Shows
Future of Consumer MarketingWhy Sauna House Rejected Wellness Bros for Working MomsIn this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett interviews Gavin Jocius, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer of SAUNA HOUSE®. SAUNA HOUSE® is building the modern American bathhouse by adapting ancient wellness modalities for US consumers. Operating in a market where communal bathing culture is nascent compared to established markets like Finland, Japan, and Canada, SAUNA HOUSE® has grown from one Asheville location in 2019 to multiple corporate and franchise locations across the Southeast. Through strategic positioning against tech-bro wellness culture and creating intentional analog experiences, they're capitalizing on the convergence of loneliness epidemics, generational shifts away from alcohol, and...
2025-06-1228 min
Unboxed ShowBuilding Brands & Becoming an Entrepreneur Through Acquisition w/ Gavin JociusGavin Jocius is an experienced ecommerce operator building brands, recently CanvasonDemand into an 80M juggernaut which exited in 2019. Currently, Gavin is forging his own path into entrepreneurship through his search fund, Riverside Ventures. In this episode we will talk about ETA, entrepreneurship through acquisition, as well as trends in digital commerce, social media and the future of advertising. Highly experienced eCommerce professional with over nineteen years of experience in information technology and digital communications working in education, public and private companies. Motivated, adaptable, well-rounded with great written and oral communication skills.Want to take this e...
2025-04-0759 min
Wisdom.MBAReef, DC Shoes, Sanuk & the Road to Becoming a CMO with Michael MinterMichael Minter has had a very successful career as a creative marketer working with some of the world’s largest footwear brands. Michael is currently the CMO of Reef, a 40-year-old legendary sandal brand that has recently seen an expansion in its product catalog and growth in eCommerce sales. Prior to Reef, Michael was the Global Head of Marketing for DC Shoes, leading many of the company’s iconic collaborations with the likes of the Andy Warhol foundation and the Mandalorian. Michael and I discuss how his upbringing in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea allowed him to...
2023-11-281h 02Wisdom.MBAEntrepreneurship Through Acquisition & Nomadic Business Ownership with Bakari AkilBakari Akil is a visiting lecturer at Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management teaching students how to buy a business. Bakari is also a successful search fund entrepreneur and independent sponsor. Bakari recently sourced the acquisition of a burlap bag manufacturer, secured equity financing, closed the deal, then recruited and hired the CEO to operate the business. Bakari shares his inspirational story about growing up extremely poor and discovering Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition to provide generational wealth. We talk about how ETA is a great path for anyone, particularly if you don’t have an MBA or went to...
2023-10-041h 11Wisdom.MBAThe Entourage Effect & Plunge’s Parabolic Rise with Ryan DueyRyan Duey is the Co-Founder + Co-CEO of plunge.com. Plunge has seen fantastic growth with increases in demand for cold plunge and contrast therapy coming out of the pandemic. Ryan and I go deep into what caused the company’s parabolic rise and how he and his co-founder Michael Garrett were able to both help create and capitalize on the current cold plunge boom.We talk about getting free organic exposure from Lebron James. Plunge’s origin story during COVID lockdowns. His appearance on SharkTank, goals for the future and his honest advice for young entrepreneurs. A real...
2023-08-0956 minWisdom.MBAProduct Development, Market Fit & Minimum Viable Businesses with Chris McKleroyChris McKleroy is the founder and CEO of Nocs Provisions, a company which has reinvented binoculars. Chris is a successful entrepreneur with a proven track record of designing disruptive products and bringing them to market.Prior to Nocs, Chris was the Head of Product and Co-Founder of Boombotix, one of the original Bluetooth personal speaker brands to enter the market. Chris helped scale the business from $200k to over $13 million in annual revenue. We discuss the lessons learned from massive growth, raising venture capital and what it was like partnering with Wu-Tang.Chris...
