SPOS #984 – Steve Pratt On Podcasting And Unconventional Marketing
Release Date: 05/18/2025
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1010 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). What if the search for our “true selves” has been leading us away from who we actually need to become? That’s the tension at the heart of ’s work, a globally respected authority on people analytics, talent, leadership, and the Human–AI interface whose career spans , , , , , and decades of research that have shaped how organizations understand human behavior. His latest book, challenges one of the most cherished modern beliefs - that success comes from projecting our raw, unfiltered selves - and...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1009 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). The future isn’t something to predict... it’s something to practice. Few people embody that idea more completely than , a designer, futurist and author whose work has quietly influenced some of the most innovative companies on the planet - from , , and to , where he served as head of design. In his new book, , Nick challenges the way we imagine what comes next. Rather than offering forecasts, he explores four mindsets - could, should, might, and don’t - that shape how individuals and organizations...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1008 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). What if artificial intelligence didn’t just build faster startups... but redefined what it means to be an entrepreneur? has been exploring that question for years. As the co-founder of (the company behind and the new ) and (the startup studio that helped launch ventures like , , and ), Henrik (who also has a great podcast called, ) has spent his career creating businesses that live at the intersection of creativity, community and technology. Now, with his new book , he’s rethinking...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1007 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). The debate over hybrid work has become one of the most emotionally charged topics in business... but few people have studied it as deeply as , the George W. Taylor Professor of Management at the and Director of its . In his latest book, , co-authored with , Peter challenges the idea that remote work is the inevitable future of knowledge work. Drawing from decades of research and real-world case studies, he argues that while technology has allowed us to untether from our desks, it has also quietly eroded...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1006 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). Disruption isn’t always loud. It’s often quiet, slow and deeply human. That’s one of the lessons has spent his career unpacking. As a leading voice on innovation and the managing partner emeritus at (the consultancy founded by the late ), Scott has helped global companies navigate the uncertainty that comes with change. He si currently a Clinical Professor of Strategy at 's . His latest book, , reframes how we think about progress through stories that stretch from gunpowder to generative AI,...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1005 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). Every major leap in human connection starts as a simple question: what if? For , that question led to the invention of the cable modem and the birth of broadband internet access as we know it. Often called the “father of the cable modem,” Rouzbeh is a visionary engineer and entrepreneur whose work transformed how billions of people access information. His new book, , traces the improbable journey from an idea nobody believed in (“why would anyone want the internet at home?”) to the global...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1004 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). What does it really mean to lead with values when so much of modern business seems built on quarterly results and surface-level culture? has spent his career proving that sustainable performance isn’t just about financial results. It’s about the alignment between who you are and what you stand for. As founder and chairman of (a marketing agency), Bob built a company repeatedly recognized as one of the best places to work. Beyond the accolades, he is an author of seven books, including , and his...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1003 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). When you look closely at leadership, it often seems like a conversation about others… how to motivate, how to manage, how to inspire. But what if the real work starts somewhere far more intimate… with yourself? , a distinguished educator, consultant and leadership expert, has spent years making the case that true leadership begins with self-awareness. It’s the quiet realization that the patterns of your past, your assumptions and your worldview don’t just shape who you are… they shape how you...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1002 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). What if code isn’t just software, but the culture script of our age shaping what we notice, how we decide and who holds power? That’s the provocation at the heart of ’s new book, which he uses to reveal how programming moves from the screen into the fabric of everyday life. Sam is Scientist in Residence at and a visiting scholar at He connects emerging technologies with human systems and helps founders, leaders and the rest of us make sense of complexity. He is also the author of two other...
info_outlineThinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1001 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). is a Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the , , where he directs the and the . Over his career, he has also taught at , , and , and he is recognized globally as one of the leading thinkers on entrepreneurship, networks and organizational strategy. Beyond academia, Toby sits on the boards of multiple technology companies, cofounded the , and serves as the founding Chairman of . His latest book, , examines the invisible hierarchies that govern so much of human life and why small...
info_outlineWelcome to episode #984 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.
Steve Pratt knows how to earn attention - and not in the algorithm-chasing, trend-hopping way most marketers talk about it. As the co-founder of Pacific Content (the first agency dedicated to branded podcasts), Steve helped pioneer a model for long-form brand storytelling that respected the audience as much as it served the client. Before podcasting was a thing brands took seriously, Steve was guiding companies like Slack, Facebook, Shopify, BMW, Adobe, and Charles Schwabinto a new kind of media - one built on trust, consistency, and real creative value. That experience forms the foundation of his new book, Earn It - Unconventional Strategies For Brave Marketers. In this conversation, he unpacks why so many marketers are stuck in short-term thinking, how performance marketing is cannibalizing brand, and what it really takes to build content worth someone’s time. There’s insight here on the difference between being loud and being relevant, on why the future belongs to brave brands with a point of view, and how AI may flood the market with content - but only humans can still make something remarkable. Steve’s career started in TV production, moved through digital innovation at CBC, and has now landed at the intersection of creativity, business strategy, and media design with his newest venture, The Creativity Business. His message is simple: the only brands that win long-term are the ones willing to put in the work, respect the audience, and be consistently great over time. For anyone wrestling with content strategy, podcasting, or how to think like a media company - this one’s a masterclass. Enjoy the conversation...
- Running time: 1:00:53.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
- Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
- Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
- Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
- Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
- Check out ThinkersOne.
- or you can connect on LinkedIn.
- ...or on X.
- Here is my conversation with Steve Pratt.
- Earn It - Unconventional Strategies For Brave Marketers.
- The Creativity Business.
- Follow Steve on Instagram.
- Follow Steve on LinkedIn.
Chapters:
(00:00) - The Journey of Podcasting.
(02:58) - Consistency vs. Relevance in Content Creation.
(06:05) - The Landscape of Media Companies vs. Individual Creators.
(08:58) - Audience Development in the Digital Age.
(11:49) - The Nature of Podcasts vs. Video Content.
(15:09) - The Evolution of Podcasting and Video Strategies.
(17:49) - The Role of Sensationalism in Media.
(20:52) - Quality vs. Mediocrity in Content Creation.
(33:37) - The Challenge of Earning Success.
(34:44) - The Longevity of Podcasting and Audience Engagement.
(39:01) - Niche Marketing and Brand Media Companies.
(42:59) - The Pressure of Performance Marketing.
(50:00) - The Role of AI in Content Creation.
(01:03:16) - Red Bull: A Case Study in Media Innovation.