In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Kurt Uhlir shares his philosophy about marketing. It’s about trust, curiosity, and partnership. In today’s rapidly changing marketing landscape, it’s easy to get distracted by the latest dashboards, metrics, and buzzwords. But in reality, we need to be thinking about the big picture, rather than who gets credit for every little win.

Kurt Uhlir opens the show with an incredible reality check: most people who call themselves marketers aren’t truly practicing marketing. Too often, professionals default to playing it safe - focusing on surface-level activities or vanity metrics - rather than digging into what really drives customer decisions. So instead of focusing on the brand becoming memorable or stretching their longevity, they get campaigns that sound generic, strategies that lack insight. He says that “95% of people who call themselves marketers are not marketers. At best, they’re salespeople who are scared to make cold calls, and they hide behind dashboards and campaigns.” And I have to agree

True marketing, Uhlir explains, begins with understanding people. Every team member - whether in sales, product, or marketing - should be able to describe a customer’s day in detail. What problems are they solving? What tools do they rely on? What’s on their budget line? This level of empathy transforms a company from simply selling features to solving real-world problems in a meaningful way.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Kurt Uhlir, CMO at ez Home Search

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Marketing Isn’t Just Campaigns - It’s Courage and Strategy

Many professionals wear the “marketer” title but focus only on dashboards and reports instead of driving meaningful results. True marketing takes courage - the kind that steps out from behind vanity metrics to make bold, customer-centered decisions. The best marketers blend creativity with accountability. They’re not afraid of direct outreach, real conversations, or tough questions about impact. It’s easy to get caught up in automation and performance data, but those tools are only valuable when used with intention. Successful marketers understand that their role is to create measurable business outcomes - not just generate clicks. The real pros know how to connect strategy, storytelling, and results to move the business forward.

Innovation Doesn’t Come from Playing It Safe

Hiring based solely on tenure or industry experience often feels like the safest move - but it can lead to stale, predictable marketing. Fresh ideas rarely come from echo chambers. Leaders who embrace diverse perspectives and unconventional thinkers drive the kind of creativity that cuts through the noise. Taking calculated risks doesn’t mean being reckless; it means challenging the assumption that what worked yesterday will work tomorrow. The brands that stand out are those willing to step outside the comfort zone, rethink “how it’s always been done,” and trust their teams to experiment with new approaches.

Long-Term Wins Beat Short-Term Popularity

The best marketers play the long game. While others chase quarterly spikes and vanity metrics, they invest in sustainable strategies that compound over time. Building brand equity, customer loyalty, and trust takes patience - but the rewards are exponentially greater. Short-term gains fade fast; long-term relationships drive growth that lasts.

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Jeff Jenkins shares what keeps him up at night as a CMO and how he looks to the younger generation for ideas on keeping consumers' attention. In an industry that’s constantly evolving, one thing is very clear: the pace of change isn’t slowing down. Marketing today is shaped by innovation that moves at lightning speed In essence, they are being asked to do it all, all at once, right now.

For leaders like Jeff, navigating this new era means embracing change with curiosity rather than fear. The rules of marketing may be rewriting themselves in real time, but the fundamentals of human connection remain steady. Consumers still want products and experiences that make life better, easier, and more enjoyable. They want to trust the brands they interact with, and they want to feel seen and understood. So Jeff and CMOs like him have something to stay grounded in.

While the “what” of marketing continues to shift - new platforms, tools, and algorithms emerging daily - the “why” behind it all hasn’t changed. It’s still about delivering genuine value. The difference now lies in how fast brands can interpret and act on those needs.

One of the most interesting takeaways from the episode is that creativity doesn’t have to come with a massive price tag. In the episode, Jeff shares how an agency he was working with at Taco Bell pitched an award-winning idea with a budget of on;y $25,000. And that’s not that uncommon. It’s impressive, for sure, but some of the most impactful campaigns in marketing history were made because of the guardrails that they had to work with. When teams focus on the power of an idea instead of the size of the budget, they unlock opportunities for innovation that can truly move the needle.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Jeff Jenkins, CMO

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Adapting to a Faster Future

Change isn’t slowing down - it’s speeding up. The pace of evolution in marketing, technology, and consumer behavior has hit record highs, and brands that thrive are the ones embracing agility. The mindset shift? Treat change as an ally, not a threat. Teams that anticipate and adapt to disruption - from AI tools to emerging cultural trends - will be the ones redefining categories. The future belongs to leaders who view constant transformation as a creative opportunity rather than a challenge to survive.

