Award-winning marketing strategist and entrepreneur Sacha Awwa (Founder, SAMG; Co-founder, My Marketer Mentors) joins Anusha Harid-Paoletti to demystify why marketing feels complicated—and how to make it simple, measurable, and effective. Drawing on 22 years across the New York Times and high-growth startups, Sacha lays out a foundation-first approach: clarify mission/vision, nail the Four W’s (why, who, way, what), define accurate ideal customer profiles, and build customer-market fit before spending a dollar on channels. She shares a right-sized MarTech stack (GA/Search Console, CRM/ESP) and how to use AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) to accelerate research and planning. We dig into B2B vs. B2C nuances, community-building that beats tiny ad budgets, and two unforgettable war stories, one about scaling customer service with moms, another about founders getting in their own way. If you’ve ever wondered where your ad dollars go, or whether you even need ads yet, this episode gives you the roadmap to market smarter, not louder. 3 Takeaways<ul><li>Don’t buy tactics; build the foundation first.</li><li>Prioritize customer-market fit and community over low-budget ads.</li><li>Use AI + lean tools to research, test, and measure before you scale.</li></ul> Thank you to our Sponsors Gies College of Business.

Award-winning marketing strategist and entrepreneur Sacha Awwa (Founder, SAMG; Co-founder, My Marketer Mentors) joins Anusha Harid-Paoletti to demystify why marketing feels complicated—and how to make it simple, measurable, and effective. Drawing on 22 years across the New York Times and high-growth startups, Sacha lays out a foundation-first approach: clarify mission/vision, nail the Four W’s (why, who, way, what), define accurate ideal customer profiles, and build customer-market fit before spending a dollar on channels. She shares a right-sized MarTech stack (GA/Search Console, CRM/ESP) and how to use AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) to accelerate research and planning. We dig into B2B vs. B2C nuances, community-building that beats tiny ad budgets, and two unforgettable war stories, one about scaling customer service with moms, another about founders getting in their own way. If you’ve ever wondered where your ad dollars go, or whether you even need ads yet, this episode gives you the roadmap to market smarter, not louder. 3 TakeawaysDon’t buy tactics; build the foundation first.Prioritize customer-market fit and community over low-budget ads.Use AI + lean tools to research, test, and measure before you scale. Thank you to our Sponsors Gies College of Business.

Award-winning marketing strategist and entrepreneur Sacha Awwa (Founder, SAMG; Co-founder, My Marketer Mentors) joins Anusha Harid-Paoletti to demystify why marketing feels complicated—and how to make it simple, measurable, and effective. Drawing on 22 years across the New York Times and high-growth startups, Sacha lays out a foundation-first approach: clarify mission/vision, nail the Four W’s (why, who, way, what), define accurate ideal customer profiles, and build customer-market fit before spending a dollar on channels. She shares a right-sized MarTech stack (GA/Search Console, CRM/ESP) and how to use AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) to accelerate research and planning. We dig into B2B vs. B2C nuances, community-building that beats tiny ad budgets, and two unforgettable war stories, one about scaling customer service with moms, another about founders getting in their own way. If you’ve ever wondered where your ad dollars go, or whether you even need ads yet, this episode gives you the roadmap to market smarter, not louder. 3 Takeaways<ul><li>Don’t buy tactics; build the foundation first.</li><li>Prioritize customer-market fit and community over low-budget ads.</li><li>Use AI + lean tools to research, test, and measure before you scale.</li></ul> Thank you to our Sponsors Gies College of Business.

The Foundation-First Playbook: A Practical Guide to No-Waste Marketing

The Ellevate Podcast spotlights women+ making a difference across industries—entrepreneurs, authors, executives, and other trailblazers who share the strategies, stumbles, and wins that shaped their careers. Hosted by Anusha Harid-Paoletti and produced by Ashton Porzio, the show blends real talk with practical guidance to help you navigate today’s business landscape. Expect actionable advice on leadership, growth, and impact; thoughtful conversations on purpose and resilience; and insights you can use immediately—whether you’re a founder, a corporate leader, or somewhere in between. Tune in for engaging stories, smart takeaways, and the momentum to take your next step. Want to be considered for the show? Email ashton@ellevatenetwork.com with your topic focus and a short bio.
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Ellevate Network is a community of professional women+ committed to helping each other succeed. We use the power of community to help you take the next step in your career. We show up for each other, helping everyone — no matter their background or aspirations — build a career they love. And, more importantly, we mobilize our collective power to change the culture of business.

