All Dots Connected

Carolyn Pollock has spent over 20 years helping iconic brands navigate massive change, delivering record EBITDA for Tailored Brands (owner of Men’s Wearhouse), being recognized as one of Adweek’s AI Trailblazers Power 100, and guiding teams through digital transformation. In this episode, Carolyn joins host Paul Hurley to unpack how marketers can successfully leverage advanced analytics and AI wit...

In this episode, Paul sits down with Sarah LaFleur, the founder and CEO of M.M.LaFleur, to reveal the battle-tested playbook she used to navigate near-catastrophe and build a resilient, profitable business. What do you do when your revenue crashes by 50% overnight? Or when your primary lender goes bust, giving you just two weeks to raise $3 million? Sarah shares the raw, unfiltered story of her jo...

In this episode, Mike Barnes, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Selkirk Sport, takes us inside the explosive growth of pickleball, and how he positioned Selkirk as one of the most innovative brands in sports today. Mike and his brother Rob turned an obscure game into a cultural phenomenon. From pioneering digital marketing to creating highly specific brand personas, Mike shares exactly how Selkirk Sport tr...

Tom Barr, CEO of Sono Bello and former Starbucks executive, knows that innovation doesn’t always follow the numbers. In this episode of All Dots Connected, Tom shares rare behind-the-scenes stories about how some of Starbucks’ biggest hits (including the Pumpkin Spice Latte) defied data and relied on intuition and curiosity instead. Tom also dives deep into his experience scaling Sono Bello from u...

In this episode of All Dots Connected, Paul Hurley sits down with marketing leader Garth Weber, whose experience spans iconic brands like Nike, Adidas, Wilson, and now Duluth Trading Company. They explore the delicate balance between brand-building and performance marketing, how to foster creativity within measurable frameworks, and the evolving art of making bold strategic bets while managing ris...

Zan Bennett sits down this week with digital marketing veteran Mark Friedman, who has shaped strategies for iconic brands such as Brooks Brothers and Steve Madden. In this conversation, Mark shares invaluable insights drawn from decades of navigating digital transformation, unpacking how brands should truly measure marketing effectiveness beyond generic benchmarks like ROAS and CAC. He emphasizes...

Every entrepreneur faces cycles of boom and bust—but few manage to thrive through both. Heidi Zak , Co-founder and CEO of ThirdLove , didn’t just build a direct-to-consumer powerhouse; she kept it alive and profitable through turbulent economic swings. In this episode, Heidi reveals how she navigated the crushing realities of fundraising drying up overnight, pivoting from aggressive growth-at-all-...

Most founders chase rapid growth through endless fundraising—but what if your biggest growth lever is already hidden inside your own business? In this episode of All Dots Connected , Paul Hurley sits down with entrepreneur and growth advisor Tamara Loehr to unpack her revolutionary approach to scaling businesses without relying on external capital. Tamara shares her unique Red-Blue-Black framework...

How do the world’s most successful omni-channel retail and D2C brands scale from startup to $200M and beyond? In this episode of All Dots Connected, Zan Bennett and David Manela explore the concept of a Growth Operating System—a structured approach that defines key performance indicators (KPIs), aligns cross-functional teams, and accelerates business growth. David breaks down his proven framework...

In this episode, Paul Hurley interviews LinkedIn ads expert AJ Wilcox to uncover strategies for optimizing LinkedIn advertising campaigns. With over $200 million in LinkedIn ad spend experience, AJ shares practical insights for B2B marketers looking to get better results from this challenging platform. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to LinkedIn's unique challenges 01:52 Why LinkedIn is hard bu...

In this episode of All That's Connected, host Paul Hurley sits down with Lydia Rudy, Chief Development Officer at ERC Pathlight. Lydia shares her journey from social worker to compliance officer to her current role, discussing the unique challenges of scaling behavioral healthcare organizations while maintaining clinical excellence. She offers insights on using data to drive growth decisions,...

In this episode of All Dots Connected, Paul Hurley interviews Michael Flores, an education marketing expert with extensive experience in various roles at Education Dynamics. They discuss the complexities of student acquisition in higher education, from understanding ROI to optimizing marketing strategies. Michael shares insights on the economics of online program advertising, the importance of dat...

In this conversation with BJ Coleman, a former NFL quarterback turned healthcare executive, we explored how treatment centers are evolving to meet these complex challenges while maintaining quality care. The behavioral health industry stands at a critical juncture, facing unprecedented demand for services while grappling with staff burnout, operational challenges, and the need for sustainable grow...

The dental industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation, driven by changing consumer behavior, technological innovation, and the rise of multi-location dental service organizations (DSOs). In a recent conversation with Ryan Torresan, Chief Marketing Officer at Peak Dental Services, we explored how modern dental practices are evolving their marketing and operations to meet these new challenges.

In this episode, Paul Hurley shares hard-earned wisdom on why scaling isn't just about "stepping on the gas." Learn why hitting $10M ARR is just the beginning, and why the infrastructure you build next can make or break your company's future. Key topics:- Why what got you to product-market fit won't get you to scale- The critical $21M+ media spend threshold and necessary team...

Cassie Young, General Partner at Primary Venture Partners, joined us on All Dots Connected to share hard-won lessons from her journey as a SaaS leader and VC. In this episode, we explored: - Why alignment is the #1 differentiator between good and great teams - How retention becomes your cheapest growth lever - The truth about product-market fit (and why it's not enough) - Creating a truly data-dri...

The term “serial entrepreneur” gets used a lot, but my guest (and old friend) on this week’s All Dots Connected podcast defines what it really means. How do you consistently build game-changing SaaS companies while navigating market crashes, shifting customer expectations, and inevitable struggles? Godard Abel, the current co-founder and CEO of G2, has done it six times. With exits to Oracle and S...

Businesses must constantly rethink their strategies to keep pace with the market. That’s exactly what Megan Bowen , CEO of Refine Labs, has mastered. With over 20 years of experience building and scaling go-to-market teams at companies like ZocDoc, Grubhub, and ManagedbyQ, Megan now leads Refine Labs in transforming how B2B companies approach demand generation. On the first episode of Dots Connect...