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Kara Gildone (VP, Management Supervisor) talks to us about her calling as an account manager, facing cancer head on, being a regular blood donor, and throwing Jesse into the fire (for his own good).

Episode Credits:

Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco

Co-Host: Derek Oyen

Producer: Michael Nichols

Theme song: David Bemer

Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Nico Sibikowski was in Cleveland, so we pulled him out of the hallway and into the studio to talk about engineering, archery, gaming and what exactly does a Business Analyst do?

Episode Credits:

Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco

Co-Host: Derek Oyen

Producer: Michael Nichols

Theme song: David Bemer

Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Edwige Winans tells us about her journey from France to the U.S. and her indirect path to leading Marcus Thomas's Research team, including a teaching gig at an Orthodox Jewish high school.

Episode Credits:

Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco

Co-Host: Derek Oyen

Producer: Michael Nichols

Theme song: David Bemer

Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We kick of Season Two with John Kalucis in the studio to describe his brief journey from MT intern to Operations Manager, being fluent in both English and Excel, and his love for shoes and diet soda. And, yes, he is that much of a Buckeye fan.

Episode Credits:

Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco

Co-Host: Derek Oyen

Producer: Michael Nichols

Theme song: David Bemer

Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We finally get CTO Ian Verschuren to sit down with us to talk about his love of pinball, his need to tinker, and his winding path to Marcus Thomas.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Associate Creative Director and MT boomerang Brandi Papania tells us about her travels in between stints at Marcus Thomas, birding, scuba diving, and her experience with improv.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Juan Garcia drops into our Cleveland studio to share stories from his twenty years with our Buenos Aires office and an epic battle with a claw machine on Osaka.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Leandro Filipczyk puts away his keyboard to talk about werewolves, using 1980s movies to learn English, and his knack for fixing just about anything.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

The tables are turned as Jesse and guest co-host Mel Clark talk to Derek Oyen about his adventurous life both in and outside of Marcus Thomas.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Melissa Clark Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

King Hill talks about his journey from a kid in the Cleveland Public Schools to leading a digital marketing agency, highlighting the importance of family in all its forms.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Nancy Hill takes time out of her very busy schedule to talk to us about her impressive career, what it was like becoming CEO during the pandemic, and what she expects for the future of our industry.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Although he prefers the outdoors, custodian Rob Novisky stops by the studio to talk about why he still loves coming into the office, the many lessons he’s learned from his dad, and the ways in which his role touches every discipline at MT. 

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Seth Klein takes some time away from media buying to talk to us about movies, musicals, and that one time under a bridge in Florida.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Is your timesheet done? Senior Account Manager Audrey Safford describes her her pivot to accounting and her lifelong passion for music.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Raf Rivilla, Gabi Sergi and Dani Heacox return to the studio for this special episode. We're celebrating Pride month, and Raf, Gabi and Dani are here to share some of their experiences as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Mel shares with us what it was like to start her Account Supervisor career at Marcus Thomas (on the same day as Jesse), leave to work in the entertainment industry, and boomerang back.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

The always colorful Dani Heacox chats with us about cosplay, her thirst for knowledge and where babies come from.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We sit with Jimmy Sollish as he reflects on his career as an Executive Creative Director, his love/hate relationship with advertising and that one time he may have appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show. 

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We welcome José D’Windt to the studio, where he shares stories about playing in a Ska Punk band, transplanting his family from Venezuela to Argentina, and what it was like being Marcus Thomas’s first official employee in Buenos Aires.

Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We talk with Hunter Carr about the challenges of being Senior Art Director, writing six-second scripts, and keeping up with the cultural zeitgeist.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Former Chief Client Officer Mark Bachmann looks back on 30 years with the agency and ponders what comes next.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Alison Clark talks to us about a close call with The Bachelor and filling some big shoes as Chief Client Officer.Full transcript available.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Joy Smith talks about her rise from PR intern to Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and what it means to have been Joy Marie Smith since October of 1994.Full transcript available.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFrancoCo-Host: Derek OyenProducer: Michael NicholsTheme song: David BemerSponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Gabi Sergi chats with us about jumping out of airplanes, Thanksgiving traditions, and her love-hate relationship with math.Full transcript is available.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Lori Myers shares her infectious laugh as she flashes her Brand Police badge and chats with us about designing direct-to-video DVD covers and being a new mom in the post-Covid era.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Raf Rivilla riffs on spinning tracks, owning a bar, and that side thing he does as Chief Media Officer.Full transcript is available.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We chat with David Rubin from Svoboda Capital about how not all private equity firms are evil empires.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

We take a deep dive with Eric Holman into celebrity encounters and finding creative inspiration.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC.

We sit down with Pato Sapir to discuss his journey from Argentina to Ohio, running a marketing automation business, and the importance of a World Cup trophy.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

Stephanie Burris describes her journey to Executive Creative Director and explains why it’s rude to not ask questions.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsor: Marcus Thomas LLC

In our conversation with Stephanie Recktenwald we discuss what it takes to be a producer and what it's like to beat your idol in your favorite sport.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsored: Marcus Thomas LLC

We talk with John Booth about his experience as a writer and his poor decision-making skills.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsored: Marcus Thomas LLC

A brief conversation with Bailey Purpura about social media and influencer marketing and her one-time goal of being a Disney Cruise dancer.Episode Credits: Co-Host: Jesse DiFranco Co-Host: Derek Oyen Producer: Michael Nichols Theme song: David Bemer Sponsored: Marcus Thomas LLC