This episode of "Let's Talk Marketing" explores navigating uncertainty in the marketing world. Host Katya Allison interviews Gwen Hammes, co-CEO of Cro Metrics, about how businesses can thrive amid volatility. Gwen shares her journey from global creative agencies to leading a growth marketing firm that helps brands like Google and Bombas drive measurable impact. With deep insights into consumer behavior, the psychology of change, and balancing brand equity with performance, Gwen offers strategic, actionable advice for marketers and leaders alike. Whether it’s addressing change management, the evolving role of AI, or building resilient agency partnerships, Gwen’s perspective is refreshingly real and future-focused.

Listeners will walk away with insights on:

• Marketing must tie initiatives directly to business results to remain indispensable
• Change resistance is often neurological—marketers must lead with empathy and momentum
• AI should be seen as a creative accelerator, not a threat to human value
• Agencies must show up with a steel-stomach leadership style during turbulent times
• Creativity and boldness are essential, especially when budgets are under pressure
• Personalization isn’t a buzzword—it’s a way to adapt to consumer “choose-your-own-adventure” needs
• Strategic daydreaming and imagination are underrated tools in innovation
• "Don't bring more than you can carry" applies to life, leadership, and marketing strategy

• Learn More about CRO Metrics www.crometrics.com
• Follow Gwen on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-hammes/
• Follow Gwen on Instagram @gwendolorosa

This episode of Let's Talk Marketing explores how marketing truly operates beneath the surface by comparing it to building a house. Host Katya Allison walks solo through her original ArchMark Framework—a mindset and structural tool she uses to assess and stabilize any marketing function, whether you're inheriting a mess, scaling up, or just trying to get your head above water. Forget the shiny paint and Pinterest boards—Katya breaks down the gritty, foundational work of building a sustainable marketing strategy that actually delivers. From aligning value props to pressure-testing your execution, she lays out a grounded, no-BS approach that will help marketers stop decorating dysfunction and start building something solid.

Episode Insights:

• Marketing often looks good on the surface, but can leak underneath without solid structure.
• The ArchMark Framework breaks marketing down into four phases: Foundation, Framing, Blueprinting, Buildout.
• Your foundation includes value props, personas, and sales alignment—skip it and everything crumbles.
• Framing covers the “unsexy” stuff—operations, systems, plumbing—that keeps marketing flowing.
• Blueprinting turns goals into actual structure so you don’t end up with a “hallway to nowhere.”
• Buildout is where plans meet execution—this is not decoration, this is construction.
• Without systems and strategic sequencing, execution becomes “random acts of marketing.”
• The glam of marketing often hides chaos—this framework exposes and fixes the root issues.
• A mindset shift from "what looks good" to "what works when no one’s watching" changes everything.
• Katya will be breaking each phase down in future episodes for deeper, actionable insights.

This episode of "Let's Talk Marketing" explores the nuances of scaling, messaging clarity, and sustainable marketing strategy. Host Katya Allison interviews Jeff Wenberg, a seasoned marketing leader with 15+ years of experience scaling companies like Leadpages, Zipify Apps, and Salesmsg. Jeff unpacks the invisible forces that quietly derail conversions, how to avoid "Death Valley" in your funnel, and why messaging—not more tactics—is often the real fix. From enrollment stories to bridging the gap between marketing and sales, Jeff provides strategic wisdom and actionable examples to help digital businesses scale without burning out.

Listeners will walk away with insights on:

• Messaging misalignment is the #1 silent killer of conversions.
• Cold traffic success hinges on “enrollment stories,” not just hooks.
• Great strategy means less hustle and more precise execution.
• Scaling offers and scaling a business often go hand-in-hand.
• Don’t just build funnels—test messaging in everyday conversations.
• Aligning your pitch with what customers actually want is the shortcut.
• Focus on foundational principles, not fleeting tactics or platforms.
• Success is measured not just in data—but in how easy the sale feels.

Episode Links:

Learn more: https://factmethod.com/pitchgpt/

Follow Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffwenberg/

Follow Jeff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjeffwenberg/