Bald Ambition

In this punchy, provocative solo episode of Bald Ambition, host Mookie Spitz delivers a masterclass in consultative selling by starting with an uncomfortable truth: customers don’t care about you—your product, your company, or your clever branding. They care about themselves. And that insight, Mookie argues, is the key to cutting through noise in today’s hyper-distracted digital marketplace.

Packed with sharp real-world examples, Mo...

Your bald host Mookie Spitz sits down with fellow follically-challenged digital strategist and innovator Todd Kolm for a scalp-tingling ride through the world of AI, healthcare, and the ever-elusive art of being human in a hyper-digital age.

From caffeine withdrawals to robot ethics, quantified selves, and patient empathy, Mookie and Todd dive deep. They explore why AI is more ingredient than recipe, how human connection still trump...

Bald Ambition welcomes Noriko Yokoi, co-founder of 3Cubed.ai, to discuss how generative AI is actually transforming the advertising landscape — with focus on the highly regulated world of healthcare communications. Noriko shares her journey from two decades in top-tier agencies to launching a startup focused on solving one of the industry's biggest challenges: scaling high-quality, compliant content across digital channels — q...

Host Mookie Spitz chats with advertising legend Tim Riley for a frank, feisty, and fun conversation about career pivots, personal branding, top notch client relationships, and the power of human connection and transformation. From Mad Men-style beginnings in the 1970s auto industry to pioneering digital healthcare marketing at Ignite Health, Tim shares his journey with razor-sharp wit, humility, and—yes—a full head of hair and impr...

Host Mookie Spitz chats with strategist Andrew Thorne, founder of The Invisible Gorilla consultancy to explore the importance of seeing the "invisible gorilla"—those obvious but overlooked insights—and the need for marketing and PR to merge, moving from rigid silos to more agile, integrated, human-centered approaches. The conversation spans the evolution of digital media, the influence of AI, the loss of agency through co...

Today the BA pod brings back a prior guest, Vince Parry of Parry Branding Group to talk politics, namely the rebranding of the defeated and despondent Democratic Party. Setting things up by describing the "Trump Paradox" of the Dems having a perfectly antithetical opposition, yet being unable to fight back, the conversation focuses on whether or not the party has only a binary choice between moderates and progressives, an...

Markets and companies are in transition, and so are many of their top business executives. Having undergone her own career transformation, Silja Chouquet empowers impact-driven leaders to create thriving, successful business models so that they can scale and deliver lasting, sustainable impact. She specializes in social business model coaching, and social innovation speaker engagements, which we discuss along with the unique challe...

Complex problems often have simple solutions, and Tony Ricci insists that only a few, fun minutes of movement a day will get us well on our way to healthier, happier lives. Give us a listen as Tony explains the profound benefits of routine exercise and good nutrition, and demonstrates how loving what we do ensures we'll do even more of it, turning downward cycles into uplifting ones for the betterment of ourselves and all of s...

Reza Ziai is living the artistic dream, literally rolling around the desert in his mobile van, writing, recording, and distributing his music. He takes a break to chat with me about his creative process, the music industry, and realizing his potential as a former "normie" and family man to fully dedicated songwriter and philosopher. Our conversation is freewheeling and fun, come along for the ride! 

The Guest

Reza Ziai is a...

The Apple iPhone launched in 2007, officially ushering in the age of mobile communications technology. The healthcare and life science industries recognized the potential of "mobile health" to revolutionize diagnostics and preventative medicine, and today's guest Brian T. Edwards was at the forefront of that emergence. His analysis and reviews of mhealth apps were state-of-the-art, and I caught up with him after all ...

Hiring mistakes cost companies billions of dollars each year, a trend that continues to plague recruiters, hiring managers, and especially candidates, who seek work that best aligns with their natural strengths and career aspirations. Meet Sean Vassilaros, co-founder and CEO of KANNY, a startup that is revolutionizing the hiring process through revealing a candidate's work character, and taking a new approach to training and d...

Today's chaotic business environment is forcing companies, especially those in healthcare and lifesciences, to maximize their return on customer experience investments. Consultancies have evolved to address these needs, but often fall short in empowering clients with the strategic breadth and specialized talent necessary for such transformation. Our guest is Gregg Fisher, Founder and CEO of The Stem, a new breed of management ...

The Wild WIld West of Spice has finally been tamed, and done so through a surprising hero's journey of a Spice Lover and entrepreneur caring for his father only to find himself starting an innovative new company. Hear how spice intensity and flavor is now controlled and shared like never before, and the steps that went into a hobby becoming a successful startup business. 

The Guest

Fabio Gratton, Founder and Chief Spiceologist o...

Millennials have gotten a bad rap, but is it deserved? How are they fairing in today's tough business climate, and what do hiring managers need to know as this generation starts taking the helm? I talk to a Millennial, and you might be surprised to hear what they expect, and how top performers have overcome many of that generation's unique challenges, now impacting Zoomer's, too.

The Guest (in his own words)

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Personality supersedes policy, now more than ever. How can we differentiate ourselves in an increasingly transactional and commoditized business environment? A branding expert shares proven menthods for creating and activating your personal brand to reinvent yourself and your career!

The Guest

Vince Parry

President

Parry Branding Group

Throughout his extensive career in brand development, marketing and communications, Vin...

American corporate culture is at a crossroads as budgets shrink, investors demand returns, and employees feel commoditized. Join me for a robust conversation with Skot Waldron, an internal communications expert, who partners with business leaders to help create cultures that build trust AND optimize efficiency.

The Guest

Skot Waldron is a speaker, leadership consultant, and communication strategist who has worked with ...

Hannah is at the oldest end of the Gen Z generation, being one of the first to experience the struggles of a new reality in an old system. 

Her personal challenges in the workforce have forced her to adapt, eventually discovering that the silver lining of the Gen Z career path might be the best yet. 

She is currently a freelance digital marketing manager living the “digital nomad” lifestyle.

The Guest

Hannah is a freelan...

Today's hot housing market is encouraging luxury renovations to boost value and quality of life, making the niche Design-Build remodeling industry more competitive than ever before. Here's how an expert agency entrepreneur consultatively grows her clients' businesses, and her own...

The Guest

Lauri Shoemake is the owner of iMarc Consulting and a seasoned marketing strategist specializing in the remodeling industry...

When are we too old to reinvent ourselves and our careers? Never! We discuss why and how…

The Guest

Torrey is a human being. But also former tech product manager in New York turned aspiring small business owner. After 15 years in tech, he stepped away to build something hands-on and launched his own pest control company before setting off on a four-month sabbatical in Thailand to recalibrate. Now, he’s focused on acquiring and g...