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CultivatED Marketer

CultivatED Marketer

Written by: Cultivated Marketer
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Grow Brand YOU2020 - 2026 Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • CultivatED Marketer Ep. 50 — From Radio to Public Safety: What Every Marketing Professional Can Learn About Trust, Storytelling, and Career Reinvention with Colleen Powell

    CultivatED Marketer Ep. 50 — From Radio to Public Safety: What Every Marketing Professional Can Learn About Trust, Storytelling, and Career Reinvention with Colleen Powell
    Jul 9 2026
    In the 50th episode of CultivatED Marketer – your go-to marketing professional development podcast – hosts Brent Bowen and Julie Masson are joined by Colleen Powell, the Strategic Communications Bureau Chief for the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Colleen Powell shares an extraordinary career journey that took her from more than two decades behind a radio microphone to leading communications for one of Iowa’s most visible public service organizations. While her career path is certainly unique, the lessons she learned apply to marketers, communicators, nonprofit leaders, and public relations professionals in every industry. CultivatED Marketer Ep. 50 —From Radio to Public Safety: What Every Marketing Professional Can Learn About Trust, Storytelling, and Career Reinvention with Colleen Powell Reinvention Starts Long Before the Career Change Career changes often look dramatic from the outside, but they’re usually built on years of preparation. That was certainly true for Colleen. After spending 22 years co-hosting a successful morning radio show, she recognized that the media landscape was changing. Streaming services and digital platforms were transforming how audiences consumed content, and she realized the radio industry wasn’t likely to provide the long-term stability it once had. Rather than waiting until she was forced to make a change, she began preparing for one. She enrolled in courses focused on digital marketing and strategic communications while she was still working full-time in broadcasting. When the opportunity finally came to leave radio, she wasn’t starting over. She was building on decades of experience in audience engagement, interviewing, storytelling, and relationship building. The Skills That Matter Don’t Expire Moving from morning radio into government communications might sound like an enormous leap, but the core responsibilities aren’t as different as they first appear. In both careers, success depends on understanding your audience, asking thoughtful questions, listening carefully, simplifying complex information, and telling stories that people actually care about. Technology will continue to evolve, but organizations will always need professionals who know how to build relationships, establish credibility, and communicate with empathy. Colleen’s career demonstrates that while industries may change, those foundational abilities continue to create opportunities. Why Continual Learning Is a Competitive Advantage Colleen acknowledges something every communications professional has experienced: by the time a curriculum is developed and taught, the industry has already evolved. Artificial intelligence changes almost monthly. Social media algorithms shift constantly. New platforms emerge while others disappear. Formal education provides an essential foundation, but it can no longer be viewed as the finish line. Instead, continual learning has become part of the job description. Today’s most successful communicators recognize that professional development isn’t something you complete. It’s something you practice throughout your career. That mindset helped Colleen transition into an entirely new field, and it’s the same mindset that will help communicators remain valuable no matter how much the industry changes. Building Trust Instead of Protecting Image When people think about communications departments, they often assume their primary responsibility is protecting an organization’s reputation. Colleen offered a different perspective. Her team’s job isn’t simply to protect the agency’s image—it’s to protect public trust. Every press release, media interview, social media post, and public statement is evaluated through the lens of credibility. Their goal isn’t to be first with information or to control the narrative. Their responsibility is to ensure that when information is released, it is accurate, verified, and communicated responsibly. In an era where organizations often feel pressured to respond immediately, that’s a valuable lesson. While most marketers don’t operate in life-or-death situations, every organization benefits when it values credibility over immediacy. The Question Every Communicator Should Ask The conversation closed with a deceptively simple question: What is one word every communicator should lead with? Colleen’s answer was immediate. Why. The question encourages marketers to think strategically before acting tactically, ensuring every message supports a larger objective rather than simply filling another spot on the content calendar. In many ways, that single word captures the entire conversation. Technology will continue to change, industries will continue to evolve, and communication channels will come and go. But organizations that consistently communicate with clarity, empathy, and purpose will continue to earn something far more valuable than attention—they’ll earn trust. 01:41 Why Trust Matters 08:...
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    44 mins
  • CultivatED Marketer Ep. 49 — Why Comfort, Joy, and Meaning are Critical in Modern Marketing with Samantha Scantlebury

