The Partnership Economy - podcast cover

The Partnership Economy

David A. Yovanno and Todd Crawfordimpact.com

The Partnership Economy explores the power of partnerships through candid conversations and stories with industry leaders. Our hosts, David A. Yovanno, CEO and Todd Crawford, Co-founder, of impact.com, unpack the future of partnerships as a lever for scale and an opportunity to put the consumer first.

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Episodes

From AI User to Native Leader with Keith Posehn, CEO at Zorz

A new frontier is opening in the workplace. It makes the difference between simply using AI as a tool and becoming an AI-native leader who actually builds value. In this episode, Todd Crawford sits down with Keith Posehn, CEO at Zorz, to unpack what this means for the partnership economy and what organizations should be doing now to maximize the value of AI. Together, Todd and Keith explore how AI is driving a bottom-up revolution, empowering individual affiliate managers to build tools and prod...

May 12, 202629 minSeason 7Ep. 4

How Partnerships are Reshaping Product Discovery with Seth Hagerty, Senior Director of Performance Marketing at Best Buy

Search is evolving, AI is reshaping discovery, and consumers are relying on creators more than ever to guide their decisions. So how do the BEST brands make the most of this shift? In this episode, Dave Yovanno sits down with Seth Hagerty, Senior Director of Performance Marketing at Best Buy, to explore how one of retail’s most iconic brands is adapting to a new era of customer discovery. Seth shares how Best Buy is approaching creators, affiliates, AI, attribution, retail media, and more — and ...

Apr 28, 202632 minSeason 7Ep. 3

How AI Attribution Is Rewriting Commerce Media with Hunter Capobianco, Director of Business Development & Partnerships, Commerce at CNN

AI just used your best content to make a recommendation. Then, took all the credit. Now what? That’s exactly what inspired Hunter Capobianco, Director of Business Development & Partnerships, Commerce at CNN. In this episode, he sits down with Todd Crawford to share how his team is tackling the attribution challenges facing modern digital marketers. Hunter breaks down the product they built to keep shoppers on-platform, and why traditional affiliate optimization still matters if you want to d...

Apr 14, 202632 minSeason 7Ep. 2

How Commerce Brands Get Recommended by AI with Brian Stempeck of Evertune AI

Generative AI is quietly reshaping how people shop — 39% of consumers have already used it, from chatbots to visual search, and 53% more plan to join them this year. As product discovery moves from search bars to AI conversations, marketing teams have one urgent question to answer: How do we get AI to pick us? In this Season 7 premiere, Dave Yovanno sits down with Brian Stempeck, CEO and Co-Founder of Evertune, a company focused on helping brands understand how they appear in AI-powered discover...

Mar 31, 202644 minSeason 7Ep. 1

Season 7 Kickoff: AI, Creators, and What Comes Next

As the creator economy, AI, and consumer behavior are evolving faster than ever before, are you keeping up? Welcome to season 7 of the Partnership Economy. Hosts Dave Yovanno and Todd Crawford are back alongside an exceptional lineup of industry leaders who are navigating these shifts in real time—sharing the strategies, insights, and partnerships shaping what comes next. From brand trust to AI-driven discovery, this season explores the forces redefining growth in today’s digital landscape. Foll...

Mar 24, 20261 min0

The Evolution of Partnerships and Experiential Marketing with Sam Kimmel, Senior Director of Co-Marketing Partnerships at Hello Sunshine

Once upon a time, ad agencies ruled with glossy spreads and TV spots. Then came social, creators, and platforms rewrote the rules. So what can you learn from this dramatic evolution? In this episode, Dave Yovanno sits down with Sam Kimmel, Senior Director of Co-Marketing Partnerships at Hello Sunshine, for a conversation on the evolution of advertising and what it means for the future of partnerships. With a career that started in the agency world and later took her to Pinterest and TikTok, Sam ...

Oct 07, 202547 minSeason 6Ep. 11

Inside the Creator Economy with Lindsey Gamble, Influencer Marketing Expert

We all know the creator economy is evolving — but when done right, what does it look like in its ideal form? In this episode, Dave Yovanno is joined by Lindsey Gamble, an Influencer Marketing Advisor, Founder of Lindsey Gamble Media, and creator himself. Lindsey puts on his consultant hat to offer advice to both brands and creators, drawing from his first-hand experience on both sides. From the brand perspective, he outlines how the struggle to maintain control is a hurdle companies must overcom...