2023-08-011h 02Wisdom.MBAStart-up Exits, Social Impact in Surf & Venture with Bradley HarrisBradley Harris is the principal and CEO of A-Frame - a venture studio built for sustainable growth. Brad and I met on acquire.com, an online marketplace for buying and selling startups. I was looking to purchase the surf and board sports business that he had founded. I loved what he had built and his focus on being a socially minded entrepreneur. Brad ultimately sold the business to someone else, but we have stayed in-contact and have helped each other on our respective entrepreneurial journeys.Brad is a 3x founder and advisor with a deep understanding of g...
2023-07-151h 06Wisdom.MBAInvestment Crowdfunding & the Future of Fundraising with Will McGuireWill McGuire is a seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for helping startup founders raise capital. Will and I take a deep dive into the JOBS act and how equity crowdfunding came to be in the United States. We talk about a bill that just passed in the house of representatives that would improve access to capital and how accredited investors are defined.We also talk about how his business Incolo.io is leading the charge for helping level the playing field for who gets funding. We discuss whether adding influencers to your cap table is a good...
2023-06-0852 minWisdom.MBAHemp and Health: An Unconventional Journey to Business Success with Mike FataMike Fata is a true pioneer in the health food sector and a passionate advocate for wellness. Mike's story is as inspiring as it is unconventional. His career began not in the boardroom, but in a personal battle with weight loss and the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. This journey led him to discover the nutritional potential of a plant that was largely overlooked.In 1998, Mike co-founded Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods, transforming it into the world's largest hemp food manufacturer, and in the process, changing our understanding of hemp as a health food ingredient. In 2019, the company...
2023-05-1253 minWisdom.MBAManaging Moderna’s Global Launch, MIT’s EMBA Program & More with Jen "JB" BralyJen “JB” Braly is a hands-on transformation executive with a proven track record of driving large-scale change. Most recently, she was the Vice President, Program Office for Moderna during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporting directly to the Chief Digital and Technology Officer, JB helped the company grow from a pre-commercial research start-up with less than 1,000 US employees and no revenue to a $20 Billion global enterprise with over 4,500 employees. There needs to be an operations and logistics business case on Moderna because JB’s stories from behind the scenes are wild.JB is an absolute force of nature with a very...
2023-04-021h 15Wisdom.MBAMultiple Exits, Fast Cars & Saying no to Elon with Kelly SmithKelly Smith has had an incredibly diverse career and is a true business renaissance man. 5 exits. Investor in companies which were acquired by ESPN, Amazon and Google. Vice President of Digital for Starbucks China when the company was experiencing massive growth opening a store a day. Chief Digital Officer at MGM Resorts International, Hagerty and now Athletic Greens.Kelly and I talk about what it’s like transitioning from start-up founder to a Fortune 100 corporate role. His successful track record for building companies that get acquired. Digital transformation and the future of the online art space....
2023-03-2753 minWisdom.MBABuilding the World’s Best Meditation Cushion and More with Eddie CohenEddie Cohen is the founder of Walden, a brand that designs, engineers, and manufactures products for meditation. Eddie’s founder journey started after a 10-day meditation retreat. As a product designer who worked at Apple, he discovered that the products at the retreat lacked inspiring aesthetics. With Walden, Eddie wants it to become Nike for the mind, providing customers with beautiful and thoughtfully designed products that promote a mindful lifestyle.Eddie and I discuss his founder journey, why he decided to manufacture products in the US, the post-COVID health and wellness boom and how he manages to fi...
2023-03-211h 04Wisdom.MBAThe Sauna / Cold Plunge Boom with Andrew LachlanAndrew Lachlan is the founder and CEO of Sauna House, a modern bathhouse committed to enhancing bathing culture and social wellness. Joe Rogan, Jesse Itzler, Russell Brand, Wim Hof … there is no shortage of Internet health and wellness gurus talking about the benefits of sauna and cold plunge. Atlantic writer Helen Lewis argues that we are in the “Golden Age of Gurus” where there has been an explosion in podcasters and internet personalities promoting the benefits of these ancient practices.Is this a fad or will it become a lasting part of American culture like yoga? Andrew and I g...
