Bright Lights, Bold Moves: Lessons Learned from the Top
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
Release Date: 09/10/2024
Introducing the StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast — Real Talk for Startup Marketers
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
Deadlines are looming. Budgets are tiny. And somehow, you’re expected to do it all. Welcome to StartUp Marketing Uncut — a new podcast built by and for startup marketers who are done pretending it’s easy, and done thinking it's impossible. Hosted by The Kay Prince, each episode cuts through the chaos with unfiltered conversations, fresh perspectives, and actionable insights from the people actually doing the work. New name. New season. New energy. Episodes drop every two weeks — and they’re all under 30 minutes, because your time is valuable. Subscribe now and join the rebellion...
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The Death and Reinvention of the Agency Model with Dana Hork
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
Forget retainers and bloated decks: Dana Hork is building a better agency model from the ground up. In this episode, the Beers with Friends founder shares how productized services, sprint-based delivery, and brand clarity are reshaping the agency world. You’ll learn why mind reading is for suckers, what a “beer run” is in marketing, and how to get marketers and founders to finally speak the same language. You’ll hear: Why trust and collaboration beat the black-box agency mode How to talk to your founder without reading their mind Why marketers should fall in love with the...
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How to Build Trust in Hard Tech: Jake Goldman on Marketing Electric Aviation
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
In this episode, Jake Goldman, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at Beta Technologies, shares how his team communicates credibility in the high-stakes world of electric aviation. “This isn’t an app,” he explains—it’s about putting people in planes, managing regulators, and proving the tech works. Jake covers how public affairs, lean teams, and political comms experience shape the strategy, and why the press release is just the last part of the story. Join us for this fascinating conversation about the intersection of breakthrough technology and strategic communications with...
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The Difference Between Product-Led and Customer-Led—and Why It Matters with Sabra Willner
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
Sabra Willner brings decades of experience across agencies, Fortune 500s, and startups into one of the most dynamic interviews of the series. She breaks down the role of marketing not just as a growth engine, but as a driver of business transformation. From customer advisory boards to brand mascots to the underutilized power of BDRs, Sabra explains how strategic creativity and close collaboration across teams can set startups apart—without blowing their budget. Her episode is packed with actionable insights and controversial takes sure to get you thinking about your own brand strategy.
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GTM Is a Machine: Genean Jones on the Strategy Behind Startup Growth
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
In this episode, Genean Jones lays down a masterclass in modern go-to-market (GTM) strategy. Drawing from her deep experience in startups and Fortune 50s alike, she defines GTM not as a marketing function or a sales plan, but as a strategic machine that unites product, sales, marketing, customer success, and finance. She emphasizes that post-sale growth is often the most overlooked opportunity in a startup’s revenue strategy—and explains why marketers must not just embrace data, but speak the language of finance to prove their value. Whether she’s talking about putting CS under marketing...
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Bootstrapping B2G: Wade Prince on Marketing Where No One Wants It
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
Wade Prince never planned on becoming a marketer. As the Chief Market Intelligence Officer at The Gormley Group, a consultancy specializing in helping companies land federal contracts, Wade found himself unexpectedly leading the marketing charge. With no formal marketing background, he bootstrapped a strategy from scratch in a traditionally marketing-averse industry. In this episode, he opens up about educating internal stakeholders, building visibility in a niche market, and learning to attribute impact even when ROI is tough to track. Wade’s story is a case study in grassroots marketing...
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Creating Story-Driven Websites: Why Michael Verez Mora Makes Sites Like Movies
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
Michael Veras Mora, founder and CEO of digital agency Yellow Lion, unpacks how branding, websites, and collaboration need to function as living systems. Drawing from his roots in fashion and his experience leading branding and web projects for clients like Hello Sunshine and NYU, he challenges the static approach to web development and calls for cross-functional clarity. This episode is a crash course in how marketers—and their agencies—can better partner to build tools that evolve alongside the business, not just aesthetic statements.
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Building a Marketing Career around Your Strengths with Heidi Keele
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
SUM Disruptors co-host, Heidi Keele, joined the podcast from the other side of the table this week. She sat down with Mack McKelvey for a candid conversation about how her strengths and passions have shaped her career. By being true to herself she’s been able to navigate challenges throughout her journey while doing incredible, fulfilling work as a marketer and entrepreneur. Whether you are new to marketing, or shaping the latter half of your career, this episode is a great listen. Heidi is also a prominent voice and trusted expert in the Startup Marketerer community. Learn more about...
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The Heart of Marketing: Why Storytelling Still Wins with Brian O’Shaughnessy
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
In this episode, Brian O’Shaughnessy, a seasoned communications strategist with roots in both massive corporations and early-stage startups, shares why storytelling is not just a marketing tool. It's a foundational element of business strategy. With decades of experience across Google, VeriSign, Skype, and startups alike, Brian emphasizes that the best storytelling begins internally. He unpacks how narrative clarity can build internal alignment, drive brand trust, and become a lever for long-term differentiation. Brian also explores how the media landscape has shifted—no longer dictated...
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Build the Brand First: Leading with Values, Not Ads with Kiana Pirouz
StartUp Marketing Uncut Podcast: Bringing Calm to Chaos
In this episode, Kiana Pirouz breaks down how she helped scale We Are Rosie’s brand from its earliest days to a nationally recognized name—all without a dime spent on paid ads. Kiana shares her unapologetically bold approach to values-led marketing, how she prioritized community over traditional B2B tactics, and why storytelling (not selling) should drive early-stage growth. Her approach flips the typical funnel on its head: galvanize a movement, and the revenue will follow. She also opens up about burning out and leaving with intention, reinforcing that great leadership includes knowing...
info_outlineIn Episode 2 of the SUM Disruptors Podcast, Mack and Heidi sit down with Peter Sloterdyk, a global marketing leader with a proven track record at Netflix, Grindr, and Koala.
Peter pulls back the curtain on startup marketing, sharing candid insights about working with founders, navigating tough conversations, hiring top talent, and learning when to listen.
From hiring 86 people in six months to leading a company’s digital transformation from halfway around the world during the height of the pandemic, Peter explains how to break through, build trust, and show up with bravery. Tune in to hear his take on fractional roles, whether or not marketers can create product market fit, and why communication is key – because, as Peter says, “We have to explain what we’re doing because it seems like bullshit to everyone.”