The CMO Whisperer

Steve Olenski
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The CMO Whisperer, hosted by former Forbes writer Steve Olenski, is a curated executive platform and marketing leadership podcast where CMOs, brand leaders, and senior operators share candid insights on leadership, brand strategy, and growth. Spanning business, sports, and media, it goes beyond marketing to reveal how top leaders make decisions and perform at the highest levels.

  1. 19 HR AGO

    What Brands Still Don’t Understand About Attention - Jimmy, Sequel, Jarrel Smith & Patrick Johnson Jr

    On today's episode, I welcome not one, not two, not even three, but four guests and not just any four. Four builders, four creators, four operators who are shaping culture, storytelling and business in very real ways. Jimmy Smith is the founder of Mind Matters and Amusement Park Entertainment, and one of those rare creatives who has operated at the intersection of culture, technology, and storytelling for decades. From Cannes Lions to the Smithsonian, from Guinness World Records to reviving iconic brands and platforms, Jimmy's work doesn't just show up; it leaves a mark. And through it all, there's a through line of purpose, creativity, and belief that's impossible to miss. Next up, Sequel. Sequel Smith, co-founder and president of Klassy, a creative director who understands something a lot of brands still don't. People don't want to be interrupted. They want to be engaged. His work lives where culture actually happens across film, social, experiential and digital, collaborating with names like Will Smith, Donald Glover, Snoop Dogg and the NBA's Damien Lillard, creating ideas people choose to spend time with, not scroll past.  Then there's Jarrel. Jarrel Smith is the co-founder and CEO of Klassy. Sometimes, the most powerful statements are the simplest ones. He operates from a place of faith and conviction, bringing to life what's been placed on his heart. When you listen to him, you'll quickly understand that this is not just a business. There's something deeper driving it.  And last, but certainly not least, is Patrick. Patrick Johnson, Jr., co-founder and vice president of Klassy and an executive producer who knows how to bring ideas to life at scale, from 51 millimeter to Novus Content, to producing a Top 3 box office opening weekend film with Till Death Do Us Part. Patrick understands both the creative and execution side of the game, which is a rare combination.

    36 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    Helping Entrepreneurs Start Confidently - Sameer Gulati

    My guest today is Sameer Gulati, Chief Product Officer and President of Zen Business and someone who spent more than two decades at the intersection of technology, financial services and real-world business building. Sameer isn't just thinking about products. He's thinking about outcomes. At Zen Business, he's helping re-imagine what it actually means to start and run a business today by bringing together AI embedded finance and automation into a platform designed to give small business owners a real shot at success. He's built his career across B2B, FinTech and business development, consistently focused on one thing: how to create, scale and transform, not in theory, but in practice. And what stands out about Sameer is that he doesn't chase trends. He builds systems that make those trends actually work for people.

    30 min

  3. 8 MAY

    Attribution Beyond Vanity Metrics - Heather Roestamadji

    Today's episode comes live to you from POSSIBLE, where the ideas move fast, the conversations matter, and the coffee has no chance of surviving. I'm joined by Heather Roestamadji - Director of Growth Strategy at Claritas. Heather sits at the intersection of audience intelligence, AI-driven optimization, and multi-channel measurement, helping brands turn complexity into clarity and data into real business growth.  Now with nearly two decades of experience, she knows how to cut through the noise, connect strategy to performance, and answer the question every marketer eventually faces: What's actually working?

    19 min

  4. 5 MAY

    The Secret to Brand Loyalty - Warren Kornblum

    My guest today is Warren Kornblum. Warren works with brands that want more than attention. They want to matter. From founding one of Canada's fastest-growing agencies to serving as global CMO of Toys R Us, he's been in the rooms where growth, reinvention, and tough decisions actually happen. And what he's seen is simple. Brains don't fall apart because of strategy. They fall apart when they stop mattering to their people and to their customers. He's also the author of Notes from the Brand Stand, where he introduces share of heart, the emotional connection that drives real loyalty.

