Advertise on podcast: Stop The Scroll with Brianna Doe

The internet never forgets, and that means every public mistake becomes a reputation test. In this episode, I sit down with Tiffany Knighten, Founder and PR Consultant at Brand Curators, to challenge the conventional playbook for crisis PR. We dig into why some brands and public figures recover from backlash while others make it infinitely worse. From Notes app apologies to reality TV scandals, we get into what audiences actually expect when things go wrong and how online narratives spiral out of a brand's control. Because more often than not, your response ends up more memorable than the mistake itself. Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (00:57) Meet Tiffany Knighten: PR strategist and founder of Brand Curators (02:38) Why audiences have stopped believing public apologies (08:32) What makes a good apology—and when silence makes things worse (17:34) Why every apology gets picked apart online (19:17) Why owning your mistakes matters more than being right (29:07) Apologies aren’t like checking a box. What happens after? (35:00) What happens when creators avoid accountability (38:29) What's really at stake behind every public apology Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Tiffany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyknighten/  Brand Curators  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-curators/  Brand Curators Website: https://www.brandcurators.co/

Creator marketing shouldn’t be becoming more transactional. It should be becoming more collaborative. In this episode, I sit down with Jay Schwedelson, Founder and CEO of GURU Media Hub and SubjectLine.com, to unpack what separates successful creator partnerships from disappointing ones. We discuss why so many campaigns fall short, how brands and creators can build stronger relationships, and what it takes to create partnerships that drive real business results. From campaign strategy and creative freedom to AI, affiliate marketing, contracts, and measuring success, this conversation explores what creator marketing looks like today and where it's headed. Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (00:43) Meet Jay Schwedelson (01:42) The biggest mistakes brands make with creators (04:07) Why long-term partnerships outperform one-off campaigns (06:25) Why creators can't fix bad marketing (11:01) How to build creator partnerships that drive better results (16:01) Do sponsored partnerships build or break audience trust? (23:45) Why brands need to give creators more creative freedom (32:11) Common creator marketing mistakes brands should avoid (43:21) How AI is changing the future of creator marketing Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Jay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ GURU Media Hub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gurumediahub/ GURU Media Hub Website: https://gurumediahub.com/ SubjectLine.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/subjectline.com/ SubjectLine.com Website: https://www.subjectline.com/  Learn more about Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ Order Jay’s New Book: a.co/d/05xWKnfN

Social media has changed how we consume content, but has it also changed how we connect with people? In this episode, Gabriel Gomez, Head of Social & Creators at MCOBeauty, joins me for an honest conversation about the internet through the eyes of someone who is both a marketer and a consumer.  We get into fan edits and creator culture, parasocial relationships, and why people behave differently online than they do in person. We also talk about why some content makes us feel more involved in a stranger's life than we realize, and what that means for brands trying to earn genuine attention. If you've ever caught yourself feeling like you actually know a creator you've never met (been there), this one will help you get why. Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (01:19) Meet Gabriel as both consumer & marketer (03:44) Fan Edit Culture: Why it’s a huge opportunity for brands (06:17) Balancing entertainment and information (10:30) Shiny object marketing (11:46) Why brands need a face, not just a logo (16:41) How parasocial bonds make audiences care (21:22) How LinkedIn reshaped Gabriel’s creative approach (23:56) The Myth of “Easy” Social Marketing Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Gabriel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabegomezdigital  Gabriel’s Substack: https://makeitmakesensegabe.substack.com/  MCOBeauty’s LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/mcobeauty  MCOBeauty Website: https://mcobeauty.com/

