Leadership isn’t about having it all figured out — it’s about staying relevant, embracing the mess, and protecting culture as you grow. In this episode, Carrie Willetts shares hard-earned lessons on leading at scale, integrating with empathy, and why confidence and community matter more than ever in healthcare.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: https://www.gravitygroup.com/podcast/creating-relevance/

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For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

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(00:00) Introduction to Carrie Willetts

(02:00) The Evolution of Leadership and Culture

(05:05) The Importance of Local Presence in Healthcare

(09:44) Embracing the Messiness of Leadership

(16:09) Advice for Young Leaders

(21:11) Communication and Clarity in Leadership

(26:15) The Complexity of Integration in Healthcare

(31:30) Carrie's Leadership Purpose and Growth

(36:45) How to Find Clarity

(39:06) Defining Success in Leadership

(42:22) A Season of Community

(48:45) Working on Communication

(51:48) Advice to Your Younger Self

What happens when marketing becomes more automated, data-driven, and efficient — but less human? In episode 102 of Brand Story, we sit down with Rick Milenthal, Chairman, Founder, and CEO of The Shipyard, to explore why emotion still matters more than technology, how fear can hold brands back, and why understanding people is the key to building brands that last.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: gravitygroup.com/podcast/engineering-brand-love

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For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

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Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

Chapters:

(00:00) – Meet Rick Milenthal and The Shipyard

(03:10) – Curiosity, fear, and adapting to change

(09:01) – Building The Shipyard

(11:59) – Engineering brand love and emotional storytelling

(23:10) – Culture, leadership, and mental health in agencies

(27:21) – Client work spotlight: EVs & Visit California

(34:47) – The future of The Shipyard

(37:00) – Fear vs adventure in leadership

(40:54) – Rick's advice to his younger self

In this highlight episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments from Season Five of Brand Story. The conversation reflects on what it takes to build brands people believe in, how marketers should think beyond surface-level metrics in a zero-click landscape, and what it means to lead creative work with intention.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: gravitygroup.com/podcast/season-five-favorite-moments/

Continue the conversation on social:

For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

We’re also on:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/gravitygroup

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(1:05) Happiness Advantage — Mark Lester (Ep 90)

(4:02) Zero-Click Marketing — Rand Fishkin (Ep 91)

(6:28) Collaborative Leadership — Aya Baeshean (Ep 87)

(9:55) Brand Transformation — Simon Hill (Ep 97)

(12:51) Building Brand Loyalty — Phyllis Rothschild (Ep 95)

(15:35) Keeping Creativity Alive — Brian Thibodeau (Ep 98)

100 episodes in, one thing is clear: creativity is still human at its core. For our 100th episode, editor and educator Scott Witthaus returns to reflect on the creative industry, the importance of stepping away, the rise of AI, and why our humanity is still our greatest differentiator. This episode touches on finding clarity and inspiration outside of work, the danger of an “always-on” creative culture, and how AI is changing (not replacing) creative work.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: gravitygroup.com/podcast/the-creative-reset/

Continue the conversation on social:

For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

We’re also on:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/gravitygroup

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

(0:00) Mentoring and Industry Insights

(2:58) The Importance of Taking Breaks

(6:02) Travel and Storytelling

(12:33) Mentoring the Next Generation

(15:34) AI's Impact on Creativity

(18:01) Human Touch in Storytelling

(31:12) The Role of AI in Storytelling

(37:09) Human Experience Design and Its Importance

(41:45) The Inspiration Series: Human Stories in Advertising

(48:11) Giving Back: Nonprofits and Community Engagement

Data is everywhere. But making sense of it? That’s where the real work begins. In episode 99 of Brand Story, Laura Grover, Senior Vice President and Head of Client Solutions at EDO, Inc., shares why traditional metrics like reach and clicks don’t always tell the full story. She also discusses how AI is reshaping search and measurement, what marketers can learn from sports audiences, and why curiosity is still the most valuable skill in a data-driven world.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: https://www.gravitygroup.com/podcast/marketings-measurement-reset/

Continue the conversation on social:

