Shows
Making the FanThe Secret Strategy Disney Uses to Create FansEpisode 001: An introduction to the show Making the Fan w/ David Millay. A show where we explore how brands turn casual customers into faithful fans, and employees into evangelists. David shares his experience going through Traditions, Disney's 8-hour, new employee onboarding course, and unpacks how Disney uses Traditions to create emotional connections with employees. This episode serves as a preview of future episodes, discussing who the show is for and the problem it seeks to solve. Helping culturally curious marketers and operators turn casual customers into faithful fans. —Check Out David...
2024-04-0309 min
Making the FanThe Best Lessons We Learned in 100 Podcasts w/ David Millay and Katie RudyRecently, we hit 100 episodes of Flip the Switch. In this bonus edition, David Millay and Katie Rudy issue superlative awards to their favorite takeaways and break down the trends, experiments, and leadership lessons that have influenced their work with EngageMint. *We’re a little off on some numbers in the episode but we have them all linked here*Most Fun: Jesse Cole - Ep. 14 Fans First | Ep. 44 A Culture of ExperimentationRachel Jacobson - Ep. 65 High Speed, High Tech and High GrowthTaught Us th...
2022-02-2442 min
Making the FanEvoking Emotional Connections with Fans Through Content w/ Zhaneé AndersonWhen we think about the fan experience today, it’s not just about their experience at a live event but how they interact directly and indirectly, how they engage and connect with your brand emotionally 24/7. This episode, we are joined by rising star Zhaneé Anderson from the University of Texas creative team. Throughout the conversation, David and Zhaneé touch on creating for different brands and audiences, developing emotional engaging stories and infusing personal styles into content. -----Show Notes3:12 Learning About a Brand’s Voice and Audience8:01 Balancing t...
2022-02-2145 min
Sport Media & Tech PodcastProblems & Solutions w/EngagementJoin us to talk problems and solutions centering around new technology as well as environmental forces driving change with Charles Campisi, VP of Enterprise Solutions for EngageMint. We discuss the unique technology and skillsets driving change at the collegiate and pro level.
2022-01-2035 minMaking the FanHow to Curb the Great Resignation in Your OrganizationThe Great Resignation is affecting every industry and every organization. In collaboration with our partners at Penn State, the EngageMint team recently led a management retreat to discuss the trends and solutions to turn the "Great Attrition" into the "Great Attraction". A more unorthodox episode, David Millay and Katie Rudy host a round table discussion with Christina Gatehouse, Assistant AD for Human Resources at Penn State to share key takeaways from the retreat. We break down the most surprising data trends in our research, the impressionable action steps from the retreat and how you could con...
2022-01-1830 min
Making the FanWhy I Spent $13k on a single NFTThis episode is all about NFT's and why our host, David Millay, spent $13k on a single NFT. It's a much more casual episode than usual with holidays upon us, and we invited some of David's friends from his Disney days to unpack why the hell he would make such an investment. We end up discussing the potential utility of an NFT, future potential use cases, and their potential role in fandom and the sports & entertainment industry. Special thanks to Martin Graham and Jerome Scherwin
2021-12-3035 min
The One Away ShowRick Jones: One Layoff Away from a Transformative CareerRick Jones is "Captain" and Chief Creative Officer of FishBait Solutions, LLC, a lifestyle marketing, sponsorship and event-marketing consultancy and properties representation agency with an emphasis on college sports, country music, outdoor sports, food festivals and American Heritage clients. He founded the predecessor agency FishBait Marketing in 2003. He is also a managing partner at EngageMint, a firm that helps teams create and implement better fan engagement processes, and recently launched FishBaitBiz.com, an online resource to help small business owners become more successful and profitable. Rick is a leading expert on marketing, corporate sponsorship, events, sales techniques, team building, small...
2021-11-0951 min
The One Away ShowRick Jones: One Layoff Away from a Transformative CareerRick Jones is “Captain” and Chief Creative Officer of FishBait Solutions, LLC, a lifestyle marketing, sponsorship and event-marketing consultancy and properties representation agency with an emphasis on college sports, country music, outdoor sports, food festivals and American Heritage clients. He founded the predecessor agency FishBait Marketing in 2003. He is also a managing partner at EngageMint, a firm that helps teams create and implement better fan engagement processes, and recently launched FishBaitBiz.com, an online resource to help small business owners become more successful and profitable.Rick is a leading expert on marketing, corporate sponsorship, events, sales techniques, team...
2021-11-0951 min
Making the FanCollege Leaders | Celebrating and Amplifying Your Unique Culture w/ Bryan BlairThis College Leaders segment features Bryan Blair, Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at Washington State University. In the four years that Bryan and his team have been in Pullman, they’ve worked to build a culture that highlights and celebrates what is unique about Wazzou. Bryan and David hit on hiring coaches and staff that are cultural fits, embracing your identity and taking risks to move college athletics forward.----Show Notes2:31 Balancing Performance and Culture in Coaching Hires6:21 Marrying a Coach’s Culture with the Depart...
2021-11-0440 min
Making the FanBeing Present, Authentic and Intentional w/ Scott O'NeilThis episode features industry legend Scott O’Neil. In his most recent role, Scott was the CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, overseeing the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to that, he held positions of Senior Vice President of the NBA’s Team Marketing and Business Operations division and President of Madison Square Garden Sports. Throughout the podcast, Scott charmed us with stories as he and David dive into a number of insights that influenced his career and became the foundation for his new book, “Be Where Your Feet Are: Seven Principles to Keep You...
2021-10-2551 min
Making the FanCollege Leaders | Speaking the Fans' Love Language w/ Jamie PollardThis week we're joined by Jamie Pollard, Director of Athletics at Iowa State University. Since his arrival in 2005, he has re-imagined almost every facet of the department, leading the Cyclones to records in attendance and ticket sales and academic scores and some of their highest finishes in the Learfield Directors' Cup. His leadership extends throughout the industry as he was recently named NACDA President of the Year for 2021-22. In this episode, Jamie and David break down how Iowa State approaches its fan experience by "speaking the fans' love language" and Jamie's entrepreneur-like leadership mentality. Show Not...
2021-10-1451 min
Making the FanCollege Leaders | Equip People to Launch People w/ Mitch BarnhartThis week, we welcome Kentucky’s Mitch Barnhart to the show. After 20 years as UK's Athletic Director, Mitch has produced one of the largest leadership trees with more than six former associates now holding Division 1 athletic director positions. In this episode, Mitch shares his passion for equipping people to launch people and guiding his organization with a true servant heart and integrity. -----Show Notes3:25 Countering Today’s Labor Staffing Challenges - The Kentucky “Blue Coats” 7:41 Right-Sizing Your Venues10:03 Diversifying Your Fan Base11:41 Navigating the Changing Colle...
2021-09-241h 00
Making the FanMaking Your Customer Experience Remarkable w/ Dan GingissThis episode of Flip the Switch features Customer Experience Coach, Keynote Speaker and Author Dan Gingiss. Dan's latest book, "The Experience Maker," comes out today, featuring his "WISE" framework and stories from 20 years of experience working with brands, including McDonald's, Discover and Humana. Throughout the episode, Dan and David discuss simple, yet remarkable ways to enhance your engagement with your customers.-----Show Notes2:26 The Experiences Customers Want to Talk About4:20 The Framework for Becoming "WISE"6:45 Be “Witty”12:05 Genuine Social Media Interactions - The Green Skittles S...
2021-09-1449 min
Making the FanCollege Leaders | Catering to Wants and Needs of Fans w/ Eric NicholsJoining us on today's episode is Eric Nichols, the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Branding/Chief Marketing Officer at the University of South Carolina. Nichols oversees Marketing, Digital and Social Media, and the University band and spirit programs as well as serving as the primary liaison for Licensing, merchandise sales, and outsourced entities including Learfield for multimedia rights and Learfield Ticket Solutions for outbound sales.Eric and David discuss innovation around customer and employee experience within college athletics. From some of the changes South Carolina has been working on over the pandemic and are now...