2023-03-061h 05Wisdom.MBAA.I. For Educators & Entrepreneurs with Jason Gulya, Ph.D.Jason Gulya is a Professor of English at Berkeley College. In 2020, Jason received Berkeley’s Faculty of the Year Award for Teaching Excellence. He is also a higher ed consultant who helps students and professors prepare for the future and gives advice on how to utilize artificial intelligence in and outside of the classroom.Jason has a wealth of knowledge and actionable advice for using A.I. He outlines many great resources that you can use immediately to make yourself more productive at work. We talk about the future of the humanities, white collar work, the idea of...
2023-02-261h 04Wisdom.MBABranding, Storytelling & Hypergrowth on Social Media with Jake KarlsJake Karls is the Co-Founder and Rainmaker for Mid-Day Squares, the first functional chocolate bar on the market. The company was founded in 2018 by Jake, his sister Lez and brother-in-law Nick. Their goal is to build a modern chocolate company with functional ingredients.The company has since exploded. Their peanut butter bar became the number 1 selling SKU in its category at Target. They received over 20 million organic views on social media in three months, and Jake was recently on the cover of Forbes 30 Under 30 digital edition.Jake and I talk about a whole host of...
2023-02-1548 minWisdom.MBAMaking $$ as a YouTuber, ChatGPT, the TikTok Algo & Celebrity Cap Tables with Finn McKentyFinn McKenty is one of my favorite YouTube content creators who is also a brand strategist and marketing director. Between his Punk Rock MBA and personal channel, Finn has over 500k subscribers on YouTube. The Punk Rock MBA looks to promote career, business and life advice for the DIY community. Finn skillfully analyzes the cultural significance of punk and metal like a tenured English lit professor. With deep research and an incredible wealth of knowledge, you can easily find yourself going down a YouTube rabbit hole for hours on topics like how “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater changed music fore...
2023-01-131h 23Wisdom.MBAHarvard Business School, ETA & Advice for Veterans with Juan Ruiz & Doug WalshHarvard Business School Students Juan Ruiz and Doug Walsh run communEtA -- an MBA student-run fund which invests in search entrepreneurs. The first of its kind; it is a community of LPs, students, and searchers. The group looks to provide exposure and training on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition and source high-quality investment opportunities for LPs and finally highlight ETA as a viable career option.We discuss why communEtA was launched and Juan and Doug provide their insights on how best to source and close deals. As a West Point graduate, a platoon leader, and a team leader for t...
2022-12-1756 minWisdom.MBAeCommerce, Shopify, Building a Tea Brand, Dragon’s Den & More with Sheena BradySheena Brady is the founder of Teasewellness.com, a wellness brand that creates all natural, tea and botanical based products that support you to live and lead consciously. As a B-Corp and through its’ Founder Fund, Tease also helps support under-represented women entrepreneurs with mentorship, strategic resources and funding.Sheena is a tea Sommelier with a wealth of knowledge. As an owner and co-founder of a tea company myself (mositea.com), we geek out on the different ways teas can support you throughout your day. Sheena also blows my mind with some genius tea and booze infused co...
2022-11-1853 minWisdom.MBAPOWDR CEO, Building an Adventure Lifestyle Company & Managing Adversity with Justin SibleyJustin Sibley is the CEO of POWDR, an adventure lifestyle company that owns some of the best resorts on earth, including Copper Mountain, Killington, Silver Star and more. Justin is a fellow Fuqua MBA graduate who was the Vice President of Finance at Backcountry.com before becoming CFO and then co-President of POWDR. POWDR also owns Woodward. If you know anything about board sports, you know that Woodward is the leading name in action sports progression and innovation with facilities across North America. Justin and I talk about how he has been able to help leverage the Woodward brand...
2022-09-2042 minWisdom.MBA100 Mile Runs, Working at the White House & Combating Human Trafficking with Natalya WallinNatalya Wallin is an endurance athlete with an amazing work career. Natalya just finished a 100-mile ultramarathon in Moab, Utah. We talk about setting hard goals, remaining tenacious when faced with adversity, the ups and downs of ultrarunning and the parallels between endurance races and pursuing an MBA.Natalya talks about her time at the White House, meeting the Obamas and working for the US Department of State and the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery. She is currently consulting for the apparel action forum in London and serving as interim Chief Strategy Officer. The forum brings...
