This week, I sat down with Alex Ferzan, co-founder of Manojo Mezcal and founder of ZADDY, creative agitator, and the definition of a career shapeshifter, from the late-90s punk scene to managing bands, to building culture-shifting brands that go way beyond hype.We get into the real story behind how someone who once toured with hardcore bands ended up helping create some of the most irreverent, unforgettable brand voices in the last decade. Alex breaks down the chaos, luck, timing, and intuition behind building businesses that actually hit, including the wild early days of BABE Wine and what it really takes to create a brand with momentum (hint: it’s not perfection, it’s punk energy).We talk scrappiness, culture-making, why marketing is “bullshit” but also the whole game, and how to know when you’ve hit that strategic moment where a brand is ready for its next level. Plus, Alex shares the story behind Manojo Mezcal; from Oaxacan lore to thoughtful design decisions, to partnering with world-renowned chef Enrique Olvera to build something that stays true to place, people, and craft.If you're building a brand, dreaming about your next product, or trying to figure out how the hell to make noise in a crowded space, this episode is stacked with insight you can actually apply.Tune in for stories about creative risk, real brand building, entrepreneurship that doesn’t look like a LinkedIn post, and why the best ideas usually start with a little chaos.📲 Follow Alex:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderferzan/📲 Check out Manojo Mezcal:Website: https://manojomezcal.com/📲 Check out ZADDY:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zaddy-llc/Website: https://www.zaddy.net/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Patrick Coyne, founder and chief executive of Laoban Dumplings, for a conversation that reminds you why some brands just hit differently. From teaching English in China to running dumpling shops in D.C. to building one of the most exciting frozen food brands in the country, Patrick’s journey is proof that authenticity travels, even into the freezer aisle.We get into how Laoban went from brick and mortar to CPG during the pandemic, with Patrick and his team hand-packing dumplings and delivering them to local stores, often with the brand’s mascot, Rollie the Chief Dough Officer, riding shotgun and controlling the music.Patrick breaks down his philosophy on hospitality and why frozen food deserves the same level of care as a restaurant experience. From packaging and cooking instructions to emotional branding and clarity of communication, every detail is intentional. He also shares how the team uses kids’ reactions to Rollie, retailer feedback, and product testing to shape the future of the brand.We talked about the whitespace in frozen Asian food, why the category has not evolved in decades, and how Laoban plans to change that with items like scallion pancakes, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, bao, and of course dumplings. Patrick also opens up about hard decisions, like pulling a product launch from Whole Foods until it met their standards — a choice that led to an even stronger partnership and their successful bao rollout.If you love brand building, hospitality, food culture, or founder stories that do not take themselves too seriously, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and plenty of Rollie energy.📲 Follow Patrick:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-patrick-coyne/📲 Check out Laoban:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laoban-dumplings/Website: https://laobandumplings.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Erin Meskers, Director of Brand at Brami, to talk about what it really means to build a food brand people feel connected to, not just buy from.We cover brand building, community, and the kind of marketing that makes people slow down and care. Erin shares how her work at Supergoop, Aviva, and Cadence shaped her approach to storytelling, and how those lessons now guide Brami’s mission to bring Italy’s food culture to the U.S.We get into everything from educating customers about lupini beans and building loyalty through authenticity, to launching at Costco and learning how to scale without losing soul. Plus, Erin opens up about her journey across brand, growth, and retail, and why empathy, curiosity, and care are at the center of every campaign she leads.If you’re in the business of brand storytelling, community, or CPG growth, this episode will remind you that real connection always wins.Listen now for insight on marketing, brand experience, and what it takes to create a lifestyle around your product, one that’s built on purpose, not pressure.Brami is currently hosting community events across the U.S., in New York, Seattle, Chicago, San Diego, and Atlanta.If you live in one of these cities, DM Erin or Brami to join one of their upcoming experiences.📲 Follow Erin:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmeskers/📲 Check out Brami:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brami/Website: https://enjoybrami.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Sydney Chestler, Director of CX at Fresh Clean Threads, to talk about what it really takes to build trust in customer experience, not just close tickets.We get into what it means to lead CX at two wildly different brands, from helping a 25-year-old skincare fan find her first serum to supporting a 45-year-old dad buying tees for vacation. Sydney shares how she’s built a career around understanding what customers actually care about and how to design experiences that feel human, honest, and clear.We cover the shift from reactive support to proactive CX, the importance of tracking “silent wins” like low ticket-to-order ratios, and why transparency should be your brand’s default setting. Sydney breaks down why the best metric isn’t how many tickets your team closes, it’s how many you prevent by setting the right expectations.We also talk about leadership. Sydney opens up about how mentors shaped her career and how she now pays it forward by building teams that feel heard, supported, and empowered. Her approach is rooted in empathy and connection, and it shows up in everything she does, from team culture to how she thinks about the customer journey.If you care about building trust, leading with transparency, and empowering your CX teams to do their best work, this episode’s for you.Listen now for insights on leadership, trust, and how to turn every touchpoint into a relationship, not just a transaction.