In The Business Of Something – Details, episodes & analysis

On this special "State of the Industry" episode of In The Business of Something, we dive into the forces shaping the marketing industry for 2025. We are joined by four incredible voices offering diverse perspectives and insights:

• Heather Thompson, Vice President of Strategy, Research, and Engagement at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, discusses the economic slowdown's impact on businesses and consumers.
• Rob Jennings - Founder & CEO of FKA, discusses how economic pressures reshape client strategies and creative execution.
• Robyn Dawson, Media Director at Kick Media, highlights the challenges of tighter budgets and the value of local media.
• Sarah Paterson, a recent NAIT Marketing graduate and ACE volunteer, shares her journey entering a competitive and limited job market.

Together, we explore key challenges, opportunities, and trends, from navigating affordability and demand generation to the evolving dynamics of labour and media buying. Tune in for actionable insights and a well-rounded look at what lies ahead next year for our industry.

On this episode of In The Business Of Something, we dive into the world of video production with Colleen Nuc and Amy McBain, the dynamic duo that fuels Hoopla, scrappy production studio making waves here in Edmonton. We get right into how Colleen started Hoopla looking for more creative opportunity, and eventually brought on Amy. The two of them have carved out a niche in the industry thanks to their creativity, passion, and knack for storytelling. 

From navigating early career challenges to landing big-deal city projects that went viral, Colleen and Amy share insights into their creative process, their recent ventures like self-produced International Women's Day projects, and their aspirations for tackling bigger, bolder productions in the future. 

Whether you're in the industry or simply love some Hoopla, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive in the world of video production.

Welcome back for another season of In The Business of Something! The podcast that demystifies the world of advertising and highlights the amazing people in the industry. 

We're excited to kick off the season with Nicola Pringle, an award-winning, locally revered Art Director from ZGM Modern Marketing Partners. Over the course of her career, Nicola has shaped countless brands and marketing campaigns through her incredible artistry and powerful ideas. 

In this episode, Nicola chats with Adam Rozenheart and Brooke Langmaid, from the ACE board, about her journey getting into the world of advertising - including all the big arm-pinching moments and lessons learned along the way. 

Welcome to In The Business of Something, the podcast where we demystify the world of advertising and highlight the unique stories of the people in our industry.

In today’s episode, we get into the business of Toni Benning who is wrapping up her degree at the University of Alberta. We spoke with Toni about:

• What it’s been like as a student in the last few years
• Her plans after graduation
• How the job search is going
• Navigating the pressures of graduating and beginning a career
• What are her career aspirations are

Events:

• Ad Club of Edmonton Events

Welcome to In The Business of Something, the podcast where we demystify the world of advertising and highlight the unique stories of the people in our industry.

In today’s episode, we get into the business of Jeff Cheung who is an award-winning creative. Jeff’s resume includes Ogilvy, Juniper Park, TBWA Vancouver, BBDO and most recently lg2 as Creative Director. He also was one of the judges for the upcoming ACE Awards! 

 We  talk with Jeff about:

• His first couple of years at lg2 
• Slackamole and life as a CD
• Building the Dominos brand by putting pizza over everything
• Snickers “Suit Swag” activation with the Toronto Raptors
• Staying true to yourself and embracing vulnerability
• His experience judging the ACE Awards and the creativity in Edmonton

Events:

• Party with the Ad Gods at the ACE Awards 

Welcome to In The Business of Something, the podcast where we demystify the world of advertising and highlight the unique stories of the people in our industry.

