Marketing Happy Hour

In this episode, we sit down with Erica Small and Nikki Huganir, the co-founders of Yes Way Rosé — a wine brand that started as a $200 tote bag and an Instagram account in 2013 and has since grown into one of the top rosé brands in the US, with over 13 million bottles sold and retail placement at Target, Publix, Total Wine, Walmart, and beyond. What makes their story so compelling for marketers: t...

In this episode, Ally sits down with Meredith Mills-Merritt, founder and CEO of The Original Southside, a premium ready-to-drink gin cocktail inspired by her mom's summer recipe that has grown into 20+ markets, landed on shelves at Whole Foods and Total Wine, and seen shipments grow more than 370% in its second year. Meredith brings a background in prestige beauty brand management that shaped...

Cassie sits down with Elle Rudnick, Manager of Integrated Marketing at Rare Beauty, to talk about what it really takes to build a community-first brand in a category that's saturated with brands claiming to be exactly that. Elle brings a unique lens shaped by nearly a decade across fashion and beauty — from merchandising to brand marketing — and walks us through how she's translating that...

In this episode, we sit down with Brieane (Brie) Olson, CEO of PacSun, for a conversation that is equal parts brand strategy masterclass and career inspiration. Brie has spent nearly two decades at PacSun — moving from design and product to marketing and digital before stepping into the CEO role three years ago — and has led one of retail's most remarkable transformation stories, taking the br...

In this episode, we sit down with Mady Lanni, Senior PR Strategist at Manychat — the social media automation platform powering those viral "comment to get the link" moments you see across Instagram and TikTok every day. Mady's path to PR wasn't linear (criminal justice degree, anyone?), and that outside perspective has shaped a refreshingly sharp, social-first approach to a field...

Five years ago, Marketing Happy Hour was launched from scratch — Canva logo, Google searches, and zero podcasting experience. In this milestone episode, Cassie walks through the full arc of her career: from a self-pitched internship at a Florida restaurant group to a pivotal move to New York City, from leaving a stable agency job to start her own business in 2019, to building MHH into the communit...

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Lee, CEO and co-founder of DIBS Beauty, one of the fastest-growing color cosmetics brands in the country, now carried in over 1,300 Ulta Beauty doors with a product waitlist culture that generated 17K+ sign-ups before their mascara even launched. Jeff's path to beauty CEO is anything but conventional: Yale Law, Wall Street, Stanford MBA, Alex Rodriguez, a...

How do you breathe new life into a legacy brand without losing the clinical authority that made it famous? In this episode, Blair Lancer , CMO of Lancer Skincare , pulls back the curtain on her journey from a fashion-focused career at Saks Fifth Avenue to leading the strategic evolution of her family’s dermatology-backed empire. Blair discusses the nuances of the "multigenerational" appr...

In this episode, we sit down with Elijah Khasabo, co-founder of Vidovo — a UGC and influencer platform connecting brands with creators — who started his entrepreneurial journey at 17, built a Discord community of 30,000 organically, and is now weeks away from graduating college while running a bootstrapped platform with 300+ brand clients and 25,000+ creators. Elijah breaks down why the creator ec...

What happens when a non-tech founder decides to stop "pushing" prompts and starts "pulling" solutions from AI? Kahlea Wade, founder of Alora Society, returns for her record-breaking third appearance to share how she is reinventing her luxury talent agency through the power of Claude and AI agents. Kahlea walks us through her "aha moment"—building a fully functional in...

In this episode, Cassie and Ally dive into the high-level strategies shared by Disney’s top creative and marketing leaders during a standout session at SXSW. They break down the "Disney Blueprint for Brand Relevance," exploring how a century-old icon manages to capture the hearts of Gen Z and Gen Alpha without losing its core "Purist" fans. From the "Disney Flywheel"...

REWIND EPISODE : What happens when you stop treating marketing as a transaction and start treating it as a 24/7 conversation? Katelynn Ludwig, Director of Brand Strategy at DUDE Wipes, joins the show to break down the "Life Quakes" framework—a strategy for showing up exactly when a consumer needs you most (from potty training to the college dorms). Katelynn shares the raw details of thei...

