Special Sauce

Kristine Segrist got her start writing meta tags for SEO at a small St. Louis agency (probably not exactly the Don Draper copywriter role one might envision), but that humble beginning opened doors she couldn't have imagined. From there, she spent over a decade building digital practices at WPP, before heading to Meta for nearly seven years where she rose through roles spanning media, product marketing, and brand.Kristine joins the podcast to talk about why agencies are such a powerful training ground for operating with ambiguity, what working at a product-first company like Meta taught her about what marketing can and can't fix, the power of "listening until your ears bleed," and what drew her to Canva's mission of putting the power of creation into everyone's hands.Kristine and Jordan also explore whether AI will homogenize creativity or make the best creators even better -- and Kristine makes a case that it's both. They dig into how Canva uses Canva to run its own marketing, and they talk about approaches for having healthy conflict at work.

Kevin Wassong has spent his career chasing what’s next — often before the rest of the industry was even ready for it. From television to entertainment to digital and now AI, he has consistently built at the edge of change.Kevin joins the podcast to talk about working on The Golden Girls during its final season (editor's note: best show ever), how early exposure to storytelling and technology shaped his instincts, and why he has always been drawn to building new things. He reflects on his time at Radical Media and J. Walter Thompson, the risks of building things too early, and the difference between the "bleeding edge" and the "leading edge."Jordan and Kevin also discuss timing, passion and why some problems are worth coming back to again and again. They close with a personal conversation about purpose, Sandy Hook Promise, and the belief that passion is the one thing you can’t buy.

Chrissie Hanson has built her career at the intersection of rigor and curiosity -- shaped early by growing up in Hong Kong, navigating multiple cultures, and learning how identity, discipline, and brands signal meaning long before she had language for any of it.Chrissie joins the podcast to talk about how those formative experiences influenced her leadership style, why discipline and follow-through matter more as careers progress, and how movement, routine, and self-awareness help her stay clear-headed in moments of pressure. She shares how exercise unlocks creativity, why agencies remain a uniquely energizing place to build a career, and what it takes to sustain momentum over decades in a demanding industry.Jordan and Chrissie also explore what makes agency life uniquely demanding and addictive, why technical fluency is essential for modern CEOs, and the responsibility leaders have to make others feel seen. Along the way, Chrissie reflects on mentors who helped her see her own strengths more clearly, the importance of making others feel seen, and why leadership is as much about generosity as it is about decision-making. They also talk about how winning agency of the year awards have much in common with restraunts attaining a coveted Michelin star.

Tim Castelli has built a career by repeatedly stepping away from what was comfortable in order to lean into what was coming next. From print to digital, from static to dynamic, and from content to commerce, he never sits still.Tim joins the podcast to talk about growing up as a studious kid in Weirton, West Virginia, what studying psychology at Duke taught him about sales and leadership, and why he believes the most important career moves often require going sideways or backwards in the short term. He reflects on his early years in print at Ziff Davis and Rolling Stone, his decision to leave publishing to get his “MBA in digital” at Google, and what it has been like learning entirely new languages like search, digital audio and retail media.Jordan and Tim also discuss his appreciation for "things that are true, but hard to understand," his mom's ultimatum back when he was still living at home, and how he had Pittsburgh Steelers royalty gathered at his kitchen table as a kid. He also goes on the record (sort of) by naming the best agency relationship leader he has ever worked with.

Katherine Naylor Pullman has had a big few years. She got married, became a mom, left her full-time job, and turned a side project into a fast-growing national community for women. As the founder and CEO of Our Third Place, she’s building something that sits somewhere between networking, friendship, and the modern search for belonging — and she’s doing it in a way that feels both deeply personal and surprisingly scalable.In this episode, Katherine talks about the identity shift that comes with new life chapters, the moment she realized all her job changes in her twenties were pointing toward entrepreneurship, and why authentic relationships - the kind that help you through both career decisions and pregnancy - are at the heart of her company.Jordan and Katherine get into what members are talking about at her dinners, how she's able to walk into any room, and why the best networking doesn’t feel like networking at all. It’s a conversation about confidence, community, and the power of showing up exactly as yourself (and letting that be more than enough).

Bob Lord has built his career helping companies navigate moments of profound change — from early automation on factory floors to digital transformation across media, technology, and marketing.Bob joins the podcast to talk about how past technology shifts reshaped entire industries, why removing mundane work is often what unlocks the most human value and why today’s AI moment feels familiar. He shares lessons from leading transformations at Razorfish, AOL, and IBM, and explains what it takes to drive change inside organizations at massive scale.Jordan and Bob discuss his family's tradition of welcoming in new members with a triathalon, why an agency client once told him she'd fire him if he opened a local office near their headquarters, how transformation only happens when "ideas get into the machine" and leaders "give hope for the future while painting reality," and what drew him back into the industry and his current role as President of Horizon Media.

