Summary
Welcome back to Stupid, Simple Marketing! In today’s episode, Bryan Fittin and Brad Alexander are joined by Heather Applegate, owner of Pivot X Coaching, for a conversation about building and leading creative marketing teams, even if you're starting out solo. Drawing from her background in brand building, creative management, and executive coaching, Heather shares practical tips for figuring out the right first hire, assessing your own strengths and energy drains, and creating a healthy team culture.

From the importance of hiring slow and parting ways quickly, to letting go of control and providing opportunities for safe failure, Heather gets real about what it takes not only to grow your team, but to keep the right people motivated and thriving. Whether you’re a business owner, the lone marketer, or starting to scale, this episode is packed with actionable advice on everything from interviewing and onboarding, to feedback and building trust. If you’re ready to get smarter about team-building—and maybe relinquish some control for the greater good—this episode is for you!

Show Notes
00:00 Navigating People in Leadership

03:24 Marketing Role Prioritization Guide

07:00 Self-Discovery Through Working Genius

12:45 Open Conversations in Hiring

15:03 Effective Interviewing with Practical Testing

16:49 Embracing Growth in New Roles

20:25 Let Go of the Vine

24:43 Building Collaborative, Trust-Based Team Culture

27:26 Hiring and Leadership Insights

Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fittin/
https://goroguestudio.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-alexander-cc/
https://clarityalwayswins.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-applegate/
https://www.thepivotx.com/