Most creator marketing advice is about going viral, but real impact comes from how brands and creators actually work together. In this episode of Stop the Scroll, Roo Yeshpaul Johnson, Head of Creator Marketing at Figma, and I are talking about what’s shaping the creator economy right now — from the myth of unlimited brand budgets to why “great creator partnerships” often come down to something much less glamorous: reliability, negotiation, and whether the math still works. We also get into the tension no one wants to say out loud: creators are getting more expensive, brands are getting more selective, and long-term partnerships are not as guaranteed as the internet makes them sound. And underneath all of it is a bigger question — if everyone is a creator now, what actually makes someone worth paying attention to? Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (01:18) Meet Roo Yeshpaul Johnson (03:41) Why Marketers Still Need a Seat in the Room (07:14) What Creator Activations Look Like Without Marketers (08:48) The Myth of Unlimited Creator Budgets (15:30) What Makes a Creator Easy to Work With (19:45) The Coming Tiered Creator Economy (25:17) What Will Feel Weird About Creator Culture Soon (27:42) Rise of the Practitioner Creator (30:10) Why Creator-Brand Relationships Break or Scale (32:23) What Every Marketer Should Know Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Roo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rooyj Figma LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/figma Figma Website: https://www.figma.com/

Most creators have an audience. Far fewer have influence. In this episode, Aneesh Lal, also known as The Jerry Maguire of LinkedIn, the Founder of The Wishly Group, joins me to unpack what actually drives trust, attention, and buying behavior in the creator economy. From why some creators convert while others don't, to the difference between being relatable versus aspirational, we explore the hidden dynamics behind audience growth, brand partnerships, dark social, and influence itself. We also get into why vanity metrics matter more than most marketers admit, what brands consistently get wrong about creators, and why attention alone isn't enough to change behavior. Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (01:06) Meet Aneesh Lal and why he’s the Jerry Maguire of LinkedIn (02:33) Brands are rushing the funnel (04:46) The dream creator campaign (06:12) The deals worth rejecting (07:47) Pay gaps in creator marketing (11:13) Does the label matter? (15:13) Engagement doesn't equal sales (17:13) Why creators need video (18:18) Where creators should expand (19:18) Everyone cares about followers (24:43) The dark social problem (27:57) Why expertise matters (30:03) Losing connection with audiences (32:53)  To the creators who want to start partnering with brands  (34:11) Depth over short-form skills Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Aneesh’’s LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/aneeshlal  The Wishly Group  LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/thewishlygroup  The Wishly Group Website: https://www.wishlygroup.ca/

Most influencer marketing is built for reach, but B2B influence is built for something far more powerful: real business results. In this episode, Davang Shah, VP of Marketing at LinkedIn, joins me to talk about the rise of B2B influencer marketing and why the future of brand-creator partnerships is shifting from reach to relevance. We dig into LinkedIn’s Creator Marketplace, what makes creator-brand relationships actually work, and why audience precision and deep expertise matter more than ever in driving real business results. Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (00:12) Meet Davang Shah & the LinkedIn Creator Marketplace (00:43) Why B2B creators need deep expertise (01:39) Authenticity and trust on LinkedIn (03:04) Why B2B influencer marketing is different (04:16) Creator vs practitioner vs thought leader (06:27) What makes LinkedIn’s marketplace different (07:29) From clicks to real business results (08:36) Relationships between creators and brands Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Davang’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davang-shah  Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/linkedin  LinkedIn Website: https://linkedin.com/

Not all marketers are created equal and not all AI is created useful. In this episode, Brendan Hufford, founder of Growth Sprints, joins me for a marketer therapy session on taste, intuition, and the hidden risks of over-relying on AI in marketing.  From building a 100-day challenge to experimenting with your gut, we break down what it really takes to create work that resonates and how to protect your passion while doing it. Highlights: (00:00) Introduction (00:37) Meet Brendan Hufford: teacher turned growth expert (00:53) Foundations vs. AI: why taste matters more than ever (02:04) Learning from grunt work to develop instincts (04:27) Brendan’s taste in content & hobbies that inspire creativity (09:09) Lessons from film, storytelling, and pattern recognition (10:03) LinkedIn feeds, AI hype, and misleading content (13:25) Connecting ideas and building marketing fundamentals (15:28) Advice for marketers being told “just use AI” (22:18) 100-day projects & experimentation as growth tools (26:08) The pitfalls of shortcut-driven content and grift culture (39:53) DIY vs. DIFY: protecting your hobbies and passion Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Brendan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanhufford/  Growth Sprints LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growth-sprints/  Growth Sprints Website: https://growthsprints.co/