Mike Romoff has built a career at the crossroads of community, technology, and commercial leadership — from early roles in ad tech and publishing to senior positions at LinkedIn and now Reddit, where he serves as Chief Revenue Officer. Known for his eclectic style and systems-driven mind, Mike has made a career out of bringing order to complexity.Mike joins the podcast to talk about his spirituality, a recent meeting with the Dalai Lama, and how raising a neurodiverse child reshaped his understanding of success, compassion and purpose. He and Jordan discuss the power of Reddit, why authenticity thrives in anonymity, and how the platform sits at the center of today’s AI revolution. They also discuss individuality in leadership and how to stay grounded: in work, in community, and in the moments that matter most.

Janet Balis has spent her career at the intersection of media, marketing, and transformation — from Time Warner and AOL to Martha Stewart Living, EY, and now BCG. A connector of people and ideas, she has helped shape how companies adapt to disruption, and how leaders think about influence, innovation, and purpose.Janet joins the podcast to talk about how AI mirrors the early days of digital, and why asking the right questions is more important than having the answers. She also opens up about friendship, resilience, and her long-running commitment to Cycle for Survival, the charity founded by her late friend Jennifer Goodman Linn.Jordan and Janet discuss what separates great leaders from merely good ones, the joy of constant reinvention, and how to stay connected — to ideas, to people, and to yourself — no matter what comes next.

Seb Tomich has helped redefine how legacy media evolves for the digital era. After early hustles selling Patagonia jackets in Boulder and sunglasses in New York, he found his footing at Forbes under the mentorship of Meredith Kopit Levien — who would later bring him to The New York Times, where he spent more than a decade driving digital transformation, building T Brand Studio, and shaping the company’s pivot from print to digital.Now as Chief Commercial Officer of The Athletic, Seb is leading the next evolution of sports media. He joins Jordan to talk about the lessons he has learned from Meredith, the long game of the Sulzberger family, and why brand endurance may be the ultimate advantage in a fleeting digital world. Seb also shares his unlikely blessing from the Dalai Lama, living in an RV in Jersey City, his transition into fatherhood, and the joy of building something that truly lasts.

Jacki Kelley’s career spans the full breadth of modern media — from the circulation department at USA Today to leadership roles at Yahoo, Martha Stewart, Bloomberg, Dentsu, and now Interpublic Group. Raised on a Colorado ranch, she learned early the values of discipline, empathy, and hard work that would define her approach to business and life.Jacki joins the podcast to talk about what it means to “become a beginner again,” the mentors who shaped her path, and her belief that “the quality of our relationships remains the most valued measure of our success.” She shares lessons from leaders like Wenda Harris-Millard, Martha Stewart, and Michael Bloomberg, and explains the “balcony to basement” leadership philosophy that guides how she manages both big vision and small details. Jacki also opens up about her family’s experience fostering more than 25 children — and how that journey has deepened her sense of purpose and perspective.

Rob Norman has spent decades helping to define the modern media industry. Starting as a media assistant in London, he rose to lead GroupM North America and later, as it's Global Chief Digital Officer, he traveled the world helping clients drive innovation during the rise of social, mobile and auction-based media. All along the way, he has helped shape the careers of many of today's industry leaders.Rob joins the podcast to talk about the genesis of holding companies and the difference between power and influence. He and Jordan discuss Rob's approach to mentoring, the satisfaction of being useful, his near-perfect New York Times Spelling Bee streak, and how a trip to Shea Stadium in 1986 turned him into a lifelong (and long-suffering) Mets fan. Jordan also asks Rob a burning question regarding his own career that he's been wondering about for amost 10 years.

Abbey Klaassen is the Global Brand President at Dentsu Creative, where she leads thousands of creative professionals around the world. Earlier in her career, she was at Advertising Age, where she rose from reporter to editor and associate publisher, before making the leap to the agency side at 360i.Abbey joins the podcast to talk about the risks of leaving journalism for advertising, what she learned from running new business pitches, which jobs she thinks she was not ready for when she got them, and why she believes AI can expand creativity as opposed to diminishing it. She and Jordan also discuss Abbey's Midwestern roots, her balance of right and left brain thinking, the value of being a "utility player," and the power of being a part of professional groups (Go French Bulldogs!).

