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The Seat

The Seat

Written by: Ray Erickson
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The Seat is an unscripted podcast exploring the real career journeys of today’s media, marketing, and advertising revenue leaders.


Hosted by longtime ad sales industry executive Ray Erickson, each conversation goes beyond titles and resumes to reveal the early days, pivotal moments, mentors, setbacks, and mindset shifts that shaped these operators into the leaders they are today.


From VPs to CROs, Founders and CEOs, guests share honest lessons from their wins, losses, challenges, and career-defining breakthroughs.


Whether you're an aspiring sales leader, a current executive, or simply curious how people rise to the top, The Seat delivers practical insights, inspiration, and leadership tactics you can put to work right away.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ray Erickson Careers Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • Laura Fernandez, Sr Director Revenue Partnerships - SiriusXM

    Laura Fernandez, Sr Director Revenue Partnerships - SiriusXM
    Jun 2 2026
    Episode Description:Most leadership conversations focus on managing people. Laura Fernandez offers a different perspective. In this episode of The Seat, Laura shares her 20+ year journey from local radio sales in Las Vegas to scaling revenue partnerships for podcasts at SiriusXM. Along the way, she helped launch Pandora's Las Vegas market, built SiriusXM's Travel vertical from scratch, navigated acquisitions and industry disruption, and carved out a career as an elite individual contributor.Ray and Laura discuss career reinvention, creating opportunities instead of waiting for them, surviving industry change, building influence without direct reports, and why success doesn't always require a management title.Whether you're a seller, leader, creator, or simply figuring out your next chapter, this episode is a reminder that there are many paths to building a meaningful career.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction & Why Laura's Story Is Different04:45 – Growing Up, Journalism Dreams & The Pursuit of Sales08:15 – First Job at Clear Channel & Lessons from an Early Mentor13:00 – Moving to Las Vegas & Seven Years in Radio Sales16:40 – Making the Leap from Radio to Pandora23:45 – Building Casino & Travel Verticals from Scratch26:45 – Navigating COVID & Leading Through Industry Disruption29:15 – Acquisitions, Career Advocacy & Personal Branding32:00 – The Move into Podcast Revenue Partnerships35:00 – Leadership Without Direct Reports39:30 – The Future of Podcasting & Creator-Led Media42:15 – Horses, Passion, Motivation & Personal Growth46:30 – Lightning Round & Final Career AdviceThemes Discussed:Leadership beyond people managementBuilding a career as an elite individual contributorCareer reinventionRadio to streaming audio evolutionPodcast monetizationCreator economyPersonal branding and LinkedInMentorship and professional growthBuilding business verticals from scratchNavigating acquisitions and industry changeKeywords:Laura Fernandez, SiriusXM, Podcast Revenue Partnerships, Podcast Advertising, Podcast Monetization, Audio Advertising, Pandora, Radio Sales, Media Sales, Advertising, Creator Economy, Revenue Leadership, Sales Leadership, Individual Contributor, Career Growth, Career Development, Mentorship, Travel Industry, Sports Betting, iGaming, Digital Media, Streaming Audio, Podcast Business, The Seat Podcast, Ray EricksonLaura's Bio:Laura Fernandez is Senior Director of Revenue Partnerships at SiriusXM, where she helps brands and creators build innovative partnerships across one of the industry's leading podcast portfolios. During her 13+ years with SiriusXM and Pandora, Laura has launched advertising sales initiatives, built high-growth verticals including Travel, Tourism, Casinos, Sports Betting, and iGaming, and helped brands navigate the evolution of audio from terrestrial radio to streaming and podcasts. Today, she focuses on developing custom partnerships spanning audio, video, social, and experiential media while working closely with creators, talent, and advertisers across SiriusXM Media's podcast ecosystem.Based in Las Vegas with her Husband and two dogs, Laura is also an avid equestrian, podcast host, and passionate advocate for continuous growth, mentorship, and lifelong learning.Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a sales leader with over 20 years in ad-tech, CTV, and digital media, He created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Website: www.theseatpodcast.comListen:Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / Pandora / Acast / YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    51 mins
  • Ethan Heftman, CRO - New Tradition