2022-09-1158 minWisdom.MBADigital Marketing, Geofencing, Print Media & Intrapreneurship with Rory GillisRory Gillis is the President of Triangle Media Partners and Founder of Triangle Digital Partners. Triangle Media Partners is the largest lifestyle influencer in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina. The company owns Chapel Hill Magazine, Durham Magazine, Chatham Magazine, Heart of NC Weddings, Sip + Savor and Triangle Weekender. Triangle Digital Partners is the digital wing of the business which focuses on display advertising, social media marketing and more.With CNBC recently naming North Carolina as America’s Top State for Business in 2022, Rory and I talk about why more businesses and professionals are moving to th...
2022-07-2254 minWisdom.MBALaunching a D2C Brand, TikTok Marketing & Death by Sweat with David Spratte and Kasper KubicaKasper Kubica and David Spratte are the co-founders of Carpe, makers of Dermatologist recommended sweat care products. Carpe is quickly becoming a major player in the world of antiperspirants, competing against giants like Unilever which owns Degree, Dove and AXE. From their humble beginnings, we then talk about how they have positioned Carpe to succeed in a hypercompetitive market and what makes their products unique.Both Kasper and David have become true sweat experts and have leveraged their knowledge to produce hilarious and informative content across channels like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube. If you are interested...
2022-07-1843 minWisdom.MBADigital ETA, MicroAcquire, 3x Exits, Buying & Selling Businesses with Andrew GazdeckiAndrew Gazdecki is the founder and CEO of MicroAcquire which is billed as the world’s #1 acquisition marketplace for Startups. Andrew is a successful founder with 3 exits to his name. He has been named an Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, and had the Fastest Growing Company in San Francisco in 2014 according to Inc.Andrew and I talk about his entrepreneurial journey and spend a lot of time discussing what I call “digital ETA.” Many people are familiar with Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) which traditionally focuses on Entrepreneurs acquiring brick and motor established family businesses. Digital ETA, however, specializes in the a...
2022-05-2356 minWisdom.MBABuilding Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Start-up Exits, Museum Hacks & More with Nick GrayNick Gray is a successful entrepreneur, author and talented public speaker who has given a very inspiring TEDx talk on how he built and sold his multimillion-dollar start-up Museum Hack. Nick also runs a popular newsletter for business owners and entrepreneurs with topics such as productivity hacks and how to use virtual assistants. Nick and I talk about our mutual love of tea, his new book, how he helped build his family’s business which ultimately sold to private equity and how his passion project side hustle became one of Inc 5000’s fastest-growing companies, featured in the New York Time...
2022-03-3148 minWisdom.MBAThe Traditional Search Fund Model is Broken with Robert GrahamRobert Graham is a successful search fund entrepreneur. As a Partner at Search Investment Group (SIG), Robert advises searchers on deal sourcing, due diligence, and capital raises. He is also an investor in multiple Private Equity and search deals in the lower-middle market and is the CEO of Pillar Health Group, a group of healthcare companies he acquired through a self-funded search.Robert and I discuss why he thinks the traditional search fund model is broken, and he provides his wisdom and expertise on how to improve it. Robert has an impressive track record for getting deals...
2022-03-1659 minWisdom.MBANCAA NIL & the Future of Collegiate Sports Marketing with Ishveen JollyIshveen Jolly is the CEO + Founder at OpenSponsorship. OpenSponsorship is a marketplace that connects brands to professional and amateur athletes. The platform covers multiple sports in 120 different countries.Ishveen and I talk about how she built her business and the NCAA’s recent policy change that allows current and future athletes to generate revenue from their name, image or likeness. This is a massive change in the US sports marketing industry and a bit of a wild west landgrab as schools, athletic departments and brands look to find new and creative ways to help student athlete generate mo...
