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Humans & Brands is a podcast that understands how connected work and life are, and that building a career is just as personal as it is professional.
Hosted by Lauren Douglass, a marketer and founder of the thought leadership agency Reverve, the show features conversations with people who are brands, work in brands, or build brands, about the journey of work and life.
The goal is that no listener should have to navigate the journey alone. These conversations are a chance to learn what leaders have been through; from the wins to the falls, and the questions that don’t make it onto resumes. Lauren asks the things we’re often too afraid to say out loud: What does failure feel like? How do you deal with imposter syndrome? How do you become a good leader?
But she also talks about brands and marketing—because brands are made by people, and people are brands. The show explores how identity shows up in the work we do, the content we create, and the stories we tell about ourselves and our companies.
She’s not the expert in the room, she is figuring it out alongside the audience.
Every episode is designed to leave the audience feeling a little less alone and a little more confident in their pathway forward.
38 Episodes
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What does it take to turn down a full-time offer at one of the biggest beauty brands right out of college to start your own company? This week, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Brittany Lo, founder and CEO of Beia Beauty and Beautini, a clean beauty brand creating lifestyle skincare that keeps you clean and confident throughout the day.
Brittany gets honest about what it takes to build a beauty brand at 22, how her first company became the stepping stone to building the brand she'd dreamed about since second grade, and why passion that keeps you up at night matters more than confidence. We talk about why being naive can be a blessing, learning to hear "no" over and over again, and why overnight success stories on TikTok don't show you the real work.
If you've ever had an idea you can't stop thinking about but don't know where to start, this conversation will remind you that sometimes you have to be a little crazy and figure it out as you go.
What does it mean to keep the human at the center of everything you do? Host Lauren Douglass sits down with Heather Bollinger, Chief Revenue Officer at Vurvey Labs, an AI company that's built on a simple but powerful idea: AI should be powered by people, not replace them.
Heather's path is anything but linear: from anti–human trafficking work overseas in her 20s, to leading revenue at an AI company, she’s built her career on empathy, grit, and keeping the human at the center of everything. She gets real about her mantra "you can do hard things," why resilience means showing up even when you don't want to, and the crooked paths we all navigate.
This one's a grounded, inspiring listen for anyone navigating growth, AI, or just life itself. Let's get into it.
From Gen Z to AI, Racine Levy breaks down what it really takes to stay human in modern marketing.
This week, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Racine Levy, marketer, connector, and self-proclaimed “cringe enthusiast”, for a sharp, funny, and real conversation about what it means to be human at work.
Racine shares how confidence, curiosity, and a strong network have shaped her career, why “cringe” can actually be a superpower, and how trusting your gut often beats chasing ROI. They dive into Gen Z, AI, burnout, and the lost art of real human connection, all with Racine’s signature humor and candor.
Tune in this week for a conversation all about gut instincts, good marketing, and the power of showing up as yourself. Light, smart, and worth every minute of your commute. Let's get into it.
What happens when you refuse to let your past define your future? This week, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Troy Alexander, the founder and CEO of T363 Skin and a motivational speaker whose story is pretty extraordinary. Troy went from a two-year prison sentence to building a business and a life rooted in unwavering self-belief.
In this conversation, Troy shares the four principles that guide everything he does, why mental strength matters more than anything else, and the daily practices that keep him pushing forward, plus his incredible journey to Founder & CEO.
His story will challenge you to rethink what's possible and remind you that even when the world doesn't have your back, you can still have your own. This is one you don't want to miss.
From perfume labs to Glamsquad’s CMO chair, Simona Gaudio shares how detours, setbacks, and self-belief built her nonlinear career.
This week on Humans & Brands, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Simona Gaudio, CMO of Glamsquad, for an honest conversation about leadership, career detours, and staying kind in a business that often rewards the opposite.
Simona shares how she went from working in a perfume lab to leading marketing at one of the most recognizable beauty brands, all while navigating the pandemic, a layoff, and a pregnancy at the same time. She opens up about what it means to rebuild from scratch, why every “no” isn’t the end, and how relationships (and not résumés) end up carrying you through the toughest seasons of your career.
If you’ve ever felt behind, stuck, or unsure of your next move, this one’s a reminder that there’s no straight line to success.
This week we're flipping the script. Instead of hosting, Lauren joins Valerie Vespa and Matt Wurst on The Snarketing Podcast, and the conversation is too good not to share.
We touch on some of Lauren's favorite hottakes: why B2B marketing is so bad right now, why most corporate brands are failing to break through the noise, and why the human touch is already more important than ever in an AI-centered world.
We also talk about the sea of sameness in B2B, how to turn your sales team into thought leaders, and what she wishes every CEO understood about marketing.
