Educated Spaghetti: Marketing Ideas That Stick – Details, episodes & analysis

Ever wonder why some marketers thrive in law firms while others crash and burn? 

In this episode of Educated Spaghetti: Marketing Ideas That Stick, Lise Anne Schwartz and Roy Sexton, Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder, dish up ideas on building consensus for professional services marketing projects. They discuss the biggest mistakes of would-be consensus leaders, why Roy loves the word “pilot,” and his surprising take on creating lasting agreement. Plus, Roy shares his favorite resource and secret sauce for getting people to support a new project. 
 
In this episode:  

• (00:00) The number one thing holding companies back 

• (05:05) Childhood experiences that shaped a consensus builder 

• (10:26) Pilot strategy that turns law firm skeptics into advocates 

• (17:41) When to proceed without consensus (and how to do it safely) 

• (23:54) Why trying to leave a legacy guarantees you won't 

• (32:06) Roy's secret sauce: listen more than you talk 

About the Host 
Lise Anne Schwartz is an experienced brand strategist and writer known for creating authentic, original work that audiences remember. With 20 years in professional services marketing, she brings a unique blend of perspectives as a former lawyer, journalist, copywriter, and pastry chef. Her strong focus on storytelling and user-driven communications, combined with skills in surfacing key insights from stakeholder and audience interviews, makes her exceptional at bringing complex ideas to life. Having conducted over 100 buyer interviews and earned degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia Law School, Lise Anne regularly writes on professional marketing topics. 
 
About Right Hat  
Right Hat is a marketing and design partner driven by curiosity, courage, and optimism to help clients take their communications to new heights. Specializing in communicating the value of complex, intangible offerings like professional services, education, and tech solutions, they serve as brand strategists, website designers, creators of sales tools, and extensions of in-house teams. Through deep industry knowledge and determination to push past the ordinary, Right Hat combines design, content, and digital strategies to bring powerful brands to life with fresh ideas that help clients stand out in crowded markets. 

Resources 
Roy Sexton LinkedIn 
Lise Ann Schwartz LinkedIn 
Righthat.com 

Ever wonder why some marketers thrive in law firms while others crash and burn? 

Brand strategist Lise Anne Schwartz welcomes Alessandra Almeida Jones, Global Chief Marketing Officer at international law firm BCLP, where she leads marketing across 21 countries. Drawing from experience at Baker McKenzie, Gensler, and other multinational organizations, Allie challenges the notion that "global" marketing truly exists. She reveals how BCLP's post-merger brand work succeeded by ensuring everyone could "see themselves in it"—achieving buy-in across diverse markets. "If it's important to them, you need to pay attention," Allie explains about working with local partners to balance global consistency with regional relevance. 
 
In this episode:  

• (00:00) Why global marketing doesn't actually exist 

• (02:10) How working with a global team differs from local marketing 

• (04:02) Building internal networks that give you eyes and ears everywhere 

• (06:20) The BCLP merger: creating a brand everyone could recognize themselves in 

• (11:24) Why some lawyers say they don't care about brand (but actually do) 

• (14:21) The biggest challenge: trying to get everyone to agree on everything 

• (16:20) How enduring client relationships became BCLP's differentiator 

• (22:02) The biggest mistake people make about marketing globally 

• (26:53) Secret sauce: empathy, curiosity, and building relationships with humility 

About the Host 
Lise Anne Schwartz is an experienced brand strategist and writer known for creating authentic, original work that audiences remember. With 20 years in professional services marketing, she brings a unique blend of perspectives as a former lawyer, journalist, copywriter, and pastry chef. Her strong focus on storytelling and user-driven communications, combined with skills in surfacing key insights from stakeholder and audience interviews, makes her exceptional at bringing complex ideas to life. Having conducted over 100 buyer interviews and earned degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia Law School, Lise Anne regularly writes on professional marketing topics. 
 
About Right Hat   
Right Hat is a marketing and design partner driven by curiosity, courage, and optimism to help clients take their communications to new heights. Specializing in communicating the value of complex, intangible offerings like professional services, education, and tech solutions, they serve as brand strategists, website designers, creators of sales tools, and extensions of in-house teams. Through deep industry knowledge and determination to push past the ordinary, Right Hat combines design, content, and digital strategies to bring powerful brands to life with fresh ideas that help clients stand out in crowded markets. 

Resources 
Alessandra Almeida Jones LinkedIn 
Lise Ann Schwartz LinkedIn 
Righthat.com 

In this episode, find out the meaning behind our unusual name, and get a taste of what professional services marketers will find at the Educated Spaghetti table. Host Lise Anne Schwartz, Brand Strategist at Right Hat, introduces herself and previews her goals for the podcast and its guests.