2022-02-0550 minWisdom.MBAThe Future of Private Aviation, Leadership & Special Forces Training with Tommy Sowers, PhDTommy Sowers is a true renaissance man with an incredible resume. He is an entrepreneur, academic, politician and a decorated Military officer with an 11-year career in the Army, having achieved the rank of Major. He has taught at West Point, the University of Missouri and Duke. He also served as the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.Tommy is currently the President of flyExclusive, which is the fastest growing private jet charter in the United States, located in Kinston, North Carolina. Tommy and I discuss the future of private aviation and how COVID-19 has...
2022-01-1556 minWisdom.MBAStretch Goals, Ultrarunning, Kidney Failure & Learning from HardshipFor this podcast, I plan to tell the story of why I got into ultrarunning. I was never a runner, but I decided this year to completely immerse myself in it. This year, I have finished 5 ultras, the last of which was a 100 miler that I podium at, but after finishing the race I suffered kidney failure. I spend 5 days in the hospital and almost had to be put on dialysis. I basically developed Rhabdomyolysis where the muscle breakdown from running 26 hours straight poisoned my kidneys. I think this story is valuable to the podcast because I ha...
2021-11-2331 minWisdom.MBAShipageddon 2.0, eCom Operations, Global Supply Chain & Logistics with Chris BinghamChris Bingham is a successful entrepreneur, specializing in eCommerce operations, supply chain and logistics. In Q4 2020, the world experienced Shipageddon where the pandemic significantly increased demand for online goods while straining global supply chains. As we enter Q4 2021, we should expect to experience Shipageddon, the sequel, with even greater challenges, as brands experience inflated ocean freight container costs, container shortages, congestion within ports, lockdowns in factories, temp labor shortages and more.Chris and I talk in-depth about scaling eCommerce operations, surviving the holiday shopping season, growing and selling a business as well as the future of MBA...
2021-10-091h 15Wisdom.MBACrossrope & The Connected Gym Equipment Market with Dave HuntDave Hunt is the inventor, Founder and CEO of Crossrope, weighted jump ropes with a mobile app that lets you work out anywhere. Dave and I talk about bootstrapping his business and recently making Inc. 5,000 fastest growing companies. We also discuss the explosive growth of connected wellness devices and the at-home fitness market and how Crossrope differentiates itself from companies like NordicTrack, FightCamp, Peloton, Tonal, Mirror and Whoop. Dave and I also discuss the benefits of influencer marketing, brand building, customer acquisition strategies, building company culture, recovering from injuries and more. Prior to starting Crossrope, Dave was a...
2021-09-071h 09Wisdom.MBAStartup to Exit & Financial Modeling Advice with Mike LingleMike Lingle is a software developer and entrepreneur who currently mentors founders and has build tools to help build better financial projections for startups. Mike co-founded SlideRocket, which at the time of launch was a revolutionary cloud-based presentation software. SlideRocket was acquired by VMWare within 30 months of the company’s initial VC funding.Mike studied at the University of Pennsylvania and is currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at Babson College, where he teaches classes on startup financials. Mike has mentored over 1,000 startup founders and shares his wisdom for increasing a founder’s chances of success. We discuss Slid...
2021-07-161h 04Wisdom.MBASearch Fund / Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Advice with Trevor EwenTrevor Ewen is the Chief Executive Officer at Southport Ventures, an acquisition fund which focuses on buying profitable mission critical, B2B SaaS businesses. In addition, Trevor runs Southport Technology Group which builds custom product & software tailored to the needs of small to medium enterprises. As an experienced software engineer, Trevor has overseen full-stack teams in clean energy, insurance, finance, and media. Trevor has implemented a unique hybrid model for his search fund which has allowed him generate revenue to subsidize his search and help generate deal flow. We talk about the pros and cons of running a...
2021-07-101h 19Wisdom.MBARed Bull, Pabst Blue Ribbon & Liquid Death. Lifestyle Brand Marketing Brilliance with Steve “Stix” NilsenStix Nilsen has built an incredible career in lifestyle brand marketing. Starting in 2004, Stix was the Sport Marketing Manager for Red Bull North America, working with the biggest names in action sports. He then went on to work as the Lifestyle Marketing Manager for Pabst Blue Ribbon. The marketing campaigns done during that time helped revitalize the brand which has been around since the mid-1800s. During his tenure, the Pabst Brewing Company portfolio grew to almost $1 Billion in revenue. Stix has worked as a consultant for White Claw and is now the Vice President of Lifestyle Marketing for...
