Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind

Mekanism and Jason Harris
  • 5.0 (19)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Soul & Science is an award-winning podcast where marketing’s brightest minds reveal what it takes to build breakthrough brands. Hosted by Jason Harris, each episode explores the balance between brand building (Soul) and business performance (Science). From legacy brands to emerging disruptors, we delve into the insights, culture, and vision behind the most successful brand stories.Soul & Science is a Mekanism podcast produced by Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson, and Lily Jablonski. The show is edited by Daniel Ferreira, with theme music by Kyle Merritt.Brought to you by Mekanism.

  1. 4D AGO

    #114: Amazon Senior Global Marketing Executive Winston Warrior | The Dope Professor’s Playbook for Modern Leadership

    In a world obsessed with specialization, Winston Warrior has never been interested in fitting neatly on a resume. This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Winston Warrior, Amazon Senior Global Marketing Executive, content creator, R&B artist, and “The Dope Professor,” for a conversation about reinvention, influence, and leading with humanity inside one of the biggest companies on the planet. From corporate marketing to academia, music, consulting, and culture, Winston shares how authenticity and empathy have been the throughlines connecting it all. They discuss the tension between humanity and performance, staying people-first in results-driven systems, and earning the trust that allows you to lead on your own terms. Drawing from his time at Amazon and beyond, Winston breaks down how culture, creativity, and accountability intersect when you’re building something meant to last. Key Takeaways ✅ Why empathy can be a competitive advantage, even in big corporate environments ✅ How to evolve your career without abandoning earlier versions of yourself ✅ Why impact matters more than reach when it comes to influence ✅ How delivering results gives you the freedom to lead with values Memorable Moments 💡 “When you put points on the board, it’s hard to tell you you’re too empathetic.” 💡 “I don’t deliberately use connection—it’s just who I am.” 💡 “If you change your mind, you can change your world.” 💡 “Profit matters, but culture and humanity are what make brands win long-term.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

    37 min

  2. FEB 2

    #113: Hershey’s CGO Stacy Taffet | Modernizing a Timeless Brand Without Losing the Magic

    For legacy brands, the hardest work isn’t necessarily making change—it’s choosing what to protect. In this episode of Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Stacy Taffet, Chief Growth Officer at The Hershey Company, to talk about what it takes to modernize a over 130-year-old brand portfolio while protecting the meaning people already love.  They also explore how Hershey thinks about snacking moments across candy, salty snacks, and better-for-you options. Plus the role of experimentation when measurement tools don’t capture long-term brand value. And Stacy breaks down a standout example: the Reese’s x Oreo launch, built with a culture-first, fan-powered approach that outperformed traditional playbooks. Key Takeaways ✅ Why brand stewardship requires restraint, and not constant reinvention ✅ How to design platform-first creative built for modern attention ✅ Using cross-functional operating models to turn insight into growth ✅ When to trust the data, and when to invest beyond what’s easy to measure ✅ Balancing nostalgia and innovation without diluting legacy brands Memorable Moments 💡 “Restraint is harder than reinvention.” 💡 “In a world of sensory overload, people want something they can trust every time.” 💡 “We shifted from reach-first to resonance-first.” 💡 “Business is a matter of human service.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

    36 min

  3. JAN 26

    #112: Why Agencies Lose Pitches | Robin & Stephen Boehler, Mercer Island Group

    Agencies obsess over the pitch. Clients obsess over whether you actually understand the business. In this episode, Jason Harris sits down with Robin and Stephen Boehler, founders of Mercer Island Group and authors of It’s Not About You: Winning New Business in a Crowded Agency World, to unpack why most agencies lose new business before they even walk into the room—and what the winners do differently. Key Takeaways:✅ Most clients can’t name agencies—your agency brand has to earn recognition✅ Strategy (not creative alone) is the biggest predictor of winning the business✅ “Prospect-friendly” means leading with the client’s business, not your credentials✅ Great Q&A is preparation (and skipping the gimmicks) Memorable Moments:💡 “Clients can’t name any agencies 95% of the time.”💡 “Your agency acting like a brand is critically important.”💡 “Creative without strategy turns everything into subjective opinions.”💡 “Chemistry can disqualify you if it’s bad.”💡 “It’s not ‘which one’—it’s the why.” Order a copy their book, It’s Not About You: Winning New Business in a Crowded Agency World on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-About-You-Business/dp/1965629075 Brought to you by Mekanism.

