Mookie has a spirited chat with David Garrison, CEO of Connect Networks to discuss the organizational challenges of fragmentation, communication, and misaligned priorities—and what to do about it. The two dive headfirst into how David's networking platform leverages human-centered tech to smash silos, spark curiosity-driven collaboration, and build trust through radically simple one-on-one conversations.

David explains how most companies chase optimization through systems and metrics while ignoring the essential unit of transformation: the conversation. From boomerang hires and missed business development goldmines to the real reasons people quit, the discussion shreds conventional thinking and proposes a basic but powerful paradigm shift—create structured opportunities for real human connection, and the rest will follow.

You’ll learn:

• Why fragmented orgs kill innovation (and how to fix it)
• How structured serendipity beats static networking
• Why the real ROI isn’t just money—it’s trust, insight, and retention
• How conversations—not tech dashboards—change organizations

Whether you're leading a nonprofit, scaling a company, or just trying to feel less isolated in your role, this episode will change the way you think about internal culture and the power of human connection at work.

The Guest

David Garrison is CEO of Connect Networks, a networking platform purpose-built to create meaningful human connection—at scale—through the art and science of conversation. He also co-founded Climate & Capital Media, a respected non-profit news organization focused on the business of climate change, and built Climate & Capital Connect, a global professional network for climate, sustainability and impact. An experienced executive, David draws on decades advising bold leaders and building teams as a brand-conscious strategy consultant focused on complex business, social, and leadership issues. He's led strategy and marketing at global agencies and for innovative companies in spaces as diverse as healthcare, consulting services, and music.

His Company

Connect Networks (www.connectnetworks.ai) is a platform purpose-built to create meaningful human connection — at scale — through the art and science of conversation.

Connect introduces your people for 1:1 conversations, strengthening networks by slowly knitting together groups in and around your organization that normally wouldn’t overlap. That, in turn, leads to innovation and new kinds of collaboration, builds loyalty, drives profitability, and creates measurable business and social impact.

Resources

www.connectnetworks.ai

www.climateconnect.club

www.climateandcapitalmedia.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgarrison/

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Mookie Spitz welcomes Dale Cooke, one of the most trusted names in FDA regulatory compliance, who shares a survival guide for healthcare marketing professionals during this historic time of sweeping upheaval. Against the backdrop of Trump’s second-term administration, which has eliminated thousands of FDA and HHS positions and ushered in unpredictable deregulation, Dale shares urgent insights from inside the storm.

Packed with real-world examples, biting humor, and a touch of Philly cheesesteak vs Chicago deep-dish banter, their wide ranging conversation explores the traumatizing impact of today's uncertainty on public health oversight. Acknowledging the importance of reducing bureaucracy. Dale explains why the pharmaceutical industry isn't asking for less regulation, but predictable regulation—and how the administration’s chaotic approach is making instability the norm.

Whether you're a pharmaceutical exec, agency lead, marketing and advertising pro, legal advisor, or just fascinated by the intersection of AI, health, communications, and politics, this episode delivers clarity in a time of confusion—and proves why, whenever in doubt, the industry has for decades grabbed the batphone and shouted "Let's call Dale!"

The Guest

Dale Cooke is the president of PhillyCooke Consulting and FDA Ad Law. He helps companies communicate about FDA-regulated products using 21st century tools, while remaining compliant with regulations written in the 1960s. Dale has worked with more than 50 pharmaceutical and medical device clients and more than 30 advertising agencies around the world. His insights have been featured in Politico, The Pink Sheet, Stat News, Law360, and other publications. Dale is an active member of the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI), the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, and the Digital Health Coalition. 

Dale teaches in the Temple University School of Pharmacy RAQA program.
Dale is the author of Effective Review and Approval of Digital Promotional Tactics, which is now in its second edition in FDLI’s Topics in Food and Drug Law series. He is regularly invited to speak at industry conferences on topics including FDA enforcement trends, best practices for review processes, global review practices, and life sciences use of social media.

Dale earned his B.A. in Philosophy from Southern Methodist University, an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Arizona, studied Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Drexel University’s School of Public Health, received a graduate certificate in Healthcare Compliance from Seton Hall University’s School of Law, and his J.D. at Drexel University’s Kline School of Law.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daleacooke/

www.PhillyCooke.com 

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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, Mookie walks us through why the traditional “peacock” approach to selling—flaunting features, shouting benefits, and listing specs—falls flat. Instead, he urges entrepreneurs, brand strategists, and sales professionals to reframe the entire conversation around the customer’s pain points, motivations, and aspirations.