If you've attended a conference that felt pointless or wondered why B2B marketing feels so disconnected from actual humans, this conversation will resonate. It's snarky, it's honest, and it's packed with tactical advice for anyone trying to cut through the noise. There are a lot of hot topics to cover in this episode, so let's get into it.
This ones for the dreamers who are all about rejecting the traditional path.
What happens when you build a company from a calling instead of a business plan? Maria Sipka, Co-Founder and EVP of Brand Strategy at Linqia, shares one of the most profound conversations about entrepreneurship you'll hear.
From a 10-day silent Vipassana retreat that told her to leave everything behind, to spending two years traveling the world discovering her purpose, Maria's path has been anything but traditional. We talk about why she believes we're living in a Renaissance moment, how marketers hold the key to unlocking human emotion, and why it took five years instead of one to build what she thought would be a quick startup.
Maria gets real about the power of surrender over control, how choosing a co-founder is like choosing a life partner, and her guiding principle: "It's the silence between the notes that makes the music."
This episode is for the dreamers, builders, and believers who know that business can be strategy and spreadsheets, but also energy, intuition, and a little magic from the universe.
What does it really mean to be daring? This week we explore taking big swings and stepping into opportunities that feel scary but could change everything.
Host Lauren Douglass sits down with Jennifer Peabody, President of Havas Edge, who knows exactly what this looks like. Jennifer made the bold decision to take a job three levels below her previous role and cut her salary by two-thirds, and it became the best decision of her life.
She gets real about her 23-year journey at the same company, being the only woman in the C-suite, why she keeps a "remember who you are" note on her phone, and how emotional resilience became her superpower.
If you've ever wondered whether to take that scary leap or felt like the only one in the room, this conversation will remind you that confidence is a muscle you can build, and sometimes the boldest moves are the ones that don't make sense on paper.
Growing up with big dreams written on a whiteboard (own Manchester United, start a media company, buy a yacht), Michelle Turnbull Reeves, three-time founder and Founder & CEO of Zipline AI, meant writing her own rules from day one.
From a small suburb in Brisbane to building multiple successful companies, Michelle's story is about the power of beautiful naivety and never waiting for permission. Host Lauren Douglass sits down with Michelle to talk about how being an outsider became her superpower, why she's an "annoying optimist", and her mantra borrowed from Nike's Phil Knight.
We unpack why waiting for permission is just wasting time and how to approach every door like it's open. If you're brave enough to articulate an idea, you're brave enough to take the next step.
This conversation will leave you questioning what you're waiting for and remind you that sometimes the best thing about not fitting in is the freedom to create your own path.
Many careers follow a straight line. Evin Shutt, CEO and Partner of 72andSunny, took the opposite approach. From middle school teacher to the first employee (and now CEO & Partner!) at one of the most creative agencies in the world, her story is about having the courage to pivot when something doesn't feel right. Host Lauren Douglass sits down with Evin to explore her "pendulum" approach to work-life balance, what 94% of C-suite women have in common, and how Evin realized she was chasing what she thought she should do instead of what made her happy.
Evin gets real about sitting with discomfort, optimism as a core value, and why women's sports are having their moment. At the core: be patient, it's okay to start over, and sometimes the best decisions don't make sense on paper. Let's get into it.
What happens when you refuse to let corporate politics kill your creativity? This week, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Drew Train, Co-Founder and CEO of Oberland, who left it behind to start his own shop, and hasn't looked back since.
Drew gets brutally honest about why independence matters and the creative process that doesn't happen at a desk. He doesn't hold back on what's broken in advertising - from AI copy flooding LinkedIn, to holding companies strip-mining creative agencies for media margins.
His take on independence isn't just about business freedom; it's about having the guts to say what needs to be said when everyone else is staying quiet. If you're tired of sanitized takes on the creative industry, this conversation delivers.
What happens when you stop fighting who you are and start using it as your superpower? Tune in with Lauren Douglass this week as she interviews Karen Riley-Grant, Chief Marketing Officer of Vuori, to unpack this. From starting on the Gap sales floor in Daytona Beach to leading marketing at one of the biggest apparel brands, Karen's journey is proof that your authentic self is your biggest asset. We talk about her obsession with staying close to customers, why she had to accept that she just doesn't do "slow," and how being told to dial it down early in her career almost made her lose what makes her great.
Karen gets real about the failures that shaped her, why she takes strategic pit stops instead of changing her natural speed, and how to stay connected to your gut in a data-driven world. If you've ever been told you're "too much," this one's for you.
In a world increasingly going digital and looking towards AI, why are in-person experiences more powerful than ever? Carley Faircloth-Kilmurray, Global CMO at Spiro, argues that IRL experience aren't just fun events to attend - they're business critical.
Hosted by Lauren Douglass, they talk about why leaders are quick to cut experiential budgets (hint: measuring ROI wrong), how AI has made human connection more valuable, and what most people get completely wrong about events. Carley shares her "why not" philosophy and why she believes live experiences are the secret weapon brands are undervaluing.
