Épisodes

  • The Secret To Measuring Brand Marketing with Jake Barnett | Horizons Pod
    Sep 9 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Jake Barnett is a marketing data expert and founder of Day1Data who previously led customer data foundations at Farfetch, helping optimize their $300M marketing budget through advanced analytics.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 📊 Perfect is the enemy of profitable: No attribution model tells the complete truth, but some drive real business value. Focus on models that get used daily and match your business context (e.g., last-touch for pure DTC, multi-touch for omnichannel).2/ 💰 Scale before sophistication: MMM isn't for everyone. Three key criteria: spending >$50-100k, diverse media mix, and clean historical data. Start with simpler incrementality tests if you're not there yet.3/ 🎯 Competitors are conversion killers: Rival spending typically causes 10-20% revenue decline in emerging markets. Established brands with strong market share face less impact from competitor spending.4/ 🏪 Physical retail = stealth marketing: Store presence creates significant halo effects for DTC brands. Many successful companies treat retail as an advertising channel rather than a pure revenue play.5/ 📈 Brand + Performance = Winning combo: Performance marketing borrows demand from the future while brand builds it. Modern scale-ups increasingly blend both approaches rather than going pure-play performance.6/ 🧪 Test design trumps analysis: The best incrementality tests start with strong pre-testing power analysis. Choose consistent test markets without noise and secure leadership buy-in before launching.7/ 👥 Change management > tech implementation: 70% of marketing transformation is about managing people, not implementing solutions. Align attribution methodologies across teams and secure executive sponsorship.8/ 📱 Daily tracking needs quarterly context: Use MMM for strategic planning (quarterly/annual) and traditional attribution for daily optimization. No single tool handles everything perfectly.—Where to find Jake Barnett:* Company: https://day1data.co.uk/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-barnett-37980abb/—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Marketing Attribution Philosophy 02:30 What Makes Attribution Models Useful 04:00 Explaining Media Mix Modeling (MMM) 06:30 Experience at Farfetch with MMM 09:36 How Marketers Should Evaluate MMM Reports 13:46 Handling Data Quality Issues 20:20 Brand vs Performance Marketing Balance 25:38 Data Quality and Common Issues 29:06 B2B Marketing Measurement Challenges 34:21 Different Approaches to MMM Implementation 41:42 Impact of Competitor Spend 47:13 Brand Building vs Performance Marketing 51:45 Human Side of Marketing Transformation 57:13 Storytelling and Visualization in Marketing Analytics 1:00:00 Incrementality Testing Best Practices—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 6 min
  • Why This CEO Refuses to Hire Anyone with Amos Bar Joseph | Horizons Pod
    Sep 2 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Amos Bar-Joseph is the CEO and co-founder of Swan AI, aiming to build a $30M ARR business with just 3 founders by pioneering autonomous AI-driven operations that achieve $10M revenue per employee.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🤖 Digital Leverage > Digital Labor: Instead of building AI to replace humans, focus on creating tools that amplify human capabilities. The goal isn't to build an AI SDR, but rather to create a "100X seller" through human-AI collaboration.2/ 🎯 Incentive Alignment Drives Sticky Revenue: In a three-person company, everyone shares the same goal: sustainable revenue growth. This alignment eliminates the traditional MQL/SQL friction and keeps the focus on long-term customer success.3/ 🔄 Real AI Agents Learn and Adapt: True AI agents aren't rigid automation tools but adaptive collaborators that learn from feedback loops. They should start with quick onboarding and continuously improve through natural interaction, just like a new hire.4/ 💬 Meet Users Where They Are: Swan's success with Slack integration shows the power of embedding AI tools within existing workflows. Don't make users come to your platform; bring your platform to where they already work.5/ ⚡ Decision Velocity is Your Edge: Early-stage startups' main advantage is their ability to make quick decisions. Don't get bogged down in analysis paralysis. Trust intuition and maintain rapid iteration cycles.6/ 📈 Intelligence Scales Exponentially: Unlike headcount which scales linearly, AI capabilities compound over time. Every advancement in LLM technology automatically improves all aspects of your AI-powered operations.7/ 🎭 Narrative > Product in Marketing: Focus on building movements around compelling narratives rather than just product features. Challenge existing challengers while sparking hope, not fear.8/ 🏢 Small is the New Big: In an AI-powered world, being nimble matters more than being large. SMBs with the agility to reimagine their operations around human-AI collaboration will outperform rigid enterprises.