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, and a "yes first, figure it out later" mentality. We dive deep into why your Instagram is the new GPA, how to stay ahead of TikTok trends without losing your mind, and the importance of "Consumer Fixation" when drawing inspiration.

Key Takeaways:

// Your Social Media is Your Resume: In the creative and digital marketing world, proof of work beats a GPA every time. Emma shares how she’s navigated high-level interviews where her Instagram feed was the portfolio.

// Listen to the "Nudge": If you keep getting pulled toward a specific creative outlet or side project, it’s there for a reason. Emma discusses how lean times and career pivots are often the best opportunities to chase those instincts wholeheartedly.

// The 50% Freelance Shift: We discuss the rising trend of the freelance workforce and why specializing in a niche now—whether it’s day-of wedding content or boutique hotel photography—is a hedge against future career instability.

// Speed Over Perfection on TikTok: Emma breaks down why "making it pretty later" is the key to trend fluency. She shares a humbling lesson on why posting a raw clip today is often more impactful than a highly edited masterpiece two days late.

Connect with Emma: Instagram

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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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 that agility to drive digital subscriptions in a legacy corporate environment. We dive deep into the "Nucleus Effect" of partner marketing, the enduring power of owned media, and why your ability to build authentic internal relationships is a high-performance superpower. If you’ve ever felt "job-hop shame" or wondered how to pivot your skill set into a new niche, Molly’s perspective on "collecting the dots before you connect them" is exactly what you need to hear.

Key Takeaways:

// How to maintain a "bias for action" and creative problem-solving skills when moving into a large-scale, structured organization.

// Understanding the role of a partner marketer as the bridge between brands and internal cross-functional teams (Creative, CRM, Legal).

// Why email and lifecycle marketing remain the "luxurious" testing grounds for revenue and retention compared to the surgical constraints of paid media.

// The tactical value of becoming a "subject matter expert" on your partners to build deeper trust and more aligned co-marketing strategies.

// Re-framing a non-linear career path not as "job hopping," but as an essential period of gathering diverse skills that make you a more versatile leader.

// Why authenticity and genuine rapport are the only ways to get complex deals done and maintain internal support for new initiatives.

Connect with Molly: Instagram

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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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 rules. We explore how being the "only woman at the table" became her greatest creative advantage, the tactical data she used to get retailers to say "yes" to a non-traditional design, and why she believes distinctiveness is more valuable than differentiation in 2026. Whether you're an entrepreneur in a "stiff" industry or a marketer struggling to find your authentic voice on camera, Alice’s "warts-and-all" approach to brand building is the shot of inspiration you need.

Key Takeaways:

// Why looking at adjacent industries (and what your target audience follows on Instagram) is more effective than looking at your direct competitors when designing a brand.

// How Alice leveraged her perspective as an "outsider" in a male-dominated category to spot the massive white space that legacy brands were too risk-averse to touch.

// How to use consumer research and "hard facts" about audience pain points to convince conservative stakeholders to approve bold, eclectic designs.

// The secret to building a brand that is instantly recognizable on any shelf or social feed, regardless of the context.

// Why Alice is betting on a 2026 trend toward vibrancy, color, and "social middle-ground" wellness over the beige, minimalist extremes of recent years.

// Why "boring" behind-the-scenes failures (like 20 misprinted billboards) often drive more engagement and trust than polished, high-production brand content.

// Advice for the "camera-shy" on how to park your ego and let your audience’s engagement dictate your content strategy.

Connect with Alice: Instagram

Learn More About Foxes Bow: Website

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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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 bathroom humor. JP breaks down the decision to forgo a traditional national linear buy in favor of a tactical, streaming-first approach on Peacock and NFL+, and explains how the brand used "staged" paparazzi stunts to build organic hype weeks before kickoff.

Key Takeaways:

// Why Raisin Bran chose the Super Bowl's massive scale to address the fact that 95% of Americans are fiber-deficient—turning a "boring" health stat into a high-stakes marketing mission.

// How humor, wordplay, and a 94-year-old icon were used to destigmatize gut health and make fiber an accessible, talkable topic for a broad audience.

// The data-driven "why" behind prioritizing Peacock, NBC Sports, and NFL+ over a traditional national TV spot to reach a younger, digitally-native demographic.