Penry Price is a media and technology leader whose career has spanned publishing, ad tech, and some of the world’s most influential platforms. He’s held leadership roles at Rolling Stone, Us Weekly, Google, and LinkedIn, where he served as VP of Marketing Solutions for nearly a decade.Penry joins the podcast to talk about growing up in a Mad Men household, his family’s 800-person reunion, and what it was like to help Google and LinkedIn build multi-billion dollar ad businesses.He and Jordan discuss the influences of Tim Armstrong, Jeff Weiner and Satya Nadella, the question that a successful sales leader might have working at a major platform ("Is it me, or the brand?"), the rules he made for himself as the creator of his LinkedIn walk-and-talk videos, and the grand gesture he made to people in his life on the occasion of his 50th birthday.

Sarah Personette is a media industry leader who has worked at some of the most well known media brands over time: Facebook, Twitter, Starcom, Universal McCann and Refinery29.She is now the CEO at Puck, the media company covering the intersecting worlds of Silicon Valley, Hollywood, Washington and Wall Street.Sarah joins the podcast to talk about her bold career ambitions growing up, how agencies provide the opportunity to emerging talent to lead teams at a young age, and what UM saw in her to make her their U.S. President when she was just 33 years old. She and Jordan discuss the difference between working at Facebook and Twitter, her background as an opera singer, and why being known for both toughness and kindness is important to her.

Lee Brown has been the Global Head of Advertising at Spotify for the last 5 years. Before that, he held senior revenue positions at Buzzfeed, Tumblr, Groupon, and Yahoo! He's been a leader at the largest digital properties, companies innovating in commerce and culture, and has done so with an energy and curiosity that's hard to match. Lee joins the podcast to talk about growing up in Kentucky, the experience of being the youngest child, the oldest child, and an only child — all in the space of one lifetime (it's true!), and his need to make a career pivot at just 23 years old.He shares his Dad's philosophy on 'working the hardest, even if you're not the smartest,' the aggressiveness it took to land accounts early in his career and how he is inherently motivated by risk. Lee and Jordan discuss Lee's ability to merchandise a business through experiences and aesthetics, and the power - and comfort - of having a strong network in business.A note to listeners, this conversation with Lee will be the the last episode until just after Labor Day. We'll be back then with fresh sauce."

Gurman Hundal leads MiQ, a programmatic media company that is beloved in the ad tech industry by its clients and partners. He started MiQ with his partner Lee Puri 15 years ago and the pair have since grown the business to 1,500 employees around the world.Gurman joins the podcast to talk about why he believes in operating with a long-term mindset, the reason he never took venture capital, the philosophy of "sell or be sold" that helps him and Lee make big decisions, and why he has no desire to ever have "an exit."He and Jordan discuss how to make big bets in an industry that is always evolving, including the company's recent roll out of new AI technology that MiQ believes will change programmatic media.

Robert Mads Anderson is one of the most accomplished mountaineers of his generation and has balanced those pursuits with a multi-decade run working at advertising agencies around the world. He joins the podcast to discuss the characteristics that climbers have in common, what he learned from experiencing tragedy early in his career, what it's like to stand on the summits of the highest peaks in the world, and why climbing Mount Everest is not the same as it used to be. Robert and Jordan talk about how he has carved out professional balance between his dual professions of advertising and climbing, and what the similarities are between leading expeditions and managing people. During their discussion, they reference a video of Robert leading clients up Mount Kilimanjaro last summer. That video can be found here: https://youtu.be/PhCEOy-jX6k.

Joy Robins has been working in the news business for almost 20 years. In her most recent 3 jobs, she has led the ad revenue teams at Quartz, The Washington Post and The New York Times. She joins the podcast to talk about what happens on the business side of a news org when a global news story breaks, the impact of technology on generations of news readers, and the people who have influenced her career. She and Jordan also discuss a moment that she'll never forget from the start of the invasion of Ukraine, growing up a few towns away from each other in New Jersey, and why it might (or might not) be appropriate to hang out in the parking lot of diners.

Jill Kelly has worked exclusively in advertising agencies for almost 30 years. First as a media buyer, famously as a successful Comms leader, and ultimately as an agency CEO over the last 3 years. She joins the podcast to talk about the inspiring story of her early childhood, the lessons she learned from her mom (spoiler alert: when you encounter challenges "don't get through it, go through it"), and what she learned from her bosses along the way. Jill and Jordan also discuss why Jill chooses the roles that she does, why she loves working at agencies, and her intensely competitive pumpkin carving habit.

Matt Derella is the VP of Marketing Solutions at LinkedIn, the team focused on serving the advertising industry. Prior to his current role, Matt spent many years at other major global platforms including Google and Twitter, where he rose to the job of Chief Customer Officer. He joins the podcast to talk about what he got out of his English education at Georgetown, the role he had at Google and why he left, and what made Twitter such a special place to work. He and Jordan also discuss why Matt is creating more online content these days, how he and his wife balance being working parents, and they talk about Bruce Springsteen. Listeners: when there's a Bruce connection, you can sleep easy (or not) knowing the topic will get air time.