    39 min

  4. JAN 12

    #111: Carter’s CMO Sarah Crockett | How Purpose, Value, and Trust Build Modern Brands

    Purpose can fuel performance—but only when brands truly understand who they serve. In this episode, Jason Harris sits down with Carter’s CMO Sarah Crockett to explore how modern parenting is reshaping brand expectations—and what it takes to connect with one of the most values-driven and overwhelmed consumer groups today. Sarah shares how her career has been guided by purpose, and how that belief is now shaping Carter’s approach to storytelling, value, and trust. Together, they unpack the cultural shifts defining millennial and Gen Z parents—from slowing down and letting kids be kids, to demanding authenticity, affordability, and emotional connection from the brands they invite into their families’ lives. Key Takeaways:✅ Purpose creates stronger, more resilient brand connections✅ Modern parents value trust, authenticity, and emotional resonance✅ Slowing down can be a powerful cultural differentiator✅ Not every marketing investment should be measured the same way Memorable Moments:💡 “Purpose can fuel performance.”💡 “Trust is the most important value when you’re building a relationship with a child.”💡 “Let kids be kids.”💡 “Beware the lollipop of mediocrity—lick it once and you’ll suck forever.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

    37 min

  5. JAN 5

    #110: Glassdoor CMO Eric Petitt | Leading With Soul in an AI World

    Marketing is being rebuilt by AI—but the most important decisions still can’t be automated. In this episode, Glassdoor CMO Eric Petitt joins Jason Harris to explore what it takes to build a resilient marketing career in an AI-shaped world. Drawing from more than two decades of experience across mission-driven companies like Mozilla and Glassdoor, Eric shares how marketers can stay adaptable, creative, and deeply human as the industry evolves. They unpack why data should define problems—but not dictate solutions—how understanding how you think matters more than mastering every new platform, and why character, conviction, and taste are becoming the true differentiators in modern marketing. The conversation also examines how organizing teams around outcomes can unlock speed, clarity, and shared ownership—and what that shift means for developing the next generation of marketers. Key Takeaways: ✅ Data defines problems—but gut shapes solutions ✅ Resilience comes from stretching skills without losing your core strength ✅ Character, taste, and conviction are marketing’s hardest skills ✅ Outcome-driven teams move faster and create clearer ownership Memorable Moments:💡 “We use data to define problems—and our gut to shape solutions.”💡 “The soft skills are becoming the hard skills.”💡 “Curiosity is a choice—and it builds resilience.”💡 “Only boring people are bored.” Brought to you by Mekanism.

    38 min

  6. 12/29/2025

    #109: Building a Brand at 190 MPH | Amber Balcaen, Race Car Driver

    Amber Balcaen didn’t just have to prove she could win races. She had to prove she was worth backing.In this episode of Soul & Science, Jason Harris sits down with Amber Balcaen, a third-generation race-car driver who made history in 2016 as the first Canadian female to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States. With a background in dirt racing, Amber became the first in her family to transition to asphalt stock cars and has since made more than 40 starts in the ARCA Menards Series.Together, Jason and Amber explore the parallels between racing and business: the discipline of consistency, the importance of feedback loops, and the mindset required to keep going when results don’t come easily. From cold-calling sponsors to refining her brand story, Amber explains how resilience becomes operational—and why the ability to assess, adapt, and implement is what separates short careers from long ones.Key Takeaways:✅ Performance earns attention, but sponsorship sustains opportunity✅ Resilience works best when it’s treated as a system, not a feeling✅ Strong brands attract partners instead of chasing them✅ Long-term success is built through consistency, feedback, and adaptationMemorable Moments:💡 “If I wanted to be a race car driver, I first had to be a businesswoman.”💡 “Resilience isn’t just emotional. It’s operational.”💡 “Racing and business are so similar: it’s always assess and implement.”💡 “Hold your vision.”Brought to you by Mekanism.

