Find every episode right here…
Ninety? A hundred?
We’ve lost count.

What started with a quick aside – “I think I want to start a podcast” – as Misty walked out of a meeting back in 2018 has blossomed into an award-winning podcast. We’ve interviewed amazing guests, from marketers to technologists to business consultants to personal and professional development coaches to women at industrial brands and even our own employees. But we’re not even close to done. There’s always more to learn that we’ll always be excited to share with you.

In this episode of Marketing Sweats, Simantel owners Misty and Tim sit down with advertising lawyer Joe Rosenbaum as he reveals his approach to marketing law and how he continues to avoid litigation with all his clients.
Join Misty to analyze agency growth and new-client relationships from an outside perspective with agency search consultant and AAR Partners President, Lisa Colantuono.
In this episode of Marketing Sweats, listen to executive facilitation expert Tim Leake explore the hidden powers of workshops and the importance of making them fun.
Hispanics make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population. They’re no longer just an opportunity for advertisers, they’re a necessity. Listen to MARCA Miami VP Kristen Sabina dive into the power of the U.S. Hispanic market and why we need to make them a priority.
In this episode of Marketing Sweats, listen to prolific author Matt Heinz give advice on embracing revenue responsibility with predictable, repeatable and measurable marketing.
In this episode of Marketing Sweats, listen to business expert Spencer Lodge reveal why “sales” isn’t a dirty word and how to not shy away from sales in marketing as a discipline.
Sit with Misty over a glass of wine as she discusses influencer marketing with recovering pageant girl and new-age influencer, Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett.
Listen to renowned digital prophet David “Shingy” Shing give us the straightforward advice we needed to challenge conventional marketing norms, embrace what makes us different and identify emerging trends.

Season 8 

The season where we talk to area leaders about the Choose Greater Peoria movement to help the region grow and thrive. 

 

Greg Batton, co-host of The Greg and Dan Show on WMBD Radio, is a gifted storyteller driven by a desire to connect and entertain. He’s a force for good and leverages positivity to bring joy to the community both on the air and off.
Jennifer Zammuto, President of the Heart of Illinois United Way, shares how her organization determines the best way to allocate charitable donations to maximize return on investment and the impact that has on the whole community.
Nikki Romain, Executive Director of Artists ReEnvisioning Tomorrow Inc., overcame a difficult childhood by expressing herself through art. Now, she’s helping empower women and youth in the region through arts programs.
Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, talks about the many business-friendly advantages in Greater Peoria, the role of the EDC and the many partnerships in place to drive regional economic development.
Dr. Keith Knepp, President of Carle Health Greater Peoria, talks about growing up in Central Illinois, serving in his hometown as a physician and how he transitioned to leadership to make a wider impact on health care and the region he loves.
Bob Sehring, Chief Executive Officer of OSF HealthCare, shares why “the closer to home you can receive care, the better.”
Dr. Chris Reynolds, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Bradley University, learned early on how athletics can change the lives of students by providing structure, teaching lessons and establishing connections to lifelong mentors.
John D. Morris, CEO and President of the Peoria Riverfront Museum, talks about leading his hometown’s museum and about his commitment to growing Greater Peoria’s wealth of activities and resources.
Laura Cullinan, President of the Gilmore Foundation is a driving force behind Choose Greater Peoria. By facilitating collaboration among community leaders, she’s carrying out Bob Gilmore’s legacy to improve the livability of Greater Peoria.

Season 7 

The season where we talk to female leaders at heavy industry brands about their experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field. 

Valerie Duque joined BNSF Railway as an engineer right out of college. Today, she brings a diverse skillset to her role as Director of Marketing – Consumer Products at BNSF, where she strives to lead with self-awareness and positivity.
Karen Jensen, President & CEO of Farnsworth Group has spent nearly 40 years honing her engineering and business skills. She’s learned from experience that focusing on employees leads to better client satisfaction – and that’s a win-win for everyone.
Rakshan Syed, Director of Digital Integration Services at a fortune 100 manufacturer of heavy equipment and author of the book Embolden Women: Unapologetically Me, fearlessly challenges gender biases and leads with optimism and positivity, always.
Keally DeWitt, VP of Marketing and Public Policy at GAF Energy has been an environmentalist and feminist since she was a little girl. Today, she cultivates a DEI-centered organization through servant leadership and celebrating diverse perspectives.
Aryn Drawdy, Corporate Communications Director at AGCO, knows the heavy industry. She started her career in construction, embraced being a woman in a male-dominated field, and seamlessly transitioned to her leadership role in agriculture.
Women from Kiewit, one of North America’s largest engineering and construction organizations, talk about life in the industry and strengths they’ve developed working in a male-dominated industry.
Lauren Parker, VP of Operations at Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) learned early on how to hold her own and show her value as a woman in the male-dominated civil engineering field. Today, she brings a natural confidence to the way she leads.
Leanne Skuse, President of River City Construction, loves the energy of a job site. At the start of her career, she was one of the only females in Central Illinois in her industry. Today, she builds teams diverse in both gender and the way they think.
Workforce innovation is a true calling for Amy Volz of Trane Technologies. It allows her to combine her passion for marketing and brand strategy with her love for helping to unlock the potential of women and create opportunity for all.
Misty Dykema becomes a guest on her own show—interviewed by her 9-year-old daughter, Myah. She shares stories of her work solving challenges for industrial brands and what she’s learned about leadership as a woman working with male-dominated industries.