Sep 23, 202550 minSeason 6Ep. 10

How AI Is Transforming the Creator Economy with Brian Klais, Founder of URLgenius

AI this, AI that… but what about the creator economy!? With all the buzz around artificial intelligence, it’s time to connect the dots to creator marketing. In this episode of The Partnership Economy, Todd is joined by Brian Klais, Founder of URLgenius, to explore how AI is transforming the creator landscape. Brian kicks things off with a holistic view of the industry, reflecting on the trends he’s observed across his 20+ years in digital marketing. He shares how those trends helped shape the mi...

Sep 09, 202540 minSeason 6Ep. 9

Inside the Gen Z Mindset with Ben Harms, Chief Growth Officer at Archrival

Understanding Gen Z might feel like navigating uncharted territory, but what if your brand's success depends on it? In this episode, Dave Yovanno sits down with Ben Harms, Chief Growth Officer at Archrival, a creative agency built to help brands truly connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Ben shares what it takes to meet these audiences where they are, from understanding their behaviors and mindset to embracing community-led storytelling, active social listening, and bold, culture-driven risks. Draw...

Aug 26, 202555 minSeason 6Ep. 8

Bridging Creators, Content, and Conversions with Amanda Mount, Director of Affiliate Marketing at Monks

In the agency world, your ability to drive success for a brand is make or break. The best in the business have sifted through various options to land on the perfect formula for a winning brand strategy. One of those pros is Amanda Mount, Director of Affiliate Marketing at Monks. In this episode, Todd Crawford is on a mission to learn how Amanda does it, balancing brand authenticity, content strategy, cost-effective partnerships, and the perfect ratio of influencers to affiliates among a myriad o...

May 20, 202537 minSeason 6Ep. 7

Inside the US and UK Affiliate Landscape with Graeme Boase, Account Director at Growth HQ

Pack your bags, we’re heading across the pond! In this episode, Todd Crawford sits down with Graeme Boase, Account Director at Growth HQ, to explore how to build an affiliate A-team and the key differences between affiliate marketing in the U.S. and the U.K. To start, they break down how the maturity of each market is shaping the role, influencing everything from affiliate manager salaries to partnership dynamics. Then, Graeme shares what it takes to succeed in the affiliate space today, highlig...

May 06, 202552 minSeason 6Ep. 6

Why Brand Trust is the Currency of the Future with Brianna Doe, Founder of Verbatim

When it comes to trust, it can take years to build and seconds to break. While this might feel like common sense when it comes to consumer-brand relationships, it's possible to overlook how crucial trust is in the brand-creator relationship. With a passion for this topic backed by a deep understanding, Brianna Doe, founder of Verbatim, joins Dave to share her take on building brand-creator trust and how it’s shaping the broader creator economy. As someone who’s worked on the brand, agency, and c...

Apr 22, 202556 minSeason 6Ep. 5

How to Scale Your Influencer Program from the Ground Up with Natasha Scholnick, Director of Global Partnerships & Influencers at VistaPrint

Need to transform your performance partnerships channel, or more dauntingly, build it from the ground up? A certainly big task, but one Natasha Scholnick , Director of Global Partnerships & Influencers at VistaPrint knows incredibly well. In this episode, Todd sits down with Natasha, to explore how the brand has evolved its influencer marketing strategy and integrated it into its broader partnership ecosystem. Natasha shares how VistaPrint structured its program from the ground up, offering ...

Mar 25, 202538 minSeason 6Ep. 4

Diversifying Your Partnership Strategy for Scale with Stephanie Harris, CEO of PartnerCentric

A one-dimensional partnership program won’t cut it anymore. In this episode, Todd sits down with Stephanie Harris , CEO of PartnerCentric , to explore how brands can build a stronger, more diverse partnership strategy by integrating affiliates, creators, and customer advocates. They discuss the opportunities of converging creators with affiliates, the impact of different commission models, and why your most authentic brand advocates might already be your customers. They also discuss how agencies...

