Built for This

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Benjamin Christie, founder and president of Gourmet Ads, to explore how a former chef turned an unexpected opportunity in digital advertising into a global business serving billions of advertisements every month.

Benjamin shares how a challenge to find an online audience for a cooking show eventually led to the creation of Gourmet Ads. One particularly unusual request from a European butter company, which wanted to advertise alongside banana bread recipes, sparked an innovation that would transform the business. What began as a manual search evolved into technology capable of analyzing billions of URLs to identify highly targeted audiences.

Carly and Benjamin explore why the best innovations often come from solving real customer problems, how curiosity and trust have helped him build a loyal team, and why businesses need to keep experimenting even after nearly two decades of success.

They also discuss navigating unexpected disruption, developing contingency plans, embracing AI, and how Gourmet Ads is adapting to changes in online publishing, connected television, and retail media.

The Best Innovations Start With a Problem Worth Solving

Benjamin believes great technology starts with a genuine customer or operational challenge. Rather than building complicated solutions for the sake of innovation, his approach is to start small, test quickly, and refine based on real feedback. Gourmet Ads' banana bread campaign is a perfect example of how one unusual request can lead to an entirely new business capability.

Build a Business That Can Survive When the Rules Change Overnight

When a major technology partner gave Gourmet Ads just six weeks to move off its platform, Benjamin learned the importance of having alternatives ready. Today, contingency planning is a fundamental part of how he operates, helping the business respond quickly when circumstances change beyond its control.

Curiosity and Trust Are More Valuable Than Constant Oversight

Benjamin looks for curious people who enjoy solving unfamiliar problems. He also believes in treating employees like adults, trusting them to do their jobs, and supporting their lives outside work. That philosophy has helped Gourmet Ads retain key team members for more than 15 years.

"I find the best software decisions, like when you're making software, are backed by either customer problems or something you're trying to solve."

"One thing I've learned in 18 years, you've got to have a redundancy plan in the pocket always."

"I think that if you treat people like adults and you treat them like you want to be treated, that they end up working better for you."

Benjamin Christie is the founder and president of Gourmet Ads, a global digital advertising company specializing in connecting food, wine, grocery, and consumer brands with relevant audiences.

Since founding Gourmet Ads in 2008, Benjamin has become a recognized expert in programmatic advertising, curated advertising, and header bidding technology. Drawing on his background as a chef and his experience building a global technology business, he continues to develop innovative advertising solutions and regularly shares his expertise at industry events and conferences worldwide.

http://gourmetads.com

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

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gourmet-ads/

https://www.youtube.com/@GourmetAds

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Bryan Quinn, CEO and co-founder of ShopSense AI and former Amazon executive, to explore how curiosity, innovation, and leadership are shaping the future of business.

After spending 11 years at Amazon, Bryan recognized an opportunity to solve a common frustration: discovering a product on television but struggling to find and purchase it. That experience helped inspire ShopSense AI, a company using artificial intelligence to make shopping more intuitive and connect moments of inspiration with opportunities to buy.

Carly and Bryan explore the realities of building a startup, including navigating disagreements between talented people, making difficult decisions, and creating a culture where healthy conflict leads to better outcomes.

They also discuss why curiosity is essential for innovation, the importance of celebrating wins while moving quickly, and Bryan's vision for making AI-powered shopping experiences more accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Healthy Conflict Creates Stronger Teams

Bryan believes disagreement can be incredibly valuable when people are willing to understand different perspectives. By removing ego, encouraging open conversations, and being transparent about decisions, leaders can turn conflict into better collaboration and stronger outcomes.

Curiosity Is the Foundation of Innovation

The best opportunities often begin with asking better questions. Bryan emphasizes the importance of understanding customer frustrations, challenging assumptions, and remaining open to perspectives that might reveal solutions nobody has considered before.

Great Cultures Balance Speed With Celebration

Moving quickly matters, especially in a rapidly evolving industry like AI. But Bryan believes celebrating wins, empowering employees, and removing unnecessary processes are just as important for keeping teams motivated and creating an environment where innovation thrives.

"Smart people come to different conclusions all the time."

"We have to obsess over our customers' problems."

"If you're not a curious organization, your days are going to be numbered."

Bryan Quinn is the CEO and co-founder of ShopSense AI, a technology company transforming how consumers discover and shop for products through AI-powered experiences.

Before founding ShopSense AI, Bryan spent 11 years at Amazon building and scaling advertising businesses. He founded Amazon Publisher Services and helped launch advertising innovations across Fire TV, Prime Video Channels, Alexa, and connected television.

