The Influence Podcast

In the final episode of The Influence Podcast, Collision Edition, Tom and Keith are excited to welcome Toronto Mayor, John Tory.  With Collision Conference right around the corner, Tom and Keith sit down with the Mayor of North America's 4th largest city and discuss why Toronto was the perfect candidate for Collision Conference.  They also discuss Mayor Tory's vision for a post-pandemic Toronto- now the 3rd largest tech hub in North America and how conference's like Collision play a key role in supporting this thriving tech scene. Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode of The Influence Podcast, Collision Edition, Tom & Keith continue part 2 of The Digital Aspects of War with Chess Grandmaster and Political Activist Garry Kasparov.  The three discuss the pros and cons of cryptocurrency in today's digital-first society, and how it has become a new tool in war. While Kasparov may have successfully predicted Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine back in 2016, many were quick to scoff at him. Was the initial rejection of this prediction because no one believed Putin would do it? Or were people offended by his criticism of the policies of a certain popular President? Tune in to find out!Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the difference between disinformation and misinformation? How is social media controlled in Russia? What happens in a cyber war? Today’s very special guest answers these and more in The Influence Podcast, Collision Edition’s first-ever two part episode: The Digital Aspects of War. Tom & Keith sat down with Garry Kasparov, a former Chess Grandmaster Champion turned Political Activist and outspoken Putin critic.  Tune in as Garry discusses how Putin weaponized social media with the use of misinformation and how he predicted Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2016. Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does Influencer Marketing look like in 2022? Once a novelty in the world of social media marketing, Influencers and Influencer Marketing has evolved into a lucrative business model that is now ubiquitous across so many brands across many industries.  So what’s the difference between Influencer Marketing vs Content Creator Marketing? Anna Andersen is the Director of Influencer Marketing at Conde Nast, where she and her team work to marry the right influencer with the right advertising partner and the right publishing platform to deliver amazing results. Today on the podcast, Anna, Tom and Keith discuss how an Influencer has the potential to cross-over and become a true content creator and develop successful partnerships with global brands. Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to episode 3 of The Influence Podcast, Collision Edition! We're counting down the weeks until Collision Conference takes over Toronto for the fastest growing Tech conference in North America's fastest growing tech hubs!  Keith once read somewhere that "if Web 1.0 was "read" and Web 2.0 was "write" then Web 3.0 is "own", where users can collectively take ownership of their presence and assets on the internet." If that's still confusing to you, don't worry, today's guest is a mega-leader in the world of Web 3.0. Holly Zheng is the President and CEO of Blue Focus, a marketing technology company that runs on the inner workings of big data and social networks. On today's show, Tom and Keith sit down with Holly to better understand the shift from Web 2.0 into Web 3.0 and discuss its impact on businesses across diverse sectors and how they can position themselves to thrive in a Web 3.0 environment. Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does sustainability look like for the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe? When you’re Peter Koerte, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategy Officer for Siemens you recognize it’s about innovation, which is achieved when you combine invention with commercialization.  Today in episode 2 of The Influence Podcast, Collision Edition, Tom and Keith sit down with Peter and discuss his unique role at Siemens, how they are prioritizing sustainability through a number of diverse initiatives and what he thinks will make Digital Transformation successful in the future.  Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back, Michele Romanow! The Co-Founder and CEO of Clearco, is back on The Influence Podcast before she takes the main stage at Collision on June 22nd talking about “Why Canada is ready to take on the Tech world”. Today, Tom, Keith and Michele discuss how her company, Clearco, has become the world’s largest e-commerce investor and its recent launch of a European scout program.  The three also discuss her approach to fundraising as well as the steady growth we’re seeing in Canada’s start-up ecosystem.Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rick Campanelli - a man who likely doesn’t need a single introduction when you hear his name or see him walk into a room, especially if you’re a Canadian millennial. Rick - once known as "Rick the Temp" during his Much Music days, is a Canadian media personality who’s career has certainly evolved with the times. From traditional broadcast media interviewing the biggest international artists and hosting the country's leading entertainment shows, to a full-fledged multimedia media personality that’s successfully extended his brand and business on social media. When it come to the evolution of the media personality, Rick’s career is the perfect case study. We recently sat down to discuss the changing media landscape, the skills required of content producers today compared to television broadcasters in the past, and what it takes to gain longevity and sustainability as a media personality. Lots of great tips from smart, humble and kind man - hope you enjoy.Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the Metaverse and what does it mean for Marketers? Today's guest on The Influence Podcast discusses VR, its business applications, and so much more. Sean Evans is a Founder, Producer and Executive Producer in the VR space and today we dive into all things Metaverse, and how AI and VR will continue to transform the digital marketing space. Check it out! Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a question for you... If you followed your dreams, worked for years, and eventually landed your dream job - could you walk away if you started to feel it was dis-empowering you? That’s what Kelly Linehan did, in what seemed an abrupt departure for millions of fans that tuned into Toronto’s Breaking News source CP24. She landed a coveted reporter and anchor job in 2018 and left amidst the pandemic in 2020. On today's episode, Kelly Linehan joins us to talk about her departure from CP24, the challenges of being a reporter, facts versus misinformation, the evolution of news from broadcast to digital, and we discuss whether the traditional newsroom will exist in the future. We also learn about Kelly's next adventure, which is a production company called Fool Card Productions. Without further ado, here’s our conversation about the state of media, and where it is headed, with Kelly Linehan. Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been a shift taking place in social media over the last number of years. Surely you have felt it. We have been shifting from novelty and glamour to hard hitting societal issues that are forcing tough discussions. One of the first shifts in the conversation was the Me Too movement in 2017, followed by Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and indigenous reconciliation, and more. Along the way, we have seen societal change and progress driven by the power of communities coming together for united advocacy. Now there are two ways of looking at this. On one hand, these matters are creating progress and accountability. On the other hand, we are becoming more divided, stubborn, and angry as people engage in an online food fight which is amplified by misinformation. It is a tricky time, and there is no one better to unpack these complex topics than Raia Carey, also known as Coach Carey. Raia is a 3x Certified Life Coach and motivational speaker, who has amazing advice to help with confidence, self love and pursuing equality. In today's discussion we talk about social media activism, cancel culture, and calling people in - versus calling them out. Enjoy.Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Influence Podcast host, Tom Yawney, and @nfluenceagency's Eli Vieau break down and recap the first half of the season, and tee up some of the most exciting topics and discussions coming up in the second half! In this episode we discuss social media algorithms, creator and brand partnerships, the role of journalism and news, cancel culture, and more! Check it out now - and if you've missed any episodes, consider now the time to check them out and subscribe! Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 It’s one thing to prioritize diversity and inclusion behind the scenes, but it’s another to do so successfully in each and every consumer-facing marketing campaign to ensure that it’s culturally appropriate and accurately representative of cultures you’re looking to strike a chord with. Diversity and inclusion in the stories we tell and the faces we see has never been more important, and marketers must keep up to create deeper connections with their target consumers and make them feel understood. On today's episode, we sit down with Salma Dhanani - the Senior Manager of Inclusion and Belonging at Sephora Canada. Interesting title isn’t it? We’ll learn more about what Salma’s role entails, how Sephora Canada has become a leader in championing diversity through fair representation, and the responsibility those in marketing have in promoting diversity and equity. It was a conversation that gave me a few lightbulb moments as a marketer myself and I hope it does the same for you. Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is a question you may have pondered. How much do influencers actually make? It's a question that our agency receives all the time from rising creatives in the influencer marketing space, and brands who are trying to plan their media budgets. According to entrepreneur.com, the influencer marketing industry is expected to reach a value of 13.8 billion dollars by the end of 2021. But what makes this avenue such a successful one in marketing as a whole? Joining us today to explore these very questions and the rise of influencer marketing across digital channels - the founders of Shine Talent Group, Jess Hunichen and Emily Ward! This is the TIA podcast.Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since March of 2020, the economic impact on the events industry has been severe - which is probably the understatement of the year. Definitive numbers are unknown but according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, events were expected to generate approximately $105 billion dollars in direct and indirect spending in the year 2020 - but due to in person events coming to a screeching halt from the pandemic, the number dipped to 24 billion dollars. As travel and in-person meeting slowly returns back to a place of normalcy, the biggest technology conference in the world, Web Summit, is rolling the dice by returning to Lisbon in November 2021 and inviting attendees to join in on the action. And joining us today to talk about the road to events recovery, Keith Wallace, the General Manager of Collision, one of Web Summit’s most successful properties - which is also known as North America’s fastest growing tech conference.Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might know today's guest as the internet’s favourite dad or better yet, Brittlestar, also known as Stewart Reynolds. Hundreds of thousands of people tune in to watch Stewart’s videos every week - over 600 million views across his platforms to date! From politics, to vaccines, Black Friday deals to breaking down the meaning of WAP to parents - Stewart’s wit, humour, and satirical talents have made him a staple in the influencer marketing space. On this episode, Stewart joins us to talk about the evolution of the Influencer economy, tackling major social issues through social media, the anatomy of a great brand partnership.Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has truly never been a more accessible time to create and produce content than today. The rapid evolution of technology has allowed anyone with access to a cell phone to produce content, share & distribute stories at a global scale, turn strangers into engaged followers, and build community - all while making money in ways that simply were not possible a short time ago. But considering the speed at which we are evolving, where is content and technology headed? There is no one better to dissect this question than Amber Mac. A tech guru, keynote speaker, bestselling author, co-host of the podcast series 'Marketing Disrupted', and quite an inspiring individual. In today's episode, we talk about the evolution of social media and content production, emerging technologies, and what protections or regulations may be needed in the future to protect the public from mis-information. Please enjoy our discussion on evolving technology, and the future of marketingSupport the show: https://www.instagram.com/nfluenceagency/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.