194. Resilience in Ad Tech: What Agency Life Teaches Every Programmatic Trader
Release Date: 03/18/2026
194. Resilience in Ad Tech: What Agency Life Teaches Every Programmatic Trader
Programmatic Digest
Sign up to our FREE workshop on March 31st: In this episode of Programmatic Digest, Hélène Parker sits down with Assetou Kone, programmatic expert and consultant, for a real conversation about resilience in programmatic advertising and agency life. Assetou shares her journey into ad tech, from studying political science and mass communication to discovering programmatic during a digital marketing bootcamp. What started as a curiosity about digital media quickly became a career built on solving complex marketing problems across multiple verticals, including political campaigns,...
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From Data to Insight: How Curation Drives Smarter Optimization
Programmatic Digest
Our Let’s Talk Curation series was created in partnership with GDB, our curated data partner, to help demystify curated audiences, what they are, how they work, and when and why you should consider using them. Check out this lesson, From Data to Insight: How Curation Drives Smarter Optimization. #ProgrammaticAdvertising #Curation #AdTechEducation #MediaBuying #ProgrammaticTips About our Partner: GDB is a curated audience data partner focused on combining quality inventory and audience signals to support smarter testing and cleaner measurement in programmatic campaigns.
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193. Community, Confidence, and Career Growth in Programmatic, With Tiffany Wade
Programmatic Digest
In this episode of Programmatic Digest, Hélène sits down with Tiffany Wade, Media Director at Hunter Blue, for a grounded conversation on community building, mentorship, and leadership as a woman in programmatic and ad tech. Tiffany shares her path into media, from a psychology background and early career pivots to finding her footing through curiosity, asking better questions, and building relationships that opened doors. They talk about what it feels like to be “the only one” in the room, how to stay brave while navigating discomfort, and why finding your community matters, even if...
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CTR vs Conversions Real Performance Examples
Programmatic Digest
Our Let’s Talk Curation series was created in partnership with GDB, our curated data partner, to help demystify curated audiences, what they are, how they work, and when and why you should consider using them. Check out this lesson on CTR vs Conversions real performance examples. #ProgrammaticAdvertising #Curation #AdTechEducation #MediaBuying #ProgrammaticTips About our Partner: GDB is a curated audience data partner focused on combining quality inventory and audience signals to support smarter testing and cleaner measurement in programmatic campaigns.
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192. Follow the Eyeballs: Integrated Media Planning + AI for programmatic Traders with Dominique Robinson
Programmatic Digest
In this episode of Programmatic Digest, Hélène sits down with Dominique Robinson, an integrated media planner at Luquire, for an insightful conversation on how media planning is evolving in today’s programmatic-first world. Dominique shares his personal journey into advertising, from early inspiration through marketing and design to building integrated media strategies that blend traditional channels like broadcast with digital and programmatic media across streaming, social, and online platforms. Together, they break down what “integrated media planning” really looks like inside an...
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191. Agency Life Unfiltered
Programmatic Digest
🎧 Summary: In this episode of the Programmatic Digest, Hélène sits down with Alexa Fulmer, a seasoned programmatic buyer and advocate for inclusion, to discuss what it’s really like navigating agency life as a gay woman of colour. From microaggressions and being the only person of colour in the room to building confidence and community, Alexa shares her story with vulnerability, insight, and strength. They unpack how authenticity in the workplace often comes at a cost, the emotional labour tied to identity, and why representation matters—especially in leadership. Alexa also reflects...
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Curation 101 in less than 3 mins
Programmatic Digest
Our Let’s Talk Curation series was created in partnership with GDB, our curated data partner, to help demystify curated audiences, what they are, how they work, and when and why you should consider using them. Check out this lesson on Curation 101. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: About our Partner: GDB is a curated audience data partner focused on combining quality inventory and audience signals to support smarter testing and cleaner measurement in programmatic campaigns.
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190. 2025 Recap, 2026 Roadmap: AI, Privacy, CTV, RMNs, and Supply Quality
Programmatic Digest
Find YouTube link to watch here: Shownotes Welcome to the first Programmatic Digest episode of 2026 with Ellen Parker and Manuela Cortez. This is a quick check-in, plus a trader-friendly breakdown of the biggest 2025 shifts and what to watch in 2026. We cover five trends from 2025 (AI everywhere, privacy and cookieless reality, CTV growth, RMNs going more programmatic, and supply quality/transparency). Then we close with three 2026 predictions: curation becoming “default infrastructure,” AI as a co-pilot (not autopilot), and multi-identity strategies becoming standard. This...