    31 min

  5. 1 MAY

    How Relationships Change Everything - Nataly Kelly

    My guest today is Nataly Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer at Zappi, where she's helping some of the world's biggest brands rethink how they understand consumers and make faster, smarter, data-driven decisions. Nataly is one of those rare marketing leaders who blends operator muscle with true global perspective. Before Zappi, she spent nearly a decade at HubSpot, where she played a key role in the company's international growth, leading marketing, localization and expansion into new markets.  She's also the co-author with Katherine Melchior Ray, another guest on the pod, of Brand Global Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures. A must-read for anyone trying to build a brand that actually travels across borders and cultures. She started her career as a Spanish interpreter and built her way to the CMO seat, giving her a uniquely powerful lens on communication, culture, and connection. Nataly brings strategic clarity, global insight and real operating experience to the table. And that's exactly why this is going to make such a great conversation.

    35 min

  6. 24 APR

    From Ring to Boardroom Pressure - Jonathan Hamm

    My guest today is Jonathan Hamm, a former number one-ranked amateur boxer in the United States and 2011 US national champion. Jonathan was one of the top super heavyweight fighters of his era and an Olympic team alternate heading into the 2012 London games. Before that, he was a standout college football player who earned a shot with the New Orleans Saints and later transitioned into mixed martial arts, training alongside such legends as Jon Jones.  But what makes Jonathan different isn't just his path. It's how he thinks about it. Because beyond the physicality, beyond the competition, Jonathan has developed a deep interest in philosophy, identity, and the mental frameworks that shape how we perform, adapt, and evolve. From the ring to business to life, this is a conversation about pressure, decision making, reinvention and the mind behind it all.

    32 min

  7. 17 APR

    AI Won’t Replace Marketers - Kris Lande

    My guest today is Kris Lande. Kris is the Chief Marketing Officer at OutSystems, an AI-powered development platform where she leads global marketing, brand and growth. She's built her career at the intersection of product, marketing and community with the rare ability to take complex, highly technical ideas and turn them into stories that actually resonate not just with developers, but with business leaders driving real outcomes.  Before OutSystems, she spent more than 13 years at Salesforce, holding leadership roles across product marketing, community, and Trailhead, the learning platform that became a cornerstone of Salesforce's ecosystem. She helped build one of the most powerful communities in enterprise tech, turning education and engagement into a true engine for growth. Kris brings a perspective rooted in clarity, team building, and the belief that companies that win are the ones that connect great products to real human impact.

    31 min

  8. 10 APR

    Scaling Brands Across Cultures - Katherine Melchior Ray

    My guest today is Katherine Melchior Ray, one of the world's leading voices in global marketing. Her career includes senior leadership roles at some of the most iconic brands in the world, including Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Hyatt. Today, Katherine is the president of Globe Ally Consulting and also teaches global marketing at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Fluent in French and Japanese, she has built a reputation for helping brands navigate the delicate balance between global scale and local cultural relevance.  She's also the co-author of the book Brand Global, Adapt Local, written with Nataly Kelly, CMO of Zappi. It's a book that offers marketers a practical framework for balancing global brand consistency with local cultural relevance. Katherine is a much sought-after voice on marketing, culture and leadership, speaking at global stages like Cannes Lions and her insights have been featured in major media, including 60 Minutes, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and CNN.  When you sit down with someone who has operated at the highest levels of global marketing and understands culture the way Katherine does, you're going to walk away smarter than when you started.

    34 min
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About

The CMO Whisperer, hosted by former Forbes writer Steve Olenski, is a curated executive platform and marketing leadership podcast where CMOs, brand leaders, and senior operators share candid insights on leadership, brand strategy, and growth. Spanning business, sports, and media, it goes beyond marketing to reveal how top leaders make decisions and perform at the highest levels.

Information

  • Creator
    Steve Olenski
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 The CMO Whisperer

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