Best Spec Network Podcasts (2025)

1
Dissecting Compensation A Primer on Understanding, Negotiating and Managing Pay | Richard Sanderson 26:33

Play Pause

23h ago26:33

26:33

A CMO Confidential Interview with Richard Sanderson, the Marketing, Sales, and Communications Practice Leader at Spencer Stuart. Richard starts with the basics of salary, bonus and equity and branches out to compensation mix, the various types of equity, negotiating best practices, and the "other" elements of an offer. Key topics include: why the d…

1
Engage in Deliberate Practice to Level Up Your Engineering Leadership Skills 18:08

1d ago18:08

18:08

By Jonathan Cutrell

1
Shift Your Locus of Control to Take Charge of Your Engineering Career 20:45

7d ago20:45

20:45

This episode explores the concept of Locus of Control and why developing a more internal locus of control is beneficial for your career and life. You'll learn the difference between internal and external perspectives, why one is more useful than the other, and practical exercises to shift your mindset to believe you have more influence over the out…

1
The Fine Art of Reducing Marketing Expense in an AI World | Dwight Hutchins |Boston Consulting Group 37:18

9d ago37:18

37:18

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dwight Hutchins, Senior Managing Director of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and a Northwestern Adjunct Professor, previously Managing Director at Accenture focused on Consumer Products, Health Care and Public Service. Dwight shares his thinking on why marketers should be prepared to reduce expenses and shift resourc…

1
Resumé Driven Development - Your Career is In Your Hands 12:27

15d ago12:27

12:27

In this episode we'll discuss why "Résumé Driven Development" is a powerful mental model for building a thriving career. Instead of seeing your résumé as just a job-hunting tool, you'll learn to use it as a guide for setting measurable, impactful goals that benefit you, your manager, and your company. Focus on Impact, Not Just Tasks: Discover why a…

1
The Top Mistakes CMO's Make During the Interview Process | Kate Bullis & David Wiser | ZRG Partners 44:51

16d ago44:51

44:51

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kate Bullis and David Wiser, Managing Partners and Global Marketing Practice Leaders for ZRG Partners. Kate and David translate their extensive search experience into a pre-game, game time, and post game look at the errors candidates make during the recruiting process. Key topics include: why thorough preparation i…

1
Benchmarking the Future: AE Firm Performance Insights with Monograph and Zweig Group 1:01:56

21d ago1:01:56

1:01:56

“Whatever is the hardest path is probably the path we should be on. The hardest path is also the least traveled.” Robert Yuen Episode Summary: In this episode of The Zweig Letter Podcast, host Randy Wilburn is joined by Robert Yuen of Monograph and Mark Zweig of Zweig Group for a candid conversation around the future of A/E firm management. Togethe…

1
Forced and Unforced Errors 15:31

20d ago15:31

15:31

In this episode, we introduce a simple yet powerful mental model from the world of sports: forced vs. unforced errors. By understanding this concept, you can shift your focus from things outside your control to the simple, foundational behaviours that truly define a successful career. Understand the Difference: Learn the distinction between forced …

1
Shiv Singh | CEO Savvy Matters | Why Cannes Can't - Things That Aren't Covered at the Big Soiree 39:55

23d ago39:55

39:55

A CMO Confidential Interview with Shiv Singh, CEO of Savvy Matters, former CMO of Lending Tree and author of AI For Dummies and The 5 Marketing Truths You Won't See at Cannes. Shiv shares why he believes AI is killing marketing jobs, how the CMO Role is breaking down due to overlap with other functions, and how "Big Tech is running marketing." Key …

1
View Your Productivity Through the Lens of Values and Priorities 13:39

25d ago13:39

13:39

In this episode, we introduce two fundamental thought experiments to help you uncover your true priorities and core values. By exploring scenarios of scarcity and abundance, you'll learn to align your daily actions with what truly matters, leading to a more satisfied career and life. Uncover Your Priorities: Engage in a "5% exercise" where you imag…

1
Dan McCarthy | Professor - University of MD | The Unfairness & Disparate Impact of Privacy Policy 39:47

1M ago39:47

39:47

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Dan McCarthy, Professor of Marketing at Maryland and leading practitioner of Customer Lifetime Value. Dan shares insights from his privacy research based on Apple's "App Tracking Transparency" (ATT) initiative commonly known as "Ask App Not to Track" which include a significant impact on business results, a deg…