Not everyone who shows up online gets seen equally. And most of us are too busy optimizing our content to notice the structure underneath. In this episode, Rayna van Beuzekom, founder of Crux Content, joins me to get into who actually gets to be visible on the internet — and why. We talk about how professional norms, code switching, and platform culture quietly shape who feels permitted to show up fully, and what happens to your content when you don't. We also get into what the camera does to personality, why AI has no taste, and what it actually takes to build an audience that trusts you. Highlights: (00:00) The 100x personality rule (00:30) Meet Rayna van Beuzekom (01:13) What Crux Content does (01:58) Growing up on YouTube and what that shaped (05:11) Professionalism vs. personality in B2B content (06:52) What parts of your life belong in your content? (13:05) Know your audience before you make video content (14:28) Awkward on camera: reps or confidence? (17:05) What makes someone instantly more watchable (22:29) AI’s actual role in video production (25:40) What B2B brands should know before testing video Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Rayna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raynavb/  Discover Crux Content: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crux-content  GAWX Art (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@GAWX  Andrew Paul (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/@AndrewPaul1

Every B2B product is starting to look the same. Features are converging, AI is making it easier to ship software overnight, and the noise on LinkedIn has never been louder. So what actually sets a brand apart? David Walsh, three-time founder and CEO of Limelight, joins me to break down why brand, personality, and creator-led marketing are becoming the only real competitive advantages in B2B. We get into the rise of micro-creators, the authenticity debate around AI-generated content, and why most companies are leaving influencer marketing on the table.  Highlights: (00:00) Meet David Walsh (01:18) Limelight's evolution and biggest lessons  (04:45) How LinkedIn content has shifted  (05:30) The rise of micro and niche creators  (07:00) LLM visibility and the new shelf life of content  (10:15) Why brand is the only moat left  (12:30) Employee advocacy as the starting point  (17:00) What's actually performing on LinkedIn  (18:30) Can you be authentic and still use AI?  (21:00) How to define authenticity in content  (24:30) Vibe coding a SaaS product in 45 minutes  (28:30) What's next for Limelight Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-walsh-limelight/ Check out Limelight’s website: https://www.limelighthq.com

Most viral content spikes and disappears. Some of it actually builds something. In this episode, Sophie Miller, founder of Pretty Little Marketer, joins me to get into what separates the two. We break down her big door, small room framework - the strategy behind content that casts a wide net without losing the plot - and why virality and intention don't have to be opposites. We also get into the vanity metrics debate and why your platforms aren't interchangeable - each one is its own room in your marketing house with its own audience, its own goal, and its own rules. Oh, and there's her upcoming conference called Everybody Hates Marketing. Sign me up! Highlights: (00:00) The “Big Door, Small Room” content strategy (02:07) How Pretty Little Marketer took off (07:53) Why virality doesn’t build authority (08:21) Planning content around business goals (10:10) Community > Views (18:27) Viral vs. memorable content (22:42) Turning viral content into a funnel (29:07) Everybody Hates Marketing Resources: Hear more from me in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Follow Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiealicemiller/ Pretty Little Marketer: https://www.prettylittlemarketer.com/ Register for the Everybody Hates Marketing Conference: https://www.prettylittlemarketer.com/everybody-hates-marketing

