High-Key Growth | The Podcast

#015 - Why Audience Strategy Is Often the Missing Growth Lever

Most founders think they understand their audience. They have the demographics, the personas, the segments. But oftentimes, that alone is not enough. In this episode of High-Key Growth, I sit down with Erin Weaver, VP of Audience Development and Strategy at The Information (with past leadership roles at The New Yorker, Vox Media, and Group Nine Media), to break down what it actually means to understand an audience—and why it’s one of the most overlooked growth levers in business today. Coming from the publishing world–an industry that has had to continuously evolve alongside shifts in media, technology, and consumer behavior—Erin brings a perspective rooted in truly knowing what resonates, what builds loyalty, and what ultimately drives action. We explore why demographics fall short, how audience development connects top-of-funnel attention to long-term monetization, and what founders can learn from companies that have spent decades refining how to capture and keep attention. This is a conversation about moving beyond surface-level targeting—and building a strategy around real audience insight. In this episode, Erin covers: * Why demographics alone don’t define your audience—and what actually does * How to think about audience across the full funnel, from attention to loyalty * Lessons founders can take from the publishing industry on building and converting an audience Connect with Erin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/byerinweaver/]

How Olive’s Founder Is Bringing Tech to Fashion’s Most Traditional Spaces

What does it take to break into one of the most competitive, relationship-driven industries…and build something from the ground up? In this episode of High-Key Growth, I sit down with Olivia Suchko, Founder of Olive, to talk about the realities of building in fashion—an industry where who you know can matter just as much as what you create. From early traction to long-term vision, Olivia shares how she’s leveraging networking, relationships, and technology to carve out space in a traditionally offline process.  We get into what it looks like to build in the early days, why relationships are still one of the most powerful growth levers, and how she’s approaching a global fit problem with tech.  In this episode, Olivia covers:  * Why networking and relationship-building are critical in industries like fashion * What it really looks like to build from the ground up in the early stages * Advice for other founders at this stage of the game, and where she’s found success so far

#13 - From 0 to Exit: Lessons from a 3x Founder

What does it really take to build — and successfully exit — a company? In this episode of High-Key Growth, I sit down with Hayden Cardiff, 3x founder and former Co-CEO of Idelic, to break down the realities behind building multiple companies and navigating a successful exit. Hayden shares candid insights on what worked, what didn’t, and how each venture shaped his approach to growth, fundraising, and founder-led brand building. We dive into the lessons learned across startups, how to think about capital and scaling at different stages, and why building a strong personal brand—even in a B2B industry—can be a game-changer. In this episode, Hayden covers: *  The biggest lessons from building and exiting multiple companies—and what he’d do differently  *  How to approach fundraising strategically across stages of growth  *  Why founder brand matters (even in B2B) and how it can accelerate trust and traction

Creating Aesthetic Social Media Content for Travel & Airbnb

What does it actually take to create scroll-stopping, high-converting content in the travel and short-term rental space? In this episode, I sit down with Heather Williamson, a digital marketing consultant specializing in aesthetic lifestyle video, to break down what’s working right now. In this episode, we cover: * How she carved out a niche creating content for Airbnb, hotels, and travel brands * Why social media is now essential for bookings and brand growth * Proven best practices for creating polished, high-performing video content (on your PHONE!) * What most Airbnb hosts and travel brands are getting wrong

Making Account Based Marketing a Key Tool in Your Marketing Strategy

Learn how to unlock the potential of Account Based Marketing (ABM) and take your growth strategy to the next level on this episode of High-Key Growth. Listen in as Sendoso’s Co-CEO, Kris Rudeegraap, offers insights into why AMB has become a game-changing strategy for businesses.  In this episode, Kris covers: * How to identify and target the right accounts to maximize ABM success * Cost-effective ways for early-stage companies to implement ABM strategies * Tips for aligning sales and marketing teams to deliver personalized, high-impact campaigns Hot Links Sendosos Website [https://www.sendoso.com/] Connect with Kris on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudeegraap/] Email Kris at kris@sendoso.com