    Ethan Heftman, CRO - New Tradition
    May 27 2026
    Episode Summary: In this episode of The Seat, Ray Erickson sits down with Ethan Heftman, Chief Revenue Officer at New Tradition, for a conversation about leadership evolution, career reinvention, and navigating the constant change within modern media. Ethan shares how a political science major looking for rent money in New York unexpectedly launched a 25+ year career spanning agency investment, advanced advertising, streaming, and now out-of-home media. From carrying a sales list at A+E Networks to leading revenue organizations at Ampersand and New Tradition, Ethan opens up about the lessons that shaped his leadership style, including the importance of listening, humility, self-awareness, relationships, and embracing discomfort. The conversation also explores the future of out-of-home advertising, the power of real-world media experiences, and why human connection still matters more than ever in an increasingly automated world.Chapters: 00:00 — Leadership Lessons & The Golden Rule 01:00 — Introducing Ethan Heftman & New Tradition 03:00 — From Political Science Major to Media Career 08:45 — The Smuckers Account & Learning to Embrace Discomfort 14:00 — Why Relationships Create Opportunity 16:00 — The Pivot from Agency Side to Sales Side 20:30 — Ego, Self-Awareness & Carrying a Sales List 24:00 — Building Advanced Advertising at A+E Networks 33:00 — Leadership Evolution & Becoming a CRO 36:00 — Why Ethan Joined New Tradition & The Future of OOH 46:00 — Advice for Future Revenue Leaders & Lightning RoundThemes: Career reinvention and growth through discomfortLeadership evolution and self-awarenessThe importance of listening in sales and leadershipRelationships as the foundation of career growthMoving from agency leadership to sales leadershipBuilding emerging media businesses before market adoptionGratitude versus expectationsScaling teams and revenue organizationsThe future of out-of-home advertisingHuman connection in an increasingly automated worldKeywords: Ethan Heftman, New Tradition, Out of Home, OOH, DOOH, media leadership, CRO, chief revenue officer, advertising sales, advanced advertising, A+E Networks, Ampersand, media careers, sales leadership, leadership podcast, revenue leadership, agency side, ad sales, career pivots, mentorship, media industry, leadership development, streaming, programmatic advertising, marketing leadership, The Seat Podcast, Ray EricksonEthan's Bio:Ethan Heftman is Chief Revenue Officer at New Tradition, where he leads sales, marketing, and go-to-market strategy for one of the fastest-growing out-of-home media companies in the United States. With more than 25 years of experience across the advertising and media landscape, Ethan has built a career around scaling revenue organizations, launching innovative media solutions, and helping clients drive meaningful business outcomes.Prior to New Tradition, Ethan held senior leadership roles at Ampersand and A+E Networks, where he helped build advanced advertising and multiscreen video businesses during some of the industry’s biggest transformational shifts. His background spans sales leadership, product development, marketing strategy, and advanced measurement, giving him a unique perspective on the evolving media ecosystem and the future of advertising.Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a sales leader with over 20 years in ad-tech, CTV, and digital media, He created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Website: www.theseatpodcast.comListen:Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / Pandora / Acast / YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    52 mins
  • Kym Insana, Founder & President – AlwaysOn Digital

    Kym Insana, Founder & President – AlwaysOn Digital
    May 19 2026

    Episode Summary:

    In this episode of The Seat, Ray Erickson sits down with Kym Insana, Founder and President of AlwaysOn Digital, for a candid conversation about leadership, reinvention, and building a business on your own terms. Kym shares her path from an after-school job in radio to rising through the early days of digital advertising and ad tech leadership before launching AlwaysOn Digital in 2016. As the company celebrates its 10-year anniversary, Kym reflects on the challenges of transitioning from corporate executive to founder, navigating acquisitions and layoffs, balancing career and motherhood, and building a people-first company rooted in trust, flexibility, and service.

    The conversation explores mentorship, leadership philosophy, hiring, entrepreneurship, resilience, and what it really takes to earn, and grow, into your seat.


    Chapters:

    00:00 — Leadership Starts with Trust

    00:40 — Welcome to The Seat

    02:48 — From Radio Intern to Advertising Career

    07:15 — Relationships, Mentorship & Early Career Lessons

    09:24 — Growing from Seller to Leader

    12:09 — Acquisitions, Uncertainty & Career Resilience

    16:31 — Motherhood, Burnout & Searching for Flexibility

    21:02 — The Leap: Launching AlwaysOn Digital

    29:02 — Building AlwaysOn’s People-First Model

    40:13 — Leadership Advice, Hiring & Earning Your Seat


    Key Themes:

    • Leadership through trust and empowerment
    • The importance of mentorship early in your career
    • Relationship-building as a long-term career advantage
    • Navigating acquisitions and uncertainty
    • The emotional reality of layoffs and reinvention
    • Transitioning from executive to founder
    • Building a business around flexibility and work-life balance
    • Supporting working mothers in media and advertising
    • Hiring for positivity, trust, and accountability
    • Defining success beyond revenue and title


    Keywords:

    Kym Insana, AlwaysOn Digital, Ray Erickson, The Seat Podcast, leadership, entrepreneurship, founder story, women-owned business, digital advertising, media, ad tech, mentorship, career growth, sales leadership, work-life balance, working mothers, programmatic advertising, media agency, business growth, leadership advice, startup journey


    Kym's Bio:

    Kym is a multi-million dollar business owner, digital marketing expert, and founder of AlwaysOn Digital, a women-owned agency helping brands like the U.S. Air Force, Enfamil, and Johnston & Murphy scale through impactful campaigns. With over 20 years of experience, Kym left her demanding NYC advertising career to build a company that offers flexibility and balance, values she champions as a wife and mother of four. AlwaysOn Digital thrives by empowering talented working parents to blend career success with family life. A sought-after speaker, Kym has shared her journey and expertise on national stages, including The Big in San Francisco and iMedia Brand Summit.


    Ray's Bio:

    Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a sales leader with over 20 years in ad-tech, CTV, and digital media, He created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.

    

    Social Links:

    Instagram: @theseat.pod

    TikTok: @theseat.pod

    LinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)

    Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)

    Website: www.theseatpodcast.com


    Listen:

    Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / Pandora / Acast / YouTube

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
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