Embracing the “Fake It Till You Make It” Era

In today’s rapidly evolving marketing world, even the most seasoned leaders feel the pressure to “know it all.” Between new AI tools, younger platforms, and shifting consumer behaviors, no one can stay ahead of everything. And that’s okay! What matters most is focusing on curiosity and humility while keeping pace with innovation. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers anymore, no matter what your boss says. It’s about asking better questions, learning continuously, and empowering your teams to experiment boldly.

Big Ideas Don’t Need Big Budgets

Game-changing creativity doesn’t depend on deep pockets - it depends on insight. Some of the most impactful campaigns are born from sharp thinking, not massive production spend. When ideas connect emotionally and loop in pop culture without being cringey, they can outperform even the most expensive media buys. Great marketers focus on resonance over reach, crafting moments that feel personal and shareable. The next award-winning campaign might just start with

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Angela Johnson shares her sharp insights on what it takes to thrive as a marketing leader in today’s increasingly fast-paced marketing world. From redefining customer engagement to reimagining internal leadership, Angela offers an in-depth look at how brands can stay relevant, resilient, and rooted in purpose as they move into the new year and beyond. Marketing is no longer about capturing attention by any means necessary. Today’s audience doesn’t want brands to interrupt their lives - they want them to enhance them. Angela emphasizes that the strongest marketing strategies are built on integration.

As she and her team prepare for the new year, Angela focuses on helping her team connect their daily work to the company’s broader mission. When people understand the purpose behind their goals, they move through challenges with more motivation and resilience. Instead of simply hitting quarterly targets, they’re inspired by the larger vision they’re contributing to.

At the heart of every one of her marketing decisions is one rule that she lives by - everything starts and ends with the customer. Angela reinforces the importance of building strategies that genuinely benefit the people they’re designed to reach. It’s not enough for innovation to be impressive - it has to be useful. Whether through improved accessibility, better service, or thoughtful design, the best marketing outcomes are those that make a tangible difference in customers’ lives. When teams stay grounded in customer insight, every new idea becomes a step toward building lasting trust and loyalty.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Angela Johnson, Chief Strategy + Innovation Officer at Edible Brands

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights:

Data Matters - But Storytelling Wins Hearts

In marketing, numbers tell part of the story, but not the whole story. Metrics like click-through rates and conversion data are essential for optimization, but they still can’t they can’t measure emotion. The brands that stand out today are the ones that build human connections. Consumers don’t fall in love with dashboards; they fall in love with stories, purpose, and shared values. When a brand leads with emotion and authenticity, data becomes a supporting character, not the star of the show. The best marketers know how to combine analytical insight with creative storytelling to spark loyalty and trust that lasts far beyond a campaign.

Marketing Is About Integration, Not Interruption

The days of shouting your message into the void are over. Modern marketing thrives when brands become part of their audience’s daily rhythm. It’s about showing up in meaningful ways - in their feeds, conversations, and communities - without disrupting the experience. When a brand integrates seamlessly into people’s lives, it stops feeling like advertising and starts feeling like value. The shift from interruption to integration is the heart of modern engagement. The takeaway? Don’t just talk at your audience - find ways to live alongside them.

Agility Beats Perfection

In today’s fast-moving market, being agile matters more than being flawless. The best leaders know that “good enough and fast” often drives more impact than “perfect but late.” Agility allows brands to adapt, respond, and iterate before opportunities pass. Creativity doesn’t need to be polished to perform - it needs to be relevant. Embracing speed means embracing growth.

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Tony Billmeyer and Daniel Weiner dive into what it’s like to create and execute marketing strategies in the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry is standing at a pivotal moment. With federal legalization looming as a possibility, the question is less about “if” and more about “when.” Timing and structure will shape the path forward, but the real advantage belongs to the businesses preparing today. Preparation means more than waiting for the green light. It means looking ahead, thinking about how your brand should show up years from now, and setting the foundation for scale.

