How I Made it in Marketing

Perception changes everything.Think about many of the chores your customers endure in their lives. Or you do personally. The perception of a chore is not positive, right?Take shaving – dragging a sharp metal object across your face every morning to meet societal norms…sometimes even drawing blood. Ouch. Literally.So how do you turn something like that into a luxury experience? According to my latest guest, that is ‘the power of storytelling in branding.’To hear the story behind that lesson, along with more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Eric Malka, CEO and Founder, Strategic Brand Investments [https://www.strategicbrandinvestments.com/], and author of On The Razor’s Edge: The story of The Art of Shaving [https://www.strategicbrandinvestments.com/projects-1].Malka was the co-founder and CEO of The Art of Shaving and sold it to Procter & Gamble. He currently advises and coaches seven entrepreneurs and founders through Strategic Brand Investments. He has invested in more than half of their companies.Hear the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.PLAYER GOES HEREListen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on Amazon MusicKey lessons (backed by critical case studies) from what he made:The power of storytelling in branding Truth in marketing matters now more than everWord-of-mouth helps you find your best customersActionable takeaways from the people he made it withGreatness in the detailSometimes firing someone is doing them a favorEvery brand should have a battle cryDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Authentic Brand Storytelling: Embed creative within your business model (podcast episode #105) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic]“Authenticity” vs. “Professionalism”: Should you be your authentic self in your brand’s content and marketing? Or must you adhere to certain strictures considered “professional” in your industry? [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/authenticity]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Would you ever launch a campaign celebrating your brand as second best? That’s exactly what Sandy Rubinstein did at Nick at Nite.I sat down with Sandy Rubinstein, CEO, DX [https://dxagency.com/], to discuss that story, and many more lesson-filled stories, in this episode of How I Made It In Marketing.DX is a 20-year-old company with $20 million in revenue. Rubinstein manages a team of 70 across five cities in three countries.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingSeek serendipityLose the brand ego and lean into humility Bet on yourself Seek out every voice in the roomBe the all-weather friendMentorship is not a one-way streetDiscussed in this episodeWant to boost your conversions and collaborate with customer-first marketers? Claim your free 3-month AI Guild scholarship [https://join.meclabsai.com/] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa’s parent company). Innovative Marketing Leadership: It is okay to think outside the box but make sure you don't create surprises (podcast episode #82) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovative]Marketing: It’s not about you, and when you make it about you, you are never going to succeed (podcast episode #53) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-not-about-you]Marketing Career: How to become an indispensable asset to your company (even in a bad economy) [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/marketing-career]Voice-Over Coaching: Tips for improving external webinars, internal trainings and other content [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/video-marketing-2/voice-over-coaching/]Creative Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Hold the line & get a door kicker (podcast episode #84) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/creative-marketing]Marketing Mentorship: Direct feedback is a gift (podcast episode #98) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-mentorship] Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters]to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Sometimes we overlook the ends, because we’re so focused on the means.Today in marketing, that means can be algorithms and machine-built lookalike audiences and automations.But as our latest guest explained in her podcast guest application, all that technology doesn’t matter if you don’t focus on the right ends: “It's all about the story – and it needs to include empathy.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I sat down with Carmen Collins, director of social media, Generac [https://www.generac.com/].Generac is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange and reported $4.3 billion in net sales for 2024. Collins manages a team of three at Generac.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingSometimes, you just do it. Consequences be damned. Your network is your net worth. It's all about the story – and it needs to include empathy.Speaking of breaking rules, that's her biggest learning, and it's taken her a long time.Metrics are the best sword and the best shield when it comes to social media marketingHave your own Fabulous Personal Advisory BoardAdvocate and champion for each otherDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild – Want to boost your conversions and collaborate with top marketers? Claim your free 3-month AI Guild scholarship [https://join.meclabsai.com/] (from MeclabsAI, MarketingSherpa’s parent company).Social Media Marketing: Educate your executives (podcast episode #123) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/social]Substance Over Style: Good work has to speak for itself (podcast episode #111) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/substance-over-style]CMO-CPO Collaboration: Bridge Marketing and Product for collaborative growth (podcast episode #95) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/CMO]Innovative Marketing Leadership: It is okay to think outside the box but make sure you don't create surprises (podcast episode #82) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovative]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