Mar 11, 202535 minSeason 6Ep. 3

How Getty Images Builds Seamless B2B Partnerships with Peter Orlowsky, Senior VP of Strategic Partnerships at Getty Images

Seamlessly integrating a service into the customer journey is the ultimate goal for most businesses, but finding the right way to do it is key. The best way to reach your audience might be through a partner already in their path, creating a win-win for both brands and the customer. In this episode, Dave sits down with Peter Orlowsky , Senior VP of Strategic Partnerships at Getty Images, to explore how the company has been creating successful partnerships. With nearly 27 years at Getty Images, Pe...

Feb 25, 202545 minSeason 6Ep. 2

Season 6 Exclusive Kick-Off: Dave & Todd’s Lessons Learned & What’s Ahead

It’s time to kick off Season 6! In this episode, Dave and Todd sit down together for the first time ever to rewind and reflect on the standout themes from Season 5, after speaking with nine highly accomplished industry titans. Get ready to hear their biggest takeaways from Season 5 and dive into all the essential learnings from an action-packed season! Dave and Todd recap their most compelling conversations on the rise of the creator economy and the growing significance of B2B partnerships. They...

Feb 11, 202544 minSeason 6Ep. 1

Demystifying B2B Partnerships with Adam Glazer, President of Partner Commerce

In this episode, Adam Glazer, President of Partner Commerce—a leading affiliate and partner marketing agency specializing in B2B brands—joins host Todd Crawford to discuss the key differences between B2C and B2B affiliate marketing. They dive into the unique challenges of tracking the impact of B2B affiliate marketing and explore strategies to overcome them. Adam also shares insights on how B2B organizations can determine if affiliate marketing is the right fit for their business, emphasizing th...

Oct 01, 202432 minSeason 5Ep. 9

Navigating the New Era of Brand Partnerships with Meta’s Jackie Pimentel, Senior Global Director of Core Ads Product Marketing

In this episode of the Partnership Economy podcast, Dave Yovanno interviews Jackie Pimentel, Senior Global Director of Core Ads Product Marketing at Meta, about her extensive 14-year career with the company. Jackie shares her journey from an entry-level position to leading a global team, along with tips for advancing your career. The conversation covers her involvement in the launch of Threads, the evolution of Meta’s advertising model, and the critical role partnerships play in building and sca...

Sep 17, 202435 minSeason 5Ep. 8

Q4 is Closer than You Think with Lacie Thompson, Chief Growth Officer of New Engen

Lacie Thompson is the Chief Growth Officer of New Engen, and in this episode, shares that brands are starting to plan for Q4 earlier than ever in an effort to get access to prime publisher placements and partnerships. Lacie and Todd explore how to approach Q4 planning – using data to your advantage, navigating the changes in Google SERP, and tackling Cyber Week strategically, despite the saturated holiday season. Lacie also shares her insights in working with content publishers and emphasizes th...

Sep 03, 202434 minSeason 5Ep. 7

Exploring the Business Side of TikTok with Vana Han, Global Partnerships (SMB) at TikTok

In this episode, host Dave Yovanno sits down with Vana Han, manager of global partnerships (SMB) at TikTok. As someone who has played a pivotal role in building TikTok’s monetization arm from the ground up, Vana offers unique insight into the strategic business planning behind the mega-successful social media app that we all know and love. TikTok for Business is focused on getting brands and advertisers to use the platform, and Vana’s main focus right now is on growing strategic partnerships at ...

Aug 20, 202433 minSeason 5Ep. 6

Aligning Partnerships Through a Shared Purpose with Dan Armstrong, EVP of Distributed Commerce at Ticketmaster

In this episode, host Dave Yovanno sits down with Dan Armstrong, the EVP of Distributed Commerce at Ticketmaster. An expert on partnerships and eCommerce strategy, Dan has been driving real innovation in the live ticketing industry for a decade. He’s passionate about the importance of storytelling and uncovering the shared purpose that keeps his team, as well as his partnerships, aligned. Together, Dave and Dan discuss tips to level up within an organization, how to manage a diverse partnership ...

Jun 04, 202435 minSeason 5Ep. 5

Why Consumers Buy Products from People, Not Brands with Jeanette Okwu, Managing Director at Scale Digital and CEO at Beyondinfluence

In this episode, host Todd Crawford dives into the creator economy with his guest Jeanette Okwu, the founder and CEO of Berlin-based creator marketing agency Beyondinfluence. Jeanette founded the influencer and brand ambassador marketing agency to help her clients break into the next wave of marketing and drive growth. Todd and Jeanette discuss starting an influencer program from scratch, including managing budgets, strategy, and KPIs. They also take a look at the best ways to work with influenc...