In today’s episode, we get into the business of Puneeta McBryan who is the Executive Director at Edmonton Downtown. We talk with Puneeta about:

• What exactly is a Business Improvement Area (BIA) and how does it intersect with marketing?
• Place brands and why Edmonton Downtown needed one
• The process of branding a place 
• Non-straightforward career paths in advertising 
• Boomer-free career planning advice 
• Embracing uncertainty and staying open to opportunity

Resources:

• Money Feels Podcast 
  • Episode 3: Timelines + Building Your ‘Ideal’ Life
  • Episode 6: The Monetization of Self
  • Episode 11: Setting Financial Goals 

Events:

• ACE Student Resume Building Workshop at DDB

In The Business Of: Cory Sellar

Welcome back for episode #5 of In The Business Of Something! ITBOS is a podcast brought to you by ACE to help introduce more people in Edmonton and beyond to the mysterious world of advertising. 

In this episode, Josh and Moh have the pleasure of talking to Cory Sellar who works at Edmonton Unlimited as a Marketing & Communications Specialist. Cory talks about how his current role is his dream role because it combines his passion for storytelling, video production, and the innovation and technology industry right here in Edmonton. But as you’ll hear from Cory, this role didn’t magically fall into his lap and was a result of years of honing his craft. It’s a testament to Cory’s ability to make the most out of any given situation and continuing to learn and grow as a result. Cory also shares great advice for students about the importance of being patient, following your passions, and navigating the sometimes harsh reality of the job application process. This is the perfect conversation if you’re needing a little inspiration and motivation - Cory is basically the human form of the hands clapping emoji.

Want to learn more about Cory? You can find him here:

Cory Sellar, Marketing and Communications Specialist: @sellarcast

Episodes are released bi-weekly. Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen and follow ACE on Instagram (@adclubedm), Facebook, Twitter (@adclubedm), or LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest episode releases and events. 

Welcome back for episode #4 of In The Business Of Something! ITBOS is a podcast brought to you by ACE to help introduce more people in Edmonton and beyond to the mysterious world of advertising. 

For this episode, ACE President Pablo is subbing in for Moh who was out sick. Josh and Pablo have the pleasure of talking to Mark Watson for an all FKA episode. Mark tells us about his role as a digital designer and what exactly goes into designing things on screens like websites, animated videos, and display ads. We learn about industry terms like UX and UI, the importance of work-life balance, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the power of the continued pursuit of learning. This is a fun conversation you definitely don’t want to miss out on! 

Want to learn more about Mark? You can find him here:

Mark Watson, Digital Design Lead: @markkwatsonn

Episodes are released bi-weekly. Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen and follow ACE on Instagram (@adclubedm), Facebook, Twitter (@adclubedm), or LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest episode releases and events. 

Welcome back for episode #3 of In The Business Of Something! ITBOS is a podcast brought to you by ACE to help introduce more people in Edmonton and beyond to the dynamic world of advertising and all its career paths. 

In this episode, Josh and Moh have the pleasure of meeting Katie Fitzgerald. Katie tells us about her dynamic role at Jobber, one of Edmonton’s proudest tech startups. We also get to hear about Katie’s winding path to where she is now and what she attributes her success so far. 

So if you want to learn more about a career path with a lot of variety and the occasional viral TikTok, give it a listen! 

Want to learn more about Katie? You can find her here:

Katie Fitzgerald, Social Media Strategist: @katiefitzy

Episodes are released bi-weekly. Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen and follow ACE on Instagram (@adclubedm), Facebook, Twitter (@adclubedm), or LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest episode releases and events. 

Welcome back for episode #2 of In The Business Of Something! ITBOS is a podcast brought to you by ACE to help introduce more people in Edmonton and beyond to the mysterious world of advertising. 

On this episode, Josh and Moh sit down with an old friend. Sarah tells us about her first year at her new job! We also dive deep into how and why Sarah moved from agency-side to client-side and how that impacted her perception of the industry. 

Want to learn more about Sarah? You can find her here:
Sarah Brodie, Growth Marketing Specialist: @sarahlengie

Episodes are released bi-weekly. Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen and follow ACE on Instagram (@adclubedm), Facebook, Twitter (@adclubedm), or LinkedIn to stay up to date with the latest episode releases and events.