Latest episode
10. Lindsey Kintner, Global Head of Sales - Foursquare
47:48||Season 2, Ep. 10Episode Summary: In this episode of The Seat, Ray Erickson sits down 1:1 with Lindsey Kintner, Global Head of Sales at Foursquare. With more than 20 years across AOL, MySpace, The Wall Street Journal, Condé Nast, Fortune, and now Foursquare, Lindsey shares the key moments that shaped her path from account management into leading global revenue teams. The conversation dives into the importance of storytelling in a data-driven world, what great sales leadership looks like today, and how to identify and develop top talent.Lindsey also shares her leadership mindset, from “Be the Bison” and facing challenges head-on, to the importance of zooming out to prioritize and act. Timely to this conversation, she’s heading into Foursquare’s global Sales Kickoff this week, applying many of these principles in real time, with inspiration from The Art of Gathering. A practical, honest look at what it takes to grow, lead, and earn your seat.Chapters:02:47 – Growing up in North Carolina, UNC Chapel Hill, and the road to DC03:30 – The pivot from physical therapy to sports marketing at GW and the Women's US Soccer Association06:14 – AOL, managing NFL, NBA, and NASCAR partnerships in the early internet era09:56 – Fox Interactive Media and MySpace13:45 – The decision to carry a bag19:03 – A decade at Fortune31:10 – Engineer your epiphany35:44 – Joining Foursquare and the company solves for44:00 – Advice for aspiring sales leaders: zoom out, be the bison, ruthlessly prioritize46:37 – Lightning Round: The Art of Gathering, F1, Spotify, New York, and 'Be brave'Themes: • The unconventional path: From sports science to digital media leadership• Early internet and AO: The best training ground you never saw coming• Reading the room: Knowing when to pivot and when to stay• Leading through industry contraction: Keeping teams focused externally when everything is turbulent internally• Engineer your epiphany: How great mentors guide discovery without giving the answer• Be the Bison: Heading into the storm as a leadership and cultural philosophy• Zoom out: Ruthless prioritization as a daily leadership practice• Foursquare's evolution: From check-ins to a full-stack measurement and outcomes platformKey Words: Lindsey Kintner, Foursquare, sales leadership, global head of sales, ad tech, digital media, location data, measurement, contextual advertising, data-driven marketing, outcomes, programmatic, premium publishing, career pivot, leadership development, team building, hiring philosophy, talent development, women in leadership, sales career advice, adaptability, be the bison, engineer your epiphany, intrinsic motivation, curiosity, mentorship, geolocation media industry, career growth, leadership podcastLindsey's Bio: Lindsey Robb Kintner is the Global Head of Sales at Foursquare, leading the company's go-to-market organization across revenue growth and monetization. With 20+ years in digital media and advertising, she has held leadership roles at Fortune, Condé Nast, Time Inc., Meredith, Yahoo, and News Corp, beginning her career managing sports partnerships at AOL. Originally from North Carolina, Lindsey holds degrees from UNC Chapel Hill and George Washington University and lives in Riverside, Connecticut.Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a sales leader with over 20 years in ad-tech, CTV, and digital media, and currently serves as the first NYC sales hire at Intuit MediaLabs, where he is building out the company's east coast presence. He created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen:Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / SiriusXM / Acast
More episodes
View all episodes
9. Chad Hickey, Founder & CEO - Givsly
44:04||Season 2, Ep. 9Summary/Episode Description: In this episode of The Seat, Ray Erickson sits down with Chad Hickey, Founder and CEO of Givsly, for an unfiltered conversation about the career moments, mindset shifts, and late-night decisions that led him to build one of the most innovative companies in advertising today. He opens up about imposter syndrome at the executive level, what turning 40 unlocked in him, and how a volunteer dinner with the CMO of McDonald's China sparked the idea that became Givsly. Chad also shares his will-versus-skill hiring philosophy, what great sales leaders are getting wrong in today's environment, and why the rise of AI is the single biggest opportunity for hungry young professionals to prove their value. Whether you're an aspiring leader, a current executive, or a founder figuring it out in real time, this one's for you.Key Themes: Will vs. skill building teams on hunger, not pedigreeScaling from startup scrappiness to $100M what year one of building really looks likeImposter syndrome at the CRO and CEO level, and why over-preparation is the