How do you stand out in a sea of competitors when margins are thin and trends shift overnight? For Jaci Volles, the answer is: serve your customer’s customer – and innovate when the budget is tight.Jaci Volles, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Jelmar [https://www.clrbrands.com/] shared the lessons and stories from her career journey in this episode of How I Made It In Marketing.Jelmar is a 50-year-old, third-generation family-owned business that is best known for its CLR and Tarn-X cleaning product brands. Volles leads the sales, marketing, strategy, and product development teams, a total group of 100 internal and external professionals.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingWhen innovation meets tight budgets, be creative where you look for inspirationStand out in a crowded market by serving your customer’s customerFind your brand’s competitive advantageRespect the brand, history, and people when going through an acquisitionFocus on what you can control to lead through transitionsBe open to new possibilities while leveraging your core skills to break industry boundariesConcentrate resources to make the biggest impactDiscussed in this episodeAI Guild [https://join.meclabsai.com/]Marketing Pragmatism: Embrace ‘hand-grenade math’ over false precision (podcast episode #101) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-pragmatism]Marketing 101: What are decoy marketing and price anchoring? [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/consumer-marketing/marketing-101-decoy-marketing-price-anchoring/]B2B Marketing Infographic: How are B2B marketers optimizing their funnel? [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/b2b-marketing/infographic/]Value Focus: Which aspect(s) of your product should your marketing emphasize? [https://marketingexperiments.com/value-proposition/value-focus-aspects-of-product-marketing]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

What if collaborating with a competitor could significantly boost your revenue? That’s exactly what Sagnik Roy, SVP at Times Internet [https://timesinternet.in/], did. In this episode, he shares how listening before selling and prioritizing soft skills reshaped his career.Times Internet has 571 million monthly users and a US audience of five million. It is owned by the Times Group, publisher of The Economic Times and The Times of India, the largest English-language newspaper by circulation. The Times Group is a private company and claims revenue exceeding a billion dollars a year.Roy manages a team of 15 to 20 people across three customer-facing brands.Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingAsk, or you’ll never knowPrioritize soft skills when hiringListen first, sell secondLead with latitudePrecision builds trust Transparency is strengthDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for Get Productive With AI [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec050-accelerated] on February 27th at 1 pm EST.Strategic Delegation: Time is your most precious asset (podcast episode #96) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-delegation]Marketing Pragmatism: Embrace ‘hand-grenade math’ over false precision (podcast episode #101) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-pragmatism]Sustainable Marketing: Take the time to understand your target audience deeply and your value proposition (podcast episode #104) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/sustainable]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

To me, every customer touchpoint is a thing of value.And yet, some brands will pour millions of dollars into a Super Bowl ad while at the same time cutting customer service to the bone.Yet, both ads and customer service are valuable customer touchpoints.So I saw a kindred spirit when I read this lesson in a recent podcast guest application that came across my desk – “Brands are built by how you show up every day.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories, I talked to Thea Hayden, Interim CMO at Cognizant [https://www.cognizant.com/us/en].Cognizant reported $19.4 billion in revenue in 2023. Hayden manages a team of 350 across brand and digital marketing, global communications, events and sponsorships, field marketing, marketing operations, and technology marketing.Hear the full episode using this embedded player or by clicking through to your preferred audio streaming service using the links below it.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingCommunication can be hard…and it’s criticalAlways start with the end in mindBrands are built by how you show up every dayThe best cultures can be both positive and aggressiveEnthusiasm and optimism can be contagiousPay attention to your say/do ratioDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for Get Productive With AI [https://join.meclabsai.com/mec050-accelerated] on February 27th at 1 pm EST, taught by Flint McGlaughlin. There is no cost (from MarketingSherpa’s parent organization, MeclabsAI).Corporate Communication and Marketing Innovation: The dangerous delusion of safety – playing it safe can hurt you more than you know (podcast episode #41) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/corporate]Using the Science of Habit Formation in Customer-First Marketing (interview with Charles Duhigg) [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/marketing/charles-duhigg-interview-part-two/]Marketing, Advertising and Brand Strategy and Culture: You don’t “build" community, you “facilitate” community (podcast episode #52) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-advertising]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

Your first day at a new job. Sounds exciting, right?Now imagine it's at a major bank in crisis, fresh off a £40 billion taxpayer bailout. Oh, and you're in charge of sports sponsorships – an easy target for public outrage.That’s exactly where Louise Johnson found herself. What did she learn from that experience? 'You must be a master of yourself during uncertain times.'To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from throughout her career, I talked to Louise Johnson, Global CEO, Fuse [https://fuseint.com/].Fuse is part of Omnicom, which reported $14.7 billion in revenue in 2023. Johnson is a Board Director at Omnicom Media Group UK, and manages a team of 400 at Fuse.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingInstill emotional disciplineYou must be a master of yourself during uncertain timesBe restless and challenge the status quo“You cannot fail unless you quit” Ignore purpose at your perilSay it how it is from the very beginningDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for How to take a conversion marketing approach to Agentic AI and RAG (with zero tech skills) [https://meclabsai.com/Conversion] on February 12th at 2 pm ESTAuthentic Brand Storytelling: Embed creative within your business model (podcast episode #105) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic]An Inspirational Guide for Uncertain Times: 7 ideas and resources for marketers and business leaders to help spark your next great success [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/inspirational-guide-in-uncertain-times-for-marketers-business-leaders]Marketing Chart: How a customer experience #fail affects brands [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/customer-experience-fails]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