    CultivatED Marketer Ep. 49 — Why Comfort, Joy, and Meaning are Critical in Modern Marketing with Samantha Scantlebury
    Jun 25 2026
    In the 49th episode of CultivatED Marketer – your go-to marketing professional development podcast – hosts Brent Bowen, Matt Tidwell, PhD, and Julie Masson are joined by Samantha Scantlebury, Senior Director of Brand Strategy at Signal Theory. Drawing from her early experiences in the field, Sam emphasizes that at its core, human decision-making is driven emotionally and rationally justified. Her perspective challenges marketers to look beyond technology and focus on something much more enduring: humanity. CultivatED Marketer Ep. 49 — Why Comfort, Joy, and Meaning are Critical in Modern Marketing with Samantha Scantlebury One of the most powerful observations from the conversation was surprisingly simple: Humans make decisions emotionally and justify them rationally. Whether someone is purchasing a consumer product, selecting a business partner, or evaluating a software platform, emotional drivers are still at work beneath the surface. Scantlebury referenced the behavioral science principles popularized by Daniel Kahneman, noting that our intuitive, emotional thinking often precedes our rational analysis. This insight applies just as much in B2B marketing as it does in B2C. Even when selling highly technical products, buyers are ultimately seeking confidence, security, pride, ease, and optimism. Product features may justify the decision, but emotions often initiate it. Comfort, Joy, and Meaning: A New Framework for Brand Connection To better understand what people are truly seeking from brands, Signal Theory developed a framework built around three emotional outcomes: comfort, joy, and meaning. The model draws inspiration from Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs. According to Scantlebury, while Maslow focused on human needs, comfort, joy, and meaning represent the emotional wants that accompany those needs. The framework isn’t simply philosophical. Signal Theory’s research uncovered meaningful correlations between these emotional dimensions and business outcomes. Brands scoring highly on comfort tended to see stronger repurchase intent. Brands associated with joy generated more word-of-mouth activity. Brands delivering meaning tended to inspire greater brand advocacy. The Personalization Paradox Consumers are experiencing more targeted advertising than ever before, yet many still feel misunderstood by brands. Despite seeing dozens of advertisements daily, only a small percentage of consumers feel brands genuinely understand them or reflect their lifestyles. At the same time, consumers consistently report wanting stronger relationships with the brands they buy from.This creates what marketers might call a personalization paradox: We know more about consumers than ever, but consumers feel less understood. Why This Matters in the Age of AI While Scantlebury and her team actively use AI tools, she emphasized that technology should create space for better human work—not replace it. AI can accelerate research, generate ideas, and improve efficiency. But the most impactful marketing still comes from empathy, curiosity, and a deep understanding of people.Consumers are increasingly signaling fatigue with overly manufactured experiences. In a world where content can be generated instantly, authenticity becomes more valuable, not less. The brands that thrive won’t necessarily be those with the most advanced AI stack. They’ll be the ones that use technology while remaining unmistakably human. The Marketer’s New Question Sales are declining. Customer loyalty is weakening. Brand awareness has plateaued. Marketing teams are often tasked with finding the right campaign, channel, or message to move those metrics in the right direction. But Scantlebury argues that marketers should take a step back before jumping to solutions. Rather than asking only what’s happening to the business, brands should ask what’s happening to the people they’re trying to reach. What’s the human problem behind the business problem? This question shifts the conversation from demographics and data points to human motivations. They encourage marketers to look beyond transactions and understand the emotional context surrounding a purchase decision. When marketers begin with the human experience rather than the business objective, they uncover insights that technology alone can’t provide. Messaging becomes more empathetic. Strategy becomes more meaningful. And brands become better positioned to create the kinds of connections that drive long-term relationships. Final Takeaway Marketing often gets caught chasing the next platform, the next tool, or the next technological breakthrough. Yet the most important variable hasn’t changed, people still want to feel understood. They want confidence when things feel uncertain. They want connection when life feels fragmented. They want purpose when everything feels transactional. As Scantlebury summarized when asked for the one word every brand should strive for: Humanity. ...
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    Less than 1 minute
  • CultivatED Marketer Ep. 48 — Why the Best Communicators Speak the C-Suite’s Language with DJ Jordan

