Josh Silva’s journey to becoming a top brand strategist is anything but traditional. From studying theology and psychology to skiing in Utah and diving headfirst into the world of sports psychology, Josh’s path to marketing leadership is filled with turns that shaped his deep curiosity and people-first approach. In this episode, Pete sits down with Josh to uncover how a background in understanding human behavior led him to build iconic outdoor brands like Masterbuilt, Kamado Joe, and Char-Griller.

They unpack Josh’s shift from the agency world to leading marketing within PE-backed companies, balancing short-term revenue with long-term brand growth. The conversation dives into the nuances of building trust in the modern sales process, the value of curiosity, the rise of fractional leadership, and how AI is shifting creative roles. If you’re looking to better understand strategy, leadership, and brand-building in today’s marketing landscape—this is the episode for you.

🔎 MORE ABOUT JOSH SILVA:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbsilva/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbsilva22

https://www.middleby.com/

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introduction to Josh Silva

04:48 - Real Salt Lake: How Customer Service Sparked Strategy

08:18 - Empathy and Asking the Right Questions

13:12 - Pitching Comcast: Josh’s Strategy Breakthrough

21:10 - Entering Private Equity: A New Perspective

26:36 - Trade-Offs, Decisiveness, and the “Fail Fast” Mindset

32:38 - What Agencies Get Wrong—and How to Win Trust

37:14 - Brand vs Performance Marketing: A Balanced Approach

44:52 - Don’t Copy Apple—Steal Like an Artist

49:19 - AI and Authenticity in Modern Marketing

52:26 - The Challenge of Building Culture Remotely

🚀 SUPPORT & CONNECT:

Digital Surgeons Website: https://digitalsurgeons.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitalsurgeons

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalsurgeons

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/210497/

#ai #brandstrategy #curiosityiskey