Mark Westlake is the founder and CEO of GearBrain, a tech company focused on simplifying the Internet of Things (IoT). With over 25 years of experience in digital media and technology, his career includes executive roles at prominent companies such as About.com, HowStuffWorks, and Purch. A former member of the 1980s NYC band The Modulators, Westlake shares his journey from music to innovation, offering insights on smart home tech, AI integration, consumer education, and how GearBrain bridges the gap between people and technology.

Key Takeaways:

- How Mark transitioned from a music career to the tech industry

- The benefits of IoT

- The future of smart homes

Episode Timeline:

3:00Mark's early years in The Modulators

6:00Transitioning to the Internet and Digital Media

9:00Why some companies can't adapt

11:30The Birth of GearBrain and Its Mission

12:30Innovations in IoT and AI integration

15:05Challenges in the smart home market

18:01The future of smart homes and AI

21:30Consumer education and smart device benefits

24:15The next decade in IoT technology

This episode’s guest:

• Mark Westlake

• GearBrain's website

• Email Mark at Info@GearBrain.com

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Brad Myers is the Charles M. Geschke Director of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute and Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, with an affiliated faculty appointment in the Software and Societal Systems Department. He’s also the author of a new book, "Pick, Click, Flick! The Story of Interaction Techniques." In this episode, he discusses the importance of usability in design, notable failures in user interface design, and the future of Human-Computer Interaction.

Key Takeaways:

- Historic HCI failures

- What is HCI?

- How AI will affect HCI?

Episode Timeline:

1:45What is the Human-Computer Interaction field?

3:30The evolution of interaction techniques

6:30Designing for usability and intuition

09:40Historic failures in user interface design

10:30Why Clippy didn't work

14:30The history of copy and paste

18:00Mac or PC?

21:30The future of HCI and AI integration

This episode’s guest:

• Buy Brad's Book "Pick, Click, Flick! The Story of Interaction Techniques."

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Scott McKenzie, managing director of Industrial Talk Media, a leading industrial education and entertainment platform, shares how he is making "volcanic shifts" in industrial marketing through podcasting. He emphasizes the importance of human connection in industry communication and identifies gaps in how companies market themselves. Scott also discusses successful strategies used by companies to attract talent and the necessity of understanding customer pain points in marketing efforts.

Key Takeaways:

- Shifting industry marketing focus

- Authentic communication in industrial marketing

- Expanding the industrial talent pool

Episode Timeline:

1:45Scott's 1982 Super Bowl performance

5:00Introduction to Industrial Talk Media

8:00Scott's background in industry

10:00The networking benefits of podcasts

13:15The industry blind spot with podcasting

14:45Exposing the human side of industry

15:50Communication skills in the trades

19:00The importance of authenticity in podcasting

20:00Holes in industrial marketing strategies

23:00Selling benefits, not specs

25:00 Successful strategies for attracting talent

This episode’s guest:

• Scott MacKenzie on LinkedIn

• Industrial Talk's website

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Craig Cook is a visionary entrepreneur who shares his journey from founding Rhythm.net to becoming a business mentor who uses Qigong to help people find balance and success. Here, he discusses the principles of qigong, introduces his Five Elements of Success framework, and talks about the importance of balance in his personal and professional lives.

Key Takeaways:

- How qigong can help business professionals

- Craig's transition from CEO to mentor

- The Five Elements of Success

Episode Timeline:

1:00Introduction

3:00 Craig's transition to business mentorship

6:00The intersection of Qigong and business

8:20What is Qigong

11:00Personal benefits of qigong

13:00The Five Elements of Success

21:30Qigong for business professionals

24:40The importance of balance

This episode’s guest:

• Craig Cooke on LinkedIn

• CSquaredPro.io

• C2EnergyMedicine.com

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Tiffany Aguinaldo is an Account Director at Forge—a creative studio recently ranked the #4 fastest-growing private company in Orange County. Tiffany leads business development and PR at Forge and brings 15 years of experience with major brands like Hoag, Toyota, and The Irvine Company. She’s also the 2024 President of the Orange County PRSA. In this episode, she discusses the value of mentorship, Forge’s rapid rise, and her involvement with Disney Forward.