antidoteThe founder's turning pointGivsly's originValues alignment as commerce behavior, not cause marketingLeading through uncertainty, the pandemic, pivoting products, and planning for every scenarioMentorship without titles, how great leaders shape others informallyAI, human value, and why this is the moment for young sales professionals to double downChapters: 02:16 – University of Arkansas, journalism, and selling print ads in college03:49 – What digital advertising looked like in its infancy05:11 – Seven years at AJC, from $18 restaurant classifieds to leading digital sales09:36 – Doing the job before you have the title10:51 – Building the national team and scaling to $100M18:54 – The CRO seat: P&L lessons, imposter syndrome, and learning from the inside22:09 – Placed, the Snap acquisition, Italy, and the decision to found Givsly33:25 – Mentorship, Andy Daidone, and knowing the details and the data36:36 – Advice for aspiring sales leaders: run it like your own business41:09 – Lightning RoundKeywords: Chad Hickey, Givsly, values-based advertising, purpose-driven marketing, founder story, entrepreneurship, CRO, Chief Revenue Officer, ad tech, mobile advertising, location data, GroundTruth, xAd, Placed, Snap acquisition, sales leadership, revenue leadership, imposter syndrome, will vs skill, startup founder, media advertising, nonprofit, social impact, sales career advice, leadership development, mentorship, building a sales team, advertising industry, performance marketing, brand values, cause marketing, commerce behavior, podcast, career journeyChad's Bio: Chad Hickey is the Founder and CEO of Givsly, the leading values-based advertising and marketing platform. Since 2019, Givsly has contributed over $4 million to 500+ nonprofits while driving measurable results for hundreds of brand and agency partners, earning recognition in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards. Prior to founding Givsly, Chad spent 17 years leading revenue teams in mobile and location advertising, including scaling GroundTruth to over $100 million in annual revenue and leading sales at Placed through its acquisition by Snap.Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a sales leader with over 20 years in ad-tech, CTV, and digital media, and currently serves as the first NYC sales hire at Intuit MediaLabs, where he is building out the company's east coast presence. He created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen:Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / SiriusXM / Acast
8. Sara Badler, Chief Advertising Officer, North America - The Guardian
43:34||Season 2, Ep. 8Episode Summary: Sara Badler, Chief Advertising Officer, North America, at The Guardian, joins The Seat to discuss her journey from early programmatic pioneer to C-suite leader at one of the world’s most respected news organizations. From building global teams at The New York Times and Dotdash Meredith to learning tough lessons at Morning Brew, Sara shares why outcomes matter more than titles and how patience, scrappiness, and ego-free leadership define modern executives.Themes: Early days of programmatic advertisingBuilding global programmatic at The New York TimesScaling revenue at Dotdash MeredithLessons from Morning BrewLeadership evolution from IC to executiveThe 150% Rule for career growthConfidence vs. ego in leadershipCross-functional collaboration as a differentiatorPremium publishing in a changing media landscapeMentorship and building a loyal benchChapters: 00:00 – Intro01:43 – Growing Up in St. Louis & Moving to Asia04:24 – Discovering Ad Tech in Shanghai07:45 – Early Programmatic at Forbes10:33 – Leadership Begins at Hearst & The New York Times15:55 – Scaling at Dotdash & The 150% Rule19:25 – Imposter Syndrome & Corporate Politics23:56 – Why The Guardian32:29 – Red Flags, Hiring & Cross-Functional Growth40:00 – Morning Brew Lessons & Lightning RoundKeywordsSara Badler, The Guardian, programmatic advertising, premium publishing, media leadership, chief advertising officer, ad tech, digital media, sales leadership, revenue growth, mentorship, women in leadership, programmatic sales, publishing industry, executive leadership, cross-functional collaborationSara's bio:Sara Badler is Chief Advertising Officer, North America at The Guardian. She oversees advertising, marketing, operations, and global programmatic for one of the world’s most respected independent news organizations. Previously, she served as Chief Commercial Officer at Morning Brew and spent six years at Dotdash Meredith, where she rose to Chief Revenue Officer, Enterprise Advertising & Partnerships. Earlier in her career, Sara helped build programmatic at The New York Times and held business development roles at Hearst and Forbes. She also began her career internationally in Japan and China and serves on advisory boards including AdExchanger and Adelaide Metrics.Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a longtime ad/media sales leader with experience spanning digital ad tech, CTV, and sports media, and he created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen:Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / SiriusXM / Acast