Today, Bryan is focused on helping publishers, platforms, brands, and retailers create the next generation of personalized, seamless shopping experiences.

https://www.shopsense.ai/

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

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Benjamin Christie, founder and president of Gourmet Ads, to explore how a former chef turned an unexpected opportunity in digital advertising into a global business serving billions of advertisements every month.

Benjamin shares how a challenge to find an online audience for a cooking show eventually led to the creation of Gourmet Ads. One particularly unusual request from a European butter company, which wanted to advertise alongside banana bread recipes, sparked an innovation that would transform the business. What began as a manual search evolved into technology capable of analyzing billions of URLs to identify highly targeted audiences.

Carly and Benjamin explore why the best innovations often come from solving real customer problems, how curiosity and trust have helped him build a loyal team, and why businesses need to keep experimenting even after nearly two decades of success.

They also discuss navigating unexpected disruption, developing contingency plans, embracing AI, and how Gourmet Ads is adapting to changes in online publishing, connected television, and retail media.

The Best Innovations Start With a Problem Worth Solving

Benjamin believes great technology starts with a genuine customer or operational challenge. Rather than building complicated solutions for the sake of innovation, his approach is to start small, test quickly, and refine based on real feedback. Gourmet Ads' banana bread campaign is a perfect example of how one unusual request can lead to an entirely new business capability.

Build a Business That Can Survive When the Rules Change Overnight

When a major technology partner gave Gourmet Ads just six weeks to move off its platform, Benjamin learned the importance of having alternatives ready. Today, contingency planning is a fundamental part of how he operates, helping the business respond quickly when circumstances change beyond its control.

Curiosity and Trust Are More Valuable Than Constant Oversight

Benjamin looks for curious people who enjoy solving unfamiliar problems. He also believes in treating employees like adults, trusting them to do their jobs, and supporting their lives outside work. That philosophy has helped Gourmet Ads retain key team members for more than 15 years.

"I find the best software decisions, like when you're making software, are backed by either customer problems or something you're trying to solve."

"One thing I've learned in 18 years, you've got to have a redundancy plan in the pocket always."

"I think that if you treat people like adults and you treat them like you want to be treated, that they end up working better for you."

Benjamin Christie is the founder and president of Gourmet Ads, a global digital advertising company specializing in connecting food, wine, grocery, and consumer brands with relevant audiences.

Since founding Gourmet Ads in 2008, Benjamin has become a recognized expert in programmatic advertising, curated advertising, and header bidding technology. Drawing on his background as a chef and his experience building a global technology business, he continues to develop innovative advertising solutions and regularly shares his expertise at industry events and conferences worldwide.

http://gourmetads.com

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

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gourmet-ads/

https://www.youtube.com/@GourmetAds

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Anne Green, CEO and principal at G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group, to explore what more than three decades in communications has taught her about leadership, culture, trust and navigating change.

Anne describes herself as an "accidental business person" and "accidental CEO." Originally planning to become a literature professor, an internship in public relations changed her direction and eventually gave her a front-row seat to building and leading a business.

Carly and Anne explore why leadership begins and ends with communication and trust, why mission and values need to mean something in people's everyday work, and how leaders can help teams navigate uncertainty without pretending to have every answer.

They also discuss the anxiety surrounding AI and workforce change, the importance of maintaining a growth mindset, and Anne's belief that businesses have more power than they realize to shape a future where organizations can be both high performance and highly human.

Communication Isn't About What You Said. It's About What Actually Landed.

Anne believes "leaders are repeaters." Communicating something once doesn't mean people understand it. Leaders need to continually reinforce important messages while making sure employees understand what those messages actually mean for them.

Culture Has to Be Lived, Not Simply Defined.

Mission, vision and values shouldn't be static words on a page. Anne continually returns to what G&S's values mean in practice and how different people experience them, treating culture as something that evolves alongside the organization.

Leaders Have More Agency Over the AI Future Than They Think.

Rather than simply asking what AI will do to jobs and organizations, Anne believes leaders should be asking, "What do we want to happen?" Businesses have an opportunity to actively shape how people and technology work together instead of treating the future as something happening to them.

"I want to be high performance and highly human. I don't think those are in conflict. I think you can be both."

"Well, if it wasn't for the humans, it'd be easy."

"When you're feeling pressure, when your whole body is screaming no to something, when you feel immediately resistant, can you pause and say, maybe we can. Yes, we will try."

Anne Green is CEO and a principal at G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group, bringing more than 30 years of experience in marketing communications.

She oversees performance and operations across G&S Business Communications and MorganMyers, while helping cultivate a growth-oriented culture and leading key external relationships. Anne also serves as executive sponsor of the organization's DE&I Advisory Board and Generative AI team.