Although our community is the largest of its kind, we know that navigating a sea of faceless connections is a waste of time. That’s why, at Ellevate, we prioritize the real, authentic relationships that can change your situation, can make a difference in your future.

We help women+ build meaningful local and digital relationships that can offer insights and open doors. Our community has reach, power and influence, while still remaining warm, welcoming and supportive.

Ellevate is where change makers cultivate their voice, build bridges to understand, and mobilize for impact. We work with leading companies to help them hire, retain, and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organizations.

-

Ellevate Network (formerly known as 85 Broads) was started in 1997 by Janet Hanson, one of the first women to be promoted to sales management at Goldman Sachs. Janet, who had taken a leave from work, found herself (like many of us do at one time or another) in need of some clarity, and wondering “what’s next?” She realized quickly that in order to gain the insights she needed and build a new path, she needed people who could shed some light. And that’s how 85 Broads came to life — an unofficial network for women who worked or had worked at Goldman Sachs. The name, 85 Broads, was a reference to Goldman Sach’s old headquarters located at 85 Broad Street in New York City. The network quickly expanded to include women in other companies and in all industries.

The network was rebranded to Ellevate Network in 2014, reflecting the evolution of the community from its finance roots to a more widely diverse group of ambitious, powerful, supportive, and kind women who believe that, together, we can change the culture of business.

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The Ellevate Podcast spotlights women+ making a difference across industries—entrepreneurs, authors, executives, and other trailblazers who share the strategies, stumbles, and wins that shaped their careers. Hosted by Anusha Harid-Paoletti and produced by Ashton Porzio, the show blends real talk with practical guidance to help you navigate today’s business landscape. Expect actionable advice on leadership, growth, and impact; thoughtful conversations on purpose and resilience; and insights you can use immediately—whether you’re a founder, a corporate leader, or somewhere in between. Tune in for engaging stories, smart takeaways, and the momentum to take your next step. Want to be considered for the show? Email ashton@ellevatenetwork.com with your topic focus and a short bio. - Ellevate Network is a community of professional women+ committed to helping each other succeed. We use the power of community to help you take the next step in your career. We show up for each other, helping everyone — no matter their background or aspirations — build a career they love. And, more importantly, we mobilize our collective power to change the culture of business. Although our community is the largest of its kind, we know that navigating a sea of faceless connections is a waste of time. That’s why, at Ellevate, we prioritize the real, authentic relationships that can change your situation, can make a difference in your future. We help women+ build meaningful local and digital relationships that can offer insights and open doors. Our community has reach, power and influence, while still remaining warm, welcoming and supportive. Ellevate is where change makers cultivate their voice, build bridges to understand, and mobilize for impact. We work with leading companies to help them hire, retain, and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organizations. - Ellevate Network (formerly known as 85 Broads) was started in 1997 by Janet Hanson, one of the first women to be promoted to sales management at Goldman Sachs. Janet, who had taken a leave from work, found herself (like many of us do at one time or another) in need of some clarity, and wondering “what’s next?” She realized quickly that in order to gain the insights she needed and build a new path, she needed people who could shed some light. And that’s how 85 Broads came to life — an unofficial network for women who worked or had worked at Goldman Sachs. The name, 85 Broads, was a reference to Goldman Sach’s old headquarters located at 85 Broad Street in New York City. The network quickly expanded to include women in other companies and in all industries. The network was rebranded to Ellevate Network in 2014, reflecting the evolution of the community from its finance roots to a more widely diverse group of ambitious, powerful, supportive, and kind women who believe that, together, we can change the culture of business.

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