7. Sean McCaffrey, President & CEO - GSTV
51:05||Season 2, Ep. 7Episode Summary:Sean McCaffrey, President & CEO of GSTV, joins Ray Erickson on The Seat to unpack a 25+ year career spent building at the intersection of media, marketing, and out-of-home. Starting as a young seller in the late 90s, Sean rode the wave of consolidation that shaped modern OOH, grew through 16+ years at Clear Channel, and eventually stepped into the CEO seat at GSTV to build a national video platform at fuel and convenience retail.The conversation spans Sean’s athlete mindset from his Drake football days, how early mentors shaped his leadership style, and why “focusing on what you can control and influence” became a defining principle during a high-stakes period of corporate uncertainty. Sean also shares what surprised him most as a CEO, how board service keeps him sharp, and what he looks for in future leaders; grit, curiosity, and being a perpetual student, especially as AI reshapes every function.Themes Discussed:From athlete to executive: How team sports shape leadership and cultureAccidental entry into advertising & sales and discovering OOH as a careerThe evolution of out-of-home: From static boards to audience-led digital engagementScaling through consolidation: Navigating growth from regional to global organizationsSolutions-based selling: Marketing conversations vs. “selling inventory”Leading through uncertainty: The Clear Channel go-private saga and lessons learnedControl vs. Influence mindset: Why it matters even more in the AI eraMentorship & leadership modeling: Active listening, passion, and high characterCEO realities: Decision-making, consensus-building, and moving fast without perfect infoDeveloping future leaders: Curiosity outside scope, skill gaps, and continuous learningChapters:00:00 - Intro & Sean's Background06:52 - First sales role, Universal Outdoor & “accidental” entry into OOH08:03 - What OOH looked like in the late 90s, regulation, real estate, national vs local11:16 - Consolidation era, Universal/Eller to Clear Channel & learning the full business22:01 - Leading through uncertainty - go-private chaos and the “Venn diagram” framework26:57 - Mentors & values, passion, character, playing the long game32:17 - Why GSTV & CEO lessons, decision velocity, boards, developing leadersKeywords:GSTV, Sean McCaffrey, out-of-home advertising, OOH, DOOH, retail media, convenience retail, video network, Clear Channel Outdoor, leadership, CEO, sales leadership, strategy, partnerships, change management, mentors, decision making, organizational growth, private equity, consolidation, brand safe media, measurement, audience addressability, AI in advertising, executive presence, boards, IAB, Ad Council, OAAA, DPAA, The Seat podcastSean's Bio: Sean McCaffrey is President & CEO of GSTV, the nation’s leading video network at fuel and convenience retailers, reaching over 116 million Americans each month. He previously spent 16+ years at Clear Channel Outdoor, including as EVP of Strategy & Partnerships, leading enterprise revenue strategy and global agency relationships. Sean serves on the boards of the IAB Digital Video Center of Excellence, the Ad Council, OAAA, and DPAA. A former college football player at Drake University, he brings an athlete’s mindset to leadership, culture, and long-term growth.GSTV's Website: https://www.gstv.com/Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising, unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a longtime ad/media sales leader with experience spanning digital ad tech, CTV, and sports media, and he created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen:Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / SiriusXM / Acast
6. Gabrielle Heyman, VP Global Brand Sales & Partnerships - Zynga
49:40||Season 2, Ep. 6Summary/Description:In this episode of The Seat, Ray Erickson sits down with Gabrielle Heyman, VP of Global Brand Sales & Partnerships at Zynga, to unpack a 20+ year career built at the intersection of gaming, media, entertainment, and advertising. Gabrielle shares her origin story from early days at CBS.com, the dot-com era and in-game advertising at EA, breakout years at Yahoo, the leap to BuzzFeed, and ultimately her long-term rise at Zynga. They dig into what changes when you go from elite individual contributor to leader; response time, delegation vs. micromanagement, managing up to the C-suite, protecting your time from meetings, and how she thinks about the modern consumer as a “layman anthropologist.” Gabrielle