Leader Generation

AI is evolving fast—and so are the risks that come with it. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Mod Op’s EVP of PR, Chris Harihar, to unpack a growing issue most brands aren’t fully prepared for: AI-driven brand misrepresentation. From deepfakes to manipulated logos and inappropriate brand placements, the conversation explores how generative AI tools are creating new reputa...

While most enterprises are still celebrating their AI pilots, a quiet revolution is happening:  Organizations that stopped collecting tools and started building capabilities.  In this episode, Tessa Burg and Michael Ditter, Director of AI Strategy and Emerging Technology at Diageo, dismantle the playbook many thought they needed.  Discover why empathy matters more than efficiency in capability bui...

What does it really mean to be consumer-obsessed, and how is AI changing the face of the beauty industry?  In this episode, Tessa Burg and Irina Kulikova—VP, Strategic Development & Integration at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.—explore the intersection of consumer insights, brand experience and emerging technology. The two discuss how store beauty advisors must now compete with AI, the magic...

The marketing landscape is changing faster than ever—and the marketers who treat their work like product and embrace AI will win.   This week, Leader Generation host Tessa Burg talks with Alan Kipust, Mod Op’s Executive in Residence and a leader in product management, to discuss how AI is fundamentally reshaping what marketing teams can accomplish and how they should think about their work.  You’l...

Five years ago, we started Leader Generation with a simple premise: clients learning from clients. This year proved why that matters. In 2025, CEOs and their leadership teams stopped debating whether to adopt AI and began wrestling with harder questions: How do we bring our people along? How do we measure what matters instead of what's easy to measure? How do we maintain the relationships that bui...

The search landscape has fundamentally shifted. 60% of Google searches now result in zero clicks. People are getting answers from AI without ever visiting websites. If you've noticed declining organic traffic or wondered why your content isn't getting clicks despite good rankings, this episode reveals what's happening and what to do about it. This compilation brings together five search and PR exp...

Is it possible to build community within AI? Can we challenge search engines to put humanity and the truth at the forefront of their outputs? According to Troy Snyder, astrology student turned entrepreneur, the answer is ... maybe. In this episode, Tessa Burg and Troy examine the balance between technology and humanity. They discuss the challenges of having AI determine what is “true,” how brands...

When an advertising behemoth announces major restructuring plans and impending layoffs, you tend to sit up and listen.  In our latest episode of Lead(er) Generation, Host Tessa Burg talks with Patty Parobek, Mod Op’s Senior Vice President of AI Transformation, to discuss the latest Omnicom news and what this means for marketers and marketing technologists. No strangers to change, Tessa and Patty d...

Every marketer has asked themselves the same question: Is AI coming for my job?  In this episode of Leader Generation, Host Tessa Burg and David Berkowitz, Founder of High Caliber AI and the AI Marketers Guild, explore how marketers can start viewing AI as a collaborative tool instead of a threat to their careers.   David talks about his latest work, The Non-Obvious Guide to Using AI for Marketing...

If you’ve been watching AI tools race into marketing and tech, but aren’t sure what’s hype and what’s actually useful, this episode is for you.  Mod Op’s Head of Technology in Calgary, Derek McBurney, unpacks how generative AI, code assistants and “vibe coding” are really changing the way digital experiences get built. He explains in plain language what AI code assistants actually do, when they ge...

Mid-market leaders are facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity with AI, and this episode shows how to capitalize on it.  John Powers, former CIO and Chief Transformation Officer at Deloitte and now Executive in Residence at Mod Op, shares practical ways to turn AI, data strategy and governance into real competitive advantage. He explains why smaller, more nimble companies can finally “punch abov...

What happens when AI and people work side by side instead of in competition? In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with John Arnold, Head of Strategic CRM Advisory at Creatio. They discuss the company’s new global study on AI agents and no-code platforms, and what it reveals about the future of work. John shares insights from more than 500 business and technology leaders who are r...

