcasing their innovative adtech strategies. They discuss how generative AI is changing marketing approaches, allowing for rapid and engaging media creation. Reflecting on their 25-year journey, they share insights on navigating challenges within the ad tech landscape, including the role of founder influence. Their unique brotherly partnership highlights the importance of ethics and ownership in building a sustainable business in a competitive market.

Joe Zappa interviews co-host Eric Franchi, a general partner at the venture capital fund Aperiam, to identify the three traits his three most successful investments have in common. They discuss Kevel, Transmit.live, and tvScientific.

Michael Katz, CEO and co-founder of mParticle, shares his insights on navigating 'founder mode' versus 'manager mode.' He emphasizes the importance of context and culture over traditional hiring practices, advocating for a focus on cultural fit when building teams. The discussion highlights the challenges of direct communication in marketing and warns against micromanagement in larger teams. Katz also stresses the necessity for candidates to adapt to various market stages, revealing the complexities of hiring in the startup landscape.

Brian O’Kelley, an adtech entrepreneur and co-founder of Scope3, dives into the evolution of his leadership style, balancing charisma with a healthy workplace culture. He discusses the critical importance of emotional intelligence in startups and shares insights on effective hiring practices that prioritize personal connections. O’Kelley also highlights the significance of sustainability in digital advertising, urging industry accountability to combat climate change. His reflections on the AppNexus journey reveal how a purpose-driven culture can inspire teams and drive impactful results.

This week on the pod, Joe Zappa and Eric Franchi interview the sharpest-tongued CEO in adtech, Lauren Wetzel. Newly minted as the CEO of InfoSum, Lauren talks about her journey to the position, including:  How her consulting background launched her into the adtech C-suite The Venn diagram between a COO and a CEO Why a company should hire a chief of staff (or not) Why CEOs shouldn’t be afraid of speaking out about industry issues

Joe Zappa and Eric Franchi argue that traditional PR is evolving and blending with new marketing techniques. They explore how remote and in-person interactions reshape relationship building in PR. The hosts highlight the necessity for CEOs to step into communicative roles on social platforms. Emerging technologies, particularly AI, are discussed for their transformative impact on engaging customers and creating visibility. Finally, they address the mixed perceptions surrounding controversial analytics in the PR space.

In this chat, Eric Franchi, a general partner at venture capital fund Aperiam, shares his insights on the investment world. He discusses the key differences between being an operator and a VC, and what startups should expect from their investors. Listeners learn how to break into investing and the importance of networking for entrepreneurs seeking funding. Eric emphasizes the critical need for storytelling in investor pitches while highlighting the risks and rewards of angel investing. It's a must-listen for aspiring investors!

This week dives into the quirks of B2B marketing attribution, shedding light on how many companies misinterpret it. A humorous chat compares the joy of quirky jobs, like dressing as Toad, to typical corporate roles. Founders get actionable marketing strategies to engage audiences on a budget, while teams of 20 learn the importance of meaningful interactions. Explore the evolving landscape of marketing privacy with the shifting cookie policies and discover why traditional metrics might be missing the mark on brand loyalty.

This week on the pod, Eric and Joe are joined by Chris Riedy, former VP of Global Sales and Marketing at Twitter and current CRO at tvScientific, to discuss how to build sales organizations. Chris has the answers to all your sales development questions, whether your business is an early-stage startup or tech behemoth.

Joe gets his Bill Simmons on in this quick solo episode on how to do strategic marketing.If you go on B2B marketing LinkedIn (God help you), you'll see tons of people talking about strategic marketing. But what actually are the components of a marketing strategy? How do you put one together?Joe explains how he writes a strategic marketing plan in this episode so that you can do the same — or know what to expect from your marketing colleagues.