—Where to find Amos Bar Joseph:* Swan: https://www.getswan.com/* The Big Shift: https://swan-ai.beehiiv.com/p/welcome-to-the-big-shift* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amos-bar-joseph-5a665a142/* X: https://x.com/amosbarjoseph—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Background 04:28 Automated vs High-Touch Sales Approach 07:22 Customer Segmentation Strategy 09:46 Building a Three-Person Company 12:14 Difference Between AI Labor and AI Leverage 16:37 AI Agents vs AI Automation 20:28 How Swan Works in Slack 26:14 Decision Making Velocity in Startups 29:04 Learning from Previous Startups 32:11 Handling Support with AI 38:32 Future of Human-AI Collaboration 43:48 Audience-Led Growth Strategy—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    48 min
  • This CMO Got Fired Twice, Then Built Better Attribution with Mada Seghete | Horizons Pod
    Aug 26 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Mada Seghete is the co-founder and CEO of Upside, a B2B revenue attribution pioneer who previously co-founded Branch and grew it to a $4B valuation.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 The Courage to Let Go: CMO Success is About Team FreedomStrong ICs often micromanage when becoming managers. True leadership means setting clear goals but giving teams freedom to achieve them their way, even if different from your approach. Your way isn't always the best way.2/ 🔍 Attribution is About Understanding, Not CreditAvoid splitting credit between teams. Focus on understanding what actually drives deals forward. Most successful B2B deals involve multiple touchpoints across marketing and sales working together, not siloed efforts.3/ 🕵️ Forensic Attribution > Basic Attribution Traditional attribution models miss critical hidden signals. The real story lies in email chains, meeting transcripts, and untracked events. Build a knowledge graph to reconstruct the full customer journey, including "shadow touchpoints."4/ 🎮 Company Building is Level-Based GamingEach stage requires different skills, and mastering one level doesn't guarantee success in the next. What works at seed stage won't work at Series A. Accept starting from zero with each new phase.5/ 💰 Right-Size Your FundraiseRaising too little forces premature revenue focus. Raising too much creates unrealistic expectations. Find the middle ground that gives enough runway to properly research and validate product-market fit.6/ 🎯 Hire for Team Gaps, Not Just GrowthMap team skills on a 1-5 scale across key functions. Hire first where current team members score lowest, not necessarily where you need the most help overall.7/ 🔄 Inbound vs Outbound: The Quality TradeoffInbound leads often ghost; outbound prospects show higher commitment. While inbound scales better, targeted outbound lets you pursue ideal customers who may not know they need your solution yet.8/ 🎓 Perfect Data is a MythChoose directionally accurate insights you can act on today over waiting months for "perfect" data. Focus on building trust through transparency and clear methodology.—Where to find Mada Seghete:* Company: https://upside.tech/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madalina/* X: https://x.com/mada299—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Challenges of Measuring Marketing Impact 05:26 The Journey from Branch to Upside 09:13 Evolution of Attribution Methodology 15:17 Using AI Agents for Data Analysis 21:30 Building the Knowledge Graph 28:37 Lessons from Building Multiple Companies 34:42 Strategic Approaches to Hiring 41:20 Leveraging AI in Marketing 45:55 Venture Capital Strategy 51:21 Finding the Right Co-founders 54:43 Team Building and Role Prioritization 59:10 Leadership Lessons from Gaming 1:02:11 Lightning Round Q&A—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 8 min
  • This Company Sends Dog Treats to Customers' Pets (Sales Exploded) with Joey Coleman | Horizons Pod
