The Marketing B-Sides

When consumers outsource web browsing to AI agents, your website is no longer being read primarily by humans. Chris Andrew, founder of Scrunch and now VP at Sitecore, sits down with Tom to break down how the customer journey has permanently shifted toward machine-first discovery and generative engine optimization. Chris shares the story of founding Scrunch in 2023, scaling it rapidly, and navigati...

If you have spent any time scrolling social media while trying to survive corporate America, chances are you have run across Mark Cross. Known to over 100,000 followers as SVP of Global Brands and now the founder of social growth agency Dorojo, Mark has built a massive audience by holding up a hilarious, deeply empathetic mirror to the absurdity of modern work. Mark sits down with Tom for an exten...

Homefield Apparel CEO and co-founder Connor Hitchcock sits down with Tom Hootman right as college football season kicks into high gear. From packing orders by hand in 2017 to building a powerhouse vintage collegiate brand licensed with over 150 universities, Connor shares the authentic story behind Homefield's meteoric rise. We dive into what happens when an underdog brand's favorite team starts d...

Most marketers spend their entire careers in one lane. Marc Bitanga, founder at Persuasive and former Director of Growth at Hootsuite, has hit for the cycle. Having worked in-house during massive hypergrowth, ran his own agency, freelanced, and served as a fractional executive, Marc brings a rare, 360 degree perspective to what it actually takes to survive and grow in B2B marketing. Marc sits down...

When you produce between 1,500 and 2,000 podcast episodes every month, you learn pretty quickly what works and what is complete noise. Rachel Elsts Downey, founder and CEO of B2B media superpower Share Your Genius, sits down with Tom to deliver a blunt masterclass on audio strategy, leadership, and breaking free from ego driven business decisions. Rachel cuts through toxic positivity to explain wh...

It is easy to scroll through LinkedIn and convince yourself that every executive has it completely figured out. But according to Heidi Henderson, Chief Marketing Officer at Engineered Tax Services and host of the Slash Tax podcast, real professional stability does not come from pretending to know everything. Instead, Heidi joins Tom to explain how mentorship and critical thinking give you true sec...

Paid social moves fast, but the traditional ways of training the people who run the accounts are broken. Akvile DeFazio, Founder of Akvertise and creator of the Social Ad Academy, joins Tom to talk about why she is channeling her energy into mentoring the next generation of advertisers. In a sea of scandalous internet gurus and copy-paste hustle bros, Akvile is building a judgment free zone where...

We love to treat our own brands like they are the center of the universe. But according to Dr. Mansur Khamitov, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, that exact bias is a major blind spot for modern executives. Mansur joins Tom to deliver a blunt reality check on corporate optimism, drawing from his research on consumer psychology and his years manag...

Every business student who has marched through Indiana University since 1967 knows K201, the legendary Computers in Business course. But the era of simple software shortcuts is officially over. Brant Moriarity, Director of the course at the Kelley School of Business, joins Tom to break down the massive, structural evolution of higher ed technology and analytics education. Brant shares the reality...

In an industry obsessed with the "business of yes," Renia Carsillo has spent 20 years building a firm based on the power of the right fit. A former Assistant VP in banking with a degree in Iranian Politics, Renia brings a pragmatism to Realign Consulting that most agencies lack. She joins Tom to discuss her "Three Bright Lines" for vetting clients: believing in their mission, trusting their team,...

Dagan Thogerson has played over 2,000 shows in his career, including 15 years behind the kit for the legendary indie-rock band Murder by Death . He joins Tom to peel back the curtain on the "Road Dog" lifestyle and the transition from a 16-year-old playing biker bars to a professional session musician. We dive into the "B-Side" of the music industry: the part that involves spreadsheets, ticket cou...

Lindsay McGuire was a SaaS powerhouse, a director-level "titan" in the Indianapolis tech scene. But deep down, she felt a calling back to her community. She joins Tom to discuss the psychological hurdle of walking away from the "golden handcuffs" of software and the pivotal advice from her mother that changed everything. Now the Assistant Director of Advancement, Branding and Outreach at The Milk...

Rebecca Fleetwood Hession spent 20 years in corporate sales before realizing she was living in a state of constant dysregulation. Now a professional coach marking her 10-year anniversary, she joins Tom to discuss the science behind why we stay in jobs that chew us up. We dive into the "Same = Safe" paradox: the nervous system's tendency to choose known pain over the uncertainty of change. Rebecca...