2021-09-0751 min
Making the FanStudying the Subconscious and Emotions of Fandom w/ Peter SorckoffToday’s episode is all about appealing to the emotional side of fandom with Peter Sorckoff. What started as a career in a therapeutic environment has evolved into 20 plus years of understanding the human subconscious impact on fandom. Peter leveraged those insights to create immersive marketing and branding experiences for major brands in the NBA, the MLB and NHL, most notably as the Chief Creative Officer and EVP of Brand for the Atlanta Hawks. Now, Peter is applying similar concepts to other industries, including aviation and retail, through his company, Seer.This podcast goes in-depth on building exper...
2021-08-3058 min
Making the FanCollege Leaders | Leading with Conviction and Empathy w/ Troy DannenIn our latest College Leaders podcast, we are joined by Troy Dannen, Ben Weiner Director of Athletics at Tulane University, to discuss leadership and guiding Tulane through turbulent times. Five years into his tenure, he’s revamped his senior management, increased fundraising and enhanced the student-athlete and fan experiences. He’s a recognized leader in college athletics, recently named to the newly established NCAA Constitution Committee, representing all Group of 5 schools. Less than 24 hours before we recorded the podcast, Tulane announced its mask and vaccination policy in conjunction with the City of New Orleans. Throughout the episode, Troy sha...
2021-08-2156 min
Making the FanComparing Fandoms in Western Markets and China w/ Greg TurnerIn this episode, David is joined by Greg Turner to dive in to the differences in fandoms and live events between China and the West. What started as a summer internship for Greg has evolved into a 20-year career in China, moving from agencies to live events and venue management, before establishing his own company, Shenzhen High Performance Event Management. Compared to most of our fan bases that have existed for decades, live events have only been a regular part of the Chinese culture for the last 20 years. Throughout this podcast, Greg shares a number of...
2021-08-1855 min
Making the FanAll About NFTs and Miami’s CanesVaultThe University of Miami became the first college athletic department to break into the NFT space, announcing the new CanesVault this week that will officially open on August 16. In this episode, Dan Boyd, Miami's Senior Associate AD for Sales and Marketing and Jon Parise, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GigLabs, Miami's NFT partner, join David to discuss the strategies and behind-the-scenes conversations leading to this innovative launch.-----Show Notes7:16 Building the Hurricanes Legacy9:13 Breaking into the NFT Game11:13 Miami’s Partnerships with Gig Labs and Black Madre
2021-08-141h 05
Making the FanCollege Leaders | The Importance of Strategic Planning and Core Values w/ Colorado's Rick GeorgeThis week’s special College Leaders segment features Rick George, Athletic Director at University of Colorado. Rick had a rather unorthodox path to the big chair, taking on roles with the PGA Champions Tour and the Texas Rangers’ Front Office, before returning to the collegiate industry with Colorado in 2013. Throughout this episode, Rick and David discuss Colorado’s strategic plans, its "RAPID" core values and the importance of incremental revenue generation. --Show Notes(2:56) The Path Less Traveled to the Big Chair(6:49) Erasing “Dark” Days & Creating “Folsom Field Events”
2021-08-0851 min
Making the FanBONUS | Diving Deep on Books and Reading Strategies w/ Justin DohertyThis week’s episode strays from our usual podcast pattern. David is joined by Justin Doherty, Wisconsin's Senior Associate AD for External Communications and member of EngageMint's tribe. Outside of his roles in brand communications, marketing, video services and facility branding, Justin has authored four books on Wisconsin history. David and Justin have embarked on a 25-book challenge and share some of their top hits and reading strategies in this bonus episode. --Show Notes4:14 Diving in to Justin’s Books6:03 Reading vs. Writing Note Taking13:46 The 2021 25-Book Challenge
2021-08-0244 min
Making the FanCapitalizing on New Tech to Transform Fan Engagement w/ John KosnerIn our latest podcast, David sits down with John Kosner. After 20 years at ESPN, where he transformed its digital media strategy, John co-founded Micromanagement Ventures with former NBA Commissioner David Stern. John currently leads Kosner Media, where he invests in and advises sports tech companies focused on sports media, sports betting and gambling and player development. This episode covers all things sports tech, truth speaking and leadership and the future of sports broadcasting.--Show Notes(4:00) Forming Micromanagement Ventures with David Stern(15:04) Importance of Humor in t...
