Story Behind the Strategy I Marketing Insights

A funeral home sponsoring a Community Calendar? I sold that. A divorce attorney sponsoring a wellness segment? That, too. After ten years in broadcast promotions, I challenged myself to invent eight sponsorship pairings even I couldn't justify. Unfortunately, I kept finding ways to pitch them. Sometimes the difference between a brilliant partnership and a terrible idea is the story connecting the sponsor to the audience.

“Build your network before you need it” is great advice—unless you’re reading it after a layoff. One unexpected referral reminded me that building a professional network isn’t about collecting connections. It’s about creating relationships that still matter long after the original reason you met is gone.

I signed up for two webinars this week and attended neither. The recordings are sitting in my inbox, but I missed something they can't reproduce. From a live AI course to conference conversations and a surprise connection at a Cardinals game, some of the best learning happens because other people are there with you.

Remote work proved we don’t have to be in the same room to work, learn, build communities, or even run a marathon together. So why are remote-first companies still investing in offsites, conferences, and trade shows? From a virtual Boston Marathon to unexpected conversations over coffee, I dug into what research says about the value of purposeful presence—and what happens between the agenda items.

A contest offering a two-year Chevy Cruze lease was bound to generate plenty of entries. The more important question was what we could learn from them. One Big Data presentation changed how I thought about turning contest participation into actionable marketing insights.

Job titles can become part of how we define ourselves. But what happens when the title disappears? The work you keep doing when nobody requires it may be a better clue to your professional identity.

What happens when your job title no longer reflects the work you've actually done? After one successful career pivot from broadcast to digital marketing, I'm facing that question again as I explore product, partnership and integrated marketing—and whether another certification can help bridge the gap.

Some of the most valuable things a media company can sell don't appear on a rate card. After working with legendary broadcasters Dan Palmer and Don Alhart, I learned that longevity creates familiarity—but consistency turns familiarity into trust. And when a brand sponsors something an audience has trusted for decades, it isn't simply buying impressions. It's borrowing that trust.

Turning 40 wasn't the milestone I expected. Looking back over a decade of teaching, marathons, marketing, and personal growth, I realized the moments that shaped my career weren't promotions or job titles—they were the ordinary decisions that quietly changed everything. This career reflection explores why saying yes opened doors, why learning to say no matters just as much, and how those lessons are shaping the next chapter.

Generative AI is already part of the modern workplace. Rather than banning AI, I teach my Business Communication students how to use it responsibly through the AI Sandwich framework—a practical process that begins with original thinking, uses AI for refinement, and ends with human judgment.

What if you treated your personal energy like an investment? Discover how one unexpected family day reshaped my perspective on productivity, joy, and career growth.

Resumes are important. They tell people where you've worked, what you've accomplished, and the skills you've developed. But they're rarely the reason someone remembers you. Lately, I've been reading The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader by Thomas Barta and Patrick Barwise. One idea that has stayed with me is that leadership isn't just about the role you hold—it's about the value you create long before a title catches up. That reminded me of one of the very first marketing propo