Capybaras, sloths, and armadillos, oh my!

This month we don't have a specific plug, we just ask that you look into your local animal rescues and donate what you can, whether it be time, money, or resources. Your local animals thank you!

SOURCES

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338243592_Theme_Park_Experience_Factors_Explaining_Amount_of_Pleasure_from_a_Visit_Time_Allocation_for_Activities_Perceived_Value_Queuing_Quality_Satisfaction_and_Loyalty

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10941660802048480

https://slate.com/technology/2026/05/capybara-brazil-cute-animal-cafe-baby-what-is.html?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/local-news/bay-county/wild-encounters-capybara-cafe-opens-in-panama-city-beach/

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

And here we go with part 2 of our chat with Burl!

About Burl:

Burl Stamp, FACHE, is a seasoned executive, sought-after speaker, and thought leader on workforce culture and leadership. Burl’s message on employee and customer engagement is practical, thought-provoking, and inspiring. Recent presentations focus primarily on the current workforce shortages in many industries, including solid strategies to reduce turnover and burnout. He is the President/Founder of Stamp & Chase, a St. Louis-based firm that partners with large to mid-size organizations to improve performance by focusing on the engagement and development of an organization’s people. Prior to launching Stamp & Chase, he served several leading health care organizations in executive roles, including president/CEO of Phoenix Children’s Hospital, VP of Clinical Services Development for BJC HealthCare, and VP of Strategic Planning & Marketing for St. Louis Children's Hospital. He is also one of the co-founders of Aegis Digital Health, a technology start-up launched by BioSTL. Burl’s newest book, “Becoming a Better Boss,” focuses on why great bosses matter to organizational success and how companies can better support and development them. He is a faculty member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on the Board of Directors of Mercy Southeast (a regional health system serving southeast Missouri and southern Illinois) and the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development of the American Hospital Association. Burl received his MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University and his BSBA in Marketing and Communications from Southeast Missouri State University. He is a frequent speaker on leadership, change management, communication, organizational culture, and business development strategy.

Contact Burl:linkedin.com/in/burlstamp

Burl's YouTube: @stampchase2415

Burl's Plug: https://stampandchase.com/

Burl's Book: https://a.co/d/07aJJF6k

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

Today we are speaking with Burl Stamp! Today we are talking a bit about him, but tomorrow we will be discussing his book! You don't want to miss it!

About Burl:

Burl Stamp, FACHE, is a seasoned executive, sought-after speaker, and thought leader on workforce culture and leadership. Burl’s message on employee and customer engagement is practical, thought-provoking, and inspiring. Recent presentations focus primarily on the current workforce shortages in many industries, including solid strategies to reduce turnover and burnout. He is the President/Founder of Stamp & Chase, a St. Louis-based firm that partners with large to mid-size organizations to improve performance by focusing on the engagement and development of an organization’s people. Prior to launching Stamp & Chase, he served several leading health care organizations in executive roles, including president/CEO of Phoenix Children’s Hospital, VP of Clinical Services Development for BJC HealthCare, and VP of Strategic Planning & Marketing for St. Louis Children's Hospital. He is also one of the co-founders of Aegis Digital Health, a technology start-up launched by BioSTL. Burl’s newest book, “Becoming a Better Boss,” focuses on why great bosses matter to organizational success and how companies can better support and development them. He is a faculty member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on the Board of Directors of Mercy Southeast (a regional health system serving southeast Missouri and southern Illinois) and the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development of the American Hospital Association. Burl received his MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University and his BSBA in Marketing and Communications from Southeast Missouri State University. He is a frequent speaker on leadership, change management, communication, organizational culture, and business development strategy.

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

Today we are back with another great interview! We are talking with Betsy Sampson! We had the peasure of meeting her a MDMC a few weeks ago and we are happy ot have her on!

About Betsy: Elizabeth 'Betsy' Sampson began her marbling journey after winning the Chancellor's Award for Staff Excellence at UMSL, which came with a stipend. She used her winnings to take art classes and one of the media she chose to learn was paper marbling. What began as a fascination of marbled paper first seen in library books brought home as a child grew into a passion for art marbling. She opened MarbLou Art in 2023, a home-based studio where she creates original marbled papers and applies marbling techniques to a variety of objects.

Betsy's plugs: https://www.centralprint.org/introduction-to-paper-marbling

Contact Betsy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-sampson-97808a6/

Twitter/X: EASampson

Instagram: EA_Sampson

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

In today's episode, we are talking to Jaee Blue, CEO and Founder of VBA!

About Jaee:

Jaee is the Founder and CEO of Venture Beyond Aspirations (VBA), a company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into structured, scalable businesses. Through VBA’s platform, Jaee has built an ecosystem that bridges the gap between education and execution, guiding founders through clear stages of growth from clarity to expansion. With a background in technology and business operations, Jaee specializes in aligning the right systems, tools, and strategy to help early-stage and growing entrepreneurs avoid common pitfalls and build with intention. Under her leadership, VBA has expanded into multiple offerings, including its Core membership platform, creative services, and school-based solutions through Core Scholar. Jaee is passionate about empowering founders to take ownership of their time, ideas, and future. Her work focuses on creating practical, results-driven solutions that simplify the entrepreneurial journey and drive long-term success.