2021-07-2657 min
Making the FanCollege Leaders | Dreaming Big with DePaul's DeWayne PeevyFlip the Switch is all about uncovering the latest trends in sports and entertainment and the experiments organizations are running. Working alongside college athletic departments has inspired a new series: Flip the Switch - College Leaders. Joining David on the show will be senior leaders who are transforming the industry and implementing those trends and experiments. Our first guest of the series is DeWayne Peevy, Vice President and Director of Athletics at DePaul University. Peevy became AD in September of 2020, after 12 years at Kentucky, including the last 7 as Deputy AD. In this episode, DeWayne shares his e...
2021-07-171h 00
Making the FanEnhancing Stadium Experiences Beyond Game Day w/ Nick SautnerOur guest this week is Nick Sautner, CEO of Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. A worldwide leader in sports and entertainment, Eden Park was the first venue to host a sporting event and a concert at full capacity since the pandemic and has won a number of recent global awards, including the Product Innovation Award for "Staydium Glamping". Sautner has also been recognized as EVANZ Supreme Person of the Year and TheStadiumBusiness Global Executive of the Year. Throughout this episode, Sautner shares his framework for Eden Park's strategic plan, his "town hall vs. cathedral" mentality and monetizing the venue...
2021-07-1255 min
Making the FanReturning to Capacity and Rebuilding Your Team w/ Kevin GoberThis week, we welcome Kevin Gober, Senior Director of Arena Employee Experience and Learning & Development for the Atlanta Hawks, back to the podcast. A recurring guest on the show, Kevin shares his takeaways from welcoming fans back to venues and gets candid on the staffing challenges that State Farm Arena has faced. For venues across the country preparing for a return to full capacity, this episode dives deep into the programs Kevin and State Farm Arena are putting in place to grow their staff, create an employee referral program and develop the leadership skills of their current te...
2021-07-0640 min
Making the FanTrusted Strategic Advisors in College Athletics w/ Dan Gale and Tim RebichFor our second Flip the Switch Live episode, we are joined by Dan Gale of Leona Marketing Group and Tim Rebich of Varsity Partners. Sharing their perspectives as third-parties in the college athletics space, this episode is more idea-based than best practices focused. Dan, Tim and David forecast where college athletics is headed and the impacts NIL and multimedia sponsorship will have on the industry.Show Notes10:28 - Introducing Dan Gale and Tim Rebich17:09 - Embracing NIL and Fair Market Value22:49 - Creating Endemic Brand Experiences...
2021-06-301h 07
Making the FanSyncing Data, Tech and Social Listening with EarBuds CEO Jason FoxToday’s guest is Jason Fox. After 6 years in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins, Jason launched EarBuds in 2018. What started as a platform to facilitate consumers and fans being able to listen to the same playlists as their favorite athletes in real-time has morphed into a new social listening experience through EarBuds’ partnerships with Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora and Spotify.This episode covers everything from sports tech, data, exclusive fan experiences, entrepreneurship and digital social engagement. ------Show Notes5:26 The Genesis of EarBuds7:2...