He draws lessons from the Apple playbook—how Steve Jobs fused hardware, software, and content into a lifestyle platform that customers didn’t even know they needed—and contrasts it with Sony’s failure to unify its vast content and tech empire. He dives into why even a simple car sale needs deep customer understanding, not just a shiny vehicle, and explains why websites full of “we do this, we do that” miss the mark.

Whether you’re selling a startup vision, a SaaS platform, or your own professional services, this episode reveals why asking the right questions—and resisting the urge to talk about yourself—is the real game-changer. You’ll also get a glimpse into upcoming episodes that tackle trust-building, uncovering customer vulnerability, and truly becoming a strategic partner—not just another vendor.

If you’re ready to stop pitching and start partnering, hit play.

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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 trumps automation in medicine, and why reps still matter more than Bots. Plus: a Spanish doctor who buys art instead of furniture, an Italian physician who moonlights as a superhero, and a bold prediction about our privacy future (spoiler: your data's already out there)...

The Guest

Todd is an accomplished healthcare marketing strategist and innovator with 20+ years experience and impact on the life sciences client and services side, US and global, consumer and HCP. He has a track record as a builder and grower, solving complex challenges at the intersection of critical commercial needs and meaningful customer experiences — employing solutions with the appropriate mix of humanity and technology. 

Todd has held leadership positions at Pfizer, Sanofi, Aptus Health, Wego Health, Havas, and other companies, including management consulting. Currently, he enjoys life as an independent consultant but is keeping an eye out a career opportunity he cannot resist.

Feel free to connect with Todd on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddkolm/

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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 — quickly and cost-effectively. Learn how her team is leveraging agentic AI systems to automate content creation workflows, dramatically reducing timelines while ensuring brand consistency and regulatory compliance. Topics covered include: 

- The evolution of omni-channel marketing in healthcare
- How generative AI enables small agencies to compete at scale
- The still-essential role of human oversight in AI-driven content development
- Navigating disruption in an industry slow to adopt the innovation it advocates

The value-proposition and business model of 3Cube.ai are alluring for marketers, strategists, and innovators looking to understand how AI can drive meaningful efficiencies — and open the door to new creative possibilities.

The Guest

Noriko Yokoi is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in advertising, CRM, and adtech agencies. Throughout her carer, she has specialized in launching products across the healthcare and medical device sectors, spanning multiple indications and therapeutic areas. After her time on Madison Avenue, Noriko transitioned to supporting early stage startups, helping them scale and achieve sustainable growth. In 2024, she cofounded 3Cubed.ai. Noriko is a proud member of The Bullpen, where she contributes her expertise to fostering innovation and business development. She is a graduate of VC Lab, and is a pitch judge. 

The Startup

At 3Cubed.ai, we help agencies and marketing teams adopt an AI Workforce, reducing executional headcount while accelerating content production. Our AI solutions work 24/7, generating high-quality content in minutes instead of days—freeing human teams to focus on strategy and innovation.

https://3cubed.ai/

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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 impressive sex appeal. Discover how a class clown turned ad exec used empathy, charm, and a touch of mischief to build lasting client relationships, flip two agencies, and ultimately find deeper purpose through philanthropy and advocacy for foster youth. It’s a masterclass in sales, leadership, reinvention—and loving life along the way.

The Guest

After graduating from Michigan State University in 1978, Tim went to work for Campbell Ewald in Detroit (during the “Mad Men” era), where he worked on the Chevrolet account as an AE. From there his career took him to Dallas and ultimately to LA, where he worked on consumer accounts including, Pepsi, Frito Lay and Coke. During this journey he moved to the San Diego area with his new wife to set down roots. Tim was able to work for a small consumer agency but after a year was terminated, which ultimately was the defining moment in his career, leading to work into healthcare advertising with a small agency in Orange County. There he met a talented copywriter, Sher Call and art director, Rich Fair. A year later they formed their own agency, that was later acquired by FCB Bozell. It was here that they met Jackie Herr and Fabio Gratton, and in 2001 set out to form Ignite Health to serve biotech, pharma and device companies. Ignite became one of the first e-health agencies who were able to capitalize on the emergence of the Internet and the shift to digital patient centric marketing. After growing to 100 plus employees, they were acquired by InVentiv Health in 2007. 

The next chapter for Tim led him to a volunteer opportunity to work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Now 13 years later, Tim has worked with 7 youth and does public speaking to spread the word for new CASAs and fundraising from the private and public sector. He credits his success in working with foster youth to his years of relationship marketing with clients, managing a talented group of employees and understanding the power of collaboration. 