also breaks down Zynga’s business, why mobile is the biggest gaming segment, and how her team monetizes the 95% of players who don’t pay through in-app advertising. Key takeaway...leadership isn’t just selling harder, it’s building trust, leveling up teams, and believing you belong in every room you walk into.Chapters: 00:00 – Intro01:45 – LA & Icebreaker02:24 – College & Early Days03:24 – First break into media06:26 – Selling from scratch08:06 – Mentorship: Matt Wasserlauf09:22 – Dot-com chaos11:41 – IC excellence vs leadership readiness15:44 – Career choices as a parent34:53 – Zynga todayThemes:Response time changes from salesperson → leaderCuriosity & persuasion as the real “sales training”Building a career in the satellite office (LA) vs HQResilience during chaos (dot-com crash, 9/11, personal health)The gap between sales IQ and leadership EQCalculated risk-taking (Yahoo → BuzzFeed → management track)Delegation vs. micromanagement as the make-or-break leadership skillManaging up and communicating to C-suite as a core leadership jobMobile gaming + ad monetization (monetizing the 95% non-payers)Confidence & belonging (imposter syndrome is a time-waster)Keywords:Zynga, Take-Two Interactive, mobile gaming, in-game advertising, ad monetization, brand partnerships, global sales, leadership, delegation, micromanagement, managing up, C-suite communication, sales management, sales marketing, trade marketing, Yahoo, Electronic Arts, BuzzFeed, CBS Interactive, consumer behavior, women in tech, Chief, imposter syndrome, time management, asynchronous work, meetings, AI fluency, personal brand, career growthGabrielle's Bio: Gabrielle Heyman is VP of Global Brand Sales & Partnerships at Zynga, where she oversees sales and marketing for the company’s direct advertising business across one of mobile gaming’s most engaged audiences. A digital media veteran with prior roles at Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, and BuzzFeed, she was honored in 2025 with the Chief “New Era of Leadership” Award and the IAB Service of Excellence Award for her contributions to the industry. Gabrielle is passionate about the revolution in technology and entertainment consumption and its impact on how brands connect with consumers. She’s a champion of women in tech and an innovator at the intersection of gaming and brands. She lives in Los Angeles with her two sons and her life partner.Zynga's Website: https://www.zynga.com/Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising — unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a longtime ad/media sales leader with experience spanning digital ad tech, CTV, and sports media, and he created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / SiriusXM / Acast
5. Matt Ryter, VP Video Sales - Minute Media
48:09||Season 2, Ep. 5Episode Summary / Description:Matt Ryter’s path to Vice President wasn’t linear and that’s the point. From a first job logging stats at ESPN (that actually made watching sports worse) to learning the ad business at CBS and Time Inc., Matt’s career is a story of finding the right lane, building a personal brand, and growing into leadership by being willing to learn in public. Now VP of Sales at Minute Media, Matt shares how he went from big-company structure to startup chaos at Genius Sports, what he learned building a team from scratch, and why modern leadership is less about control and more about trust, especially in a post-COVID world. Along the way, he breaks down what he looks for when hiring, a common mistake young sellers make (“saying yes” too quickly), and the mantra he lives by, "Collaboration moves at the speed of trust."Themes Discussed:Finding your lane early (and learning what you don’t want to do)Breaking into sales without the “traditional” entry pathMentorship and the power of shared networksLeadership lessons from both great and bad managersPlayer-coach growing pains: teaching vs “I’ll just do it myself”Building a business from zero (Genius Sports)Selling tech & data vs selling media & contentCulture-first career moves and “kismet timing”Managing hybrid/remote teams without micromanagingPersonal brand, networking, and staying sane in the grindChapter Breakdown:00:00 - Intro02:02 - Providence College & early direction04:26 - ESPN stats job: dream…then burnout06:28 - CBS entry: ad ops & inventory grind07:36 - Breaking into sales via CNNMoney11:26 - Mentorship: Providence alum opens doors15:31 - Leadership begins: NFL then Genius17:16 - Genius Sports: build team from zero31:21 - Minute Media: “everything collided”36:14 - Trust-based leadership & hiring lessonsKeywords:Minute Media, Sports Illustrated, The Players’ Tribune, FanSided, SendToNews, Genius Sports, NFL, ESPN, CBS, Time Inc., CNNMoney, digital video, sports media, ad sales, leadership, mentorship, personal brand, networking, remote leadership, CTV, FAST