    CultivatED Marketer Ep. 48 — Why the Best Communicators Speak the C-Suite’s Language with DJ Jordan
    Jun 12 2026
    In the 48th episode of CultivatED Marketer – your go-to marketing professional development podcast – hosts Brent Bowen, Matt Tidwell, PhD, and Julie Masson are joined by D.J. Jordan, Senior Vice President at Pinkston, to explore challenges facing marketing and communications professionals today: protecting and strengthening organizational reputation in an increasingly complex world. Drawing on a career that spans political communications, national media, public affairs, corporate communications, and crisis management, DJ shares lessons learned from working with organizations navigating high-stakes situations, leadership transitions, and evolving stakeholder expectations. CultivatED Marketer Ep. 48 — Why the Best Communicators Speak the C-Suite’s Language with DJ Jordan DJ reflects on a pivotal moment early in his career when he realized that true career growth came not from simply producing content or managing media relations, but from helping organizations achieve broader business objectives through communication. That shift – from doing the work to shaping the direction of the work – is one many communications professionals experience as they move into leadership roles. For marketers the lesson is clear: strategic thinking separates good practitioners from trusted advisors. Understanding organizational goals, business drivers, stakeholder expectations, and financial realities allows communicators to contribute at a higher level and earn a seat at the decision-making table. Why Reputation Is Everyone’s Responsibility DJ describes reputation as one of the most valuable, and yet simultaneously fragile assets an organization possesses. In an era where every customer, employee, and stakeholder has a platform, a company’s reputation can be strengthened or damaged in real time. Social media, artificial intelligence, and fragmented media environments have created unprecedented challenges for organizations attempting to build trust. Rather than retreating from these challenges, DJ recommends that organizations double down on reputation-building efforts through: Strong brand managementConsistent stakeholder communicationCrisis preparednessAuthentic leadershipTransparent decision-making According to DJ, reputation isn’t something you repair after a crisis. It’s something you build every day before a crisis ever occurs. Crisis Communications Starts Long Before a Crisis One of the most practical portions of the discussion centers on crisis communication planning. Too often, organizations wait until they’re facing public scrutiny before considering how they’ll respond. DJ explains that the most effective crisis communication happens months—or even years—before a crisis emerges. Effective preparation includes: Identifying potential organizational risksEvaluating past incidentsDeveloping response frameworksCreating message templatesConducting crisis simulationsAligning leadership teams on response protocols The investment may seem significant, but the financial and reputational costs of being unprepared are often far greater. As DJ notes, a well-managed crisis can sometimes be resolved before it ever becomes a public story. The Trust Challenge Facing Modern Organizations Trust has become one of the defining challenges of modern communications. Consumers are increasingly skeptical of institutions, media outlets, brands, and even the content they encounter online. AI-generated content and misinformation have further complicated the landscape. Yet DJ sees opportunity within this challenge. Organizations that consistently communicate with transparency, demonstrate accountability, and align actions with values can still earn trust. In fact, the current environment may create even greater opportunities for brands willing to invest in authentic relationships and meaningful engagement. For communications leaders, trust isn’t built through a single campaign. It’s established through repeated actions that reinforce credibility over time. Advice for Emerging Marketing Professionals DJ also offers valuable guidance for students and early-career professionals entering the field. While many young communicators feel uncertainty about AI, economic pressures, and career stability, he encourages them to view today’s environment as an opportunity rather than a threat. The professionals who will thrive are those who: Embrace new technologiesStay curiousTake initiativeDevelop strategic thinking skillsBring ideas forward proactivelyContinuously learn and adapt One characteristic stood out above all others: being a self-starter. Technical skills can be taught, but professionals who consistently look for opportunities to add value quickly distinguish themselves from their peers. Leadership, Reputation, and the Future of Communications As marketing and communications continue to evolve, the organizations that succeed will be those that connect business strategy, leadership, and reputation management into a ...
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    39 mins
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