The Human Side of Digital Marketing with Ed Reese

The Human Side of Digital Marketing with Ed Reese

For more than two decades, Ed Reese has helped businesses turn digital marketing data into meaningful business decisions. As Principal of Sixth Man Marketing, Executive in Residence and Adjunct Professor at Gonzaga University, Ed has built a career at the intersection of analytics, strategy, and education. In this episode, Ed shares lessons from 20+ years in digital marketing, including how analytics can tell the story behind customer behavior, why great marketing starts with understanding people—not just data—and how businesses can improve websites, search performance, and user experience through informed decision-making. Beyond marketing, the conversation explores Ed's passion for mentoring the next generation of professionals, helping students bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace, and the importance of building authentic relationships throughout your career. From launching LocalU and speaking at industry conferences to teaching future marketers and advising organizations, Ed reflects on the value of curiosity, lifelong learning, and creating opportunities for others. Whether you're a marketer, business leader, entrepreneur, student, or anyone interested in leadership and career growth, this episode offers practical insights on using data with purpose, building meaningful connections, and creating lasting impact.

What If Concrete Could Clean Water? | Greg Johnson

What if the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots we rely on every day could help reduce flooding and clean stormwater before it reaches our waterways? In this episode, Blake sits down with Greg Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO of AquiPor Technologies, to discuss how one Spokane startup is reinventing concrete to solve some of today's biggest infrastructure and water management challenges. In this episode, you'll learn: • How AquiPor is transforming traditional concrete into high-performance porous concrete • The entrepreneurial highs and lows of building a hard-tech startup • Why solving infrastructure challenges requires innovation, patience, and resilience • Greg's approach to leadership, fundraising, and scaling a mission-driven company • The future of stormwater management and resilient infrastructure If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us continue sharing stories from entrepreneurs and innovators making a difference.

Building a Brand That Actually Stands Out | James Clark

What does it actually take to build a brand experience people remember? James Clark, founder of Wunder Beast, on the realities of building a standout brand from the ground up and why branding goes far beyond a logo.James Clark builds digital activations and brand experiences that stick. In this conversation we get into the story behind Wunder Beast, what actually separates businesses that thrive from those that struggle, the marketing that genuinely moves the needle, and the mindset that keeps a founder going when things get hard. Whether you're an entrepreneur, operator, or marketer, there's plenty here worth stealing.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro00:40 What Wunder Beast builds03:42 What brands actually get out of it05:03 Standing out in a crowded market06:03 Going to market with a tiny team10:50 How AI changed the work14:39 AI slop & the creative industry18:48 Where experiential marketing is heading21:33 Favorite builds & hardest logistics25:55 The founder roller coaster27:00 Why build this in Spokane30:47 Fixing Spokane's startup scene33:12 Rapid-fire round37:48 How to reach JamesCONNECT WITH JAMESLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-clark-27920065/Wunder Beast: https://wunderbeast.com/—Cowles Ventures Podcast — founder & operator conversations from the Inland Northwest. Hosted in Spokane.Episode 32#Entrepreneurship #Branding #Marketing #Startups #Founder #Spokane #WunderBeast #CowlesVentures

Building the Future of Bioscience in the Northwest | Michaele Armstrong

What does it take to build a thriving bioscience ecosystem outside of traditional innovation hubs like Boston and San Diego? In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, we sit down with Michaele Armstrong, PhD, MBA, Executive Director of Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster, to discuss the future of biotech, startup innovation, and the work required to grow a life sciences economy in the Inland Northwest. Michaele shares her journey from oncology research and academia to entrepreneurship, ecosystem development, and supporting early-stage life science companies. We explore what makes a biotech startup fundable, the challenges founders face when commercializing new technologies, and why collaboration between industry, academia, investors, and healthcare organizations is critical to driving innovation. We also dive into the role of incubators and innovation clusters, the realities of building a life science hub in emerging markets, the impact of AI in healthcare, and the opportunities shaping the future of bioscience. Whether you're a founder, investor, researcher, healthcare leader, or simply curious about the future of innovation, this conversation offers valuable insights into one of the fastest-evolving industries in the world. Topics include: • Building a bioscience ecosystem in the Northwest • Life science startups and commercialization • What makes a biotech company fundable • The role of incubators, clusters, and community • AI in healthcare and emerging industry trends • Leadership, innovation, and long-term impact • Advice for first-time founders If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us bring more conversations with founders, operators, investors, and innovators shaping the future of business and technology.

From Idea to Company: Njal Lundberg's Entrepreneurial Journey

What happens when you combine creativity, grit, and an obsession with building memorable experiences? In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, we sit down with Njal Lundberg, founder and CEO of Modern Dreamers, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey, the realities of building a consumer brand, and the lessons she's learned scaling a business from idea to impact. Njal shares how she identified an opportunity in the market, navigated the early challenges of entrepreneurship, and built a company that stands out in a crowded landscape. We also dive into marketing, customer acquisition, leadership, resilience, and what it takes to keep growing when things don't go according to plan. Whether you're an entrepreneur, operator, investor, or someone thinking about starting your first business, this conversation is packed with practical insights and honest reflections from the founder's seat. Topics include: • Building a business from the ground up • Finding product-market fit • Customer acquisition and brand building • Lessons learned through growth and setbacks • Leadership and company culture • Advice for aspiring founders If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and leave a review to help us bring more conversations with founders, operators, and investors shaping the future of entrepreneurship. #Entrepreneurship #StartupFounder #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #CowlesVentures #ModernDreamers #Podcast #FounderJourney #Innovation