    38 min

  7. 12/15/2025

    #108: A New Playbook for Standing Out in Advertising | Jack Westerkamp & Geno Schellenberger, Co-Founders of Breaking & Entering Media

    Breaking into advertising can be tough—and standing out once you’re in is even tougher. But two young creatives are showing there’s a new path. In this episode, Jack Westerkamp and Geno Schellenberger, co-founders of Breaking & Entering Media, join Jason to share how they built one of the most energetic and attention-grabbing brands in the industry by combining cultural instinct, social-first thinking, and a healthy disregard for the “traditional” career playbook.They share how a pandemic Zoom interview series turned into a movement: raising their first $50K from friends and family, moving to New York on a leap of faith, bootstrapping their first office, and building momentum through daily content like Whiteboard News, Super Bowl coverage, and agency tours. Jack and Geno also open up about learning to run a media company for the first time—from managing a team, to keeping content fresh, to navigating an industry where algorithms, attention, and expectations shift constantly.Key Takeaways: ✅ Energy is a differentiator—fun and momentum cut through a jaded industry✅ Great content wins when it’s built for the busy professional: fast, social-first, and useful✅ When the fall isn’t far, risk becomes a competitive advantage for young marketers✅ Trust, instinct, and consistency matter more than having a five-year planMemorable Moments:💡 “If someone gives you 60 seconds, you better give them something worth it.”💡 “We didn’t have a master plan—we just believed there was something there.”💡 “It’s not illegal to have energy in advertising.”💡 “Life’s not about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself.”Brought to you by Mekanism.

    38 min

  8. 12/08/2025

    #107: Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone | Doug Zarkin, CMO of Take 5

    Great brands don’t win by being faster or louder—they win by treating every customer as if they’re the only customer.That philosophy sits at the core of this week’s guest, Doug Zarkin, Chief Marketing Officer at Take 5, an award-winning brand builder known for transforming legacy companies into modern-day leaders.In this episode, Doug joins Jason to break down his “Thinking Human” approach—the method he’s used to reinvent brands like Victoria’s Secret PINK, Avon, Pearle Vision, and now Take 5. He shares what it really takes to move a brand out of the “friend zone,” build trust through emotional experience, and drive growth without racing to the bottom on price.Doug also opens up about the realities of leading transformation: overcoming fear-based resistance, elevating customer experience at scale, and why marketers must rally both consumers and employees for change to stick.Key Takeaways✅ Treat every customer like they’re the only customer—that’s the root of brand love✅ Brand reinvention succeeds when emotional experience matches business strategy✅ The frontline team is your most powerful marketing channel✅ Small, consistent improvements (“the sum of marginal gains”) outperform big swings✅ Great CMOs lead by casting the right team—not by being the smartest in the roomMemorable Moments💡 “It’s not about putting a brand on the brain—it’s putting a brand on the heart.”💡 “Think of every customer as if they’re the only customer.”💡 “You can’t lead a brand from a PowerPoint. You have to learn the business from the ground up.”💡 “Speed is a cost of entry. Experience is the differentiator.”💡 “If I’m the smartest person in the room, I don’t need to be in the room.”Brought to you by Mekanism.

    38 min
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Soul & Science is an award-winning podcast where marketing’s brightest minds reveal what it takes to build breakthrough brands. Hosted by Jason Harris, each episode explores the balance between brand building (Soul) and business performance (Science). From legacy brands to emerging disruptors, we delve into the insights, culture, and vision behind the most successful brand stories.Soul & Science is a Mekanism podcast produced by Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson, and Lily Jablonski. The show is edited by Daniel Ferreira, with theme music by Kyle Merritt.Brought to you by Mekanism.

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