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189. How To Turn Curated Audience Into Insights with GDB
Programmatic Digest
Preview of the Sell-Side Foundations for Traders workshop sponsored by ! Sign up to this FREE workshop: Summary: A fast, practical deep dive into how GDB redefined programmatic curation from their early roots as a DSP to becoming an SSP focused on “Curation as a Service.” John Dittar and Felipe share how refining supply paths, removing low-quality inventory, and layering intelligence into deals leads to cleaner, smarter buying. They explain how curation powers stronger brand safety, reduces pre-fraud exposure, and replaces guesswork with predictable,...
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188. Past the Hype: How to Buy Smarter After TTD’s Reseller Update
Programmatic Digest
A fast, practical deep dive into The Trade Desk’s move to label all SSPs as “resellers” — what that label actually means, why it has a bad rap, and where it’s fair vs. misleading. Gareth breaks down value-add resellers (e.g., unique widgets/placements) vs. pure pass-through reselling, explains OpenPath in plain English, and demystifies the Transaction ID debate: what it is, why TTD wants it, and how it impacts buy-side efficiency and supply transparency. We wrap with actionable steps for traders — how to pressure-test paths, when to go direct with publishers/PMPs, and how to...
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Optimization with AI for Programmatic Traders Site Lists + Geo Insights (DMA)
— from Pivot Tables to Prompts
In this episode of Programmatic Digest, Hélène Parker sits down with Assetou Kone, programmatic expert and consultant, for a real conversation about resilience in programmatic advertising and agency life.
Assetou shares her journey into ad tech, from studying political science and mass communication to discovering programmatic during a digital marketing bootcamp. What started as a curiosity about digital media quickly became a career built on solving complex marketing problems across multiple verticals, including political campaigns, retail, e-commerce, banking, and pharmaceutical brands.
The conversation dives into the softer skills that often determine long-term success in programmatic, including active listening, observation, and understanding the internal structure of the organisations you work within. Assetou explains why knowing how a company operates and who influences decisions can dramatically improve how traders execute campaigns and support client goals.
Hélène and Assetou also unpack the reality of agency work, including burnout, under-resourced teams, and the pressure traders face when managing dozens of campaigns at once. They discuss why deep work is essential for campaign optimisation, insights, and meaningful reporting, and why many agencies underestimate the time required to generate true strategic value from programmatic data.
The episode also explores what resilience actually looks like for traders and buyers, from documenting your work and protecting yourself with clear communication to learning from campaign mistakes and using those lessons to grow stronger in the role.
They close the conversation with thoughts on the future of AI in programmatic, highlighting how automation could relieve traders of repetitive tasks while allowing them to focus on insights, strategy, and deeper analysis.
🧠 About Us:
We help historically excluded individuals break into programmatic media buying and land jobs they love. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, coaching, and community, we make learning programmatic clear, practical, and welcoming.
Our mission is simple: DSP access and education should be for everyone, not just a few. That’s why we teach new talent and support independent agencies and brands through my work at Infillion (MediaMath), helping more people access the MediaMath DSP.
Join once, stay learning forever. Past workshops, paid gems, and every new recording + resource added as we go. This library isn’t a one-time thing, it’s the full vault plus all future trainings, recordings, and guides.Access it here: https://heleneparker/com/library
⏱ Timestamps:
• [00:00] – Welcome and introduction to Assetou Kone
• [04:20] – From political science to programmatic advertising
• [09:15] – Why programmatic stood out during digital marketing training
• [14:40] – The soft skills every trader needs: observation and active listening
• [20:30] – Understanding organisational structure and client vision
• [27:10] – Agency realities: burnout, campaign overload, and team structure
• [35:20] – Deep work in programmatic: optimisation, insights, and reporting
• [42:00] – Learning from mistakes and building trader resilience
• [49:15] – Documentation, communication, and protecting your work
• [54:30] – The future of AI in programmatic workflows
SIGN UP TO OUR FREE WORKSHOP HERE:
https://www.heleneparker.com/liveworkshop/
👤 Meet Our Guest:
Assetou Kone – Programmatic Marketing Specialist and Consultant
Assetou Kone is a programmatic marketing expert with experience across multiple industries, including political campaigns, retail, finance, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce. Her work focuses on campaign optimisation, data-driven insights, and helping brands deliver the right message to the right audience through programmatic media.
📎 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/assetou-kone
💻 Meet The Team:
Hélène Parker – Chief Programmatic Coach
🌐 heleneparker.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker/
Manuela Cortes – Co-Host, Programmatic Digest en Español
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-/
🎓 Learn Programmatic:
For Individual Buyers: https://heleneparker.com/library
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