2021-06-121h 25Wisdom.MBACrypto, Privacy, Brave Browser, BAT & the Future of Digital Marketing with Des MartinDes Martin is the Vice President of Marketing at Brave Software, responsible for leading marketing and growth for the Brave browser. Brave is a free, privacy-focused browser that blocks third-party ads and trackers. Users retain guardianship of their data and have a faster and safer browsing experience. Integrated into the browser is a token called the Basic Attention Token ("BAT") which anyone can buy and sell on most cryptocurrency exchanges. Users also earn BAT while browsing and can pay BAT to publishers to access and support digital content and services online. I believe that BAT and Brave represent one...
2021-05-2858 minWisdom.MBAZebPay, Crypto in India, ETH, Dogecoin, Attention Tokens and More with Rahul PagidipatiRahul Pagidipati is the CEO of ZebPay, India’s oldest and most widely used Bitcoin and crypto asset exchange, with over 3 million users and $3 billion worth of transactions. Prior to ZebPay, Rahul was a co-founded of Freedom Health which became the largest Private Health Insurance company in America with over $1.8 Billion in annual revenue. The company was acquired by Anthem in 2018. Along with his family office, Rahul has led investments in multiple "Unicorn" Healthcare companies.Rahul has a JD/MBA from the Northwestern School of Law and Kellogg School of Management, and he has been inv...
2021-04-201h 05
The Snowboard ProjectNatural Selection • Baldface Valhalla with special guest Jeremy JonesThis episode covers the second stop of the Natural Selection Tour at Baldface. We recorded this one live in Clubhouse and had feedback from an international panel including Gavin Jocius, Mike W., Frank Pedretti, Dustin James and Jeremy Jones. This episode is sponsored by: We have launched the Tailgate Alaska 2022 festival - so you can start planning now. We’re also pleased to announce the lowest ticket prices we’ve ever had! But here’s the kicker to get those prices you gotta come to Tailgate Alaska the World - w...
2021-03-221h 30Wisdom.MBACulture, Branding, Venture Capital, Clubhouse, NFTs & More with Nate BosshardNate Bosshard is an entrepreneur, investor and brand builder of iconic, category-defining, multi-billion-dollar consumer brands. He has managed and re-positioned heritage brands through changing market dynamics, been on IPO rocketships, experienced being inside of company acquisitions and integrations. Nate has had an incredible and diverse career working as brand manager for Burton Snowboards, The North Face and GoPro. He was the co-founder of Tonal, the world’s most intelligent fitness system. Currently, he is the Founder and Managing Partner of Offline Ventures which has invested in companies like Clubhouse, Notion, and Hims & Hers which in 2019 was the sec...
2021-02-2650 minWisdom.MBAStoicism in Business, Fuqua Scholar & Healthcare Innovation with Shannon McIntyre HooperShannon McIntyre Hooper is a fellow classmate from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business Executive MBA program. Shannon talks about what it took for her to be awarded the coveted distinction of Fuqua Scholar, graduating in the 10% of our class. We also talk about what it was like to go back to campus for two weeks during COVID and how the experience changed our perspectives on business school education and networking.Shannon is a healthcare innovation and business strategy enthusiast with experience and leadership in both start-up and corporate environments. Currently, she is the Chief Growth...
2021-02-1641 min
eCom@One with Richard HillE42: Gavin Jocius - How to Succeed in International MarketsGavin is the Founder of River Wise Ventures, an independent investment firm based in Durham, North Carolina. He has over 19 years of experience working in eCommerce and tech, and since founding River Wise Ventures, has been investing in disruptive startups in North America and using technology to scale up their businesses.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk about what investors look for in eCommerce businesses, how to explore international markets and test their viability with growth hacking, as well as discussing the fundamentals of eCommerce business growth.
Join us on this episode for l...
