Pitcher This! Podcast: CPG Podcast with Darren Fox

Fostering a Healthy Work Environment With Esther Weinberg of The Ready Zone

Esther Weinberg is a business growth expert as well as the Founder and Chief Leadership Development Officer of The Ready Zone. She uses over 20 years of experience to assist leaders during periods of reorganization and rejuvenation with her consultancy. She has worked with international brands such as Disney, Microsoft, Sony, and more. She has written an ebook on her ideas titled, Better Leaders. Better People. Better Results., and is a frequent keynote speaker and podcast guest. In this episode… There have been many pushes in recent years for improving work environments. These trends have manifested in different ways, but all of them seek to relieve the monotony of the average office. Unfortunately, these ideas often fail to treat the underlying causes. Esther Weinberg has redirected her career toward helping people make these changes. She is the Founder and Chief Leadership Development Officer of The Ready Zone, where she challenges other leaders and executives to address the subtle issues in the workplace that inevitably lead to greater problems. Her advice has had a tremendous effect on her clients and now it may even help you. In this episode of the Pitcher This! Podcast, Darren Fox discusses work environments with Esther Weinberg, the Founder and Chief Leadership Development Officer of The Ready Zone, and how they can be improved. The two go through the common pitfalls that many companies make, the importance of trust within organizations, and the growing emphasis on mental health. They also touch on how to maintain social relationships despite the difficulties of remote work. Stay tuned for more!

How To Grow a Sustainable Brand With Liz Skalla of GIVN

Liz Skalla has been with GIVN, a sustainable water company that focuses on human rights, for six years as a member of their Board of Advisors, Co-founder, and EVP. With a passion for building and mentoring companies, she has proven herself as a leader of brands. Liz has consulted for international brands such as Philips Healthcare, Guggenheim Aviation, and Tampax. Her first project, PiecesofThere, was acquired by HealthyCollegeSnacks in 2016, giving her experience that she now uses to mentor other brands. In this episode… Building a sustainable and conscious business comes with its own advantages and challenges. For one, production costs are often higher so it’s difficult to rely on affordability. Instead, it becomes important to lean into the ideals behind the company and show off what sets the brand apart. Liz Skalla knows all about the struggles of building a brand, having started one herself and mentoring countless others. For over six years, she has helped GIVN weather several difficulties and still continue to grow into new fields. The experience has given her key insights into the industry that she’s keen to share with others. Darren Fox takes some time to interview Liz Skalla, the EVP of GIVN, to talk about what it takes to grow a sustainable brand. They start with the company's story and how they found success early on. They then shift into the specific marketing strategies they used to survive their greatest trials. Outside of GIVN, they also discuss topics such as B Corporation certification, brand development, and how to reach an audience.

How To Boost Your Digital Content and Marketing on LinkedIn With Steven Jack of BuildingPoint

Steven Jack is the Director of Business Development and Strategy at BuildingPoint Midwest and Gulf Coast, a company that helps improve productivity for construction teams through advanced and intuitive technologies. Steven has over 20 years of experience in e-commerce media and content, including specializations in WordPress, Mailchimp, and SEO. He has also previously worked at Idea Marketing Group in publishing and editing, among other roles. In this episode… Social media has become an essential part of marketing, but which platform is best for your company? Different businesses have found success on all of the major apps. Each one has a distinct demographic that can be reached with the right kind of content. For most B2B brands, LinkedIn marketing offers both professionalism and an audience that’s actively looking for the next big thing. BuildingPoint is a construction technology provider that has started to produce content primarily for LinkedIn with great results. In this episode of Pitcher This!, Darren Fox talks with Steven Jack, the Director of Business Development and Strategy at BuildingPoint Midwest and Gulf Coast, to talk about marketing on LinkedIn. They discuss the key ways to build and maintain a social media presence along with which kind of content thrives on the site. Steven also touches on digital and print media and the significant differences between the two.

Growing Profitable Businesses Through Sales Enablement With Jason Kammes of Brand Wings

Jason Kammes is the CEO of Brand Wings, a marketing automation platform that improves brand consistency and overall sales. He started the company to tangibly equip businesses with the tools they need for winning more deals and staying on brand. Prior to Brand Wings, Jason spent approximately 20 years at the Fujifilm Graphic Systems Division, rising through the ranks until eventually becoming their Director of Product Management. He received his bachelor's degree in industrial technology and printing management from Illinois State University. In this episode… It can be incredibly rewarding to help other businesses achieve their goals. While some companies indirectly contribute toward this ideal, others have the pleasure of helping build fellow brands in a tangible way. But, it’s challenging to find corporations who are willing to lend a hand — so Jason Kammes started his own. Brand Wings is a sales enablement platform that helps businesses grow through marketing automation. Jason and his partner have found success in their startup while helping clients find their version of success in sustainable ways. It’s taught Jason a variety of lessons in marketing, growth, and more. Darren Fox interviews Jason Kammes, the CEO of Brand Wings, to discuss sales enablement and how to market your brand. On this episode of Pitcher This! Podcast, they talk about Jason’s own career and what led him to start the company. They also discuss the best marketing tactics for growing your business, the challenges presented by different industries, and finding inspiration through challenges. Stay tuned!

Breathing New Life Into American Manufacturing With Jason Azevedo of MRCA

Jason Azevedo is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Manufacturing Revitalization Corporation of America (MRCA), which seeks to breathe new life into American manufacturing. He is also the CEO at Advoque, Instrument Graphics, and Mosaic. Jason is an expert in the field of business development, having worked on projects with global brands such as Costco, Disney, and Target, among many others. In this episode… As the decades have gone on, the once vibrant landscape of American manufacturing has slowly diminished. Many foreign countries offer cheaper production, making it increasingly difficult to choose domestic manufacturers. There are many who are still doing great work, and even more who just need a few changes to truly excel. Jason Azevedo and his brother have felt compelled to be a part of the resurgence of American manufacturing. They both help run the Manufacturing Revitalization Corporation of America, or the MRCA. Together, they have been able to support and improve multiple plants so they can be more successful than ever. So how do they do it? In this episode of the Pitcher This! Podcast, Darren Fox has a detailed conversation with Jason Azevedo, the CSO of the MRCA, to go over manufacturing in America and how they are revitalizing the industry. They talk about why Jason and his brother started the MRCA and the work they do in plants. They also discuss how they make their employees happy and ultimately help them be more productive.