If you've ever wondered whether that company event is worth it, or you're curious about the real ROI of human connection, this one's essential.
What's it really like to be president of one of the biggest agencies in the world? Melissa Levy, President of Digitas, pulls back the curtain on her 20-year journey from finance to the C-suite.
In this conversation, Melissa gets real about the myth of work-life balance (spoiler: doesn't exist), why she compartmentalizes everything, and her "flush it and move forward" philosophy that's gotten her through two decades in this chaotic industry. Together with host Lauren Douglass, they talk about why she wishes she'd been more assertive earlier in her career, the advice she gives to young women starting off in their career, and why in-person connections are more critical than ever in our remote world.
If you've ever wondered how to stay grounded in an industry that never slows down, or you're looking for straight talk about navigating leadership as a woman, this one's worth your time.
What happens when you decide to stop wearing a corporate mask and just be yourself at work? On this episode, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Nadalie Dias, CMO of Hearts & Science, to find out.
After years of being told to be less direct and less dominant, Nadalie hit a breaking point and chose authenticity over acceptance. We talk about the gendered feedback that shaped her career, why she values honor above all else, and her hot take on marketing jargon.
This isn't your typical career advice. It's a real conversation about what it costs to conform and what you gain when you stop trying to be everyone's cup of tea. If you've ever felt like you're performing a version of yourself at work, this one's for you.
By the way! You might have noticed the intro to this one is a bit different. We have rebranded! We wanted to find something closer to what the podcast is actually about: humans, brands, & the humans behind the brands.
Host Lauren Douglass sits down with Susan Howe, CEO of Weber Shandwick, for a conversation about leadership, growth, and the power of knowing yourself.
Susan shares how she built her career by leaning into curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning. She talks about what it means to lead with intention, why positive energy is a choice she makes every day, and how she stays grounded while leading one of the top global agencies. They also dig into the realities women still face in leadership, and why it’s important to own your space and speak up about your work.
If you’re thinking about your next move, reflecting on how you lead, or just need a reminder that it’s okay to be a work in progress, this one’s for you. Let's get into it.
In this episode, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Kate Rush Sheehy, Chief Strategy Officer at GSD&M, for a conversation about the power of curiosity, the misunderstood narrative around women in leadership, and why building brands people care about starts with empathy.
Kate shares the personal story behind her love for advertising, what motivates her as a strategist, and how growing up with limited access to top brands shaped her fascination with them. She talks about trusting your gut in a data-driven world, leading with compassion, and why AI should raise the ceiling, not just the floor, on creativity.
From flipping the script on ageism in the workplace, to helping major brands like Southwest Airlines get unstuck, Kate offers a refreshingly human take on what it means to lead with purpose in an ever-changing industry.
If you're looking for inspiration on career pivots, leadership with heart, or just want a reason to fall in love with strategy again, this one’s for you. Let's get into it.
In this special bonus episode of Humans & Brands, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Adrianne del Sol, VP, Digital Commerce + Omnichannel Marketing at Kimberly-Clark, and Kerel Cooper, CMO of GumGum, for a refreshingly human conversation about marketing, meaning, and how we show up in work and life.
We unpack what separates great marketing from forgettable, why the human element often gets lost in campaigns, and what it means to lead with empathy in today's changing landscape. Adrianne and Kerel also share their favorite projects and lessons that have stuck with them along the way, long after the work was done.
If you've ever questioned the idea of the linear career path or wondered how to lead with empathy in a metrics-driven world, this episode is for you.
In this episode of Humans & Brands, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Sarah Leinberger, Vice President, Head of Marketing at Yoobi, for a conversation about bold pivots, people-first leadership, and the quiet power of being inherently good.
Sarah opens up about her recent leap from a large corporate environment to a smaller, mission-driven company and how she’s always followed energy over titles when making career moves. She shares how fear signals growth, why curiosity rooted in empathy is her leadership superpower, and the value of choosing environments where you’re celebrated, not just tolerated.
Refreshingly honest and grounded, if you've ever wondered what it really means to prioritize who you are over what you do, this one’s for you. Let's get into it.
On this episode, host Lauren Douglass sits down with Samantha Avivi, Chief Marketing Officer of Bayer, to talk about leadership, purpose, and knowing when to pivot. Samantha, a seasoned marketing leader with an iconic advertising legacy in her DNA, shares how curiosity, values, and courage have shaped her journey and helped navigate a purpose-driven career in brand leadership. She reflects on the power of prioritization, the myth of “doing it all,” and how she learned to stop and truly savor milestones. If you’re navigating big decisions, trying to lead with more intention, or simply want to hear from someone who’s walked the walk, this one’s for you. Let's get into it.
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