2021-01-2547 minWisdom.MBACo-founding ReadyTalk & Becoming the World’s Fittest CEO with Dan KingDan King is former CEO of ReadyTalk, a company he cofounded with his brother Scott in 2000. ReadyTalk makes cloud-based conferencing and communications technology that more than 6,000 businesses use for virtual meetings, webinars and training sessions. Dan was recognized as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008 in the Software Services category. In 2017, ReadyTalk sold to Premiere Global Services Inc.Dan has more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and related fields. Prior to ReadyTalk, Dan held senior positions in business development and financial management for ICG Communications.Dan earned a Bachelor of Science i...
2021-01-0844 minWisdom.MBAInfluence and the Future of Marketing Programs at Business Schools with Amanda RussellAmanda Russell has been referred to as “Carrie Bradshaw meets fitness.” As an award-winning brand creator and international digital marketing strategist, Amanda helps companies re-imagine how they interact with their customers and manage their businesses in the new digital world.She is the creator of Fit Strong and Sexy, an online fitness and lifestyle community for women. Amanda has been featured in publications including Forbes, The Huffington Post, Women’s Health Magazine, SELF and SHAPE. Selected as one of the world’s Most Popular YouTube Fitness Stars by Ryan Seacrest, Amanda knows first-hand what it takes to build a...
2021-01-0547 minWisdom.MBAMBA Admissions Advice and Guidance with Sam WeeksSam Weeks earned his MBA from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, funded by a scholarship from the Saïd foundation. He was named on the Dean’s list, elected Social Chair, and graduated with Distinction in 2018. Based in Amsterdam, Sam founded a consulting business with the purpose of leveling the playing field for international applicants, helping determined candidates get admitted into top business schools. International applicants often feel at a disadvantage expressing the nuanced differences between schools. Sam personally guides candidates through every step, supporting their application with his own experience and writing.Prior t...
2020-12-0838 minWisdom.MBAWorking for President Obama, Playing for Coach K and Leadership Advice with Reggie LoveReggie Love is a true renaissance man and witness to history. Reggie was a political aide and former Duke football and basketball player. He was the captain and a starter for the Duke Men’s basketball team during his senior year. Reggie served as the special assistant and personal aide for President Barack Obama. He has traveled the world, met with world leaders, hung out with Jay-Z and Beyoncé and was at the President’s side during his campaign and while working in the White House.Reggie and I discuss his best-selling book Power Forward: My Presidential Educa...
2020-10-1243 minWisdom.MBAThe Global Art Market, Luxury Goods and Female Representation on Boards and in Business School Cases with Helen BulwikHelen Bulwik is an experienced CEO, board director, strategic advisor and executive mentor. Helen has been the CEO of six middle-market private equity-owned companies. She has led business development and client strategy for the retail management consulting practices of IBM, Accenture and the Tom Peters Group, and she started her career as a merchandiser for Macy’s. Helen has also served on more than a dozen private and public boards, and she has been the only female on every one of them. Helen has a Bachelor of Science and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.He...
2020-09-1031 minWisdom.MBANaval Officer Round Table and Advice for Students Considering an Executive MBA with Bailey Smith & Noah Smith.For this episode, I try something a bit different by having two guests on the show. I interview fellow classmates from the Executive MBA program at Duke. Bailey Smith and Noah Smith (no relation) were both Navy Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) with deployments in the Arabian Gulf and South China Sea. They both share their experiences from their time in the Navy and the challenges and similarities of managing sailors versus employees. Noah completed this undergraduate degree from Clemson University and is now a Product Manager at Corning Incorporated, one of the world’s leading innovators in mat...
2020-08-271h 13Wisdom.MBAA $200M Exit, Recruiting Software Engineers & the Future of Digital Marketing with Joe ColopyJoe Colopy is the founder and former CEO of Bronto software, a cloud-based provider of commerce marketing automation headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. Bronto grew its revenue from zero to $50 million dollars over fifteen years with a $200M exit in 2015, selling to NetSuite which was then acquired by Oracle. I’ve known Joe since 2006 when I started using the platform and have watched it grow and become an industry leader in omni-channel marketing. Recently, Joe launched Jurassic Capital which invests in B2B software companies throughout the Southeast, leveraging his experience to help growth-stage software companies scale. Two...
