Uncensored Renegades

The power of speed - how to move at the speed of culture

Today Jon and Kory break down why speed has become one of the biggest competitive advantages in modern marketing. Using e.l.f.’s Super Bowl campaign, created and launched in just 11 days, they explore what allows some organisations to move incredibly quickly while others get trapped in endless approvals and bureaucracy. From legal teams and leadership trust to decision-making and culture, this episode is a practical look at how to build teams that execute with speed. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:12 - What Usain Bolt can teach us about speed 04:43 - Why e.l.f. made a Super Bowl ad in 11 days 09:33 - How you can work at e.l.f. speed 12:27 - How legal can help you work at speed 15:30 - What needs to be true in order for speed to happen 17:47 - Why speed is such a big competitive advantage

How to achieve 28 quarters of consecutive growth

Since joining e.l.f., Kory has famously achieved consecutive quarters of growth, 28 at the time of recording. This is an extraordinary achievement for a CMO, so Kory breaks down exactly how they did it, and what insights you can take back to your company to achieve the same.

Interview tips that will get you hired

Today Jon and Kory break down what actually makes someone memorable in an interview, beyond rehearsed answers and polished CVs. From body language and energy to asking better questions and avoiding corporate waffle, they share practical advice on how to stand out without sounding scripted. They also discuss how they personally hire, whether interviews are overrated, and why the best candidates treat interviews like conversations, not performances. Whether you’re hiring, interviewing, or just trying to communicate better, this episode is packed with useful insights. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 02:10 - Kory’s advice for interviews 05:07 - The importance of non-verbal behaviour in interviews 07:31 - Why you need to ask questions at the end of an interview 09:58 - How Kory and Jon like to hire 12:22 - Do we put too much pressure on the interview? 13:52 - How to show energy in an interview 18:34 - Do prepare, don’t rehearse 20:19 - Do strategically distill, and don’t ramble on 21:36 - Do have a framework, don’t have unstructured thinking 22:44 - Do have a conversation, don’t deliver canned responses 23:42 - How personal should you get in an interview? 25:09 - Why Kory wants to do a TED Talk 26:13 - Should you follow up after an interview?

How your CFO can unlock marketing growth

In this episode of Uncensored Renegades, Jon and Kory tackle one of the most underrated relationships in business: marketing and finance. Too often, marketers see the CFO as a blocker. In reality, they can be your biggest ally. Jon and Kory break down how to build a strong relationship with finance, why understanding how the business really works is critical, and how to turn your marketing plan into something the CFO actually wants to champion. Timestamps 00:00 - Start 01:08 - Where the KBO$$ nickname came from 02:06 - Why the CFO relationship is so important 04:39 - Understand how the business needs to work 05:51 - How to build the relationship with your CFO 09:54 - Get finance to present your marketing plan 11:16 - How to make earnings interesting 14:31 - Are founder led companies more effective? 16:35 - How to approach risk in a business 20:52 - Translating data into insights

Tackling your weaknesses as a leader

In this episode of Uncensored Renegades, Jon and Kory tackle something most people avoid: their own weaknesses. From brutally honest feedback from partners and teams to self-awareness and uncomfortable truths, they explore how to identify what you’re not good at and why that might be the most important step in growing as a leader. They also ask whether weaknesses are just overused strengths, and how traits like empathy or attention to detail can become liabilities if left unchecked. This is a candid, self-reflective conversation on turning your weaknesses into something you can actually use. Recommended reading: * Good to Great by Jim Collins [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Great-Jim-Collins/dp/0712676090] * Indistractible by Nir Eyal [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Indistractable-Control-Your-Attention-Choose/dp/1526610205/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZbPEKln_GssWkN537twsPLYLmSeNpzwnT-0_akxLP-YYoGT7U2_pdBzECzzVE5p9aGkaAq4si9KUe7tanKEE6wzkrhmIYD1bjSGJtYkUz5W-_qJenbVn1eQobW5ur-PQDFckF8MtVfASD3NEY2d8H-mTiZ8MoZ023e0Xj5wKKYcu6_TH2CbGfZzufBX9j3vFw3xeUF4Jo2Msz0ms748EK389B5b2JUAp3K06NZJ0DK8.qZ_zgNTrAoYoNsEuqfLzOkZYWhW0z640UJqhRex-qmo&qid=1773141244&sr=8-1] Timestamps 00:00 - Start 00:51 - It’s ok to talk about the things you’re not good at 02:23 - How do you know what you’re not good at? 03:06 - Kory’s weaknesses according to her husband 04:22 - Jon’s weaknesses according to his team 06:19 - Kory’s weaknesses according to her 07:15 - Is a weakness an overbuilt strength? 08:54 - Can empathy be a weakness? 10:38 - Why Kory is trying to improve her punctuation marks 14:56 - Why Jon is terrible at company politics 17:36 - Why Kory wants to go to the doctors more often 18:50 - How to turn weaknesses into strengths