Meeting of the (Strong) Minds

Social media keeps evolving, but the core challenge for businesses remains the same: how do you show up consistently, build trust, and reach the right audience without wasting time and money? Eric Hersey, Jenny Snyder, and Luke Hladek break down the realities of social media marketing in 2026, from choosing the right platforms and creating authentic content to balancing organic reach with paid pro...

Eric Hersey is joined by Jenny Snyder and Luke Hladek for a candid conversation about what content marketing actually means in 2026 and why so many businesses struggle to keep up with it. From social media and blogging to short-form video and brand storytelling, the team breaks down why authenticity matters more than chasing trends and how businesses can create meaningful content without burning t...

AI is everywhere, but is it actually making your marketing better—or just faster? Eric Hersey is joined by Jenny Snyder and Luke Hladek to unpack how AI is reshaping content creation, web design, and media production. They share real-world workflows, where AI saves time, where it falls short, and why the “gray area” matters more than ever. From brainstorming and automation to trust, creativity, an...

A great-looking website doesn’t always mean a high-performing one. In this episode, Eric Hersey leads a practical conversation with designer Jenny Snyder and creative Luke Hladek about what actually makes a local business website work. From user experience and real photography to mobile optimization and clear calls to action, they break down why some sites convert and others quietly lose customers...

Email marketing has been “dead” for decades - at least according to the internet - and yet it refuses to go quietly. In this episode, Eric, Jenny, and Luke get brutally honest about their own overflowing inboxes, ancient Yahoo accounts, and thousands of unread messages, then dig into why email marketing still works when it’s done with intention. From spam fatigue and unsubscribe guilt to subject l...

Kicking off the new year, Eric Hersey, Jenny Snyder, and Luke break down why SEO still matters in 2026 and why it has never been as simple as buying a package or stuffing keywords into a homepage. From local search behavior and map packs to AI overviews, YouTube results, and TikTok clips showing up in Google, this conversation digs into how people actually search today. The group focuses less on h...

From grammar tips and mullets to backyard wrestling and triple confirmations, this episode of Meeting of the (Strong) Minds takes a hilarious and heartfelt look back at the team’s earliest jobs - and the lessons that still shape how they work today. Eric, Jenny, and Luke trade stories from their early days in marketing, customer service, and creative chaos, finding out that every job (even the awk...

Eric goes solo in this special episode of Meeting of the (Strong) Minds to tackle one of the hottest topics in marketing and beyond: artificial intelligence. From phone robots that make you scream “operator!” to social feeds drowning in copy-paste AI content, Eric shares why brands need to stay human if they want to stand out. Why AI-generated “slop” is taking over feeds and what it means for bran...

From jingles you can’t forget to taglines that still echo in the valley, this episode of Meeting of the (Strong) Minds takes a nostalgic trip through the most iconic local commercials in Wheeling, Steubenville, and the greater Ohio Valley. Eric, Jenny, and Luke share their favorite ads, play back classics like Leaky BA and Number One Snyder, and debate what makes these commercials so memorable. Th...

In this episode of Meeting of the (Strong) Minds , the team unpacks the world of Easter eggs - those hidden messages, clever nods, and visual surprises tucked inside your favorite movies, music videos, theme parks, and even marketing campaigns. From Disney and Taylor Swift to Toblerone logos and the Pittsburgh Zoo, we explore how small details create big loyalty and rewatchability. We also ask: wh...

In this episode of Meeting of the (Strong) Minds , we welcome John Lynch , WTRF’s Digital Manager and the mastermind behind some of the most engaging local content in the Ohio Valley. From Snow Fish and the infamous Wheeling Christmas Parade posts to playful social media debates, John has built a unique brand voice that keeps audiences entertained and engaged. Before John joins us, Eric and the te...