1
This One Skill Signifies Seniority For Software Engineers 14:28

1M ago14:28

14:28

This episode explains what is arguably the best career advice you'll hear this week: the one skill that signifies seniority in software engineers is the ability to synthesise and optimise for multiple factors at once. Instead of focusing on a single factor, such as performance or maintainability, senior engineers identify and weigh the various trad…

1
Scott Lindquist | What Your CFO Wants To Tell You, But Won't 34:48

1M ago34:48

34:48

CMO Confidential — “What Your CFO Wants to Tell You (But Won’t)” with CNA CFO Scott Lindquist What does a great CFO really think about marketing? Mike Linton sits down with Scott Lindquist—CFO of CNA Financial and former long-time CFO of Farmers—to decode the finance side of brand building, performance spend, and the politics of the boardroom. They…

1
Backup Plans and Risk Reward Curves 13:50

1M ago13:50

13:50

This episode focuses on the critical importance of having a backup plan, not just for technical redundancies but especially for situations involving human error, which are highly prevalent in one's career. The core argument hinges on understanding risk and reward curves, highlighting the disproportionate impact of failures compared to incremental s…

1
Kim Whitler | Colonel Mustard in the Study With the Job Spec How Poor Design Shortens CMO Lifespans 39:19

1M ago39:19

39:19

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kim Whitler, professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, board member, and former GM and CMO. Kim shares insights from more than a decade of research with over 500 CMO's including how 50+% of roles are misaligned, the huge gap between CEO's and CMO's, the fact that misalignment results in wea…

1
Second Order Consequences and Forcing Functions 23:45

2M ago23:45

23:45

Todays episode delves into understanding and leveraging second and third-order consequences – the ripple effects that occur after an initial action – and introduces forcing functions, which are an inverted way of thinking about these consequences, designed to drive desired outcomes by first determining "what must be true" for them to occur. The epi…

1
Tom Goodwin | If You Dropped the Best Marketers of the 1950's Into Today's Environment, How Would They Do? 39:21

2M ago39:21

39:21

CMO Confidential Interview with Tom Goodwin, author, speaker, and former innovation head at Publicis, Zenith, and Havas. Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics. Key topics include: an…

1
Don't Try to Solve Hyperobject Problems Once 15:46

2M ago15:46

15:46

This episode delves into the philosophical concept of hyperobjects – problems so vast and complex they lack clear boundaries and cannot be "solved" once and for all. It explores why attempting to permanently fix issues like technical debt, user experience, or performance management is often ineffective. Instead, it offers a new perspective: how to …

1
David Aaker | Vice Chair, Prophet | Why is Brand Value Still Not a Generally Accepted Principle? 37:23

2M ago37:23

37:23

A CMO Confidential Interview with David Aaker, Vice Chair of Prophet, author of numerous marketing books including Aaker on Branding 2nd Edition, formerly a Haas School of Business Professor. David discusses the history of brand equity starting with the BCG model from the 90's and why that model and scanner data drove a short-term sales focus at th…

1
Behavior Change 101: Trigger, Incentive, and Ability 20:16

2M ago20:16

20:16

This episode delves into a powerful model for encouraging behaviour change, applicable to both managing others and self-improvement, by focusing on three critical factors: Trigger, Incentive, and Ability. It challenges common, ineffective management approaches and provides insights into fostering new habits and desired actions by making the 'right'…

1
Auren Hoffman | Why Vendor Management Is A Skill You Need to Master Now | Chairman SafeGraph, Former LiveRamp CEO 34:42

2M ago34:42

34:42

A CMO Confidential Interview with Auren Hoffman, CEO of SafeGraph, formerly co-founder and CEO of LiveRamp. Auren discusses his belief that vendor management is the most critical skill for the future and why most companies should "rent" a high caliber pool of talent instead of hiring individual executives. Key topics include: thoughts on improving …

1
Goal of the Goal - Using Goals As A Prioritization Clarifying Tool 26:13

2M ago26:13

26:13

This episode delves into the crucial role of well-positioned goals in a developer's career. It asserts that goals provide clarity, perspective, and purpose, particularly focusing on clarity as a primary benefit. The discussion challenges common struggles with goal setting, including the often-overlooked importance of relevance (the 'R' in SMART goa…

1
Your Capacity for Growth Is Dependent on This Factor - Cognitive Load Theory 23:49

3M ago23:49

23:49

Today we explore Cognitive Load Theory. This concept can profoundly influence how you structure your workday, manage teams, and approach learning in your career. The episode highlights that much of professional work, particularly in knowledge-based roles like software engineering, is fundamentally about learning. You will discover that there is an …