Season 6 

The season where Simantelites share their Point of Pride – stories about work they’ve been a part of that makes them proud. 

Marketing and Brand Director, Alicia Ruemelin led the planning and execution of Ish Fest, Simantel’s 40(ish) anniversary celebration in the fall of ‘22. It took a ton of work, but in the end, the event went off without a hitch(…ish).
Executive Strategy Director, Erin Bowald, has learned a lot in her 15 years at Simantel. Hear how it prepared her for the role she’s in today, what she learned from the strong female leadership of the past and how she’s now shaping the next generation.
Lori Johnson, Executive Director of Service Management, always knew she wanted a career and to be a mom – of three. But when it became difficult to balance both, she had to find a way to create some flexibility in her schedule in order to “have it all”.
Director of Experience Strategy, Sara Ingles has poured her creativity into many projects at Simantel, but one really stands out: the Dozer Pride rap video she co-directed. It went viral, and six years later, it still resonates with operators today.
Senior Communication Strategist, Pam Aiello, was hired by Jim Simantel as the agency’s first writer. She’s made her mark on many people and campaigns during her tenure here, not the least of which was her own daughter and the City of Peoria’s “Don’t Shoot” campaign.
Nick Knuffman-Brewer recently brought his wealth of corporate retail HR experience to Simantel in his role as Associate HR Manager. Hear how his background influenced his take on HR and how he’s infusing that into the employee experience.
As co-chair of the DEI committee, Senior Project Planner Megan Gibbons, fosters an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued and free to be their full and authentic selves. Through her work, she empowers others to create the culture they wish to see.
Consistency, alignment in messaging and digital marketing is especially challenging for highly matrixed organizations. In this episode Creative Director, Van Burnett, shares how the Take a Closer Look framework helped Caterpillar resolve that issue.
Insights Director, Jason Brown, shares with us a story about creating an identity for a joint venture with our client Knapheide. But more importantly, the moment he realized that Simantel is more than just coworkers – they’re a strong community.
Jane Olson, Marketing Automation Consultant was hired to be an Associate Digital Strategist. But when Simantel landed the Cisco account, leadership knew she would be perfect for managing the marketing automation platform for their global instance.
Director of Organizational Design, Gena Killion, takes pride in the way she retains and processes information. But at Simantel, she learned the power of failure – and the many positive outcomes of it – when she made the wrong decision on a major client’s campaign.
Senior Web Developer, Alan Wilson’s Point of Pride came early on in his time at Simantel when he helped develop a live, interactive user experience for attendees at CONEXPO 2020. But when challenges hit last minute, the team had to get creative with their roll out plan.
Associate Media Director, Clay Deal didn’t take a typical career path to land in his leadership position at Simantel. As a two-time Simantelite, it wasn’t until he left the agency – and creating lifelong friendships – that he realized how special this place was to him.
Creative Director, Jake Beyhl is all about authentic storytelling. His passion for truth in advertising and pushing the envelope, along with a healthy dose of client trust, helped make the Caterpillar Dealer Technician Recruitment campaign a success.
Kelly Luttinen, Associate Content Director shares what it was like to help create a video for the OSF Healthcare Foundation to support fundraising efforts for ALS after losing her dad to the same terrible disease.
Executive Creative Director, Chris Moehn learned a lot from the agency’s founder. He’s played a pivotal role passing those values down through the generations and continues to help guide the direction of the brand and mentor many creatives along the way.

Season 5 

The season where we look at the relationships, connections and collaboration driving systemic change. 

Marketing industry expert and Managing Director of Mirren Business Development, Brent Hodgins explores the lack of consistency in business development and organic growth efforts. Brent has a pulse on all things agency-world and explores a variety of industry-related topics on this episode.
A pioneer in the field of neuromarketing, Diana Lucaci explains how brain and biometric data is collected and used by brands to help improve their products, marketing and the overall consumer experience.
Putting the customer first helped seasoned sales leader Tony Fuller move beyond just selling the product. Tune in to hear his take on sales, marketing, the customer experience and more.
   