    Aug 19 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Joey Coleman is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and customer experience expert who has helped organizations like Hyatt Hotels, NASA and Zappos transform how they retain customers and employees through his First 100 Days methodology.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎁 The Gift Economy > The Sale EconomyInvest 2-10% of net profits into customer gifting. While marketing to cold audiences converts at ~20%, marketing to existing customers converts at 60-70%. Focus your dollars where the ROI is highest: delighting current customers.2/ 🎯 Personalization > Standardization Don't give everyone the same calendar. Learn customer preferences through simple questions (sweet/savory, hot/cold drinks, pets) and use that intel for truly personalized gifts. Even digital companies should leverage physical touchpoints.3/ 💬 Words Matter > Words WhateverLanguage shapes relationships. Replace "acquisition" with "assess," "contracts" with "letters of agreement." Your vocabulary influences how customers perceive their relationship with you.4/ 🔄 Systems > SpontaneityCreate processes to capture customer insights (CRM) and employee preferences (ERM). Schedule regular SOP reviews. The worst time to figure out crisis response is during a crisis.5/ 🤝 H2H > B2BThere's no such thing as B2B - only Human-to-Human. Businesses don't buy things, humans do. Build relationships across multiple touchpoints in client organizations, not just the decision maker.6/ 🎬 Video Personalization at ScaleFilm personalized welcome videos for top 500 common names + 500 uncommon names. Create a video library over time. Small gestures of human connection differentiate you from competitors.7/ 🌊 Prevent Problems > Fix ProblemsAddress potential issues before they arise (like scope creep). Use memorable analogies like "Blue Kool-Aid moments" to set expectations when everyone's happy, not when tensions are high.8/ 🔎 Curiosity > Criticism When things go wrong, ask "How could I have prevented this?" before blaming others. Get curious about root causes before getting critical about outcomes.—Where to find Joey Coleman:* Never Lose a Customer Again: https://joeycoleman.com/books/never-lose-a-customer-again/* Never Lose an Employee Again: https://joeycoleman.com/books/never-lose-an-employee-again/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeycoleman1/* X: https://x.com/thejoeycoleman—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Background 05:36 The ROI of Customer Gifting 10:29 Scaling Personal Engagement 14:08 Employee Relationship Management 20:07 Joey's Journey from CIA to Customer Experience 23:55 Career Transitions and Taking Risks 30:15 Personalized Video Marketing at Scale 34:00 Digital Companies and Physical Gifting 38:30 The Eight Phases of Customer Experience 42:14 Managing Customer Expectations 47:10 Business Language and Communication 51:53 Proactive Problem Solving 57:46 Creative Gifting Strategies 1:14:51 Standard Operating Procedures and Growth—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 22 min
  • 3 Stage Homepage Framework That Turns Browsers Into Buyers with Alex Napier Holland | Horizons Pod
    Aug 12 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Alex Napier Holland is a conversion copywriter and founder of GorillaFlow who has helped 100+ startups and global tech brands boost revenue through strategic homepage copywriting and market positioning.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 The 80/20 Rule of Website Traffic: For startups, less than 5% of visitors understand your product, while established brands enjoy 99%+ recognition. This fundamentally changes how you should approach homepage design - startups need more education, less assumption.2/ 📊 Features > Abilities > Benefits Framework: Don't just list features or benefits. Structure content as: What the feature is → What it enables users to do → What outcomes it delivers. Lead with abilities, back with features, close with benefits.3/ 🔍 Six Essential Customer Research Questions:- What pain points led you to try our product?- What specific use cases matter most?- What hesitations did you have?- How did you find us?- Why choose us over alternatives?- What does success look like with our product?4/ 💬 Social Proof Strategy: Ditch the "wall of love." Instead, maintain a tagged database of customer quotes and strategically place them throughout the page to validate bold claims. Include photos for credibility.5/ 📱 Mobile First, Always: Avoid the trap of designing for beautiful desktop displays. Most users will view your site on mobile devices, often with slower connections and different interaction patterns.6/ 🎨 Visual Hierarchy Through Contrast: Use contrast strategically to highlight value propositions within technical copy. Follow Apple's example: gray for technical details, white/black for impact statements.7/ 📈 Continuous Copy Updates: Test and refresh homepage copy quarterly at minimum. Most companies treat copy as a one-time project, but regular updates based on customer feedback drive better results.8/ 🎯 Enterprise Homepage Strategy: Address end users primarily, but include strategic sections for C-suite and finance stakeholders. Split outcomes into tactical (3-6 months) and strategic (2-3 years) benefits.—Where to find Alex Napier Holland:* GorillaFlow agency: https://gorillaflow.com/* Alex's Figma kit: https://alexnapierholland.