Dave Of The Dead Podcast

On this episode of Dave of the Dead , I sit down with Marissa Solis, one of the most influential marketers and cultural strategists I've had the privilege of knowing. Marissa has spent her career at the highest levels of corporate America, helping shape iconic brands at Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and now the NFL. But what has always impressed me most isn't her résumé, it's the person behind it. We...

In this episode of Dave Of The Dead, I sit down with advertising legend and multicultural marketing pioneer Luis Miguel Messianu, and we go deep. From arriving in the U.S. as an immigrant with an outsider's perspective, to building MEL into one of the most influential multicultural agencies in America, Luis shares what it really took to stay relevant while culture itself was reshaping the business...

In this episode of Dave Of The Dead , I sit down with Entrepreneur, TV Host and 3x Emmy Winner, Gaby Natale, and we go deep.  From leaving Argentina with a vision of what her life might be, to realizing quickly in the U.S. that no one was coming to choose her. What followed was a series of bets on herself.  Building SuperLatina from nothing, choosing ownership over visibility, and pushing through...

In this e pisode of  Dave of the Dead , I sit down with my longtime friend and powerhouse operator Javier Farfan—an executive who's helped shape culture and commerce from the inside at places like the NFL, Roc Nation, Verizon, Walmart, and beyond. We go deep on what it really means to move at the intersection of culture, brand, and business—and how Javier has consistently stayed ahead of where the...

In this episode of  Dave of the Dead , I sit down with my longtime friend and colleague Susie Jaramillo—an Emmy-nominated director, artist, and the CEO/co-founder of Encantos, the company behind  Canticos , the beloved bilingual kids brand helping families raise confident, culturally rooted children. We go deep on identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to build purpose-driven IP—plus Susi...

Reinvention doesn't always arrive with fanfare. Sometimes it comes through pressure, loss, and moments where the path forward isn't obvious—but staying still isn't an option. My guest on this episode of  Dave of the Dead , Mark L. Madrid, knows that kind of reinvention intimately. He's a strategist, a former federal leader, and a lifelong advocate for small business—but more than that, he's someon...

Reinvention usually isn't a decision you announce. It takes shape quietly—through small shifts, honest questions, and choices that start to add up.   My guest on this episode of Dave of the Dead, Kim Gamez, knows that kind of reinvention well. She's a builder, a mother of five, and an entrepreneur shaped by showing up again and again—not by chasing the spotlight. She's built companies, lived the g...

In this episode, I sit down with Maribel Lara — founder of Beget Love — to talk about what success costs when no one's watching. Maribel grew up the daughter of immigrants in New York City, became a caregiver to both of her parents, and learned early that ambition doesn't mean much if it isn't rooted in truth. We talk about grief, pressure, survival mode, and the moments that force you to grow whe...

In the debut episode of Dave of the Dead, host David Chitel sits down with media universe cartographer Evan Shapiro for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the moments that shape a life—and the courage required to reinvent when the old map no longer works. From growing up as a latchkey Gen-X kid to clawing his way into the entertainment business with no safety net, Evan shares the personal s...