📲 Follow Sydney:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneychestler/📲 Check out Fresh Clean Threads:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fresh-clean-threads/ Website: https://freshcleantees.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Rachel Coburn, a fractional marketing leader who’s worked with some of the biggest names in health and wellness, including AG1 and Happy V, to talk about what it really takes to build brands that last beyond the hype.We cover growth, brand strategy, and what happens when the pursuit of “acquisition at all costs” starts eroding trust. Rachel brings the kind of honesty and experience that every marketer needs to hear, because she’s been on both sides of the equation. From running performance channels to building full marketing ecosystems, her perspective hits hard: retention starts at acquisition, and brand equity starts with truth.Rachel opens up about why the DTC space has lost some of its transparency and how brands can get it back. We talk about the balance between performance and authenticity, why marketing ops deserve way more credit than they get, and how to keep growth and retention teams working together instead of in silos. She also shares her advice for early-stage founders, from who to hire first to why you should bring a CX expert into the conversation before launch, not after.We also dig into creativity and process, two things Rachel refuses to separate. She calls herself a “process freak,” but it’s her eye for brand storytelling and love of cinematic content that makes her stand out. Whether she’s talking about AI in marketing or the art of a well-crafted ad, Rachel’s take is clear: real connection always beats shortcuts.If you’re building a brand, leading a marketing team, or rethinking what growth should look like in 2025, this episode is packed with lessons you’ll actually want to use.📲 Follow Rachel:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelecoburn/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Tess Awal, CX Manager at Dr. Squatch — the men’s soap brand that turned natural hygiene into a full-blown lifestyle movement. If you’ve ever seen their cheeky ads or heard about their viral Sydney Sweeney “bathwater” drop, you already know: Dr. Squatch knows how to make personality a growth strategy.We cover creativity, leadership, and what it really takes to build CX that keeps customers talking. Tess shares how her background in fashion photography and visual merchandising taught her the art of storytelling through experience, and why good CX is a lot like good design — it’s about knowing what makes people stop, look, and feel something.She talks about how Dr. Squatch keeps its humor while scaling into major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Costco, and what really went into the Sydney Sweeney campaign that broke the internet. Tess also shares why she believes “bad feedback” doesn’t exist when you care enough to listen, and how she ensures customer insights are front and center — even the company’s COO reads NPS reports every week. Finally, she explains what the Unilever acquisition means for the brand and why loyal fans have nothing to worry about.If you’re building a brand, leading a CX team, or figuring out how to stay human as you grow, this episode is packed with takeaways you can actually use. Listen now for lessons on creativity, brand voice, and why humor, empathy, and authenticity never go out of style.📲 Follow Tess:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasnuva-awal/📲 Check out Dr. Squatch:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-squatch/Website: https://www.drsquatch.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Lisa Yarrow, Senior Manager of Customer Experience at Everlane, to talk about how retail instincts are shaping the next era of digital CX.We get into what it means to bring empathy into analytics, why storytelling is the secret weapon for getting buy-in, and how the best customer insights do not come from dashboards. They come from people.Lisa shares her journey from the retail floor to leading CX at one of the most values-driven brands out there, and how Everlane’s thoughtful approach to sustainability, tone, and trust is changing the way teams connect with their customers.We also unpack what it takes to make data feel human, how to translate in-store experiences to e-commerce, and why loyalty is really about connection, not points or perks.If you are building a CX team, refining your brand’s voice, or just figuring out how to make your customer experience feel more human, this episode is packed with insights you can actually use.Listen now for takeaways on empathy, data storytelling, and how to bring heart back into digital experience.📲 Follow Lisa:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisayarrow/📲 Check out Everlane:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/everlane/Website: https://www.everlane.