2021-06-0454 min
Making the FanHow to Cultivate SUPER Fans with Brittany HodakJoining the show this week is Brittany Hodak. Recently named Chief Experience Officer at Experience.com, Brittany shares her frameworks that organizations can adopt to cultivate super fans and experiences. Prior to joining Experience.com, Brittany co-founded a marketing and collectibles company ZinePak (later named The Superfan Company), which was featured on Shark Tank and earned one of the highest valuations in show history. She exited in 2019 to focus full-time on speaking and consulting with organizations to harness the passion within fans.David and Brittany set their rivalry aside to dive in to Brittany's SUPER strategy and foc...
2021-05-2455 min
Making the FanNIL & NFTs w/ Luka GarzaIn today's episode, David is joined by Luka Garza, starting center for the Iowa Hawkeyes, AP College Basketball Player of the Year, and winner of the 2021 Naismith Trophy. They discuss name, image, and likeness, the launch of Luka's new NFT company LukaGarzaNFTGroup.io and how Luka hopes to provide opportunities for college athletes to monetize their brand, and the importance of college athletes being able to control their own brand.Show Notes:5:11 Digital Engagement Fan Support during 2020-216:56 Breaking into the NFT game
2021-04-2827 min
Making the FanDesigning Effective Remote Work Teams w/ Steph SmithIn today's episode, Steph Smith, Head of Trends.co at the Hustle and Founder of Integral Labs, joins the show. Steph and David discuss the ideas and insights of how to build a more effective team in both a remote work or hybrid environment. Show Notes:(6:54) The bell curve of giving and taking - amplifying giving in remote work(10:54) How to encourage giving behavior(15:50) What benefits can organizations now offer to entice the best talent?(18:05) Applying the “First Principles” to yo...
2021-02-021h 01
Podcasting for Fun and Profit166: Sports Marketing/Business Webinar with David Millay from EngagemintI was fortunate to be asked to be on a panel about opening sports stadiums in the Covid era this week and here is the audio from that.Thanks to David Millay from Engagemint for setting it up and hosting.Enjoy!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/podcastfunandprofit/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/podcastfunandprofit/support
2020-12-031h 03
Making the FanThe Future of Venue Experiences w/ Drew BerstIn today's episode, David and Kevin talk with Drew Berst about the combination of digital and physical experiences and how to infuse that in your customer experience. How will stadiums utilize their space going forward? With many stadiums transforming and restructuring their format, how can you maintain the culture and tradition while also keeping with the times and adapting to new experiences? With covid accelerating the demand and structure of sports, how can you balance this all?Time Stamps:2:55 - Who is Drew Berst?3:43 - How Raiders are utilizing t...
2020-11-2357 minMaking the FanGreat Leaders Establish, Operationalize, and Sustain ValuesIn the second episode of our new format with Kevin Gober, Kevin and David get into the importance of leadership and structure that top-level executives need to be taking during the ever-adapting covid and digital age. With an overarching framework of leaders establishing, operationalizing, and sustaining the values and vision by which organizations thrive, David and Kevin discuss leaders' responsibility to help our employees in the emotional & mental, relational, physical, financial, purposeful, and employable spectrums. From employee journey maps to improving meeting tactics, this episode gets into the ins and out of running an organization in the new di...
2020-11-1042 min
NACDA PodcastPutting Fans First: The New Imperative Coming Out of the Coronavirus CrisisOriginal air date: April 22, 2020
The reality is that fans pay for everything in college athletics and will continue to do so, if not even more, after the coronavirus crisis ends. Rick Jones, managing partner at EngageMint and head captain of FishBait Marketing, provides information and recommendations on what collegiate athletics departments should be doing during this time to stay engaged with fans, love fans, reward fans and thank fans. This session features discussions surrounding the new reality, including: State government will not be there to assist financially - how to adapt now that this safety net has...
2020-07-2359 minNACDA PodcastPlanning for Game 1 in a COVID-19 WorldOriginal air date: April 16, 2020
With COVID-19 putting all athletics on pause, you have rare down time to strategize. When you finally open back up your doors, will you be prepared Are you working on the opportunities and ideas that will have the most impact? Will people rave about the new level of experience you provide? This session introduces a process you can use in your own athletics department to identify which user experience you'd like to change and how. Used by organizations like Google, IKEA, Disney, Lancome, Netflix and many more, David Millay, Managing Partner at EngageMint...