Recognition and awards may look great on paper, but they’re not what drives true impact. The most meaningful conversations in the boardroom or with clients aren’t about trophies - they’re about the work itself, the insights that shaped it, and the measurable results it delivered. Clients and partners want to know how the work will move their business forward, and that’s the story marketers need to tell.

Of course, none of this happens without resilience. Social platforms and digital ecosystems are constantly changing the rules of engagement, sometimes with little warning. For cannabis brands especially, navigating unpredictable restrictions has become a way of life. But these challenges can become opportunities. The businesses that thrive are the ones that balance compliance with creativity, diversifying platforms, strengthening owned media, and adapting in real time when the rules shift.

Tune into Tony’s episode to learn more about how he and his team adapt in an industry that can shift drastically from one day to the next.

Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Tony Billmeyer, CMO at Show-Me Organics

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights:

Legalization as a Growth Catalyst

Let’s legalize it! The future of the cannabis industry and cannabis marketing depends not just on legalization itself but on how it’s rolled out. A new federal law could unlock enormous potential for growth, particularly through interstate commerce and the ability to streamline operations across markets. For companies already positioned as leaders, this creates a massive opportunity, one that they're ready and prepared for.

Innovation as a Marketing Lifeline:

The most inspiring marketing teams to Tony are those that push beyond communication basics and focus on innovation. Whether it’s launching new product lines, experimenting with seasonal packaging, or exploring creative ways to connect with customers, these forward movers spark energy within their organizations. Stagnant or overly focusing on traditional tactics often lead to missed opportunities. Smart leaders recognize that creativity fuels relevance, and relevance fuels growth.

Navigating Social Media Platform Challenges:

Social media platforms can be both a blessing and a challenge for marketers. With ever-changing rules and unpredictable enforcement, cannabis brands in particular often find themselves walking a fine line. Account suspensions and sudden restrictions are real challenges, but they also push teams to get smarter, safer, and more creative with their strategies. It can be a pain to navigate, but successful marketers know that agility is everything. By staying proactive, brands can adapt quickly to ever changing algorithms and policies while still making an impact on their audience.

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, industry leaders Nandini Anitha Nandakumar and Daniel Weiner dive into the realities of today’s marketing landscape. Marketers have the difficult task of capturing their audience's attention while still staying true to their core brand. On top of that, consumers in the beverage industry aren’t exactly loyal; they have so many options that they don’t have to be.

Consumer connection is key, period. Instead of being distracted by endless comparisons to competitors, Nandini is doubling down on controlling what they can control by making themselves as relevant as possible to their target audience. Nandini uses “vibe shifters” to demonstrate that a consumer base can be united by outlook rather than statistics. By honing in on a customer’s vibe, they can establish a deeper connection and tailor their messaging in ways that resonate way beyond surface-level targeting.

Nandini also emphasizes the importance of reaching what she calls “light buyers,” those who may not be very loyal but represent a significant opportunity for growth. In a marketplace where brand loyalty is becoming increasingly fragile, regularly engaging with this segment can help fill the “leaky bucket” and keep brand awareness high. This means catching consumers at key decision-making moments and making the brand the naturally convenient choice.

Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Nandini Anitha Nandakumar, Global Marketing Director at Smirnoff within Diageo

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights:

Balancing Short-Term Wins with Long-Term Vision

In the ever-changing consumer market, it’s very tempting to focus only on the “right now.” And being visible and trendy can be great in the short term, but lasting success comes from balancing immediate performance with future growth. Leaders today are running into very real issues - changing consumer habits, shrinking budgets, and evolving media consumption are influencing consumers in what they buy. The smartest brands address urgent needs without losing sight of the bigger picture. That means setting clear short-term goals while continuing to invest in innovation, brand equity, and deeper customer connections. Long-term planning isn’t just “nice to have” anymore; it’s necessary to stay relevant when the market starts to shift again.