TikTok Shop looked like the next obvious move - until it wasn't. In this episode, Gabrielle Noakes, E-commerce manager at Dixxon Flannel, joins me to get into what actually happens when a brand tries to rebuild its entire e-commerce strategy for TikTok. We break down why their limited edition drop model completely flopped, what they learned about how TikTok Shop users actually shop, and what it takes to build trust on a platform overrun with scam accounts and fraud ads. We also get into something most brands don't talk about: the behind-the-scenes support TikTok quietly offers bigger brands that smaller ones never see, and what that actually means for the platform. Highlights: (00:00) Meet Gabrielle Noakes (02:10) Why TikTok Shop didn’t work for their core strategy (04:05) Limited drops vs. impulse buying - how people shop online (06:20) What actually sells on TikTok Shop (08:30) The strategy that failed on TikTok (11:15) The audience mismatch problem (14:40) Trust is a massive challenge on TikTok Shop (22:10) The bigger shift: You can’t copy-paste strategy Resources: Subscribe to the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Gabrielle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-noakes/  Check out Dixxon Flannel.: https://www.dixxon.com/

Comment sections used to be an afterthought. Now they shape how content spreads, how brands are perceived, and what actually sticks online. In this episode, I’m joined by Brett Dashevsky, co-founder of Siftsy, to get into how comment sections have evolved into one of the most influential (and chaotic) signals on the internet. We break down how reactions, memes, and tone in the comments can drive perception in real time — and why most brands still don’t know how to read what’s actually being said. We also get into the challenge of analyzing sentiment at scale, and how tools like Siftsy are trying to make sense of it. Highlights: (00:00) Meet Brett Dashevsky (01:18) The Siftsy origin story (08:17) What brands don’t know about the comment section (11:57) Why comments aren’t just “positive” or “negative” (14:38) Decoding memes, emojis, and pictures in the comments (16:51) The comment section as a community (20:00) What BookTok’s comment sections reveal (22:14) Who runs the comments? The audience (24:17) Showing up with intention in the comments Resources: Hear more from Brianna in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Brianna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Brett’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettdash/ Discover Siftsy: getsiftsy.com Check out Creator Economy NYC: https://creatoreconomynyc.com/

Cancel culture shows up fast — and disappears just as quickly. Some people lose everything. Others barely flinch. In this episode, Qetsiyah Jacobson, founder of Unserious, joins me to get into what actually determines who gets “cancelled” and who doesn’t. We break down the role of fanbases, parasocial loyalty, and the infrastructure behind someone’s brand — and why the same behavior can have completely different outcomes depending on who you are. From Chris Brown to Sydney Sweeney, we look at what survival actually requires, and where the line between accountability and self-preservation starts to blur. Highlights (00:00) Meet Qetsiyah Jacobson (02:15) Does society forgive misogyny? (04:04) Why Armie Hammer and Kevin Spacey have stayed canceled (06:51) Sydney Sweeney and the power of fanbases vs. fame (15:23) The fall of Nicki Minaj (18:16) Kanye West and why some apologies just don’t work (20:30) Performative apologies vs. genuine accountability (25:58) What the fear of being canceled means for internet culture (29:30) Tactics for improving public image Resources: Hear more from Brianna in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ Brianna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Qetsiyah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qetsiyahjacobson/ Unserious Agency: https://www.unserious.agency/

The internet shapes how we think, share, and connect — but most of us never stop to ask why.  In this episode, I get into what Stop the Scroll is about, why I made it, and the kinds of questions we're digging into this season. Highlights: (00:00) Introducing Stop the Scroll (01:09) How media impacts society (01:33) What to expect from the show (03:28) Who the podcast is made for (04:07) How this podcast got its title (09:19) Creating community between the viral moments (11:05) What this show can do for listeners Resources: Subscribe to the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Verbatim’s website: https://weareverbatim.com

Every internet rabbit hole, every comfort rewatch, every comment section that becomes its own ecosystem… there’s a reason it works on us. Stop the Scroll is the show that figures out what that reason is. Each episode pulls apart the cultural mechanics of how we behave online: why we share what we share, why platforms shape us in ways we don't notice, and what the creator economy reveals about how we consume, connect, and engage. Through convos with people who have rare visibility into how the internet actually operates, we dig into why we do what we do online — instead of just scrolling through it. Resources: Subscribe to the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/  Verbatim’s website: https://weareverbatim.com