Jaee's plugs:

https://www.vbaspire.com/

Contact Jaee:

https://www.instagram.com/iamjaeeblue/

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

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

These animals may be better companians than you think!

May is mental health awareness month. If you need assistance in finding help, or you would like to donate to help others get the help they need, visit https://mhanational.org/

SOURCES

https://animalko.com/most-popular-pet-birds-in-the-u-s-and-that-deserve-more-love/

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics

https://thevetdesk.com/pet-health-wellness/ferrets/ferret-lifespan-how-long-do-they-live/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/rabbit-lifespan-4582447

https://www.petmojo.com/small-pets-that-live-longer-than-expected/

https://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/pages/BasicHermitCrabCare.pdf

https://www.thesprucepets.com/caring-for-pet-rats-1236746

https://www.reddit.com/r/petsmart/comments/1mejwtz/whats_some_of_your_petsmart_horror_stories_tw/

https://www.petmd.com/bird/parakeet-care-sheet

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

This episode won't have you sleepin with the fishes!

May is mental health awareness month. If you need assistance in finding help, or you would like to donate to help others get the help they need, visit https://mhanational.org/

SOURCES

https://www.thesprucepets.com/why-you-should-never-keep-your-pet-fish-in-a-bowl-5215454

https://theaquariumexpert.com/how-often-should-i-clean-aquarium/

https://www.aquariumnexus.com/aquarium-fish-industry-statistics/

https://fishtankadvisor.com/dory-finding-nemo-finding-dory/

https://theaquariumexpert.com/can-turtles-live-in-aquarium-with-fish/

https://terrariumtribe.com/houseplant-statistics/

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

Today's episode is the cat's meow!

May is mental health awareness month. If you need assistance in finding help, or you would like to donate to help others get the help they need, visit https://mhanational.org/

SOURCES

https://wildcatreviews.com/automatic-litter-box-statistics/

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/

https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/19810-state-of-us-pet-food-treat-industry-in-2025

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics

https://americanpetproducts.org/2026-state-of-the-industry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_caf%C3%A9#North_America

https://www.chewy.com/nutramax-solliquin-soft-chew-calming/dp/185267

https://twocrazycatladies.com/

https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/best-cat-products/

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

Dog folks, this one is for you!

May is mental health awareness month. If you need assistance in finding help, or you would like to donate to help others get the help they need, visit https://mhanational.org/

SOURCES

https://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/raining-cats-and-dogs-meaning-origin-usage

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics

https://americanpetproducts.org/industry-trends-and-stats?.com

https://murrowcourses.com/graphics/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FINAL_AVMA_PetDemographics102218-compressed.pdf

https://naphia.org/industry-data/

https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1081150/top-online-stores-pet-supplies-united-states-ecommercedb/

https://www.mintel.com/insights/household/pets/

https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/19810-state-of-us-pet-food-treat-industry-in-2025

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/#sources_section

https://www.farmkeep.com/farm-guides/livestock/how-much-does-a-goat-cost

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.

And here we go with part 2 of our interview with Adam!

About Adam:

Adam Collins earned his MBA from the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) in December 2019 and continues to fuel his passion for lifelong learning. He recently began a Graduate Certificate program in Social Media and Digital Marketing at UMSL, further expanding his expertise. Professionally, Adam serves as a Project Manager in UMSL’s Planning, Design, & Construction division, a role that perfectly aligns with his 20+ years of experience in the construction industry. He takes pride in contributing to his alma mater, overseeing campus improvements ranging from renovations to equipment upgrades. His work connects him with a diverse range of colleagues, enhancing the university’s infrastructure in meaningful ways. Beyond his job, he remains actively involved in the UMSL Alumni Association and the student-led Board Game Club. Adam is also an entrepreneur and board game enthusiast. He has launched a podcast, a YouTube channel, and an independent publishing company—all centered around board gaming. Passionate about bringing people into the hobby, he collaborates with local libraries and community colleges to introduce modern board games to new audiences. He has even helped organize game days for children at the library. His podcast, Eat Lunch & Board Game, explores games that fit into a typical lunch break, whether 30 or 60 minutes. Inspired by his own experiences starting a lunchtime gaming group at work, Adam has interviewed a wide range of guests from the board game industry, gathering their insights and recommendations. His son occasionally joins in for special review episodes, and together, they’ve also launched a YouTube channel, Reviews from the Attic, where they share their thoughts on board games. When he’s not gaming or working, Adam enjoys reading (often about board gaming), biking with his kids, “running” with his son, and hiking with his family

Adam's plugs:https://beardedboardgames.com/

(A list of STL farmers markets: https://www.stlmag.com/dining/st-louis-farmers-markets-guide/)

Contact Adam:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-f-collins/

https://www.youtube.com/@eatlunchboardgamepodcast146

The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond.

Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more!

The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen.

And the next best way is to share!

For more episodes:

https://www.themarketinggateway.com

Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.