Bad Idea for Clarity

Think you’re ready for a content shoot? Think again. Danny Owens, co-founder of Toil Studio and seasoned producer for brands like Lululemon and Topo Chico, joins us to share what’s actually required to run a high-quality production. From building a realistic budget to avoiding the bid-and-pray approach, Danny unpacks how successful brands treat their production partners—and why vibes on set matter...

Ever wonder why some brand stories hit you in the feels—and others fall flat? Cole Heilborn has spent a decade creating content for outdoor brands and another 200+ hours interviewing the smartest people in the space. He’s got thoughts. In this episode, Cole unpacks why your audience doesn’t care (yet), how to actually build brand love, and why creativity—not budget—is your real bottleneck. Tune in...

S1E7: What if you built a company not to chase millions—but to chase freedom? Beardbrand founder Eric Bandholz did just that. In this episode, Eric reveals how three simple core values—freedom, hunger, trust—became the backbone of an 8-figure brand that stuck to its guns (and beards). From dodging Target’s $200K curveball to turning blog posts into a cult following, this episode is a masterclass i...

S1E6: You think you know the tradeoff between agency and in-house. You don’t. Former agency titan turned internal marketing architect Michael Catanzaro joins CJ to talk shop: how to build an in-house creative team from scratch, why your big ideas keep getting killed, and how to make room for risk in the risk-averse world of fintech and healthcare. Oh, and there’s a cadaver lab. Real one. Tune in f...

S1E5: Joy Fan didn’t just watch retail evolve—she helped shape it. In this episode, Joy, the founder of re/tell, lays out how modern brands are rewriting the rules of retail, starting small and scaling fast. Spoiler: it’s not about building a store—it’s about building momentum. From shelf-space matchmaking to real-time messaging insights, this one’s packed. Show notes and video at https://hellovul...

S1E4: What do you get when you mix a killer hammock, zero production budget, and a trade show floor? A viral ad with 40 million views, apparently. Derek Tillotson, founder of Haven Tents, joins us to talk about how embracing lo-fi, unpolished storytelling turned his quirky product demo into content gold—and why a “mediocre” video might just outperform your next big-budget shoot. We talk scrappy co...

S1E3: Russell Kern built and sold one of the most respected CRM agencies in the country, taking it to over 400 people inside of Omnicom while turning broken marketing programs into record-breaking growth for brands like Amex and AT&T. In this episode, he reveals the overlooked client behaviors that make or break ad agency performance. If you’re a brand stuck in the $10–$100M rut, tune in to le...

S1 E2: Can a company scale without selling its soul—or its equity? Peak Design did. Adam and Lawrence, the marketing duo behind the brand, map out the five chapters of their company's evolution, including the painful content gaps, the retail pivot, and how they finally found an ad agency that "got them." Tune in for unfiltered stories, actionable insights, and the occasional boating magazine shout...

S1 E1: In the inaugural episode of 'The Bad Idea for Clarity Podcast,' host CJ Forse outlines his mission to explore how businesses can scale from a few million to over a hundred million in annual revenue. Drawing from his experience as the CEO and founder of the e-commerce marketing agency Vulgar, CJ shares the three most common pitfalls that hinder businesses from scaling. Show notes and more at...