May 21, 202434 minSeason 5Ep. 4

Why Content Partnerships are Still Important in the Age of SEO with Jennifer Bentz, VP of Affiliates, Influencers, and Partnerships at Resident Home

Jennifer Bentz is VP of Affiliates, Influencers, and Partnerships at Resident Home, a company that owns famous mattress brands like Nectar and DreamCloud. Jenn wasn’t always in the mattress space, and has over two decades of experience across industries, experiencing the evolution of affiliates and partnerships. Jenn and Todd discuss focusing on all stages of the funnel with your affiliate and influencer partnerships, Jenn’s learnings from working in the D2C space, and the role of partnerships o...

May 07, 202433 minSeason 5Ep. 3

Connecting with your Audience Beyond Viral Trends with Marcel Floruss, Creator, Founder of One Dapper Street and Creative Director of Aetos Apparel

When Marcel Floruss started his blog in 2013, it was because he had a passion for men’s apparel and fashion. Over the following years, he has built a massive audience on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube- with over 1 million subscribers on YouTube alone. He and host Dave Yovanno discuss Marcel’s journey as a creator, his connection with his audience and how he leveraged his success to become the Creative Director of Aetos Apparel. They also discuss the differences between social platforms, tips for ...

Apr 23, 202433 minSeason 5Ep. 2

Proving Value to the C-Suite with Kerry Curran, former Chief Growth Officer at Gen 3

Welcome back to the Partnership Economy podcast! We‘re starting Season 5 off strong, welcoming Kerry Curran, the former Chief Growth Officer at Gen3 Marketing, the oldest and largest affiliate specialty agency in the world. Kerry is a veteran of the marketing and partnerships space with over 17 years of experience and insights that she brings to this conversation. Kerry and host Todd Crawford discuss understanding consumer behavior in relation to affiliate channels and how Kerry has seen this sh...

Apr 09, 202432 minSeason 5Ep. 1

The Partnership Economy is Back!

Season 5 of The Partnership Economy is here! We’re diving right back into interviews with leaders from all sides of the ever-evolving partnerships industry and answering the question on every marketer’s mind - how do I reach the modern consumer? Join your hosts, Todd and Dave, on April 9th for Season 5! This podcast episode was produced by Quill ....

Apr 02, 20242 min0

Tara McNulty, Strategic Partnerships Manager at YouTube Shopping, on the paradigm shift from traditional marketing to partnerships

After witnessing the digital transformation in the early 2010s through her work in retail, Tara McNulty made a career pivot to focus on the e-commerce and affiliate space. Today, she manages strategic partnerships at YouTube Shopping- a new program from the video giant. Commerce existed on YouTube long before partnerships were standard, with creators doing reviews, unboxings and hauls beginning in the early days of the platform. Today, creators and brands are both empowered to monetize this cont...

Jan 23, 202433 minSeason 4Ep. 10

Jonathan Claydon, CDO at Acceleration Partners, on strategies for successful collaboration in the modern influencer landscape

Jonathan Claydon is an affiliate and partnerships expert, having worked in the industry for years in a variety of niches. Today he is the Chief Development Officer at Acceleration Partners - the world's largest partner marketing agency. According to Jonathan, there is a shift happening in the industry. Brands are increasingly looking to measure the impact of influencer marketing and understand what impact influencer marketing has on customer acquisition, rather than just measuring brand awarenes...

Dec 12, 202329 minSeason 4Ep. 9

Erin Dwyer, CMO of Matter of Fact, on the challenges of customer acquisition and building a beauty brand in a saturated space

Erin Dwyer is the CMO of Matter of Fact, a skincare brand started by former K-Pop star Paul Baek, and a former professional dancer herself. Erin draws on her experience as VP of Digital at Drunk Elephant and OUAI, to build a brand in today’s competitive, noisy landscape. She tells Dave that being consistent with your messaging, no matter where a consumer is hearing about you, is crucial. She also emphasizes the importance of partnerships to acquire new customers in the beauty space, because the ...

Nov 28, 202328 minSeason 4Ep. 8
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