In this week’s episode of YouShouldTalkTo, Angela Johnson shares her sharp insights on what it takes to thrive as a marketing leader in today’s increasingly fast-paced marketing world. From redefining customer engagement to reimagining internal leadership, Angela offers an in-depth look at how brands can stay relevant, resilient, and rooted in purpose as they move into the new year and beyond. Marketing is no longer about capturing attention by any means necessary. Today’s audience doesn’t want brands to interrupt their lives - they want them to enhance them. Angela emphasizes that the strongest marketing strategies are built on integration.

As she and her team prepare for the new year, Angela focuses on helping her team connect their daily work to the company’s broader mission. When people understand the purpose behind their goals, they move through challenges with more motivation and resilience. Instead of simply hitting quarterly targets, they’re inspired by the larger vision they’re contributing to.

At the heart of every one of her marketing decisions is one rule that she lives by - everything starts and ends with the customer. Angela reinforces the importance of building strategies that genuinely benefit the people they’re designed to reach. It’s not enough for innovation to be impressive - it has to be useful. Whether through improved accessibility, better service, or thoughtful design, the best marketing outcomes are those that make a tangible difference in customers’ lives. When teams stay grounded in customer insight, every new idea becomes a step toward building lasting trust and loyalty.

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Angela Johnson, Chief Strategy + Innovation Officer at Edible Brands

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn

Key Insights:

Data Matters - But Storytelling Wins Hearts

In marketing, numbers tell part of the story, but not the whole story. Metrics like click-through rates and conversion data are essential for optimization, but they still can’t they can’t measure emotion. The brands that stand out today are the ones that build human connections. Consumers don’t fall in love with dashboards; they fall in love with stories, purpose, and shared values. When a brand leads with emotion and authenticity, data becomes a supporting character, not the star of the show. The best marketers know how to combine analytical insight with creative storytelling to spark loyalty and trust that lasts far beyond a campaign.

Marketing Is About Integration, Not Interruption

The days of shouting your message into the void are over. Modern marketing thrives when brands become part of their audience’s daily rhythm. It’s about showing up in meaningful ways - in their feeds, conversations, and communities - without disrupting the experience. When a brand integrates seamlessly into people’s lives, it stops feeling like advertising and starts feeling like value. The shift from interruption to integration is the heart of modern engagement. The takeaway? Don’t just talk at your audience - find ways to live alongside them.

Agility Beats Perfection

In today’s fast-moving market, being agile matters more than being flawless. The best leaders know that “good enough and fast” often drives more impact than “perfect but late.” Agility allows brands to adapt, respond, and iterate before opportunities pass. Creativity doesn’t need to be polished to perform - it needs to be relevant. Embracing speed means embracing growth.