In this episode - we had an absolute blast chatting with Jonelle Ricketts who is the Head of Marketing for IKEA Canada! 🇨🇦🇸🇪

IKEA is one of the most beloved brands in the world but you probably already knew that! The odds are that you’re one of the 33 million guests that visited their stores last year in Canada & left with more than just thoughtfully designed furniture (those Swedish meatballs are seriously delicious).

Jonelle has had a remarkable career working across a range of companies (IKEA, Sephora, Blackberry) and countries (Canada & the Netherlands). She is an award-winning marketer having recently been recognized as 2025 Strategy Marketer of the Year & also recently snagged numerous awards at Cannes.

Amongst other things - we chatted about the winning streak that her team is on, the career leaps that changed her life, a late-night DM campaign that started a mattress war, what a dance class taught her about taking chances, the importance of inclusivity, and we even got a behind-the-scenes look on how they continue to build such an iconic brand.

• More specifically, Jonelle shared her thoughts on the following questions:
• How would you describe what you do to a stranger? (2:00)
• What was your “Marketing Moment”? (5:40)
• How has your view of marketing evolved over time? (8:38)
• What advice would you have to anyone looking to make a career leap? (12:05)
• How was your transition moving back from the Netherlands? (18:17)
• Talk us through the decision of returning in Canada to lead marketing for IKEA? (21:51)
• How does your team stay tapped into culture? (29:53)
• How is your Marketing team in Canada structured? (38:35)
• We put Jonelle in the hot seat 🔥(41:33)

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If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and follow us on social @4pspod on TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Also, we just launched our website www.4pspod.com. It’s the new hub for everything related to the pod!

🍫In this mini-episode, we shine a spotlight on 5 sweet opportunities that Mondelez has available right now for both interns & full-time hires! The application deadline is fast approaching (Sep 22nd⌛) but don’t stress because this interview is here to help as you prep!

To help you learn more - we chatted with Jennifer Earl who is the Sr. Brand Manager of Cookies at Mondelez (yes - it’s the best job title imaginable). They are home to some of your all-time favourite snacks which include Dairy Milk, Oreo, Ritz, Clif Bar & Sour Patch Kids.

Amongst other things, we chatted about:

• Why CPG is the ultimate marketing bootcamp
• What makes Mondelez such a special place to work
• What sorts of marketing roles are available
• Insider tips on how to stand out during the application process
• How Mondelez strikes the balance between local & global campaigns such as the Selena Gomez x Oreo collab
• What has kept Jennifer in the industry for the last 10 years

We hope you give it a listen, check out your school portal to learn more & get that application in!

📝 In this mini-episode, we chatted with Krista Kelly who is one of the most sought after career coaches & resume strategists in Canada. Her “Hired in Marketing” community has already amassed over 40,000 ambitious marketing grads who are ready to turn their applications into offers.

Navigating the job market feels more difficult than ever before & so, we brought Krista on to share her insider tips on how to have a higher chance of breaking through.

Amongst other things - we chatted about:

• Her story of how she went from zero offers to jobs at General Mills & McDonald’s
• How to get your resume past the screening tools that companies use
• The biggest mistakes that she’s seen applicants make
• How to tackle the age-old problem of getting a job without having a job
• Resources that you can use to upgrade your skills & personal brand
• Staying motivated through your career search

Check out her resume guide that is only available for our listeners
Visit her website for more info on her program: https://www.kristakelly.ca/
Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristakellyca/

As a quick reminder - in addition to long-form interviews with our incredible guests, we’re releasing short-form content that will answer the most burning questions that we receive from students/new grads. Visit us at 4pspod.com to share your feedback or topics you’d like us to cover!

👋 After an amazing summer break - we’re back (with more than just a tan)! We’re back with an entirely new season of the podcast just in time for a new school year & for those cozy days at a coffee shop! In this mini-episode - we share some major life updates & give a sneak peek of what you can expect in the coming months. Hint: we have a lot more content available in more places than ever before.

Check out our website at: www.4pspod.com
Instagram: @4pspod
TikTok: @4pspod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/4-p-s-in-a-pod/

🥁 Introducing a new content series called "The DeBrief"! In each episode - we’re going to unpack some of our favourite Canadian campaigns with some of the brilliant minds (client-side & agency-side) behind them.

As marketers - we see some amazing work but rarely have a chance to receive a behind-the-scenes look. What was the insight? Where was there tension? What got left on the cutting room floor? All of those questions & more will be answered in each episode!