// A look at the VaynerMedia-led "pap walks" that put William Shatner in the news cycle weeks before the ad aired, proving that the Super Bowl is now an "ecosystem of screens."

// How a massive company like WK Kellogg Co remains agile enough to execute social-first stunts that feel authentic and timely.

// JP’s advice for Millennial and Gen Z marketers on the one "non-textbook" skill required to manage iconic household names in 2026.

Connect with JP: LinkedIn

Watch the Campaign: YouTube

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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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 workflows that empower teams rather than draining them. We explore how to maintain high-quality storytelling in an era of 3-second attention spans and why the "move fast and break things" mentality might actually be breaking your brand's reputation. Whether you’re a solo creator or leading a massive department, Eric’s "hill to die on" for 2026 will change how you view every piece of content in your library.

Key Takeaways:

// Social as Brand Identity: Why treating your social channels as a distribution arm for other departments is a mistake—and how to pivot back to brand-first marketing.

// The "Stickiness" Factor: What separates the brands that own the cultural conversation from those that are just adding to the noise of the scroll.

// Workflow = Quality: How optimizing your internal creative process actually yields better creative results, not just faster ones.

// Short-Form Storytelling: Strategies for balancing the need for speed with the rising consumer expectation for high-production value and authentic narrative.

Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Discover Slate: Website

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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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 Icons" ad, revealing a fascinating disconnect between Gen Z’s emotional response and their brand recall. We also tackle a glaring missed opportunity in the industry: why women influence 85% of household spending but are still underrepresented in Big Game creative. If you’ve ever wondered why trying to appeal to "everyone" is a recipe for a marketing flop, this data-heavy deep dive is for you.

Key Takeaways:

// Entertainment vs. Sales Impact: Why an ad that "wins" the social media conversation often fails to drive short-term purchase behavior—and how to measure the difference.

// The Gen Z Brand Recall Gap: An analysis of why younger audiences (under 36) loved Budweiser’s 2026 ad but struggled to remember the brand, and what that means for your creative strategy.

// The Power of Icons: Why the Clydesdales and the American Bald Eagle drove Budweiser into the 88th percentile for sales impact among older demographics.

// The "Female Influence" Arbitrage: Women make up nearly half the NFL audience and control $31 trillion in spending; Nataly explains why giving them only 1/3 of the "speaking time" in ads is a massive strategic error.

// The Failure of "Universal" Appeal: Why the most successful ads are those that speak clearly to a defined segment rather than diluting the message to please everyone.

// Emotional Peaks and Troughs: How using recognizable music and "timeless" storytelling creates the engagement necessary to keep viewers from tuning out.

Connect with Nataly: LinkedIn

Zappi Super Bowl Study, Live Beginning 02/09: The Study

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Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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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 deep into the transition from a high-energy brand launch to the sustainable "brand-building" phase, exploring how BERO stays agile while scaling globally. From the strategic selection of experiential activations to the power of community panels in a crowded market, Jackie shares her 11+ years of expertise on how to turn a culturally relevant trend into a lasting premium brand.

Key Takeaways:

// The Dry January Timeline: Why planning for the non-alc industry’s biggest month starts months in advance and how to execute a campaign-level strategy that cuts through the noise.

// Post-Launch Evolution: How to pivot your marketing strategy once the initial "newness" wears off and focus on long-term optimization.

// Agility in Leadership: Jackie’s secrets to keeping a marketing team motivated and nimble during the shift from "launch mode" to "growth mode."

// The Experiential Filter: A look at BERO’s 2025 strategy and the specific criteria used to decide which events are worth the investment.

// Credibility via Community: How to use panels and community-building to establish trust and authority as a newcomer in a highly competitive CPG category.

// Translating Trends: How to identify cultural shifts and turn them into compelling brand expressions that drive actual conversion.

Connect with Jackie: LinkedIn

Learn more about BERO: Website

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

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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 stop chasing reach and start building relationships that actually last. Whether you’re creating content, leading a brand, or thinking about community in 2026 and beyond, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, visibility, and showing up online.

Key Takeaways:

// Community starts with trust, not platforms or tactics — strategy comes before tools.

// Video works when it’s human, not overproduced or performance-driven.

// Connection requires intention — reach alone doesn’t build loyalty.

// Brands earn trust by showing up consistently, transparently, and with real value.

Connect with Kendall: LinkedIn

Learn more about Riverside: Website

____

Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective

Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠

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