2020-08-1342 minWisdom.MBAIntrapreneurship, Innovation & Advice for Female Executives with Judy Toran CousinJudy Toran Cousin is a business builder and strategist with over 20 years of experience in business development, marketing and management of large corporations, start-ups and non-profits, including Salick Health Care, Health Management Advisors, Reebok International and Procter and Gamble. Judy has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Judy and I worked together at Circle Graphics, which is the world's foremost producer of grand and large-format digital graphics. The company also produces business and transit signs and has developed disruptive and very innovative wall décor p...
2020-08-1232 minWisdom.MBAThe Arctic Circle with Al Roker, the TODAY Show & Finishing an MBA during COVID-19 with Cate GropperCate Gropper is a fellow classmate in the Executive MBA program at Duke University. Cate works as a Production Manager at NBC News' TODAY Show. Cate is the primary contact for NBC teams in the field, handling all the logistics for live-broadcasts, including managing all on-site crew, communicating with the Control Room and handling any location-specific challenges. Having worked on projects in Northern Alaska and Greenland with Al Roker, we discuss the struggles of filming in such remote locations. Cate also discusses her time working as an NBC Universal page, meeting Leonardo DiCaprio and adjusting to working in a...
2020-08-0346 minWisdom.MBAFacebook Advertising, Diversity, Inclusion & Duke Basketball with Chidi ErikeChidi Erike is a Client Partner at Facebook where he helps clients like Unilever, Peloton and Starbucks optimize their businesses across Facebook’s ad platforms. I met Chidi a few years back while I was attending a Facebook marketing summit. I was impressed with a presentation he gave on leveraging the platform for growth and taking an analytical approach to optimizing social media ad spend. Having worked at JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch and SocialCode, Chidi leverages his experience in banking and technology to identify opportunities and solve problems for large growth companies and help them reach their potential through strategy, ma...
2020-07-2748 minWisdom.MBABranding, Innovation & Explosive Growth with Ted BakerTed Baker is the co-founder of QALO (pronounced “kay-lo”), an active lifestyle company which was started in 2012. Their hero product, a functional silicone ring, has disrupted the multi-billion dollar wedding ring industry. In 2018, QALO was ranked #151 on Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing companies list. People like Lebron James, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Steph Curry now wear them. Ted’s story is a great example of how new innovative products can create a white space, unlocking unmet sources of customer value while capturing share in established markets. Ted shares his insights on the grit and tenacity it takes to bootstrap a compan...
2020-07-1856 minWisdom.MBAEntrepreneurship Through Acquisition with Ari MedoffWisdom.MBA is a podcast where I interview business school students, professors and alums. We look to share wisdom, focusing on the hard-lessons learned through different career, school and business endeavors and share insights into how you can put a business school education to best use.On this episode, I interview Ari Medoff who is a good friend and business advisor with a wealth of experience in search fund entrepreneurship, also known as Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). ETA is a challenging and at time lonely path, but if successful, it can be a great way to own e...
2020-07-0359 minWisdom.MBAWisdom.MBA Podcast TrailerWelcome to Wisdom.MBA a podcast where I interview business school students, professors and alums. We discuss economics, finance, entrepreneurship and more. But most importantly, we look to share wisdom, focusing on the hard lessons learned through different career, school and business endeavors and share insights into how you can put a business education to best use. Whether you are a prospective student considering an MBA or a fortune 500 CEO, hear advice from other professionals with diverse backgrounds and very unique stories. I am your host Gavin Jocius. I’ve spend 19 years working in eC...
2020-06-2800 min
Winfluence - The Influence Marketing PodcastE-Commerce in a COVID-19 WorldGavin Jocius knows a thing or two about e-commerce. The former general manager of the art division at CafePress, also known as Canvas on Demand, helped that business through a $35 million acquisition, then doubled its profitability for new owner Circle Graphics. Now founder of a search fund, Jocius joined the podcast to share his thoughts on running e-commerce in a COVID-19 world and more with Jason Falls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-04-0748 min