Marshal D. Carper's Business Podcasts

Ryan Barnhart is the Director of Alumni Relations for California University of Pennsylvania. I am an alumnus of Cal U and have had the great fortune to interact with Ryan several times since graduating with my B.A. For Ryan’s part, he is working in one of the competitive industries in the United States—higher education—and he is tasked with driving top tier engagement without the mega pool of resources often available to much larger universities. In this podcast, we talk about: Triaging your marketing ideas to layer new ideas and initiatives on top of each other overtime The changing dynamics of multi-generational marketing campaigns How businesses can leverage alumni organizations in their own marketing What business leaders can learn from what’s working in alumni engagement To learn more about Ryan, connect with him on LinkedIn. To learn more about Cal U’s alumni organization, visit their website.

Sam Dyer is a career designer who turned a passion for classic video games into a blossoming publishing business. Bitmap Books takes product experience to a new level, which is high-praise for a medium as old and as competitive as books. Sam built a book experience that appeals to the true super fan, investing in high-end touches that most publishers ignore. In this podcast, Sam I talk about: A new way to think about what a book can be The value of investing in product experience The relationship between brand experience and product experience The challenges of serving a hardcore, passionate audience like gamers To learn more about Sam, connect with him on LinkedIn. To learn more about Bitmap Books, visit their website.

Eric Catalano is an Account Executive at LinkedIn, where he works with some of the biggest brands to help them find success with LinkedIn advertising. We also went to high school together, but as far as Eric’s accomplishment’s go, that’s probably pretty low on his list of successes. His career in advertising goes far deeper than LinkedIn, and his insights into marketing on and off the LinkedIn platform are relevant for any business owner. In this podcast, Eric and I talk about: What social media advertising looks like from inside of LinkedIn Best practices for leveraging the LinkedIn ad network What social media advertisers can expect in the future (LinkedIn and beyond) To learn more about Eric, connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcatalano/ To learn more about LinkedIn advertising, visit their website: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions#/

John Pojeta and I have worked together for several years now. As we have done a range of work for the PT Services Group, I have gotten to know John and have had the fortune of learning from his deep experience in sales and business growth. John got his start as a financial advisor, grew a business, and then transitioned into his current role as VP of Business Development for the PT Services Group, a Pittsburgh-based appointment setting firm with clients in every corner of the United States. In this podcast, John and I talk about: -Appointment setting and its role in business growth -Learning to sell and how to continue improving -What he’s learned from his own work and from his clients -Trends in sales and growth that impact businesses of all types -The role that content plays in PT’s marketing efforts John has a ton of knowledge to share, and I’m excited that we got to capture some of that in this episode. To learn more about John, connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpojeta/ To lear

Jason Brown currently serves as the Interim Director for the Carnegie Science Center, an iconic science and education destination in Pittsburgh. Prior to managing this sprawling organization and its ever-changing programs, exhibits, and initiatives, Jason was an educator and a business owner, and he draws upon those experiences each day to move the organization forward. In this podcast, Jason and I talk about: -The challenges of managing a large organization with multiple teams and departments -How the Carnegie Science Center mixes their brick & mortar programs with broader outreach to serve stakeholder inside and outside of the center itself -How teaching on an Indian reservation changed his perspective on education forever -What he has learned about the nonprofit space and how he grapples with everything from funding to measuring the impact of a program Jason is quite the storyteller and his perspective will be insightful for business owners and nonprofit leaders alike. Note: During the show, we spend a

Dan Hudock has decades of sales experience and is the owner of a Sandler Franchise. Dan has worked with hundreds of business owners and sales leaders to help them grow their businesses, and I was fortunate enough to meet Dan through a mutual client and to then become of his students. It was the best business decision I ever made. In this podcast, Dan talks about: • How technique is a part of a larger picture of what ultimately makes a salesperson effective • How to think about and how to approach sales coaching and training • The role that company culture plays in the success of a sales team Dan has a deep well of insights into sales, and though we just scratched the surface of that knowledge, there are some fantastic nuggets of wisdom in this interview. To learn more about Dan and to take him up on his offer of visiting one of his classes for free, go to his website (https://www.dan.sandler.com/).

Ben Goldstein has been creating content for more than a decade. Building on a foundation in journalism, Ben was one of the pioneers of mixed martial arts reporting. Though his work looks much different now, many of the key insights into effective digital content that made successful then are driving his success now. Today, he is a Content Manager for Nutshell, a breakout CRM, and uses content marketing to capture new customers in a hyper-competitive space. My conversation with Ben covers a wide range of topics, driven partially by my lingering passion for all things combat sports, but we cover some powerful marketing and sales ideas. Those topics include: -The Nutshell product and how it has set itself apart in a space occupied by well-established giants -A practical philosophy for how to think about content marketing and the nature of its potential for ROI -How to rethink guest posts and collaborations for efficiency and more effective backlinking strategies And there’s so much more. This is one of my favori

