Passionately Curious

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UpThink delivers the insights you need to stay ahead. We share what we're learning across thousands of campaigns so you benefit from our experience.

Season 2

Fired Up: How Big Green Egg is Expanding Its Passionate Community

Michele Morris, Head of US Marketing for Big Green Egg, shares her strategy to expand beyond traditional demographics and how their passionate fan community drives the brand.

37

Min

Fired Up: How Big Green Egg is Expanding Its Passionate Community

Michele Morris, Head of US Marketing for Big Green Egg, shares her strategy to expand beyond traditional demographics and how their passionate fan community drives the brand.

Show Notes

In this episode, hosts Matt and Annie interview Michele Morris, Head of US Marketing for Big Green Egg. Michele shares her career journey from social media analytics to brand marketing, discussing Big Green Egg's strategy to expand beyond traditional demographics with initiatives like 'Women on Fire.' She details their data collection improvements, educational content creation, and balance between dealer networks and digital marketing. Michele highlights the passionate fan community, including the annual Eggtoberfest event that draws 4,000 enthusiasts globally.

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Reimagining Dentistry Building Sustainable Practices and Designing a Life That Comes First with Dr. Christina Blatchford

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Looking Back at 2025 Preparing for 2026 and Leading Small Businesses Through Uncertainty

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Revolutionizing Customer Connections with LiveSwitch

James Hatfield, CRO of LiveSwitch, shares how his platform lets businesses instantly video connect with customers via text — enabling remote estimates, AI diagnostics, and faster closing rates.

Beyond the Chair: Jake Goates on Transforming Dental Marketing

Jake Goates, founder of Goat CMO, shares his journey to becoming a fractional CMO for dental practices — using a proprietary patient-data algorithm to create actionable personas.

The Three M's of Marketing Success with Turnkey Marketing's Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg

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Breaking Barriers in Cannabis: The Science and Strategy Behind Nine Dot Drinks

David and Crystal Spang, founders of Nine Dot Cannabis Beverages, share their eight-year journey navigating banking restrictions, social media censorship, and market skepticism to build a cannabis beverage brand.

The F1 Marketing Mindset: From Fast Cars to Financial Brands with Ondar Tarlow

Ondar Tarlow — marketing veteran with $1.7B in product volume campaigns and experience with Porsche and the LA Chargers — explores bold storytelling, data, and AI reshaping marketing.

AI-roids for Small Business: How Artificial Intelligence Levels the Marketing Playing Field

Nick Tapp, founder of Taptico AI, discusses practical AI applications for small businesses — from training ChatGPT as a business assistant to Answer Engine Optimization replacing traditional SEO.

From Longhorn to Bison: George McKerrow's 50-Year Restaurant Empire

Restaurant industry veteran George McKerrow shares his journey from founding Longhorn Steakhouse in 1981 to co-founding Ted's Montana Grill with Ted Turner — pioneering restaurant sustainability along the way.

Retention is the New Acquisition: Marketing Wisdom with Dana Farber

Dana Farber, CEO of Moonstone Marketing, shares her philosophy centered on holistic marketing and why it now takes 35-40 brand touchpoints to make a sale versus 7-10 in previous decades.

Becoming a Yes Company: How FormPiper Transforms Customer Financing

Brad Parker, founder and CEO of FormPiper, shares how his platform lets customers complete one application to access multiple lenders — boosting financing approval rates from 30% to nearly 100%.

Learning Through Loss: How Aaron Stokes Turned Business Disaster into Industry Dominance

Aaron Stokes, founder of ShopFix Academy — the largest coaching company in the auto industry — shares how being stolen from and left $5.5M in debt ultimately led to building an industry-leading business.

Financial Flexibility: How EveryStreet and Apple Pie Capital Empower Business Owners

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Navigating Tariffs and Economic Uncertainty: Small Business Outlook for 2025

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Sweet Success: The Sugar Shane's Success Story

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Turning Negative Reviews Into Positive Opportunities

Matt Courtoy shares a seven-step approach to addressing negative online feedback effectively — turning a potential setback into an opportunity to build stronger customer relationships.

Why YouTube Ads Matter for Your Business

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From Taylor to Tomorrow: A CEO's Guide to 2025

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Rebranding Cannabis: The Georgia Hemp Company's Rise to Success

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Building Through Fear: Jon Butts on Risk Retail and Reinvention

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The Long Game: How Greg Sands Revolutionized Auto Repair Service

Greg Sands, founder of Service Street and Mudlick Mail (now UpSwell), shares insights from his 30+ years revolutionizing the automotive repair industry.

The Power of Pilates: Revolutionizing Franchise Fitness with Kamille McCollum

Kamille McCollum, President and COO of BODYBAR Pilates, discusses her journey from pilates enthusiast to franchise leader — growing from 1 studio to nearly 50 locations.

From Pain to Profit: Alia Alston on The Evolution of Icebox Cryotherapy

Alia Alston, founder of Icebox Cryotherapy — the first brick-and-mortar cryotherapy franchise in the US — shares how she turned a personal recovery journey into a pioneering business.

Creating a Mystical Empire with Kelly Knight

Kelly Knight, founder of Modern Mystic Shoppe in Atlanta, shares her journey from marketing professional to spiritual entrepreneur — building a seven-figure retail business.

Building Success Through Connection – A Conversation with Hensley Ellefritz

Hensley Ellefritz, founder of Reboot Consulting, shares how she started her consulting business during the pandemic, leveraging experience from Equinox, Pure Barre, and Club Pilates.

From Garage Startup to $100 Million – Tim Ross' Entrepreneurial Journey

Hosts sit down with Tim Ross, founder of Mudlick Mail (now UpSwell Marketing), to explore his journey from a side project to a multi-million-dollar business.

Passionately Curious – Stories Strategies and Real Business Insights (Trailer)

In this inaugural episode, the hosts introduce the podcast and discuss its mission — rooted in UpSwell Marketing's core value of being passionately curious.

Meet Your Hosts

Smiling man with glasses and beard wearing green sweater and checkered shirt in an office setting.

Matt Courtoy

Assoc. Dir, Performance Media

Smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a black top in an office setting with blurred background.

Annie Burch

Creative Director

Man in a navy blazer and white shirt smiling with a blurred blue and gray background.

Eric Goodstadt

Chief Executive Officer.

Smiling woman with long braided hair wearing earrings, necklace, and a black blazer over a red top.

Kalynn Hicks

Content Strategist