Previously, Anne served as president and CEO of CooperKatz & Company, an award-winning communications agency she helped build for two decades before its acquisition by G&S. She is also a Trustee of Vassar College and has served on the boards of the PR Council and LifeWay Network.

https://gsimcg.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@BuildingBrandGravity/videos

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-brand-gravity-attracting-people-into-your-orbit/id1625131980

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-e-green

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Ron Robinson, founder, president and CEO of Expanded Learning Academy, to explore how his experiences with martial arts, education and character development led him to rethink how children experience learning.

Ron shares how volunteering at his children's school became the unexpected beginning of his journey into education. After taking activities outside the traditional classroom and incorporating martial arts and character development, demand quickly grew to more than 1,000 students. Educators also began noticing improvements in attendance, engagement and behavior.

Carly and Ron explore the philosophy at the heart of Expanded Learning Academy: connect, engage, support. They also discuss ELA's unconventional approach to hiring, why Ron chose franchising as a way to scale the mission, and his larger vision for developing the expanded-learning profession.

Underneath it all is a simple goal: to make education the best part of the day for students, families and the people supporting them.

You Can't Support Someone Until You've Connected With Them

Ron's philosophy begins with connection. Whether working with a child or an employee, he believes you first need to listen and understand the individual. Only then can you meaningfully engage with them and provide the support they actually need.

Hire the Person, Not Just the Resume

ELA's Discovery Day turns the traditional hiring process around. Candidates first learn about and interview the organization, while Ron focuses on discovering who they really are beyond their professional resume. Skills can be developed, but understanding the person entering the culture matters enormously.

Growth Sometimes Requires Recognizing That You're the Bottleneck

Ron chose franchising because he recognized that trying to control every aspect of growth himself would eventually limit the organization. For him, scaling means creating systems that allow other capable people to lead, build and expand the mission.

"Before we can provide support, we have to first connect. We have to listen. We have to understand."

"I don't want to learn about the resume version of you. I don't care about that version. I want to know about the version why your friends and family love and adore you."

"I want education to be the best part of the day."

Ronald Robinson is the Founder, President and CEO of Expanded Learning Academy, overseeing the organization's growth and its franchising division, Expanded Learning Franchise, LLC.

Before ELA, Ron led STORM (Special Team of Role Models), a national K–12 initiative focused on character development, positive behavior reinforcement and student engagement. Earlier in his career, he also grew a martial arts school from one location into a five-location franchise.

Today, Ron is focused on expanding ELA while helping create stronger professional development and career pathways for people working in expanded learning.

https://www.expandedlearningacademy.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/expanded-learning-academy/posts/?feedView=all

https://www.facebook.com/expandedlearningacademy

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Patrick Brown, founder of Unity Communications, to explore the reality of bootstrapping a business from a small team into a global organization with around 500 employees.

Patrick shares how his experience in the Navy and an early need for technical talent unexpectedly led him into outsourcing. What began with a small team in the Philippines eventually became Unity Communications, helping companies build and manage global teams across multiple countries.

But growth didn't happen overnight. Patrick spent 10 years reaching his first $1 million in revenue, learning sales, marketing, cash management, and how to make limited resources stretch along the way.

Carly and Patrick also explore what happens when a company begins scaling and the problems start scaling with it, how he develops future leaders by giving them real responsibility, and why building a global culture requires curiosity and an understanding of different ways of working.

They also discuss AI as a way to amplify people rather than replace them, and why Patrick's definition of success today is less about building the biggest company and more about having control over his time and being present for the people who matter.

Growth Doesn't Just Scale Revenue. It Scales Problems.

As Unity grew, challenges across HR, payroll, systems, and operations became bigger and more expensive. Patrick learned to bring in experts not simply to fix problems, but to teach his team how to solve them themselves and document what they learned.

Don't Wait for Great Leaders. Give People the Opportunity to Become Them.

Patrick develops emerging leaders by giving them meaningful responsibility during difficult situations, with senior leadership available when needed. He sees part of his role as a founder as creating opportunities for other people to step onto the stages he has already occupied.

Decide What Success Means Before You Sacrifice Everything for It.

As a single father, Patrick built his working life around being present for his children, even while working long hours. Today, he believes success is less about the size of the business or bank account and more about controlling your time, controlling your income, and being there for the people you love.

"The one thing that scales faster than solutions are problems. They scale so much faster."

"I believe my job as an owner and founder is to find people and put them on stages because I've already been on that stage."

"I can always make more money. I can't get that time back with them."

Patrick Brown is the founder of Unity Communications, an award-winning hybrid BPO helping organizations build global teams, streamline workflows, and use automation to amplify people rather than replace them.