For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

We’re also on:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/gravitygroup

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

(00:00) Introduction to Laura Grover, EDO, and Marketing Measurement

(03:06) The Importance of Meeting Clients Where They Are

(05:57) Evolution of Advertising Metrics

(09:01) The Role of AI in Search and Measurement

(11:55) Measuring NFL Advertising Effectiveness

(15:08) The Impact of Women's Sports on Advertising

(18:00) Programmatic Advertising and Client Success Stories

(20:25) Maximizing Creative and Media Efficiency

(24:12) The Evolution of Measurement in Advertising

(27:40) Confidence in Analytics and Asking Questions

(29:08) Advice for Newcomers in Measurement

(32:44) The Importance of Generalist Skills in Measurement

(34:56) Harnessing AI for Creative Analysis

(36:12) Outcomes as a New Standard of Measurement

When creativity hits a wall, what keeps you moving? For creative director and educator Brian Thibodeau, it’s curiosity, empathy, and a relentless drive to connect. In episode 98 of Brand Story, he and host Steve Gilman explore how art, teaching, and storytelling fuel a creative life and how empathy helps drive good design.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: https://www.gravitygroup.com/podcast/keeping-creativity-alive/

Continue the conversation on social:

For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

We’re also on:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/gravitygroup

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

(00:00) Introduction to Brian Thibodeau

(01:52) The Quarantine Portraits Project

(08:30) Navigating the Creative Path

(11:06) Creative Collaborations and Projects

(17:00) Disney, Nissan, Rogue One, and the Nissan Rogue

(21:43) Exploring Ecotourism and Creative Assignments

(22:52) The Importance of Teaching and Mentorship

(34:18) End of Day Art: A Creative Movement

Here’s the truth about brand. It isn’t one-dimensional. The strongest brands create experiences across every sense, building memories that last long after a purchase. In episode 97 of Brand Story, Simon Hill, President, FutureBrand North America, shares how the best brands stand out in markets where products often look the same. We explore the frameworks FutureBrand uses to align leaders and global teams, how emotion tips decisions, and why consistency across every sense matters more than ever.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: gravitygroup.com/podcast/transforming-brands

Continue the conversation on social:

For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

We’re also on:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/gravitygroup

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction & Simon Hill Welcome

(01:22) Leading the London 2012 Olympic Bid

(04:50) Lessons from Global Brand Campaigns

(09:10) Shifting from Advertising to Brand Strategy

(13:05) Working Closely with CEOs & Leaders

(15:53) Making Brands Experiential & Human

(18:33) The Transformation Ladder

(23:40) The Future of Branding & Human Experience

(27:06) Being Open to The Power of Brand

(29:16) The Power of Human Insight

(32:48) Swimming the English Channel for Charity

(34:10) Fear, Adventure & Resilience

(36:30) Embracing Competition & Growth

(38:07) This Chapter of Life Investment

(38:58) Advice to My Younger Self

Bad bosses are everywhere. We’ve all worked with them, and if we’re honest, we’ve all had moments where we’ve been them. In episode 96 of Brand Story, Mita Mallick, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Best Selling Author, returns to the podcast to talk about her new book, The Devil Emails at Midnight. We explore why toxic behaviors are so persistent in the workplace, how leaders can recognize when they’re slipping into bad habits, and what it takes to build cultures that people actually want to be part of.

This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the stories of real people who are making an impact on brands, business, and the world around them. Episodes feature guests from a variety of backgrounds who bring their own unique perspectives to the conversation.

Brand Story is created and produced by Gravity Group, a full-service brand and marketing agency, and is hosted by Gravity Group President, Steve Gilman.

Links and Information From the Episode Here: https://www.gravitygroup.com/podcast/the-devil-emails-at-midnight/

Continue the conversation on social:

For more of Brand Story, check out our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gravitygroupmarketing), where we’ll post previews and highlights of shows, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, plus other marketing news you can use.

We’re also on:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/gravitygroup

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/gravitygroupmarketing

(00:00) Introduction

(2:37) Why Write About Bad Bosses

(6:56) Owning Our Own Mistakes

(9:00) The Archetypes of Bad Bosses - Spotlight Stealer

(13:52) The Archetypes of Bad Bosses - Medusa

(19:30) The Archetypes of Bad Bosses - The Grieving Boss

(25:02) Common Behaviors of Bad Bosses - Toxic Positivity

(30:25) The Devil Emails At Midnight

(33:30) Self Awareness & Humility

(35:43) What's Next & Final Takeaways