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Minou Clark, CEO of RealSelf, to talk about leadership, culture, and why creativity is the secret weapon in business. Minou’s journey is anything but traditional. From theater major to running digital growth at BuzzFeed, PopSugar, People, Yahoo, and Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media, before stepping into the CEO role at RealSelf.We cover entrepreneurship, digital strategy, and what it really means to lead with empathy. Minou shares how her theater background shaped her leadership style and built her emotional intelligence, and why she treats interns, CFOs, and board members exactly the same, holding radical transparency as her rule. She talks about rebranding RealSelf to modernize the experience while keeping its loyal community at the center, and why companies that resist change get left behind. We also dig into the gap between corporate excitement about AI and consumer distrust, and Minou’s long-term vision for RealSelf beyond aesthetics to include wellness, nutrition, and mental health.If you’re building a brand, leading a team, or just want to understand how empathy and bold change fuel real growth, this episode is packed with insights you can use. Listen now for lessons on leadership, digital growth, and why being authentic is the best strategy.📲 Follow Minou:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minouclark/📲 Check out RealSelf:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/realself-com/Website: https://www.realself.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Suze Dowling, Chief Business Officer and Co-Founder of Pattern, for a conversation about what it really takes to build brands that last. Suze has spent more than a decade helping companies launch, scale, and connect with customers in meaningful ways, and today Pattern is a family of seven home-focused brands built around one mission: making everyday life more joyful.We cover entrepreneurship, brand strategy, and the real lessons learned from building in the DTC space. Suze shares how she and her co-founders went from running a world-class branding agency to realizing the hard truth that building an operating business is a whole different challenge. She opens up about their biggest early mistake — creating their first brand for themselves instead of their customers — and why “direct with consumer” is the only way to win.We also get into why a brand is like a human being, with depth, layers, and personality that evolves over time, and why so many companies still get this wrong. Suze explains how product quality, customer education, and thoughtful retention strategies go hand-in-hand with building a strong brand. And she doesn’t shy away from the business side either, talking about margins, pricing, capital, and why most consumer founders should think twice before raising institutional funding.If you’re building a consumer brand, leading a team, or just curious about how to connect with customers in ways that actually last, this episode is packed with insights you can use right away.Listen now for lessons on brand building, customer experience, and why empathy and clarity will always beat hype.📲 Follow Suze:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzedowling/📲 Check out Pattern:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pattern-brands/Website: https://www.patternbrands.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week on Above The Fold, I sat down with Chef Rama Ginde to talk about building a food brand rooted in heritage, education, and flavor. Rama is a private chef, culinary educator, and co-founder of Satya Blends, a spice company created from family recipes with the goal of making Indian flavors approachable for every kitchen.We cover entrepreneurship, food culture, and what it really means to educate customers while building a CPG brand. Rama opens up about growing up between Puerto Rican and Indian cultures and how it shaped her love of food, launching Wannabe Chef as her first business and turning cooking lessons into a career that has lasted over 16 years, and creating Satya Blends with her mom, inspired by her grandmother’s cooking classes in Bombay. She also talks about the challenges of honoring tradition while making spices mainstream and easy to use, and why packaging, sampling, and constant education are the keys to building customer loyalty in CPG.If you’re building a food brand, leading a CPG startup, or just want to learn how heritage can shape customer experience, this episode is packed with practical insight you can actually use.Listen now for tips on CPG marketing, customer education, and why the best food brands are built on empathy and tradition.📲 Follow Rama:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rama-ginde-06222987/📲 Check out Satya Blends:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/satya-blends/Website: https://satyablends.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I went live at Subs Summit with my girl Ren Fuller-Wasserman, Senior Director of CX at Tushy, the brand that made bidets cool (and fun to talk about).We cover startup grit, customer obsession, and why CX is never just about support tickets. Ren gets real about:Her unlikely path into CX, starting in a call center and turning it into a career superpowerWhat it was like building Tushy’s CX team from scratch (and the wild stories that came with it)Why humor, empathy, and product knowledge are the not-so-secret sauce of customer retentionSubscription loyalty, cross-sell opportunities, and how to keep customers engaged after the first purchaseThe balance between automation, AI, and the very human work of talking about… well, poop 💩If you’re scaling a brand, leading a CX team, or just want to hear how to turn taboo topics into loyal customers, this episode is full of insight you can actually use.Listen now for tips on CX strategy, subscription retention, and why even bidets need great brand storytelling.