In marketing, it’s easy to become a manager and lose touch with the craft. Val Riley, VP of Marketing & Strategy at Unbounce [https://unbounce.com/], has embraced the ‘Player-Coach’ mindset, blending leadership with hands-on execution to stay relevant and drive results.I sat down with her to discuss how she learned that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from her career.Stories (with lessons) about what she made in marketingTake risks to propel your careerStay a ‘Player-Coach’ as long as you canM & A = OpportunityMarketing is like a soccer teamReflect on the dayWhy kindness is a competitive advantage in leadershipDiscussed in this episodeJoin us for How to take a conversion marketing approach to Agentic AI and RAG (with zero tech skills) [https://MeclabsAI.com/Conversion] on February 12th at 2 pm ESTEntertainment Industry Marketing: Never forget the independence of your imagination (podcast episode #121) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/entertainment]Customer Engagement: Marketing case studies from Coors Light, a professional soccer team, and a private jet charter [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/customer-engagement]Copywriting Contest: Write the best-performing subject line and win [https://marketingexperiments.com/copywriting/subject-line-reader-contest]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

There’s a great Chris Rock bit where he says educational leaders lie to kids when they say kids can be anything they want. He says to – tell kids the truth, “You could be anything you’re good at. As long as they’re hiring. And even then, it helps to know somebody.”The good-at part, hopefully we help you with that everyday on MarketingSherpa.But the “it helps to know somebody,” that ties into one of the key lessons my next guest has learned in his career, and he uses the famous Porter Gale statement to explain it “Your network is your net worth.”To hear the story behind that lesson, along with many more lesson-filled stories from throughout his career, I talked to Carlos Gil, U.S. Market Brand Evangelist, GetReponse [https://www.getresponse.com/], and author of The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-end-of-marketing-carlos-gil/1138482940].Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingBuild a brand around authenticityEvery piece of content is a stepping stone to something biggerEducate your executivesPivoting fast and recognizing opportunities is keyYour network is your net worthFailure is a stepping stone to reinventionThe right leaders can unlock your potentialDiscussed in this episodeEducate yourself. Join us for How to take a conversion marketing approach to Agentic AI and RAG (with zero tech skills) [https://meclabsai.com/Conversion] on February 12th at 2 pm EST. There is no cost (from MarketingSherpa’s parent organization, MeclabsAI).Social Media: Marketing to millennials [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/consumer-marketing/ecommerce-eretail/social-media-millennials-2/]Authentic Brand Storytelling: Embed creative within your business model (podcast episode #105) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/authentic]Strategic Marketing Communication: Don't do something for the sake of ticking a box (podcast episode #91) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-marketing]Marketing: Sometimes you have to throw the business model out (podcast episode #34) [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-business]Strategic Marketing Communication: Don't do something for the sake of ticking a box (podcast episode #91) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/strategic-marketing]Innovation Leadership and Coaching: You should almost always do less than you think (podcast episode #46) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/innovation]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application

“Incorporate lessons from others' mistakes into your business strategy.”I read this lesson in a recent podcast guest application and I thought, ‘well, that is actually a pretty good summary of what we do here on How I Made It In Marketing.’ You can tune in and learn from others’ mistakes so you don’t have to make them yourself.And, of course, their triumphs as well. What fun would it be to only discuss the mistakes?So I talked to the man behind that podcast guest application – AB Lieberman, CEO and Founder, Clicks Talent [https://www.clickstalent.com/] – to hear the lessons from his triumphs and mistakes, along with the stories behind those lessons. Stories (with lessons) about what he made in marketingAct FastLocation mattersA $300,000 Wake-Up Call: Why your accountant mattersIncorporate lessons from others' mistakes into your business strategyThe customer is always right and make sure they are always happyLook at the person, not at the productDiscussed in this episodeGet Productive With AI [https://meclabsai.com/GetProductive] – January 8th at Noon ESTCopywriting: Every word matters in these marketing case studies from AAA, a consultant, and a real estate company [https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/brand-direct-case-studies-AAA-word-marketing-examples]Help, Don’t Hype: A guide to customer-first marketing [https://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/customer-centric-marketing-2/help/]Marketing Experimentation Strategy: Define and differentiate between experimentation and execution in marketing activities (podcast episode #93) [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/interview/marketing-experimentation]Get more episodesSubscribe to the MarketingSherpa email newsletter [https://www.marketingsherpa.com/newsletters] to get more insights from your fellow marketers. Sign up for free if you’d like to get more episodes like this one.For more insights, check out...This podcast is not about marketing – it is about the marketer. It draws its inspiration from the Flint McGlaughlin quote, “The key to transformative marketing is a transformed marketer” from the Become a Marketer-Philosopher: Create and optimize high-converting webpages [https://meclabs.com/course/] free digital marketing course. Apply to be a guestIf you would like to apply to be a guest on How I Made It In Marketing, here is the podcast guest application – https://www.marketingsherpa.com/page/podcast-guest-application