What does it take to disrupt a $500 hockey stick market dominated by global giants?

At just 22 years old, Zechariah Thomas is rewriting the rules with Swift Hockey—an elite stick brand that's affordable, player-first, and unapologetically bold.

In this episode, Zechariah shares how he turned a personal frustration into a fast-growing startup, his roots in drop shipping, and what it takes to stand out against CCM, Bauer, and Reebok.

From starting at 12 -years-old by re-selling products purchased at the Dollar Store hats to being featured on Dragon’s Den, his journey is a masterclass in speed, resilience, and scrappy entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with Vahagn Sargsyan, VP of Marketing at Krisp, a pioneering voice AI company.

Vahagn shares his unique journey from full-stack developer to marketing leader and dives into the strategies behind Krisp's emergence as a category-defining brand. He explains how Krisp went from a simple noise-cancellation tool to a comprehensive AI-powered communication platform used by millions, including enterprise clients like call centers and Discord.

This conversation explores agile marketing, product-led growth, community-driven innovation, and how aligning closely with customers can fuel brand loyalty and expansion.

AI isn’t coming for the future of work—it’s already transforming it. In this episode, Mark Evans sits down with Mitch Joel, entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of Thinkers One, to unpack the seismic shifts AI is driving in knowledge work.

From content creation to strategic decision-making, Mitch explains why the question isn’t if AI will take our jobs, but what we’re doing in case it does.

This conversation explores what it means to stay relevant, creative, and human in a world where machines can mimic expertise in seconds. Y

ou’ll also hear about Mitch’s journey from agency founder to digital futurist, and how Thinkers One is reshaping access to thought leadership.

Entrepreneurship isn’t just about hustle, funding rounds, or scaling fast. It’s also about the inner game—mastering your mindset, aligning your purpose, and creating a business that doesn’t consume your life.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Zaheer Merali—founder, investor, and executive coach—shares what he’s learned from two decades of advising entrepreneurs and navigating his own personal reinvention. We dig into:

• Why overthinking and overworking plague founders
• How to break free from the addiction to hustle culture
• The power of pausing, pivoting, and uncovering your true passion
• Why aligning your inner compass is more important than any revenue target

This isn’t about working harder. It’s about working better—on your terms.

Is your B2B podcast ready for YouTube? In this episode of Marketing Spark, I’m joined by Sergey Ross and Joe Newton from Sway One, who created a report that analyzed 75+ B2B video podcasts to uncover what’s working, what’s not, and what the best shows are doing differently.

We talk about why YouTube has become the top discovery platform for podcasts, the essential strategies to optimize for engagement, and why executive-led shows get 6x more views. Whether you’re just launching your show or looking to grow faster, this episode is your tactical blueprint for B2B video podcast success.

Topics include:

• Why B2B brands can’t ignore YouTube anymore
• How to structure and format your show for better discoverability
• Tips on thumbnails, titles, and short-form content
• How to measure ROI (without obsessing over downloads)
• The rise of executive-hosted podcasts and commentary-style formats

After a decade building Sendoso into a category-defining platform for B2B gifting and direct mail, Brayden Young is back with a new venture—Slash Experts—that’s taking on one of SaaS marketing’s biggest challenges: converting traffic without relying on the tired “Book a Demo” CTA.

In this episode, Brayden joins Mark Evans to talk about the evolution of personalization in B2B, how Sendoso capitalized on perfect timing and deep buyer pain, and why he believes the next wave of sales and marketing will be fueled by peer-to-peer trust and real conversations.

He shares lessons from scaling a startup through hypergrowth, raising $160M (including from SoftBank), navigating culture through the chaos of rapid hiring and remote work, and the “aha” moment that made him leave it all behind to start fresh.

If you’re thinking about how to truly differentiate in a crowded market—or wondering whether your next big idea is worth pursuing—this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans sits down with Chris Silvestri, a conversion copywriting expert, to explore the art and science of crafting high-converting messages.

They discuss the psychology behind effective copy, how to blend storytelling with data, and practical strategies B2B marketers can use to drive engagement and sales.

Tune in to gain actionable insights that will transform the way you approach messaging and marketing.

CMOs are under immense pressure to deliver fast results, prove ROI, and navigate an increasingly complex marketing landscape. In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with Jenny Sagstrom, founder and CEO of B2B creative agency Skona, to discuss the evolving role of the CMO, the rising importance of brand marketing, and how marketing leaders can stay relevant in a world obsessed with data-driven results. Jenny shares insights on breaking down silos between marketing and sales, leveraging creativity to differentiate, and why bravery is a crucial skill for modern marketing leaders.