Meeting the Demand for Convenience

Today’s consumers, especially younger audiences, are gravitating toward products that fit seamlessly into their fast-paced lives. Convenience isn’t just a perk, it’s an expectation. One major opportunity brands can explore is adapting offerings to meet this demand without sacrificing quality or brand integrity. Nandini says that for beverage brands, ready-to-drink formats are becoming a key growth driver. When you market convenience as part of your brand’s DNA, you attract customers who value both their time and the experience you provide.

Cutting Out the Politics to Do What’s Right for the Brand

Internal politics can derail even the best client-agency relationships. When everyone is aligned around the same mission, decision-making becomes faster, execution becomes smoother, and results improve. Because if you’re not aligned, it doesn’t matter how great the work is; your agency could find itself on the chopping block at the next budget meeting.

In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Josh Martin and Daniel Weiner explore what it really takes to create standout social media marketing in an era dominated by fast content, algorithmic noise, and brand FOMO.

Josh kicks things off with a very strong opinion about repurposing content: yes, reuse it, but make it native. Simply copying and pasting won’t cut it anymore. A post that works for Instagram might flop on LinkedIn or TikTok. Success on social media comes from making the effort to understand the culture of each platform and matching the content style accordingly. When your posts align with the platform and its users, it performs better—it feels tailored, not templated.

That doesn’t mean you should fall into every single trend that pops up, no matter how tempting it is. Josh talks about the pressure brands feel to go viral, which can often lead to FOMO. Marketers see quirky, offbeat content working for one brand and immediately want to replicate it, whether it fits or not. But copying extremes doesn’t guarantee success.

In the episode, Josh tells us a story about his time at Arby’s. The brand’s legendary tweet about Pharrell’s hat at the 2014 Grammys didn’t happen by chance. It came from months of building trust between legal, leaders, and marketing. When the moment hit, the team had the confidence and alignment to act fast, and the result was $50 million worth of media coverage.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Josh Martin, Director of Social Media & Community Management at Church's Texas Chicken

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Tailor Your Content to the Platform

Repurposing content is smart, but you have to be strategic about it. Today’s audiences expect content that’s not only relevant but also tailored to where they’re seeing it. Simply reposting the same asset across every platform won’t cut it. Instead, marketers should consider the nuances of each channel. What works on LinkedIn could crash and burn on TikTok. The magic happens when you align the message, format, and audience. It’s not about creating everything from scratch - it’s about refining each post with intention. When content feels like it truly belongs in someone’s feed, it’s more likely to spark engagement, drive positive reactions, and deliver real value.

You Only Have a Few Seconds - Make Them Count

Short-form video has changed the content game. If you don’t grab someone’s attention in the first three seconds, you’ve probably lost them. Audiences are constantly scrolling, and first impressions are everything. That’s why the most effective content is insight-driven. It’s not about gimmicks; it’s about understanding what your audience cares about and delivering it creatively. This is where strategy meets storytelling. When you combine smart insights with captivating visuals and tight editing, you create content that actually lands - and more importantly, sticks in your customers' minds.

Let the Experts Cook

When marketers are trusted to follow through on strategy, the results can be magic. Too often, great ideas get watered down by too many voices or risk-averse decision-making. But when leaders stay aligned on goals and give creative teams room to execute, award-winning work happens. Just look at Josh’s team, for example! True collaboration requires trust. It’s not always easy to get everyone out of the kitchen, but when it works, the outcome is more than just a campaign. It’s momentum and its impact.

In this episode, we’re talking to Makoto Rheault-Kihara, VP of Growth at Hopper. Marketing in the travel industry is changing in more ways than one. Leaders are looking into streamlining the travel booking process as much as possible. This means using every tool to their advantage, including AI.

The travel marketing world has exploded with possibilities now that AI has been introduced to the industry. Internal teams and external partners are working on streamlining the travel booking process across all platforms, and in Makoto’s opinion, that means relying on the engineering team as much as you rely on your marketing team for growth. And while many companies have tried wrapping ChatGPT-like tools into itinerary builders, the results are still very surface-level compared to what customers want to see. Makoto says that whoever can deliver end-to-end, bookable experiences that are actually better than current methods will significantly shift the market.

This isn’t to say that Makoto and his team rely on data alone. He states early on in the episode that there’s such a thing as being too data-driven and that the best marketing strategies aren’t created by algorithms. While data can be a great tool to steer teams in the right direction, there has to be room for intuition, taste, and originality.