First up - we unpacked Skip’s incredible brand refresh (formerly Skip The Dishes) & new “Skip to the Good Part” platform. We had the pleasure of chatting with Phil Sylver (Creative Director at Skip) & Rami Dudin (Executive Strategy Director at Courage).

Amongst other things - we chatted about: how Jon Hamm found himself back at the centre of their new campaign, the scene that had some of them on edge, the recipe to a great client/agency relationship & how they are continuing to re-insert themselves in the lives of consumers across the country.

You won't want to "skip" this one😉!

⚾ In this mini-episode, we chatted with Mitch Sharma who is the Sr. Manager of Sports Sponsorships & Regional Marketing at TD.

Whether it was earlier on his career with the Edmonton Oilers or co-hosting his own podcast called “The Sports Business Life Podcast” - sports marketing has been a through-line in his incredible career. We chat with him about his thoughts on the thriving business of sports & his advice for anyone looking to break into the industry.

Amongst other things - we learned about a game-changing conversation that shaped his career, how his team approaches partnerships, why brands are increasingly looking to invest in sports & the types of roles that are available at TD. Also, we all left feeling the need to watch a Tom Cruise movie marathon 🚁🏃‍♂️ (it’ll make sense once you listen).

As a quick reminder - in addition to long-form interviews with our incredible guests, we’re releasing short-form content that will answer the most burning questions that we receive from students/new grads. Have any topics in mind? Send us a message: 4pspod@gmail.com.

🎓 In this mini-episode, we have an “office hours” style chat with Grant Packard, an Associate Professor & the Program Director of the Master of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business! We take a small trip down memory lane but spend most of the time picking his brain on the future of marketing.

More specifically - we chat about the rapidly evolving marketing world (thanks AI🤖) & hear his timeless tips on how to navigate it.

We also learn a bit more about the inspiring story on how he got his start in the industry & the lessons that came with it (hint: it involves driving an old truck to NYC, working at the first digital agency & late-night limos).

As a quick reminder - in addition to long-form interviews with our incredible guests, we’re releasing short-form content that will answer the most burning questions that we receive from students/new grads. Have any topics in mind? Send us a message: 4pspod@gmail.com.

🙌 We had a great time chatting with Christopher Henry who is a Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Google. What is Google, you might ask...

In all seriousness, Google requires no introduction because it’s so ubiquitous and if you’re like us - you’ve used one of their products/services countless times everyday (including right now). At Google, Chris helps to lead brand marketing on their blossoming hardware business in Canada. He primarily focuses on the Pixel, which is Google's range of phones, tablets, earbuds, smartwatches/trackers.

Chris has carved out a remarkable career at Google for the past 10 years having worked in marketing roles across Chromebook, Google Home, Youtube, Google.Org & Google Play Music. Prior to that he spent 3 years at Unilever and is a proud Queens alum.

Amongst other things - we chatted about his team acting like a challenger brand, how a passion for filmmaking has helped him, the importance of finding a leader that will champion you, what most people get wrong about marketing & a 💯 reasons that JP should switch to #TeamPixel🏃.

More specifically, Chris shared his thoughts on the following:

• What was your Marketing Moment? (7:48)
• What was it like taking a Film Option in addition to your commerce degree?(10:04)
• Can you give us a brief overview of your career in Marketing since you graduated? (11:15)
• Tell us more about what you’ve seen at Google in the ten years that you’ve been at the company. (12:22)
• How has your perception of Marketing evolved since you started at Google?(13:30)
• What was it about tech that made you want to make the switch into the industry? (15:00)
• What are the things you look at when you’re debating a career move? (16:57)
• What would you look for as your assessing whether the manager you’ll work for is a fit for you? (19:54)
• What resources or tips do you have for students to stay plugged in or to learn more about the industry? (22:02)
• Knowing what you know now, are there things that you look back on in your days in university that were most important or useful to your career today?(25:31)
• Why do you think the Google Pixel Canada team has been so successful in its brand building efforts? (28:17)
• How do you coordinate with other Google brand teams to align your objectives and ensure you’re building the Google Masterbrand? (31:50)
• What does the Marketing team look like at Google Canada? (35:26)
• How does Product Marketing at Google differ from other companies? (37:01)
• Do you have any cautionary advice for someone who is running towards big tech? (41:06)
• We put Chris in the Hot Seat🔥! (42:27)