channels, streaming, collaboration, trust, sales management, career growthMatt's Bio:Matt Ryter is the Vice President of Sales at Minute Media, where he leads commercial video sales initiatives and supports the company’s broader monetization strategy across premium sports storytelling and distribution. Previously, Matt served as VP of Sales at Genius Sports, helping build and scale the brand advertising business in North America. He also held roles at the NFL, Time Inc. (including Sports Illustrated / Fortune ecosystem), CBS, and ESPN. Matt is a proud Providence College alum and lives in the New York metro area with his wife and two children.Ray's Bio: Ray Erickson is the host of The Seat, a podcast featuring 1:1 conversations with revenue leaders across media, marketing, and advertising — unpacking the early days, mentors, setbacks, and pivotal moments that shaped how they lead today. Ray is a longtime ad/media sales leader with experience spanning digital ad tech, CTV, and sports media, and he created The Seat to sharpen his own leadership edge while paying it forward to the next generation of aspiring sales leaders.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / AcastMinute Media Website: https://www.minutemedia.com/
4. Brie Thomas, SVP of Sales - Swoop
39:49||Season 2, Ep. 4Episode Description:In this episode of The Seat, host Ray Erickson sits down with Brie Thomas, Senior Vice President of Sales at Swoop, for a candid conversation about trust, leadership evolution, and building high-performing teams in complex environments. Brie traces her career from selling radio spots at iHeartMedia to navigating digital startups, becoming a player-coach, and ultimately leading revenue teams in one of the most regulated sectors in advertising, healthcare. Along the way, she shares how her leadership style evolved, why trust is the foundation of effective teams, and what aspiring sales leaders often misunderstand about long-term success.The conversation explores empathy in leadership, managing through self-doubt, motivating without micromanaging, and how sellers can future-proof their careers in a rapidly changing media landscape. A must-listen for sellers stepping into management and leaders focused on building durable, people-first organizations.Key Themes:Building trust as the foundation of leadershipTransitioning from individual contributor to player-coachLeading without micromanagementManaging self-doubt and imposter syndromeMotivating teams in high-pressure environmentsNavigating regulated industries with integrityWhat aspiring sales leaders often get wrongEmpathy, energy, and accountability in leadershipChapter Breakdown:00:00 - Trust as the foundation of leadership02:00 - First sales role at iHeartMedia03:45 - Creativity, competition, and early selling lessons06:15 - Relationship-driven selling vs product pitching08:40 - Knowing you’re built for sales10:55 - Transitioning into leadership roles14:50 - What changes from IC to manager17:20 - Trust, motivation, and avoiding micromanagement21:00 - Managing self-doubt and imposter syndrome29:35 - Advice for aspiring sales leadersKeywords:sales leadership, revenue leadership, women in sales, media sales, ad tech careers, healthcare advertising, leadership development, trust in leadership, sales management, player coach, career growth, empathy in leadership, sales mentorship, digital media careersGuest Bio:Brie Thomas is the Senior Vice President of Sales at Swoop, where she leads revenue growth and client partnerships in healthcare advertising, one of the most regulated and complex areas of the media ecosystem. With a career spanning over two decades, Brie began in traditional media sales at iHeartMedia before transitioning into digital advertising, startups, and leadership roles. She has progressed from individual contributor to player-coach, VP, and senior executive, earning a reputation for trust-driven leadership, empathy, and building high-performing teams. At Swoop, Brie has played a key role in the company’s evolution into a market leader, helping advertisers reach patients responsibly through privacy-first, data-driven solutions.Host Bio:Ray Erickson is the host and creator of The Seat and a veteran sales and revenue leader with over 20 years of experience across media, ad tech, and streaming.Ray has held senior leadership roles at companies including Samsung Ads, Conversant, Sizmek, and Victory+, where he built and scaled high-performing sales organizations. Through The Seat, Ray sits down with revenue leaders to unpack the journeys, setbacks, and leadership lessons that shape how executives lead today.Social Links:Instagram: @theseat.podTikTok: @theseat.podLinkedIn: The Seat Podcast (LinkedIn Page)Host: Ray Erickson (LinkedIn)Listen: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / iHeart / AcastSwoop Website: https://swoop.com/