Lodestar founder and principal consultant explains how he helps agency leaders refine their positioning strategy and redesign their operating model to balance the needs of their clients, employees and the business.
Peter Docker is passionate about enabling others to be extraordinary. His book, “Leading From the Jumpseat: How to Create Extraordinary Opportunities by Handing Over Control,” is about lifting people up and preparing them to lead.
Dr. Quirk-Bailey is on a journey to promote equity and inclusion in higher education. As president of Illinois Central College, she joins other leaders to address the local talent shortage, fill gaps in the workforce and combat marketing challenges.
Mayor of Peoria, IL Dr. Rita Ali made history in 2021 as the first woman and first African American to be elected mayor of Peoria. She joined us to discuss her top initiatives to lead the city toward recovery, renewal and revitalization.
Managing director of Win Without Pitching shares how to shift the power in the sales process from the buyer to the seller. And how to have the confidence to let go of the typical pitch process.
Senior Vice President of OSF OnCall, OSF Healthcare’s digital health entity, shares what it was like to build a hospital without walls to connect people with care 24/7, as well as a B2B division that serves physicians, rural hospitals, employers and more.
Kathryn Spitznagle has made it her mission to foster the personal and professional development of leaders. Learn more about the interesting and practical tools she uses to help women millennials achieve their full potential.

Season 4 

The season where we uncover stories about the small pushes leaders make every day that have a big impact. 

As Executive Strategy Director, Erin Bowald works with agency clients daily at Simantel. Which is why she’s the perfect person to talk to us about client problems we often see and the three-phase solution used to achieve better CX.
   
For anyone interested in defining who they are and the value they bring to the world, this episode is for you. Personal brand coaches, Bryan and Rich, dig into why your personal brand is so important to your professional work.
The charismatic Joshua Gunn, President and CEO of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, joins us to discuss his early music career, passion for economic development and vision to grow Peoria into the upper echelon of Midwestern cities.
An out-of-home marketing expert joins us to chat about how creativity and strategy help to bring brands to the public, whether with digital screens or cutting-edge experiential efforts.
The pandemic has caused many companies to rethink the way they operationalize their work. And Jeff, the Founder of VA Staffers, will be the first to tell you why remote teams make sense for organizations.
VP of Marketing at COUNTRY Financial discusses the company’s marketing journey from branding to customer experience. Tim is a strong advocate for putting people first and then bringing that connection and personalization to digital marketing.
Former VP and Chief Marketing Officer of Caterpillar joins us to discuss his extraordinary career path, what it takes to be an effective leader and his Midwestern values. Tune in for a masterclass in business acumen with George Taylor.
An inspiring story about a man who made millions as an entrepreneur then returned to his hometown to invest big in his community. As developer and founder of KDB Group, Kim does it all because of his passion for improving people’s lives.
President and chairperson of Illinois Mutual Insurance covers all things from modernizing a 110-year-old company to work-life balance to women in leadership. And she does it all with a people-first mentality.
Agency leader turned author offers us a different perspective on the podcast today. Find out why Bob is a skeptic of the advertising industry and how understanding his viewpoint can help you become a better marketer.
Agency owner and principal of Simantel makes a big announcement on the podcast about her life and the future of the company. Find out what’s next for Maggie.

Season 3 

The season where we look at building a bridge with new perspectives and refreshed strategies. 

From large meetings to one-on-one discussions, every conversation should have a plan. Conversation designer, Daniel Stillman, works with companies of all shapes and sizes to shape productive conversations and improve organization collaboration.
A CMO with a big vision to align product, brand and customer experience talks about the importance of a clear strategy. Emily Videtto, CMO of Pella Windows and Doors, makes big waves in a historical legacy brand, helping transform it into an innovative customer centric company.
Agency guy turned business consultant shares the secret on creating demand for your brand. World renowned speaker and author, Tim Williams, sheds light on why businesses need to find their niche (and then say no).
Learn more about how a great story can intrigue, persuade and really make all the difference in your leadership style with Esther Choy, the President of Leadership Story Lab.
Brand consultant, Communo co-founder and owner of the agency Cult Collective clues us in on what it takes to be a cult brand. Chris breaks down some of the pitfalls brands fall into and why his out-of-the-box strategies work for companies both big and small.
Nothing was off the table in this interview with consultant, strategist and expert on all things digital marketing, Dan Eizans. He has a wealth of experience related to research, content strategy, CX and more, and we can’t wait for you to listen and hear his crazy amount of knowledge about things like contextual inquiries and information architecture.
Join us as we talk to the CMO of Turner Mining Group about building a brand that appeals to both employees and customers. Find out how she strives to create a feeling of “One Team” and why it’s important to have a marketer at the table.
Publicis Groupe retiree, Jack Klues, took on multiple CEO roles and managed billions of media dollars globally. But he’d be the first to tell you that he wasn’t very good at media. It was his unique leadership attributes and down to earth values that afforded him these opportunities.
We sit down with consultant, coach, speaker and founder of Awesôme Climbs to talk about creating a life of meaning. From her background in neuroscience and storytelling to leading groups up Mount Killmanjaro to her own personal struggles along the way, she offers invaluable advice and is not afraid to tell it like it is.
This season we’re looking at how to bridge the gap that 2020 has caused. The disconnect from people, possibly from goals, and so much more. We’re all yearning to move forward, and this season’s guests talk through their own reinventions, revisions and revamps to help us move on with purpose and a plan. Get your sweat on and listen here or wherever you subscribe to podcasts.
The season where we look at building a bridge with new perspectives and refreshed strategies. Get your headphones ready, because Season 3 is here.