1
Peri Hansen | Leader, CMO Practice, Korn Ferry - Is Marketing Still Marketing? 29:43

3M ago29:43

29:43

A CMO Confidential Interview with Peri Hansen, Korn Ferry Leader, CMO Practice, North America. Peri discusses why the CMO position is becoming the vanguard of innovation, the importance of an "agile learner" mindset, and why there's no substitute for great leadership. Key topics include: how nothing "returned to normal" after COVID; the importance …

1
The LA Question: To Move, Or Not To Move? 55:23

3M ago55:23

55:23

EPISODE 64: UFDP answers a listener's question about what it's really like to live in LA— when should you move here, is the cost of living really that bad, should I get roommates, and more! Plus, the question all Angelenos obsess over— where should I live?! Each neighborhood has its own personality with pros and cons, so if you're thinking about ma…

1
Investigating Your Invisible Systems 16:20

3M ago16:20

16:20

This episode focuses again on the fundamental principle that your systems are perfectly designed for the outcomes you are experiencing, regardless of whether those systems were intentionally or accidentally created. Here are the key takeaways from the episode: Uncover how your systems, whether intentionally or accidentally designed, are perfectly c…

1
Dan Salkey | Small World | Merging Marketing & Entertainment - Is It Right For Your Business? 30:27

3M ago30:27

30:27

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dan Salkey, Co-Founder & Strategy Partner at Small World, an agency designed to create "entertainment first" brands. Dan discusses the concept of "Entertain or Die," the difference between "owning" and "renting" eyeballs, and why his focus is on "saves, likes, and shares." Key topics include: the fact that attentio…

1
Perfection Is Fragile, and You Should Avoid It 20:03

3M ago20:03

20:03

This episode discusses why perfection is a dangerous and fragile goal, explaining how striving for 100% leads to unsustainable outlier states. It highlights how setting perfection as a bar can cause commitments to break and plans to fail due to a lack of slack, and offers strategies like building redundancy and planning with slack to achieve goals …

1
Adam Brotman and Andy Sack | Co-Founders, Forum3 | It's a Bird! It's a Plane! Holy Sh!t, It's AI! 1:07:59

3M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

A CMO Confidential Interview with Andy Sack and Adam Brotman, Co-Founders and Co-CEO's of Forum 3, authors of the book AI First, previously at Microsoft and Starbucks. They discuss why AI is different from previous technology advances and the series of "Holy Shit!" moments experienced when interviewing Sam Altman, Bill Gates and others. Key topics …

1
Your System is Perfectly Designed for Your Current Outcomes 18:14

3M ago18:14

18:14

This episode introduces the potentially controversial principle that your system is perfectly designed for its current outcomes, urging listeners to embrace greater responsibility for systemic issues. It explores how to redefine system boundaries to holistically integrate all influencing factors, like talent and organisational processes, ensuring t…

1
Pitching For Introverts: Get Out of Your Head and Into the (Writer’s) Room. 26:21

3M ago26:21

26:21

EPISODE 63: Do you have trouble pitching? Are you an introvert and/or plagued by social anxiety when you have to present your ideas in front of people? You are NOT alone. Many of us became writers because we like to be alone in dark (but like, cozy) caves with our typewriters and iced coffees, not surrounded by smart, intimidating other writers, al…

1
Michael Treff | CEO, Code and Theory | Why Your AI Strategy Needs to Be More Than Tools & Efficiency - An Agency Perspective 34:34

3M ago34:34

34:34

A CMO Confidential Interview with Michael Treff, the CEO of Code + Theory, a growing 2000 person agency which combines technology and creativity. Michael discusses the disruption in consumer behavior, why B2B client service is becoming more holistic, and why companies should "go on offense" in a time of uncertainty. Key topics include: The strategi…

1
Using LLMs To Expand Your Working Vocabulary 13:26

4M ago13:26

13:26

This episode explores the fundamental mindset of building your vocabulary, extending beyond literal words to conceptual understanding and mental models, and how Large Language Models (LLMs) can be a powerful tool for expanding and refining this crucial skill for career growth, clarity, and navigating disruptions. Uncover why building your vocabular…

1
Nancie McDonnell Ruder | CEO, Noetic Consulting | You're Brought In to Fix the Brand - Now What? 36:30

4M ago36:30

36:30

Nancie discusses her "brand fix" classifications of refine, purposefully manage, and transform, how to get started with data even when money and time are tight, some "Taylor Swift" approaches to brand work, and the difference between mission and brand. Key topics include: how to get the organization in harmony; why "The Big Reveal" is usually the w…