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.