#194: Gary Lancina has done it all — startups, turnarounds, Fortune 500s, and a front-row seat to one of the biggest corporate crises of the 21st century. In this conversation with host Pat McGovern, Gary unpacks a career that spans Briggs & Stratton, Mercury Marine, SC Johnson, Masterlock, Redbox, and BP, drawing out the through-lines that connect every stop: deep customer empathy, collective accountability, and a relentless drive to grow.

Gary defines marketing at its core as the establishment and nurturing of high-commitment relationships for the exchange of value — and everything he's done in his career flows from that north star.

In this episode:

→ Why Gary's first move entering any organization is to look at how they define success and measure performance — not the marketing plan

→ His three non-negotiable success metrics: sales, profit, and market share

→ The Redbox origin story — how a McDonald's side project became a $700M business in two years, and the "Free Movie Monday" promotion that unlocked growth

→ What it was really like inside BP the day Deepwater Horizon happened — and the crisis playbook Gary ran to retain 98% of distributors and dealers

→ Why Redbox ultimately failed: a cautionary tale about betting on a model instead of a mission

→ His nuanced take on AI — why he's optimistic but warns against outsourcing your thinking to a machine

→ Three book recommendations that reveal how Gary actually thinks

Connect with Gary here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glancina/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

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#193: The gap between sales and marketing isn't just frustrating — in manufacturing, it's costing you pipeline, customers, and credibility. So, let's shed some light on this important topic.

In this panel discussion of Over A Pint, host Pat McGovern sits down with Beau Walter, marketing and brand manager from the West Bend Company, Stephen Fong, Co-Owner of Marketing With Pros, and fractional chief product officer Richard Hein to unpack why misalignment between sales and marketing happens and what it actually takes to fix it.

But that's not all. The panel also touches on:

✅ How one in-house marketer embedded himself in the sales process to build better leads, better content, and a deeper understanding of the customer

✅ Why customer insight should be treated as an ongoing operating rhythm, not a one-time survey or annual event

✅ How a manufacturer known for a single hero product for over 100 years successfully expanded awareness across a broader portfolio

✅ What your website is likely getting wrong about your buyer's journey — and the personas it's probably ignoring entirely

✅ Why marketing in manufacturing is still too often handed the tactical work after the strategic decisions are already made — and how to change that

✅ How AI is being used right now by manufacturers and marketers to surface trends, eliminate busywork, and sharpen messaging

✅ The one mindset shift that moves manufacturing marketing from feature-focused to problem-solving — and why it changes everything

Give it a listen.

Connect with Richard here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardlhein/

Connect with Stephen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fong-stephen/

Connect with Beau here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beauwalter/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

Maybe it's time your site gets a tune-up? Connect with us.

#192: Lee Gordon handles Communications and Government Affairs at Brunswick Corporation, the world's largest recreational boat and marine technology company.

In this episode, Lee talks about what it actually takes to run comms at a publicly traded company in 2026 — when tariffs, politics, AI, and the 24-hour news cycle have all collided at once.

Here's what we cover:

✅ Why he runs his team like a newsroom and refuses to be a "short-order cook" churning out press releases on demand.

✅ What a real crisis looks like (a shooting at a company facility) and how he navigated it in real time.

✅ Why your personal brand matters more than you think — and what happens when you ignore it.

✅ How he's using AI on his team right now, and where he thinks it still falls short.

✅ The one edge he says AI will never be able to replace.

Lee is the kind of guest who tells you how the sausage actually gets made. No corporate-speak, no polished talking points — just straight talk.

Give it a listen. And if you know someone in comms, marketing, or PR who'd get something out of it, send it their way.

Connect with Lee here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leegordonbrand/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

Maybe it's time your site gets a tune-up? Connect with us.

#191: In this episode of Over a Pint, Maureen Norman, founder of Stake Media Group , discusses the evolving landscape of digital media and the massive, often overlooked opportunity in the 55+ demographic.

Norman, an advertising veteran, shares her journey from traditional copywriting to launching the daily newsletter "Stake Your Day," which has grown to over 100,000 subscribers by focusing on "nostalgia news and info you can use".

Key highlights from the conversation include:

• The "Silver" Opportunity: Norman identifies a significant gap in marketing that often ends at age 54, despite 12,000 people in North America turning 65 every day.

• Marketing Insights: Norman reveals that while the 55+ audience is massive, they are more motivated by shared values and specific needs than age-based identifiers.

• The Pivot to a Newsletter Studio: Recognizing the maturity of the newsletter space, Stake Media Group is expanding into a "newsletter studio" model. This new venture offers brands white-labeled content and strategic expertise to help them navigate the complexities of the modern inbox.

• The Human Touch in the Age of AI: Despite using AI for information gathering, Norman remains committed to 100% human-written content.