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexnapierholland/* X: https://x.com/NapierHolland—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Understanding Website Visitor Knowledge 02:25 Alex's Background in Journalism and Sales 05:19 Differences Between Homepages and Landing Pages 08:36 AI and Product Differentiation 12:21 Features, Abilities, and Benefits Framework 15:27 Avoiding Technical Jargon in Headlines 20:38 Using Kickers in Headlines 24:49 Customer Research Methods 32:23 Social Proof Implementation 36:32 Cognitive Load and Website Design 41:24 Homepage Refresh Frequency 43:51 Customer Survey and Interview Techniques 53:45 Enterprise Sales and Multiple Stakeholders 58:29 Typography and Design Best Practices 1:00:15 Lightning Round Questions—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 3 min
  • The Hidden Metric Killing D2C Brands with Veena Gandhi | Horizons Pod
    Aug 5 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Veena Gandhi is the founder and CEO of Digital Street Australia, a profit-first eCommerce growth agency that has generated over $250 million in client revenue working with brands like Coca-Cola, BeautyStat and Euclove.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 💰 Cash Flow Beats ROASBreak free from return on ad spend obsession. Focus on actual dollars in the bank by tracking OPEX, marketing costs, and cost of goods. Partner with accountants and CFOs to optimize cash management fundamentals.2/ 🎯 Direct Response LivesTraditional advertising principles still apply to digital. David Ogilvy's direct response copywriting techniques remain powerful - focus on clear benefits, compelling headlines, and direct calls to action. The medium changes, but persuasion principles endure.3/ 🔍 The ARDF FrameworkAnalysis > Research > Data > Forecast. Start by analyzing current business state, research competition and market fit, analyze data for actionable insights, then forecast growth based on real metrics. Scale this framework based on business size.4/ 🌟 Reddit Research GoldMine Reddit forums and Amazon reviews for authentic customer language, pain points, and objections. Compile findings in spreadsheets to inform ad creative. Simple, free market research that most brands overlook.5/ 🌎 Smart Market ExpansionWhen expanding to new markets, localize everything - seasons, spelling, accents, influencers. Small details matter. Use postal code targeting to focus on specific retail locations.—Where to find Veena Gandhi:* Digital Street: https://digitalstreetau.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenagandhi/* X: https://x.com/VeenaGandhi9—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Profitable Marketing 02:50 Traditional to Digital Marketing Transition 05:31 Evolution of Product Launches 08:04 ARDF Framework Discussion 10:22 Analyzing Brand Data and Cashflow 14:21 DTC Brand P&L Breakdown 21:15 Landing Page vs Ad Responsibilities 24:01 Post-Purchase Experience 31:29 Whitelisting Ads Strategy 38:33 International Market Expansion 44:12 Brand Building vs Performance Marketing 48:08 Connected TV (CTV) Advertising 52:20 Heat Maps and Landing Page Analysis 56:34 Lightning Round Q&A—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    59 min
  • When Words Fail, Build a Prototype with Karan Peri | Horizons Pod
    Jul 29 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Karan Peri is a product leader and builder who has led groundbreaking products across Nansen, Coinbase, Flipkart, Amazon Prime Video and Microsoft, known for pioneering progressive web apps and reimagining digital experiences at scale.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 Prototype > PowerPoint: When pitching revolutionary ideas, show don't tell. Flipkart's PWA got approved only after building a working prototype—all previous written proposals failed. Live demos help stakeholders visualize the impossible and overcome status quo bias.2/ 🏃‍♂️ Move at the Speed of Trust: The best product teams work in "unsanctioned" ways to prove concepts quickly. At both Microsoft and Flipkart, breakthrough innovations came from small teams working after hours to build prototypes before getting official approval.3/ 🔍 Tech First Can Lead to Customer First: While "start with the customer" is good advice, sometimes understanding new technical capabilities (like service workers or ML) reveals previously impossible solutions to customer problems. Stay on top of emerging tech.4/ 🤝 Early Marketing Integration = Better Products: Include marketing teams in PRD reviews and early planning. The best marketing partners come armed with data about channel performance, conversion rates, and customer behavior—treat them as strategic partners.5/ 📊 Outcomes > Outputs: Don't celebrate shipping features or running experiments. Focus relentlessly on actual business impact. Create space in roadmaps for pivots when better paths to outcomes emerge.6/ 🎭 Test Feature Request Sincerity: When stakeholders request features, ask them to write a simple two-pager explaining the "why." This filters out ~70% of non-critical requests and ensures requesters have skin in the game.7/ 🔄 Pre-mortems Prevent Post-mortems: Before building, use AI to identify potential failure modes. Then deliberately choose which risks to mitigate now versus later. This prevents surprises while maintaining speed.8/ 📱 Challenge Industry "Ceilings": When Flipkart's mobile web conversions hit 0.8%, everyone said that was the ceiling. But by questioning assumptions and rebuilding from first principles, they achieved dramatically better results. Don't accept artificial limits.