What does it really take to be creatively brave? For Kirstin Falk, Senior Advisor of Brand Strategy & Partnerships at Breakwater Studios, it means trusting your instincts, speaking your truth, and pushing past the herd mentality. Her team's short film, "The Final Copy of Ilon Specht," tells the story of a woman who did just that- it also won the Grand Prix at Cannes this year. Kirstin shares with Lisa Singer how Ilon's iconic L'Oreal tagline, "Because I'm worth it," remains just as relevant today as it was decades ago- and how authenticity, mentorship, and fearless creativity are still the …

Ever wonder what it takes to rise to the C-suite while staying true to yourself? Brittany Sadlouskos, COO of DAA Media & Marketing, knows firsthand. From starting out in field marketing at Jack-in-the-Box to leading a top agency, she has built a career grounded in authenticity, relationships, and a willingness to pivot when opportunity calls. In this episode of Brand Insider: BTS, Brittany opens up with Lisa Singer about how mentors and female leaders inspired her, the mindset shifts that helped her step into her own voice, and why advocating for your work is essential. She also shares how she …

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for Nashville-based music marketing CEO and founder of Girlilla Marketing, Jennie Smythe, the cause is deeply personal. Eight years after her breast cancer diagnosis, she continues to navigate the realities of survivorship-while embracing each day with gratitude, purpose, and a drive to create change. In this episode of Brand Insider: BTS, Jennie shares her journey with Lisa Singer, the hope she feels for a breast cancer vaccine in our lifetime, and how trusted resources like Susan G. Komen helped her turn fear into advocacy. With a client roster of a who's who in …

What do people often get wrong about you when they first meet you? When asked the same question, Jinal Shah turned it around - first asking what impression she made. It was a fitting response from a leader who believes communication goes far beyond words. As Zip's Chief Customer & Marketing Officer put it, "We're communicating even when we're not communicating." In this episode of Brand Insider: BTS, Jinal shares with Lisa Singer her approach to both leadership and life. Whether guiding Zip's rapid growth or navigating motherhood, she does both with constant reflection and what she calls "personal change …

What does it mean to be a "wild card"? For Jenny Huang, it's meant never following the obvious path-and thriving because of it. At just 16, she left a small town in China to move to the U.S. alone, chasing her dream of becoming a concert pianist. Years later, when the pandemic shut down the music world, she took another leap, pivoting into advertising where she quickly rose through the ranks, creating award-winning campaigns for Fortune 500 brands. Now, as the first Director of B2B Brand Marketing at Gannett | USA Today Network, Jenny brings that same resilience, curiosity, and …