Tune into Makoto’s episode to hear more about the future of travel and how you and your team can benefit from leaning on your engineers a bit more.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Makoto Rheault-Kihara

💡What they do: VP of Growth

💡Company: Hopper

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights

Data Is Powerful, But So Is Taste

In an era where marketing is becoming increasingly more data-led, it's easy to lose sight of intuition. To keep this intuition at the forefront of their creative teams minds, Hopper has engineered their marketing as 80% data-driven and 20% decisiveness - based on experience, taste, and bold ideas. Marketers should feel empowered to make judgment calls, not just follow the numbers. That balance is what sets great campaigns apart from the forgettable ones.

The AI Race in Travel Is Just Getting Started

AI is looking like the solution to streamlining travel booking across all platforms. And while many companies are experimenting with AI-generated itineraries, most are scratching the surface. Customers are looking for something deeper. Whoever can create an AI solution that actually improves and simplifies the trip planning experience will own a huge slice of the market. And so far, no one has cracked the code yet.

Personalization Works Better Than Generic Gifts

When it comes to getting a foot in the door, effort matters. One of Makoto’s most memorable pitches wasn’t flashy; it was thoughtful. A short video, a personalized message, and a name handwritten on a whiteboard were all it took to stand out. Why? That pitch showed Makoto that he took the time to understand his business, knew that his company could solve Makoto’s problem, and went beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. If you're trying to break through the noise, get specific and get personal.

In this episode of YouShouldTalkTo, we sit down with Hillary Settle, VP of Digital at the iconic undergarment brand Hanky Panky, to talk about how modern marketing is evolving and what that means for brands that want to stay relevant. From AI strategy to influencer marketing, Hillary brings a refreshingly honest take on what’s working, what isn’t, and why getting back to the basics of human connection is more important than ever.

With a background that spans both creative strategy and performance marketing, Hillary shares how she’s navigating the shifting landscape. VPs don’t just sit around counting all their budget’s money, they strategize the best way to see what it takes to meet customers where they are. That means adapting brand messaging to the changing times without losing their identity and exploring new ways to reach their audience. We are in a new era of marketing. People are moving farther away from brick and mortar stores, and even moving away from household names in favor of the next new platform. Consumers are moving to TikTok and eventually ChatGPT, if you can believe it.

We also touch on the future of agency partnerships, the power of social media apps like TikTok for organic marketing strategies, and what it really looks like to build relationships that move the needle. If you’re not investing in influencer marketing, you’re leaving money on the table. Companies are not seeing the same return on investment in paid ads as they used to. And it’s because people are not buying from ads, they’re buying from people.

Tune into Hillary’s episode to hear more about how you can stay ahead of the curve and invest in the right channels before you lose your audience to the next new thing.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Hillary Settle, VP of Digital at Hanky Panky

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights:

Today’s Products Have To Meet People Where They Are

Hillary knows that there’s always something going on that’s bigger than whatever product you're selling. Whether it’s political changes or economic instability, your audience will face unique and persistent challenges. The brands that win will be the ones that respond in real time, not just with messaging, but with solutions. It’s no longer about selling an idea, it’s about showing up in the everyday. So when the fires hit LA earlier this year, Hanky Panky partnered with a company that helped donate undergarments to women who had just lost everything. People remember that kind of thing.

AI Is Only as Smart as Your Strategy

AI is everywhere, but it’s not enough to tell your team to just use it. Use it to do what?? AI is a tool, but it can’t do all the work for you or your team. You need a strategy. The leaders that thrive will be the ones who ask smarter questions, and not just about how AI can make them more efficient, but how it can deepen what they already do well. Tools like ChatGPT aren’t magic—they’re multipliers. And unless you’ve defined what exactly you want out of these tools, they won’t get you anywhere faster.

TikTok is Reshaping the Beauty Commerce Landscape

Times are changing, and legacy retailers are already feeling the pressure. Platforms like TikTok Shop are redefining where and how consumers discover beauty products, and it’s working. As sales shift from brick-and-mortar storefronts to influencer campaigns, brands need to show up in the right channels with the right content. It’s not just abou