What does the first year of a marketing career actually look like? Madison Stiles and Noah Burlingame join Tom to peel back the curtain on the transition from Indiana University grads to full-time agency professionals. We dive into the "Welcome to the Jungle" reality of learning cross-channel marketing, why your GPA matters significantly less than your "vibe check," and the danger of comparing you...

Every afternoon at 3:00 p.m., the clock resets for Araceli Gomez-Aldana. A veteran journalist and reporter at WBEZ, Araceli joins Tom to discuss the "Groundhog Day" reality of the news cycle and why her career is defined by a Harry Nilsson song. From her roots in a small town in the Chicago Region to a prestigious fellowship at Stanford, Araceli breaks down the unglamorous truth about breaking int...

Sophie Hunter is the founder of Sorella Creative and a social media strategist who's worked in fast fashion and now thrives as a freelancer. She joins us to talk about the BRUTAL reality of catastrophizing your way through a marketing career, and somehow succeeding anyway. Sophie's story is a masterclass in authentic self-awareness. She shares why marketing yourself feels "icky" even when you're l...

Brian Talbot's career is a masterclass in flexibility: from trying to be a "radio god" and selling ad time to becoming a voiceover artist and now a high-level Fractional CMO. He joins Tom to prove that in every role, especially sales and marketing, the most critical asset is simply being yourself. Brian dives into why authenticity is the only differentiator left in the age of AI, and how he learne...

Lisa Levey, a veteran reality TV producer and editor who's worked on Real Housewives of New Jersey, Bravo shows, and more, joins us to talk about the brutal reality of freelance life, why AI can't edit reality TV yet, and the stories nobody asks about. Lisa's journey is a masterclass in sustainable creative hustle. She shares why living in constant fear is actually her superpower, how she's never...

James Grixoni, a veteran actor and the Deputy Chad you loved on Twin Peaks: The Return , joins us to talk about the brutal necessity of self-marketing in a creative career, and the single, beautiful time that rule didn't apply. James’ story is a masterclass in why "ignorance" and authenticity can be better tools than ambition. He shares a core B-Sides lesson: true collaboration means opening up yo...

Susan Wenograd's digital marketing career started at Circuit City, back when that was still a thing. Now she's the Sr. Director of Paid Media at Mixtape Digital and runs a thriving candle company on the side. Tom and Susan talk nightmare travel stories, managing ADHD in marketing, why clients who manage their own accounts are the hardest to win over, and how she accidentally built a business while...

Audrey Finney ran Hero Conf, a paid media conference, for years before trading digital marketing for Memphis barbecue, craft beer, and Social Cantina. Now she owns 10+ restaurants through Finney Hospitality Group, plus a car wash! We talk about the stuff that shaped her career: navigating feedback without letting it destroy you (thanks, Tim McGraw), the Hero Conf attendees who tried to cancel her...

Megan Maguire left a Senior VP gig at a major agency to start her own thing in 2024. "Probably crazy," she admits. But also? No regrets. We talk about the stuff LinkedIn won't let you say out loud: the daily anxiety of betting on yourself, why her house painter uncle's "there's only one way to paint a house" philosophy shaped her entire career, and how she became the self-proclaimed Lobster Queen...

On this week's episode, Tom sits down with Aaron Levy to dive into the messy, human side of agency life that nobody talks about at conferences. They explore: Aaron's career soundtrack featuring Wu-Tang and Spice Girls wisdom Pitch horror stories, including Aaron's legendary meltdown where he turned into a "straight up cartoon character" Why success isn't measured by how many people you manage but...

On this week's episode, Tom and Dean discuss how Dean built his online personal training business, Dean Turner Training, from the ground up, one tweet at a time. They chat about the surprising pros of getting roasted, why the pursuit of perfection is often just fear in disguise, and how Dean’s most successful clients are the ones with an internal fire, not an external deadline. They also get into...

(Make sure you start with Part 1!) In this two-part episode, Tom sits down with Kayla Kurtz, VP of Sales at Forthea, to dive into the wild world of agency pitching and sales war stories. Kayla shares her career soundtrack (heavy on Taylor Swift and Paramore) and breaks down why she's stuck with agency life across five different shops. They swap horror stories about prospects who ghost after demand...