What happens when you combine a $59 Amazon printer, a vintage 2005 Toyota, and a deep desire to spend more time with your family? You get Untouched Blooms, a handmade flower and pet accessory brand that has found its way into the hands of the Kardashians, Simone Biles, and Alex Earl—all without a single dollar spent on ads or PR agencies. In this episode, founder Max Gayle Summersett breaks down t...

What happens when you trade the traditional 9-to-5 ladder for a "choose your own adventure" career in the New York City media scene? In this episode, we sit down with Emma Sheehy, owner of Emma Sheehy Photography and a powerhouse freelance creator. Emma takes us through her journey from being an executive assistant in TV news to finding her creative voice through layoffs, side hustles, a...

Is partner marketing the missing link in your growth strategy? This week, we sit down with Molly Shunney, Director of Partner Marketing & Operations at CNN, to explore how she navigated a career path from scrappy tech startups to some of the world’s most iconic media brands. Molly breaks down the "startup instinct"—the ability to solve problems without a playbook—and how she uses tha...

What happens when you take a centuries-old, traditional industry and inject it with vibrant color? This week, Cassie sits down with Alice Carroll , Co-Founder of Foxes Bow Irish Whiskey , to discuss the art of strategic disruption. Alice breaks down her journey from "stealthily stealing secrets" at major whiskey multinationals to launching an independent brand that refuses to play by the...

After more than a decade away from the Big Game, WK Kellogg Co’s Raisin Bran made a historic—and hilarious—return for Super Bowl LX. Cassie is joined by JP Severin, Brand Manager at WK Kellogg Co, to pull back the curtain on the "Will Shat" campaign. Starring the legendary William Shatner, the campaign tackled America’s "fiber gap" by blending sci-fi nostalgia with irreverent b...

Is social media a distribution channel or the heartbeat of your brand? This week, we’re joined by Eric Stark , co-founder of Slate and former NFL social leader, to unpack why most brands are fundamentally looking at social the wrong way. Eric dives into the transition from "posting for performance" to "creating for brand longevity," offering a masterclass in building creative w...

In this bonus episode, we’re joined by Nataly Kelly , CMO of Zappi , to dissect the data behind the biggest advertising night of the year: Super Bowl LX. While the rest of the world is talking about celebrity cameos and "Free Bird" soundtracks, Zappi is looking at the numbers that actually move the needle. Nataly shares exclusive insights from their testing of Budweiser’s "American...

In this episode of Marketing Happy Hour , we’re sitting down with Jackie Widmann , the SVP of Marketing and Commercial at BERO Brewing , to go behind the scenes of one of the buzziest names in the non-alcoholic space. Recorded fresh off the heels of Dry January 2026, Jackie breaks down the intensive, months-long planning required to own the "Super Bowl" of the non-alc industry. We dive d...

In this episode, we’re joined by Kendall Breitman , Community Lead at Riverside.fm , to unpack what it really takes to build meaningful community in a noisy, content-saturated world. A former reporter turned community builder, Kendall shares why trust has to come before tactics, why video is one of the most powerful tools for connection when used with intention, and how brands and creators can sto...

In this episode, Ally and I break down the marketing and brand lessons hidden inside Disneyland Handcrafted , the new documentary directed by Leslie Iwerks that captures the extraordinary effort, craftsmanship, and storytelling behind the creation of Disneyland. Using never-before-seen footage and audio, the film elevates the often unnamed people who brought Walt Disney’s impossible idea to life —...

Laura Geller’s love of beauty began backstage on Broadway and behind the scenes with celebrities — but her true passion has always been making makeup work for real women . That belief led her to launch Laura Geller Beauty , a brand rooted in simplicity, inclusivity, and confidence at every age. In this episode, we’re joined by Laura Geller , Founder, and Sara Mitzner , VP of Marketing, to discuss...

In this episode of Marketing Happy Hour , we’re officially closing out our biggest year yet and looking ahead to what’s next. We reflect on key milestones from 2025 — bringing Ally on as co-host, partnering with brands like Vayner and Digital Summit, expanding our speaking and workshop opportunities, and continuing our mission to deliver actionable insights that help you grow your marketing career...

In this episode of Marketing Happy Hour, I’m joined by Stephanie Sandbo, Chief Revenue Officer at LTK, to break down where the creator economy is headed, and what brands need to understand to succeed in it. As AI accelerates content creation and campaign execution, Stephanie explains why trust, authenticity, and real community remain the most valuable currencies for both creators and brands. We di...