Season 2 

The season where we uncover purpose, potential and endless possibilities, even amid the pandemic. 

Discover how a marketing agency with the sole purpose of building brands decided it was time to rebuild their own. Spoiler alert: they came out the other side a stronger brand with a refreshed outlook and a higher employee engagement rate.
Join us as we talk to the perfect hybrid of a heavy-industry B2B marketer mixed with an expert in paid media, technology and data. We cover the power of account-based marketing, identifying customers who are ready to buy and dealing with present-day data challenges.
This one is for marketers and leaders who are looking to hone in on their careers and really show up at work every day, but also want to remain present for their personal lives. Listen in for tips on how to be 100 percent present in all that you do.
Personal and professional growth can in fact be one thing, not two. Hear from a professional leadership trainer on how marketers can lead with this philosophy to drive a people-first culture. He’ll take you on a journey of how his own good and bad experiences have led him to where he is today.
Purpose-driven statements for employees and customers can be foundational to any marketing strategy. Tune in to hear five principles that help leaders define values and exemplify them through their actions.
Lovers, Lords, Hackers and Hawks – Great brands consider them all. Listen in to learn this model and how to apply it in your next campaign.
Long-time Chief Growth Officer for the Publicis Groupe shares insights from his latest book: Restoring the Soul of Business, Staying Human in the Age of Data.
As marketers, we’re often struggling to determine where our business should go next — so we consult with industry leaders to stay ahead of trends. Listen in for advice on how to succeed in this endeavor.
Did you ever wonder what comes next after CRM and marketing automation? Scott Vaughan clues us in to the new “demand cloud,” integrating all top-of-funnel marketing activities.
This season, we’re talking to some of the industry’s leading strategists, technologists and even business coaches about the work they do every day and how their insights can apply to our world.
Purpose, Potential and Endless Possibilities – Marketing Sweats Season 2. Listen in and get your sweat on.

Season 1 

The season where it all began. We interviewed some amazing marketers and kicked it all off with celebrity spokesperson, Mike Rowe. 

Andy Montgomery, Brand Manager at LG Seeds, is a sales and marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in the agriculture industry. Andy explains his recent year-long journey serving as leader of a brand integration effort across a wide geography, with several legacy brands coming into one.
Dave Lucas is an experienced digital marketer who has worked on both agency side and client side, leading large-scale technology change. He talks to Misty about how, with a recent career shift, he’s leveraging his marketing background to take on his latest endeavor – starting his own company.
Jeff Bowman, Chief Experience Officer for Titan Machinery, shares his thoughts on customer experience principles & the challenges around CX implementation.
   
In this episode, Portia, Vice President & Global Leader Strategic Marketing at Trane Technologies (Ingersoll Rand), talks about her greatest marketing successes and challenges, plus what insights about leadership she’s learned along the way.
In this episode, the Vice President of Marketing and Sales at The Knapheide Manufacturing Company shares what it’s like to be part of a tight-knit executive team, focused on evolving a brand that has sustained through six generations of family leadership.
Jess is the Global Marketing Innovation Manager for Caterpillar Global Construction and Infrastructure. Listen in to see why she is one of Misty’s greatest inspirations.
In this episode, celebrity spokesperson, Mike Rowe chats about honesty and authenticity in business and life in general. From promoting skilled trades to working with Caterpillar, hear Mike’s take on why transparency is the key to connecting with people.
Why a podcast? Listen to hear why we started Marketing Sweats, who this is for and what’s in store in Season One. You’ll get a good sense of what this podcast is all about, so you can decide if this podcast is right for you. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.
We interviewed some unbelievable marketers in Season One. Listen to the clip to hear a few snippets from the interviews.