Nichole Castillo has been behind the scenes in the mixed martial arts world since 2005, and in that time she has been responsible for some of Pennsylvania and Ohio’s most successful events. As a matchmaker, she coordinates the bouts for the events, which means managing everything from picking exciting fights to recruiting fighters, to following-through on a litany of responsibilities to both the event promoter and to the state’s athletic commission. Though Nichole’s business is not a traditional one in terms of what businesses are usually covered in podcasts like the Open Boardroom, some of her insights are universal. Those insights include: -A candid look at the challenges of making an event engaging and successful -An unfiltered perspective of being a pioneering woman in an industry traditionally dominated by men -The value of relationships and the rewards of building an extensive network Currently, Nichole is the MMA matchmaker for Pinnacle Fighting Championships, Bizzarro’s Boxing & MMA Promotions, an

Brian has been on both sides of the marketing agency dynamic. At Coca Cola, he was deep behind the scenes as a Group Director, helping to manage and execute Coca Cola’s international marketing efforts. From there, he transitioned into the agency world and saw the business of marketing from the other end of the relationship. Now, in his work as the CEO of Agency Spotter, Brian is working to bridge the divide between brands and agencies, helping every stakeholder to find the right partners and to collaborate more effectively. With his extensive marketing background as a springboard, Brian and I discuss a range of new best practices for both businesses and agencies big and small. In this episode, we talk about things like: -The common missed opportunities in the agency/client dynamic -A better way to find and vet new marketing agencies -Trends in marketing that are likely to affect the business world as a whole in the future To learn more about Brian and his work at Agency Spotter, visit https://www.agencyspotte

At the helm of the Taylor family’s many business ventures, Trey Taylor wears many hats but in all roles takes a deep focus on leadership. Through The CEO Academy, Trey coaches and mentors CEOs across the country to make them more effective business leaders. That work, combining experiences that span multiple industries and meshing Trey’s own insights as the CEO of Taylor Insurance Services with the best practices of some of the greatest minds in business, is forming the basis of Trey’s upcoming book, tentatively titled the Three Things a CEO Does. In our talk, we touch briefly on each of these three things, exploring some of the key ideas and concepts that set Trey’s perspective on leadership apart from the status quo. In this episode, we dive into topics like: -How a lowest common denominator culture can fester and eventually derail a business -How Trey’s unique take on the interview process dramatically increases retention -How CEO’s can think differently about their approach to numbers There’s a lot to unp

Brian Arnone has spent his career immersed in the event technology space. At the time of this interview, he was the Chief Revenue Officer for Patron Technology and the President and Chief Operations Officer for Pittsburgh-based ShowClix (he explains the relationship between those two companies in our interview. Shortly after we talked, he was promoted to President, North America Ticketing for Patron Technology. In addition to his bi-coastal story of personal growth, Brian pulls back the hood on the ShowClix engine to reveal insights into events and event engagement that are valuable for all marketers and business leaders even if they do not use the ShowClix platform. This is a true from the trenches breakdown of what the cutting edge of running successful events looks like today and might look like in the future. Some of my personal favorite highlights from this conversation: -How event data and technology can improve the experience of the event for attendees -How event promoters should look at the long tail

You may not know Dave Karraker by name, but you have almost certainly experienced or been touched by his work. With high-level marketing experience spanning brands like Kmart, Allied Domecq Spirits and Wine, Sony Computer Entertainment America, and his present work with the Campari Group, Dave’s marketing work has been hard to miss. In his work with Campari alone Dave played a part in brand collaborations with the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Reynolds, orchestrating campaigns that elevated Campari brands on a range of platforms, from ambitious television commercials to bold and controversial billboards looming over city streets. For my part, I reached out Dave because of his part in orchestrating a Deadpool takeover of the Espolòn Tequila social media properties in the days leading up the launch of the newest Deadpool film. This conversation was a blast, and it covers: -Dave’s perspective on the future of marketing and PR -The challenges and opportunities of injecting new life into well-established b

Welcome to the second season of The Open Boardroom. I have long admired JR’s ability to embrace adversity and to innovate under what many business owners might see as dire circumstances. From a chain of family-owned video stores made obsolete by consumer and technology trends to a tanning industry stunted by new rules and regulations, JR has found ways to generate profits and to remain competitive even while competitors close up shop around him. In this episode, learn how JR: -Developed and launched a custom software platform to extend his reach beyond two brick & mortar tanning locations in Pittsburgh and into salons around the country -Used stifling regulations as opportunities to reinvent pieces of his business to continue maximizing floor space through new products and new services that still fit the spa experience he aimed to prove clients -Expanded his business portfolio again by manufacturing bath bombs and white labeling lotions to add another revenue in his salons while also breaking into sales a