2020-07-231h 01
Making the FanThe Business Behind ESPN World Wide of Sports w/ Mike Millay PART 2This is second half of a two-part interview with Mike Millay. This part of the interview dives deeper into the behind-the-scenes stories at ESPN Wide World of Sports and explores Mike's own revelations as leader at Disney. Mike is the longest tenured executive in ESPN Wide World of Sports' history. He's also my Dad and a Senior Partner at EngageMint, so this was a special episode for me.The MLS kicked off it’s first game last week, and NBA players are now in the “bubble” on Disney property. As ESPN Wide World of Sports is the...
2020-07-1448 min
Making the FanThe Business Behind ESPN Wide World of Sports w/ Mike Millay PART 1This is first half of a two-part interview with Mike Millay. This part of the sheds light on the business model powering ESPN Wide World of Sports and explores how the cultures of Disney and competitive sports merged.Our guest today is Mike Millay, the longest tenured executive in ESPN Wide World of Sports' history. He's also my Dad and a Senior Partner at EngageMint, so this was a special episode for me.The MLS kicked off it’s first game on Wednesday, and NBA players are now in the “bubble” on Disney property. As ESPN W...
2020-07-1234 min
Making the FanMerging Physical & Digital Worlds w/ Javier Martinez GarciaToday’s guest is Javier Martinez Garcia, a Senior Advisor for Manchester City F.C and former Disney executive. We get into a number of topics, here are just a few: 1) How to get your senior leadership team aligned around a customer-centric strategy 2) Fan experience vs. match-day experience3) Making business decisions built around your unique brand promise4) How physical and digital worlds merge to create 24/7 experiences for your customer5) The future of fan experiences in post-COVID19 world Javier has held a number of executive roles in Europe for the Wa...
2020-06-051h 04
The Inches: A Podcast About Sports SponsorshipRookie & Guest David Millay: Building Sponsorship Assets With A Fan Journey MapRich is out on vacation but we have a special guest with us on the podcast David Millay, co-founder and managing partner of EngageMint, to help take us through how we can map out fan journeys to help build better connection points between fans and sponsors.Great insights with actionable stories. We're blessed to have him on.------The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club...
2020-03-1234 minMaking the FanFlip The Switch By EngageMintA mash-up of advice and stories from innovators in Customer Experience and Employee Experience. Executives from the sports & entertainment industry join forces with leaders from world-class B2C and B2B companies to discuss all the challenges and hurdles they face in their business. On each episode of Flip the Switch, host David Millay -- Managing Partner of EngageMint -- leads wide-ranging conversations with guests, exploring similarities, differences, vulnerable failures, smashing successes, and behind-the-scenes stories to help you lead your own business. The round-table format of Flip the Switch creates a conversation unlike your traditional interviews, allowing for hilarious...
2019-07-1901 min
From the BridgeEpisode 1: Fan Engagement with special guest David MillayOn the inaugural launch of the U.S.S. Fishbait, Captain Rick Jones discusses fan engagement and interviews special guest David Millay of EngageMint Partners. Finally, we introduce or segment “On the Road with Rick”, telling you where to dine when you’re on the road.
2019-05-0700 min
How To Get A JobEp. 42 One Step Back, but Two Steps Forward with David MillayIn today’s episode, I had the opportunity to interview David Millay. David is the managing partner of EngageMint, a consulting company that helps athletic departments become more fan-centric. David has a really interesting story. He shares how there have been multiple times in his life where it may have seemed like he was taking a step back, but he was really taking 2 steps forward. We also dive into the business of sports and how a team with a losing record can attract fans. To learn more about David, make sure you connect with him on LinkedIn htt...
2019-01-0731 min