Authentic Avenue

Adam Conner

You ever see an ad or look at a brand and think, “Come on. Get real.”? You’re not alone. I’ve seen it. And on this podcast, I say it -- directly to their leaders. My name’s Adam Conner, and I know brands are always searching for personal truth -- their version of authenticity. Frankly, they need it -- because consumers are louder and more skeptical than ever before. And in a world where people will talk about you whether you like it or not, it’s critical to stand up for something and tell real stories. But what does that even mean? How do you do that? And most importantly, why? Tune in to hear all about it from Chief Marketing Officers, CEOs and founders from the most interesting brands in the world. And together we’ll discover that each and every journey to get real takes a turn down Authentic Avenue.

  1. What's New in 2022 for Retail with Retail Store Tours Founder & CEO Dan Hodges

    16/12/2021

    What's New in 2022 for Retail with Retail Store Tours Founder & CEO Dan Hodges

    Retail Store Tours | Dan Hodges On this Authentic Avenue podcast episode, my guest is Dan Hodges. He's the Founder & CEO of Retail Store Tours, through which Dan leads corporate leadership teams, boards, affluent tourists, global travelers, and more through experiential tours through the world's foremost retail landscapes. Today, Dan and I talk about why he got into that business (which started with conference tours, if you can believe it, at the National Retail Federation Big Show), including how it grew from one tour in NYC to a global phenomenon. We also talk about Dan's timely entry into China in the fall of 2019, and how his experience there led to outsized growth (not business slowdown) during COVID. Finally, we move to what Dan knows best. What do you not see in a retail store, despite what you look at? And: where is the cutting edge of retail headed in 2022? You'll learn today. Follow Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-h-814a1114/ Check out Retail Store Tours: https://retailstoretours.com/ Check out the World Retail Forum: https://worldretailforum.com/ FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/ LinkedIn (Adam Conner): https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjconner/ Email Adam: adam@authave.com Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/. Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80) Composed & Produced by Anwar Amr Video Link: https://youtu.be/8ZZbAkKNx7s

    32 min
  2. The Future of Sustainability and the CMO Seat with GRC Advising Founder Geof Rochester

    15/12/2021

    The Future of Sustainability and the CMO Seat with GRC Advising Founder Geof Rochester

    GRC Advising | Geof Rochester Today, I interview Geof Rochester. Geof is the Founder of GRC Advising, and is a globally known expert in the worlds of sustainability, purpose, and everything in between. Previously, Geof has held chief marketing roles at Showtime, WWE, and The Nature Conservancy (during which time his office was across the street from this host's!). Today, we talk about what it means to be a CMO, and how it overlaps with the Chief Sustainability seat. Can both coexist? We explore that topic, as well as how to ensure the word "sustainability" doesn't just become a brand buzzword (in the way that the word "authenticity," unfortunately, has). What is posturing, and what is progress? We learn that here. Follow Geof: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geofrochester/ GRC is leading the charge in these efforts, and has some wonderful examples to show for it. See more: https://www.grcadvising.com/ Many of the recent guests I've had have been inspired by GRC's work. I encourage you to listen to the message that their founder offers here. FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/ LinkedIn (Adam Conner): https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjconner/ Email Adam: adam@authave.com Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/. Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80) Composed & Produced by Anwar Amr Video Link: https://youtu.be/8ZZbAkKNx7s

    37 min
  3. Driving Change through Influence with Afterpay GM North America Zahir Khoja

    14/12/2021

    Driving Change through Influence with Afterpay GM North America Zahir Khoja

    Afterpay | Zahir Khoja Today, I interview Zahir Khoja, who is the General Manager of North America for Afterpay. Afterpay is among a few major players in the booming "buy now, pay later" financial trend -- and its $29 billion acquisition at the hands of Square (now Block) indicates that it's here to stay. Zahir took the role in 2021, a few months before the Block announcement. On today's podcast, we focus on authentic human leadership -- specifically, how to drive change through influence rather than force. I find Zahir's perspective incredibly interesting because the only reason we met is because I was brought into the Mastercard (Zahir's previous tenure) family via an acquisition. I experienced what it was like to be acquired from an entry-level perspective -- and today we get to learn what it's like for a leader. That, plus we learn a little more about Zahir's role models, what he's learned from them, and the all-too-important definition of authenticity from his POV. Follow Zahir: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zahirkhoja/ Check out Afterpay: https://www.afterpay.com/en-US FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA: LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/ LinkedIn (Adam Conner): https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjconner/ Email Adam: adam@authave.com Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/. Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80) Composed & Produced by Anwar Amr Video Link: https://youtu.be/8ZZbAkKNx7s

    33 min

Trailer

About

You ever see an ad or look at a brand and think, “Come on. Get real.”? You’re not alone. I’ve seen it. And on this podcast, I say it -- directly to their leaders. My name’s Adam Conner, and I know brands are always searching for personal truth -- their version of authenticity. Frankly, they need it -- because consumers are louder and more skeptical than ever before. And in a world where people will talk about you whether you like it or not, it’s critical to stand up for something and tell real stories. But what does that even mean? How do you do that? And most importantly, why? Tune in to hear all about it from Chief Marketing Officers, CEOs and founders from the most interesting brands in the world. And together we’ll discover that each and every journey to get real takes a turn down Authentic Avenue.