Ultimately, the episode explores how digital media can still be a space for authentic relationship building, provided creators focus on serving their audience's purpose rather than just chasing the latest market opportunity.

Connect with Maureen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureennorman/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

#190: Pat Burke is the Executive Creative Director at Special Group. He sits down to share his work in advertising, which includes producing 18 Super Bowl commercials. Bananas, right?

Burke details the rigorous six-to-eight-month timeline and the immense pressure of creating a cultural moment.

He explains the creative process, from the initial client brief and competitive internal "jump balls" to the granular testing of scripts and final edits. He also provides insights into the evolving role of celebrities and the importance of generating a "PR tail" that extends beyond the game itself.

Pat and Pat also discuss the shifting agency landscape, emphasizing how smaller, independent shops offer a nimbler alternative to large holding companies. And, Burke shares his perspective on AI as a creative tool and the necessity of maintaining outside interests to fuel long-term professional inspiration.

Grab your pint and jump on in.

Connect with Pat here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-burke-a434608/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

#189: The marketing force, Dave Coughlin is back behind the mic. And every time Dave is on the pod, the energy level goes up a couple of notches.

In this episode, Pat and Dave start by discussing the launch of the Big Arch and then seque to a discussion about websites.

Grab your pint and jump on in. You're gonna love it!

Connect with Dave here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-coughlin-0870598/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

#188: Pat sits down with Kyle Litz, Director of Digital Marketing at Ascedia.

Ascedia has a strong reputation for designing and developing award-winning sites. But they also have a strong digital marketing team that effectively targets hard-to-reach audiences.

In this pod they cover:

✅ The move toward first-party data as tracking gets harder

✅ The rise of AI-driven search experiences, where answers show up before clicks

✅ How Asedia targets specific audiences

✅ SEO v. AEO

✅ The metrics that actually matter

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Connect with Ascedia here: https://www.ascedia.com/contact

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

#187: Buckle up, this is a good one. Jen Nicklas and Andrea Jansen are two forces in marketing. Both are directors in manufacturing. And both have a lot to say on the topic.

Here's what we cover:

✅ The most important marketing tool in your marketing toolbox

✅ The importance of sales and marketing alignment

✅ Why all content needs a connective thread

✅ The product awareness challenge

✅ Their thoughts on AI

Marketing leaders today are navigating constant change: new platforms, new technologies, and new buyer expectations.

But the fundamentals still matter:

• Stay close to sales • Focus on real customer problems • Build a website that supports the business • Stay curious and keep testing

And Jen and Andrea are doing exactly that. Enjoy the episode!

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

#186: Jocelyn Rasor is the Director of Marketing at Lakeside Manufacturing Foodservice. And in this episode, Jocelyn and Pat go deep on what it's like to market in the manufacturing space.

Here's some of what they cover:

✔️Marketing Is There to Help Sales Win

✔️The Website Is a Sales Tool, Not a Brochure

✔️Breaking Into New Verticals Is Not a Marketing Decision

✔️Are Trade Shows: Worth It, or Could It Have Been an Email?

That's just the tip.

If you're a CMO in manufacturing, this episode is a masterclass in focus, alignment, and practical advice!

Connect with Jocelyn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynrasor/ or check out the company at: elakeside.com.

And if this episode sparks ideas about how your website and marketing engine could better support sales, let's talk.

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.

#185: In this episode of Over a Pint, Pat sits down with empathy activist and author Rob Volpe, whose book Tell Me More About That reframes empathy not as a soft skill, but as a serious business lever.

Rob breaks down one of the most misunderstood words in marketing and leadership. Empathy is not about being nice. It is about perspective-taking. It is about dismantling judgment. It is about asking better questions. And most importantly, it is about making better decisions.

The conversation explores:

• The difference between emotional empathy and cognitive empathy, and why marketers rely on perspective taking more than feelings

• The Five Steps of Empathy and how they apply directly to sales, collaboration, problem solving, and trust building

• Why asking "why" often shuts people down

• How big brands leave roughly 10 percent of revenue on the table by ignoring the "Say–Do Gap"

• Why qualitative research matters more than ever in a world obsessed with dashboards

Rob also shares powerful personal stories that shaped his work, from growing up in small-town Indiana to a moment of forgiveness at his 30th high school reunion that quite literally lifted emotional weight.

If you want better insight, better positioning, and better growth, empathy is a competitive advantage.

Here's how to connect with Rob:

• Website: https://www.robvolpe.expert/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmvolpe/

• Social Media: Empathy Activist

• Newsletter: Reading Between the Lines (found on the website)

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

Oh, before you go, please do us a favor. Take a minute and leave us a review. That's the energy that powers this supertanker!

Thanks, you're the best!

Want more marketing insights? Take a look at our full lineup.

This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.