Unity Communications works with organizations across critical workflows and international markets, with Patrick believing that the trust clients place in his teams is ultimately the real currency of the business.

http://www.unity-connect.com

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

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Michael Walliser, real estate entrepreneur and technology founder, to explore what happens when someone with more than two decades of industry experience decides to build the technology he wishes he'd had all along.

Michael shares the evolution of EasyDigz, from spreadsheets and pieced-together systems to a connected platform designed for independent real estate brokers. At the heart of that journey is a simple idea: technology should strengthen the relationship between brokers and their clients, not become another layer competing for their trust.

Carly and Michael also explore the realities of building with AI, including the enormous difference between creating an impressive prototype and developing something reliable enough for high-stakes customer experiences.

They also discuss Michael's approach to leadership, why he values people who are comfortable admitting what they don't know, and how the Japanese principle of Kaizen has helped create a culture focused on improving systems rather than blaming people.

Technology Should Protect the Relationship You're Trying to Build

Every time a broker sends a client to another platform for information, documents, or updates, part of that relationship can shift to another brand. EasyDigz was designed to keep the broker at the center of the customer experience and maintain their position as the client's source of truth.

A Working AI Prototype Isn't the Same as a Production-Ready Product

AI allows Michael's team to move incredibly quickly from an idea to a prototype, sometimes within hours. But something working once doesn't mean it's reliable enough for a critical customer workflow. For Michael, AI is incredibly valuable for experimentation, but reliability still matters more than novelty.

Fix the Process Instead of Blaming the Person

Michael applies the principle of Kaizen and continuous improvement to leadership. When something goes wrong, the goal isn't simply to identify who made the mistake. It's to understand where the process failed and improve the system so the same problem is less likely to happen again.

"At any given time, if someone's confused, it's probably not just that person. So if someone gets confused, we should fix that for everyone."

"It does nothing and everything simultaneously."

"My first step is finding people who are willing to accept there's an infinite amount of more to know."

Michael Walliser is a real estate entrepreneur and technology founder with more than 20 years of hands-on industry experience.

After spending two decades working inside real estate, Michael founded EasyDigz to solve the operational challenges he had seen brokerages struggle with firsthand. He is also the founder of Carolina Land Experts and has led institutional-level projects, including a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Today, his work sits at the intersection of real estate, operations, technology, and process innovation, with a particular focus on helping independent brokerages operate more effectively.

https://easydigz.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-walliser-0a268a9

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Annie Lu, co-founder and CEO of Laminar, to explore how she and her brother David are bringing AI into one of the world's most critical industries: manufacturing.

As third-generation manufacturers, Annie and David grew up around factory floors and saw both the expertise required to keep them running and the opportunity to make those processes more efficient. That experience eventually led them to build Laminar and pursue a bold vision for self-driving factories powered by real-time data and process-aware AI.

Annie shares what happened when established industry experts told them their idea was impossible, and how returning to first principles helped them challenge assumptions that had existed for decades.

Carly and Annie also explore why successful technology needs to be built around the people actually using it, why AI's next frontier extends beyond screens and into the physical world, and how being different from the established players became one of Laminar's greatest advantages.

"Impossible" Can Sometimes Mean "We've Never Done It That Way"

When experts told Annie and David their vision wouldn't work, they didn't ignore their experience. Instead, they went back to first principles and questioned why it was considered impossible, allowing them to challenge long-held assumptions and test a different approach on real factory floors.

Build Technology Around the People Who Actually Use It

Laminar's technology has been heavily shaped by listening to plant operators and understanding the realities of production environments. For Annie, great technology isn't about what looks impressive on a screen. It has to solve problems for the people doing the work.

What Makes You Different Can Become Your Advantage

Rather than trying to look like established manufacturing technology companies, Annie and David leaned into their unique combination of manufacturing experience, science, engineering, AI, and customer empathy. That difference gave them a new way to approach longstanding industry problems.

"What makes us different is also our asset."

"We build for problems that we can empathize with."

"When people have the explainability, it fosters trust because they know why something works."

Annie Lu is the co-founder and CEO of Laminar, where she is using Process-Aware AI to help redefine the future of CPG manufacturing through self-driving processes designed to improve productivity and sustainability.

Recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and BizJournal BostInno 25 Under 25, Annie co-founded Laminar with her brother, David Lu. As AI transforms industries around the world, her focus is making sure manufacturing isn't left behind.

https://runlaminar.com/

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

https://x.com/annieJlu

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Anthony Badalian, President and COO of STRIDE Fitness, to explore what it takes to reinvent a fitness brand while building a franchise model designed for sustainable growth.

Anthony shares how STRIDE has evolved from a primarily treadmill-based concept into a broader HIIT and recovery experience, and why staying relevant means paying attention to where customers and the fitness industry are heading next.

Carly and Anthony also explore STRIDE's "franchisee first" philosophy, testing new ideas at its Huntington Beach flagship before rolling them out across the network, and Anthony's three-part filter for decisions: Does it drive revenue? Is it duplicatable? Is there a proven process behind it?

They also discuss navigating change, developing great people, balancing data with human connection, and why opening fewer high-quality locations can ultimately create a stronger franchise system.

Slow Down Before You Scale

STRIDE uses its flagship location as a "test kitchen," giving the team an opportunity to test, measure, and refine ideas before asking franchisees to invest in them. Moving quickly matters, but proving something works before scaling it matters more.

Put the Franchisee at the Center of the Decision

Anthony continually returns to a "franchisee first" philosophy. New partnerships, processes, and changes are considered through the lens of the people who have invested their own money into the brand because successful franchisees are essential to a successful franchise system.

Build for Where the Market Is Going

Rather than protecting what STRIDE had always been, the team looked at member behavior, attrition, competitors, industry research, and broader fitness trends. Those insights helped evolve the model around strength, cardio, recovery, and a more complete wellness experience.

"You've got to be 10 steps ahead. Otherwise, your members are going to be looking for other opportunities."

"Successful businesses start with people that are taken care of and successful people."

"It's important to take your time and really make sure that every location you open, you open with integrity, you open with quality, and you do right by the franchisee."

Anthony Badalian is the President and Chief Operating Officer of STRIDE Fitness, bringing nearly two decades of experience in the fitness industry and more than a decade in executive leadership.

Throughout his career, Anthony has held leadership roles with Rumble Boxing, Club Pilates, and 24 Hour Fitness, specializing in franchise growth, sales strategy, team development, and scalable operations.

At STRIDE Fitness, he oversees national operations and brand expansion while helping evolve the brand through high-energy workouts, recovery, technology, and a strong community-focused experience.

https://www.stridefitness.com/

https://www.instagram.com/stridefitness

https://www.linkedin.com/company/19185521

https://www.facebook.com/STRIDEFitness

In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Jenn Harrold, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at NewDay USA, and Franco Greco, Chief Revenue Officer, to explore how NewDay is intentionally developing the leaders it will need for its next stage of growth.

Jenn and Franco share why the company recruits recent college graduates and invests heavily in training, mentoring, and clearly defined career paths. Rather than constantly looking outside the organization for leadership talent, NewDay gives high performers opportunities to progress quickly and begin developing others.

They also discuss the company's "fail learn" mentality, radical transparency, immersive onboarding, and why leaders need to continually reinforce the organization's priorities as the business evolves.

Carly, Jenn, and Franco also explore how this approach extends beyond employees to NewDay's customer experience and its broader commitment to serving veteran families.

Don't Just Hire for the Role You Need Today

NewDay looks for ambition and leadership potential from the beginning. Employees are shown what progression can look like and given opportunities to mentor, manage, recruit, and develop others as they move through the organization.

Make Failure Part of How People Learn

NewDay's "fail learn" mentality recognizes that emerging leaders will make mistakes when taking on new responsibilities. The focus is on honest feedback, understanding what happened, and carrying those lessons forward.

You Can't Communicate the Priorities Too Often

As the company grows and priorities change, Franco believes leaders need to keep repeating what matters most. Consistent communication helps people understand not only where the business is going, but why.

"We always tell people we're an overnight success, and we've been doing it for 26 years." — Franco Greco

"Don't get tired of saying the goals. And once you've repeated it, repeat it again." — Franco Greco

"It's not just about getting bigger and having more people doing more work. It's also about making sure that the infrastructure and the leadership... is in place." — Jenn Harrold

Franco Greco is Chief Revenue Officer at NewDay USA, a national VA mortgage lender. After joining the company as an Account Executive in 2013, Franco progressed through the organization to become CRO. Today, he focuses on scaling revenue operations, developing talent, and helping NewDay continue serving more than 100,000 veteran families.

Jenn Harrold is Senior Vice President of Human Resources at NewDay USA and brings more than 20 years of HR experience across fintech, technology, and logistics. She specializes in talent acquisition, performance management, culture, and building the people infrastructure organizations need to grow.

Together, Jenn and Franco are helping NewDay build high-performing teams and develop an internal pipeline of leaders capable of supporting the company's continued growth.

https://www.newdayusa.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/newday-usa/

https://www.instagram.com/newdayusa/