Feeling buried under too many marketing tools and platforms? You’re not alone. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with John Arnold of Creatio about how AI and no-code technology are cutting through the clutter to help marketers get things done. John shares what he’s seeing in the real world—from his days at Forrester researching B2B growth strategies to now helping teams at Cre...

In this Leader Generation episode, CEO Gabe Lullo shares the playbook Alleyoop uses to turn “more pipeline” into real revenue.  You’ll hear how to fix unqualified pipeline syndrome by aligning on a clear ICP, catching buyers at the right time and using the BDR function as the bridge between marketing and sales. Gabe breaks down simple rules of engagement for MQL-SQL handoffs and the feedback loops...

Marketing technology is evolving faster than most teams can keep up—but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In this Leader Generation episode, host Tessa Burg talks with Laura Stevenson, Mod Op’s new EVP of Data and Marketing Automation, about how to turn data chaos into clarity. Laura draws on over 20 years of experience leading at the intersection of data and technology to share how her team h...

What happens when a marketing agency invests $10 million in AI—not to replace people, but to empower them?  In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Eric Bertrand, CEO of Mod Op, to reveal how the agency’s bold investment is reshaping the future of marketing. Together, they break down how AI is transforming the work behind the work—from automating repetitive tasks to unlocking n...

Content marketing is changing fast, and so are the rules of visibility. Tessa Burg talks with Jon Gillham, Founder of Originality.ai, about how marketers can avoid the “AI slop” trap in today’s era of AI-generated content. Jon shares what he’s learned since launching the first commercially available AI detector—just three days before ChatGPT hit the market—and offers practical advice on balancing...

AI isn’t just about writing emails faster; it’s about capturing and scaling the expert knowledge that actually wins deals.  In this conversation, Vivun’s Chief AI Officer Joseph Miller explains why most “just add a chatbot” projects stall, and how building a real-world model of your business (your terms, processes, and judgments) unlocks meaningful results. He breaks down the difference between lo...

Digital transformation isn’t just for tech companies—it’s reshaping even the most traditional industries.  In this episode of Leader Generation, Chief Digital Officer Alan Wizemann returns to share how Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits is redefining what it means to be a beverage distributor. From AI-powered recommendations to warehouse drones and robotics, Alan explains how technology is enhanci...

Doing more with less in B2B? This episode shows you how—without burning out your team or your budget.  Tessa Burg talks with B2B leaders, Hannah Woodham and Jenelle Maddox, to map out what’s actually working as teams plan for 2026. They break down the wins from 2024–2025, including first-party data, smarter AI, and high-quality content. Then, share where to invest next so you can reach complex buy...

In the fast-changing world of search, generative AI is rewriting the rules—and your old SEO playbook won’t cut it.  In this episode of Leader Generation, guest host Patty Parobek teams up with Mod Op’s Gareth Cunningham and Maurice White to decode Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and the strategies that will keep your brand visible when AI-driven search takes the lead. Using the iconic “Period...

In a world where marketing agencies are racing to keep up with rapid change, how do you grow faster without losing your people, your culture, or your edge? In this episode of Leader Generation, Mod Op’s new COO, Stuart Goldstein, joins Tessa Burg to share his playbook for scaling agencies. With years of experience leading firms through mergers, digital transformations, and process overhauls, Stuar...

In this episode of Leader Generation, host Tessa Burg welcomes back Patty Parobek, Mod Op’s VP of AI and ML Transformation, for a candid conversation about how marketers can thrive in the age of “zero click.”  With Google increasingly providing AI-powered answers directly in search results, fewer people are clicking through to websites. For companies that have long depended on organic traffic, thi...

The flood of AI-generated content has made it harder than ever to know what’s real, and easier than ever to lose trust.  In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Shouvik Paul, COO of Copyleaks, about how marketers can create and protect content while building trust. Shouvik shares experience scaling multiple SaaS companies to successful exits, and how those same principles—like...

What if you could boost marketing performance, cut costs, and launch campaigns in minutes, not days?  In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Martin Kristiseter about the real-world impact of AI on performance marketing. From automating tedious workflows to using data-driven insights for creative optimization, Martin shares how his team is using AI to deliver measurable outcome...