—Where to find Karan Peri:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karanperi/* X: https://x.com/karanperi—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Background 01:20 Journey from Engineering to Product Management 08:08 Pioneering Progressive Web Apps at Flipkart 13:19 Understanding Customer Problems and Building Solutions 31:34 Working with Marketing Teams 39:14 Product Management Time Management 53:53 Balance of Maker vs Manager Schedule 58:51 Leveraging AI in Product Management 1:04:39 Pre-mortems and Risk Assessment 1:06:10 Lightning Round Q&A—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 11 min
  • The $150M Mansion Meeting That Made This CMO Quit Everything with Kevin Dahlstrom | Horizons Pod
    Jul 22 2025
    Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.—Kevin Dahlstrom is a 4-time founder and 4-time CMO who has been called the only person to successfully rebrand three public companies. Based in Boulder, he's an active investor in over 50 startups and rock climbing enthusiast who helps companies create unfair advantages through strategic branding.Here’s some of my takeaways from this week’s episode…1/ 🎯 Success is Personal, Not UniversalThe corner office isn't everyone's dream. True success means aligning your work with YOUR definition of fulfillment, not society's. Kevin discovered this at the peak of his corporate career, realizing his version of success looked completely different from the traditional C-suite path.2/ 🎨 Define Your Ideal End State FirstCreate a detailed vision of your perfect daily life without constraints. This becomes your North Star for decision-making. Focus on states of being (like "get daily sunshine") rather than achievements. Most people skip this crucial step and chase others' dreams instead.3/ 🔄 Control is a Sliding Scale, Not a SwitchStart with accepting minimal control in your 20s (5%), gradually increase to 20% in your 30s, 50% in your 40s, and beyond. Don't wait for retirement to design your life. Build intentionally toward more autonomy year by year.4/ 👥 First Team Concept Transforms LeadershipYour primary loyalty as a C-suite executive is to the company and CEO, not your department. This mindset prevents silos and aligns everyone toward company-wide objectives rather than departmental wins.5/ 🎭 How You Do Anything is How You Do EverythingWhen hiring, look beyond resumes to personal life achievements. High performers excel across all areas of life. Personal accomplishments reveal more about someone's true capabilities than corporate achievements.6/ 🎯 Results Over ActivityFocus obsessively on moving key metrics that matter to the business. Many get caught up in tactics without understanding the "why." Great leaders start with desired outcomes and work backward.7/ 🤖 AI is a Force Multiplier, Not a ReplacementOne person can now do the work of 10 through AI, but human curation remains essential. Success comes from being a great editor and curator of AI outputs rather than trying to compete with AI directly.8/ 💪 Health is the Foundation for EverythingInvest early in mobility work (30-60 mins, 3-4x weekly) and find physical activities you genuinely enjoy. Your health compounds like compound interest, impacting every aspect of life and career success.—Where to find Kevin Dahlstrom:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevind/* X: https://x.com/Camp4—In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction and Career Epiphany 05:43 Transitioning to a New Lifestyle 08:21 The Ideal End State Exercise 14:13 Finding the Right Team Members 18:01 Managing People and Scaling Impact 25:24 Interviewing and Hiring Strategies 31:01 Working with Different Personalities 34:41 First Team Concept in Leadership 38:07 Career Progression and Management 41:39 AI's Impact on Marketing 45:52 Health and Wellness Priorities 52:08 Lightning Round Q&A—Obligatory disclaimer: I've worked at YouTube and Google for about a decade in various marketing teams. Nothing I say in my personal spaces is necessarily endorsed by them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit horizonspod.substack.com
    Voir plus Voir moins
    55 min