Welcome to Marketing with Marshal and Meesha. We talk about new developments in marketing trends and best practices to help you improve your marketing and build a successful business. Note: This episode was recorded just prior to Instagram rolling out the multi-user update. So while the news we discuss is a few days old, the majority of this episode discusses Instagram marketing in general which should still be relevant to your business. In this episode: Instagram marketing. Should your business care about Instagram? How does Instagram affect your website and your sales efforts? In this episode, Marshal and Meesha breakdown the role Instagram could play in your growth strategy. Articles discussed: techcrunch.com/2016/02/05/instag…switching-on-ios/ Song rights: "Final Battle of the Dark Wizards" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 2 Men Blues by Stefan Kartenberg (c) 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) lic

Welcome to Marketing with Marshal and Meesha. We talk about new developments in marketing trends and best practices to help you improve your marketing and build a successful business. In this episode: Google announces RankBrain, yet another variable in their search engine algorithm. What does RankBrain mean for your marketing? From a big picture perspective, how much should you care about search engine optimization (SEO) in general? The answers might surprise you. Articles discussed: www.forbes.com/sites/miketemplem…o/3/#73774a7d163a Marshal is a content marketer and founder of Carper Communications. Learn more about him and his work at marsh.al Meesha is a designer and founder of RedTree Web Design. Learn more about her and her work at redtreewebdesign.com/ Song rights: "Final Battle of the Dark Wizards" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 2 Men Blues by Stefan Kartenberg (c) 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attributio

Welcome to Marketing with Marshal and Meesha. We talk about new developments in marketing trends and best practices to help you improve your marketing and build a successful business. In this episode: An effective website has to look great on a range of devices, from desktops to laptops to tablets to phones. This creates a unique challenge for designers and a potentially frustrating reality for business owners. Meesha weighs in with her industry experience and recommendations for best practices. About the Hosts: Marshal is a content marketer and founder of Carper Communications. Learn more about him and his work at marsh.al Meesha is a designer and founder of RedTree Web Design. Learn more about her and her work at redtreewebdesign.com/ Song rights: “Final Battle of the Dark Wizards” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 2 Men Blues by Stefan Kartenberg (c) 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. dig.c

Welcome to Marketing with Marshal and Meesha. We talk about new developments in marketing trends and best practices to help you improve your marketing and build a successful business. In This Episode: Meesha challenges Marshal to explain why he is so passionate about passion marketing and how exactly it applies to business growth. The conversation talks about basic definitions of content marketing, some of the common challenges and pitfalls new content marketers might face, and explores the potential return that a business could see from a content marketing campaign. About the Hosts: Marshal is a content marketer and founder of Carper Communications. Learn more about him and his work at marsh.al Meesha is a designer and founder of RedTree Web Design. Learn more about her and her work at redtreewebdesign.com/ Song rights: “Final Battle of the Dark Wizards” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 2 Men Blues by Stefan Kartenberg (c

Welcome to Marketing with Marshal and Meesha. We talk about new developments in marketing trends and best practices to help you improve your marketing and build a successful business. In This Episode: With a number of web platforms available to small business owners, which one should you use? WordPress? Square Space? Wix? Shopify? The list goes on. It turns out that the best answer is "it depends." We walk through the pros and cons of various platforms to help you make sense of your options and to pick the best platform for your business. About the Hosts: Marshal is a content marketer and founder of Carper Communications. Learn more about him and his work at marsh.al Meesha is a designer and founder of RedTree Web Design. Learn more about her and her work at redtreewebdesign.com/ Song rights: “Final Battle of the Dark Wizards” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 2 Men Blues by Stefan Kartenberg (c) 2015 Licensed under a Creat

Facebook recently rolled out their Instant Articles feature to all users. Previously limited to exclusive business pages, Instant Articles allows content creators to rapidly deliver their work to mobile Facebook users, cutting down on the load time and delay that usually occurs when users click a link on Facebook and wait for a new window to load. This change sparked a discussion about the value of content speed and the return on delivering a powerful user experience in general, covering the full spectrum of the topic, from content design to the technology under the hood. The big lesson: Every second matters, so design your content accordingly. More About Facebook's New Content Feature: www.jonloomer.com/2016/04/15/f8-2016/ Tools We Mentioned: gtmetrix.com/ tools.pingdom.com/fpt/ About the Hosts: Marshal is a content marketer and founder of Carper Communications. Learn more about him and his work at marsh.al Meesha is a designer and founder of RedTree Web Design. Learn more about her and her work at redtreewe

More and more businesses, big and small alike, are moving away from in house marketing resources to instead hire freelancers or marketing agencies. The strategy is sound: For the price of one in employee on staff, a business can get access to a range of specialists and pay only for the work they need as they need it. But working with an agency does not come without it's challenges. In this episode, Marshal and Meesha breakdown their own agency experiences, giving you an insider's perspective on what to look for and what to be wary of when bringing in outside resources to work on your business, discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the marketing industry. About the Hosts: Marshal is a content marketer and founder of Carper Communications. Learn more about him and his work at marsh.al Meesha is a designer and founder of RedTree Web Design. Learn more about her and her work at redtreewebdesign.com/ Song rights: “Final Battle of the Dark Wizards” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Com