Key Takeaways:

- Mentorship is crucial for young professionals in PR

- Understanding your audience is essential in PR today

- Forge offers a unique experience for clients through personalized service

Episode Timeline:

0:30Introduction to Tiffany Aguinaldo

2:15Mentorship in public relations

4:20What are young people in PR most concerned about?

7:00 Tod's advice for young people in communications

8:45Forge's incredible growth

11:00What separates Forge from other agencies?

13:15Forge's success stories

15:30The Disney Forward event

18:25Tiffany's reflections on her early career at GRC

22:00Tiffany's thought leadership philosophy

This episode’s guest:

• Tiffany Aguinaldo on LinkedIn

• Forge's website

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Lana McGilvray is co-founder and CEO of Purpose Worldwide, a brand, communications, PR, and growth consultancy that specializes in helping clients drive their purpose and growth. In 2020, PR News recognized Lana as one of the Top Women in PR. Here, she discusses the importance of purpose in brand growth, the impact of AI on business, and the current state of DEI in PR.

Key Takeaways:

- Purpose is essential for brand growth and authenticity

- Brands often struggle to define their purpose

- The state of DEI in PR

Episode Timeline:

1:30 Why Lana was named "One of the Top Women in PR"

2:30 Not all brands have a purpose

3:45 How to help brands find their authentic purpose

5:15 The problem with purpose-washing

6:15 Matching purpose to growth

9:10 How AI fuels growth

11:45 The importance of human intuition

13:50 The current state of DEI in PR

16:15 Rebranding DEI

20:00 The importance of having a career with purpose

This episode’s guest:

• Lana McGilvray on LinkedIn

• Purpose North America

• Council for Brand Purpose

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Chris Caggiano is the senior editor at Fareportal, a travel E-commerce brand, and Intelligent Relations, an AI-enabled PR software-as-service company. His writing has appeared in Inc., where he worked as a reporter, writer, and editor for 13 years, as well as in CMO, D&O Reporter, The American Lawyer, The Advocate, Business.com, among others. Here, he discusses how Preston, Intelligent Relations’ AI tool, aims to democratize PR for startups and explores the conflict between journalism and PR.

Key Takeaways:

- Developing a PR AI tool for startups

- Finding the balance between clients and journalists

- What makes good travel writing?

Episode Timeline:

1:15 Chris's work as a theater critic

2:17 Chris sang at Carnegie Hall once

4:40 What separates great travel writing from mediocre travel writing?

7:30 Intelligent Relations was created with AI in mind

9:15 The Preston AI

11:00 A Preston use case

13:30 How to insert your PR clients into journalism

14:30 Clients get frustrated by their coverage

16:30 The conflict between journalists and PR people

18:30 How PR AI falls short

19:15 Advertising clients who don't know how to talk about their products

22:00 PR is not advertising

22:45 Thought leadership versus promotion

26:10 It's about serving the reader

26:40 Who is this for?

This episode’s guest:

• Intelligent Relations on LinkedIn

• Intelligent Relations' website

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Gilad Bechar is the Founder and CEO of Moburst, a digital full-service, mobile-first marketing agency that helps companies scale and become category leaders. In this conversation, Gilad discusses what sets Moburst apart from other agencies, the importance of client selection, the role of AI in enhancing marketing strategies, and how to understand Google's content ranking algorithm.

Key Takeaways:

- Making sure clients are a good fit

- Concerns over AI's accuracy and IP rights

- How AI-generated content can drag your SEO rankings

Episode Timeline:

1:00 Introduction to Moburst and Gilad Bashar

3:30 What sets Moburst apart?

6:30 The importance of client selection

9:40 Navigating Facebook's algorithm Challenges

12:08 The role of AI in marketing

15:45 AI's impact on content creation

18:40 AI tools and their applications

21:20 Common client concerns about AI

24:15 Understanding Google's content ranking

This episode’s guest:

• Gilad Bechar on LinkedIn

• Moburst's website

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