📲 Follow Ren:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ren-fuller-wasserman-68709a52/📲 Check out Tushy:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tushy/Website: https://hellotushy.com/👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with my good friend Michael Bair, founder of Bair Consulting, to unpack what really separates good CX in B2B from the DTC playbook, and why both worlds have a lot to learn from each other.We cover B2B SaaS, enterprise customer success, DTC retention, and why too many brands still treat CX like an afterthought. Michael gets real about why B2B companies ignore brand at their own risk, what DTC can steal from SaaS (hint: product obsession), how subscription churn compares to six-figure SaaS contracts, the rise and overhype of AI in CX, and why empathy and product knowledge will always be the secret sauce of customer success.If you’re leading a CX team, building SaaS, or trying to scale a consumer brand, this episode is packed with hard-won insights from two people who’ve lived on both sides of the table.Listen now for the truth about B2B vs DTC CX, retention that actually works, and what “fractional” really means when you’re in the trenches with founders.📲 Follow Michael:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljbair/📲 Check out Bair Consulting:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bairconsulting/Website: bairconsulting.co👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with my mentee, Mackenzie Lukas, to talk about what it really means to put people first in customer experience. 💬✨We get into her unexpected career pivot from commercial real estate to CX, what she’s learned as Sr. Director of Customer & People Experience at Hormbles Chormbles 🍫, and why empathy will always beat efficiency 💛.Mackenzie shares how her team is building trust with customers through human interactions, why sampling is more than just a marketing play 🎁, and the lessons she’s carried from workplace culture into CX. We also talk about what it’s like to launch a brand in CPG without any prior industry experience, and why that can actually be a superpower 🚀.If you’re building a brand, leading a CX team, or just curious about what makes people feel truly cared for, this episode is packed with insights you can use right away. 🔑🎧 Listen now for takeaways on empathy, brand trust, and why CX deserves a seat at the table.📲 Follow Mackenzie:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenzielukas/📲 Check out Hormbles Chormbles:Instagram: @hormblesWebsite: hormbles.com👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week on Above the Fold, I sat down with Max Wallace, Director of CX at Tommy John, and Kara Randle, CX manager, to talk about what it really takes to scale a customer experience team without losing the human touch.We get into career pivots, building long-term team culture, and why “first response time” is not the CX metric you should be obsessing over. Max shares how he has kept Tommy John’s CX standards high through outsourcing and team growth, while Kara talks about the ongoing training and empowerment strategies that keep agents confident and customers loyal.We also cover the role of automation (and when it goes too far), how to make customer feedback actually influence product and marketing, and the hot take both of them have on CX as a driver of retention, not a cost center.If you lead a team, work in customer experience, or want to understand how brands keep customers coming back, this episode is full of insights you can use right now.🎧 Listen now for real talk on CX metrics, team building, and why great service is about more than speed.📲 Follow Max:Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/max-wallace📲 Follow Kara:Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kara-randle 📲 Check out Tommy John:Instagram: @tommyjohnwearWebsite: tommyjohn.com 👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Berk Bahceci, founder of Heraclea, to talk about what it actually looks like to build a product-led brand from scratch, without cutting corners.We talk about what it means to invest early (like, before a single sale), why he built a full production facility in Turkey instead of outsourcing, and how customer feedback led to one of Heraclea’s most important programs.Berk also shares why he’s not interested in being in 5,000 stores, how he’s onboarding farmers into his supply chain without sacrificing quality, and what it looks like to grow with intention when most CPG brands are sprinting to exit.If you’re building a product brand, growing DTC, or trying to stay values-aligned as you scale, this episode’s packed with takeaways you can actually use.🎧 Listen now to hear how Berk’s building Heraclea brick by brick and why Turkish olive oil is having its moment.📲 Follow Berk:Instagram: @mberkbahceciWebsite: linkedin.com/in/mberkbahceci/ 📲 Check out Heraclea:Instagram: @weareheracleaWebsite: heraclea.co 👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Lisa Nielsen, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Victoria Beckham, to talk about what brand building looks like behind the scenes at a luxury fashion house and why customer experience is more than a post-purchase email.We get into the real impact of handwritten notes (yes, real ink and paper), how to bring humanity into high-pressure digital roles, and why text marketing isn’t just for scrappy DTC brands anymore.Lisa also shares her take on lifecycle strategy in luxury, why empathy matters in leadership, and how VB is experimenting with resale, sustainability, and segmented CX all without losing brand integrity.If you’ve ever wondered how to scale without losing soul, or how to make your retention strategy feel more personal than automated, this one’s for you.🎧 Listen now for insights on loyalty, lifecycle, and building brands with staying power.📲 Follow Lisa:Instagram: @lisaroonielsenLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisanielsen414/ 📲 Check out Victoria Beckham: Website: international.victoriabeckham.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/victoriabeckham/ This episode is brought to you by Attentive 💛📲 Check out Attentive: Website: attentive.com Instagram: @attentivehq👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week, I sat down with Liz Ahern, former CMO of Chamberlain Coffee and current Founder of Brand 555 Marketing to talk about what actually drives brand longevity in a world full of creator launches and fast-moving CPG hype.We talk about why most brands lose sight of their customer, what “community” actually means (hint: it’s not just comments), and why a retail strategy needs a lot more than shelf space to work.Liz also breaks down the real role of a fractional CMO, what makes great packaging at retail, and why brands are getting community management completely wrong.If you’re building, scaling, or just wondering how to turn attention into long-term love, this episode’s got you.🎧 Listen now for insights on retail, retention, and building brands that stick around.📲 Follow Liz:Instagram: @lizaaaaayWebsite: linkedin.com/in/ecahern/📲 Check out Brand 555:Instagram: @brand555_marketingWebsite: brand555.com👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
This week on After Hours x Above the Fold, I sat down with CX specialist and Midwest dad extraordinaire, Larry Thoma.We got into what great CX looks like after the checkout page, how brands can use returns to build trust (not just process refunds), and why “dishwasher safe” is not a real instruction. Larry’s worked with brands like Yeti, Caraway, and See’s Candy, so he’s got receipts (and hot takes!).We talked about email touchpoints, refund timing, customer segmentation, and the wild world of return policies (Marine Layer, we’re looking at you). Plus, Larry’s take on what actually makes someone a loyal customer is one you’ll want to steal.If you’re in retention, CX, or just trying to stop losing customers in the post-purchase void, you’ll want to catch this one.🎧 Listen in for insights on retention, returns, and how to stop leaving money (and trust) on the table.📲 Follow Larry:Instagram: @lthoma1LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/larrythoma/📲 Check out parcelLab:: Website: parcellab.com/ Instagram: @parcellab👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon
✨ In this episode of Above the Fold, I sat down with Keri McGee, CMO of Attentive and a cx-to-marketing powerhouse, to talk about why good customer experience isn’t enough anymore—and what today’s best brands are doing to actually stand out. 📱💡📊 The real reason 97% of brand messaging still looks like 2013📦 How brands like UGG and OLLY are making omnichannel work—for real🤖 Why AI isn’t the enemy (and how it’s already outwriting your content calendar)📈 What orchestration looks like beyond just SMS and email🧠 How to use data smarter—even if you’re just getting started🛍️ What customer experience looks like in a mobile-first, AI-powered, “I want it now” world👉 Hit play for insights on personalization, retention, and what modern lifecycle marketing requires in 2025.📲 Follow Keri: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keri-mcghee/📲 Check out Attentive: Website: attentive.com Instagram: @attentivehq✨ Want More Like This?Subscribe for more founder stories, marketing insights, and behind-the-scenes action in the world of CPG, brand strategy, and customer experience!About Sunday PostcardsEnjoying the show? Keep the insights flowing by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies to help you unlock brand success. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community.👋 Connect with Jess: • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellon • Twitter: x.com/jesscervellon • Instagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon 👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on brand-building, customer experience, and business growth!#AboveTheFoldPodcast #CXStrategy #LifecycleMarketing #CustomerExperience #MarketingAI #BrandGrowth #RetentionMarketing #Attentive #SMSMarketing #MarketingPodcast #AICustomerExperience
This week, I sat down with the brilliant (and brilliantly humble) Jim Lee—President of Crunch Labs—to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that doesn’t just go viral, but sticks.We cover creator-led growth, product design that drives retention, the future of STEM education, and why customer experience starts way before someone hits “buy.”Plus, Jim shares how Crunch Labs turns YouTube magic into meaningful learning for kids (think: flywheels, diplomas, and a robot that teaches you to code), what it’s like working with Mark Rober, and why they’re building a free science curriculum that could change classrooms across the country.If you’re building a subscription brand, running CX, or just trying to connect your content to your customer—this episode is full of takeaways you can actually run with.🎧 Listen now for tips on retention, product storytelling, and why real brand magic happens after the unboxing📲 Follow Jim:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jimelee/Instagram: @jim.e.lee📲 Follow CrunchLabs:Website: crunchlabs.com Instagram: @crunchlabs👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?Keep the insights coming by subscribing to my newsletter, Sunday Postcards. Each week, I share tips, stories, and strategies that help you unlock the secrets to brand success. Written from my experience in the marketing world, it’s your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve. Subscribe at www.sundaypostcards.co and join the community!Connect with Jess on:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jess-cervellonTwitter: x.com/jesscervellonInstagram: instagram.com/jess.cervellon