He also has realized how the mentors in his life have set him up to provide a consistent and caring presence to youth during the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

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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 convenience, and even the importance of modeling values for children. The two argue for a renewed focus on context, intentionality, and meaningful engagement in a chaotic digital world. 

The Guest: Andrew Thorn: Decoding Brands, One Baseball Metaphor at a Time

Andrew Thorn brings three decades of strategic wizardry to the complex worlds of Healthcare and Life Sciences, helping organizations navigate the thrilling (and occasionally baffling) landscape of brand development. He's a master of blending art, science, and analytics, with a knack for making sense of the industry’s unique jargon. Beyond the boardroom, Andrew, a self-described "curator of diverse experiences," includes stints as a cartoonist, playwright, and even a top-ranked darts player in New York State – experiences that provide a refreshingly unconventional perspective.

Operating under the insightful understanding that human decisions are often driven by emotion, Andrew crafts brand narratives that resonate on a deeper level. His strategic thinking is often filtered through the surprising wisdom of baseball, a personal philosophy that informs his approach to even the most complex challenges. Ultimately, Andrew believes in the power of making people feel good, and he brings his unique blend of experience and wit to help brands achieve just that. He might offer a wry observation about the human condition, perhaps noting the universal desire to “leverage” even the simplest tasks, but his focus remains on creating positive and impactful connections.

Email : [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewthorn/

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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, and lands on the characterisitics that would embody an "ideal" candidate for the next Presidential election. Tune in, Democratic strategists, for some provocative and creative pro bono recommendations!

Resources

Vince's prior podcast on the show

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455310/episodes/16684282

Brand yourself! (or others will do it for you!)

https://parrybrandinggroup.com/brand-yourself-or-others-will-do-it-for-you/

When your company brand is you

https://parrybrandinggroup.com/personal-branding-when-your-company-brand-is-you/

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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 challenges of female entrepreneurship. 

The Guest

As a TEDx speaker, former C-suite executive, and social entrepreneur with an MBA from INSEAD, as well as changemaker at Catalyst Now, Silja Chouquet brings a wealth of experience to her mission of empowering impact-driven leaders. Her goal is to help leaders create thriving, successful businesses that deliver scalable and sustainable impact. Through her coaching business, Silja works toward this mission daily, ensuring that everything she does is aligned with this purpose.

The “Match For Impact” program is a challenge she choses to take on for herself so Silja can scale her impact and help more people. It is a powerful boost to HOW she can achieve her goal.

Learn more about "Match for Impact" and sign up for your own session:

https://www.siljachouquet.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJRNv1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHUHrf6blG7ROo8rfnGAzUkLD3DD_ep7g6FvCdUr6ZYPqnN9F1QYXEtLlkg_aem_dYgAcNiPYdnt0nNS75kCVA

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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 society...

The Guest

Tony Ricci, Ed.D, DSc, FISSN, CSCS, PES is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Health & Human Performance, and Psychology and Neuroscience at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Tony holds Separate Master’s Degrees in Sport Science and Human Nutrition and a Doctorate in Sport Psychology. He is currently the Vice President of the Society for Sport Neuroscience and on the Scientific Advisory Board member for the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Along with teaching in the disciplines of Sport Science, Sport Psychology, and Sport neuroscience, he is the owner and founder of Fightshape International, a multi-discipline performance enhancement company providing advanced coaching in Strength and Conditioning and Mental Performance across Fight Sports disciplines. Tony has coached scores of professional athletes in fight-sports, including numerous World Champions in MMA, Boxing and Kickboxing.

For the past 40 years Tony has dedicated his energies and career to optimizing Human Performance. He has over 20 peer reviewed publications and spoken at over 50 conferences on the topics of Health, Fitness, Stress Reduction, Human Performance, Sports Nutrition, Sports Psychology, and the newly emerging field of Sports Neuroscience.

The Resources

Frontiers | Exercise-Mediated Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus via BDNF

The Effect of Aerobic Exercise in Neuroplasticity, Learning, and Cognition: A Systematic Review - PMC

Exercising is good for the brain but exercising outside is potentially better | Scientific Reports

Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials | The BMJ

The impact of exercise on depression: how moving makes your brain and body feel better - PMC

Mookie's Links

Ricci Flow
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricci_flow

Ricci the Mathematician
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorio_Ricci-Curbastro

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