Uncensored Renegades

Jon and Kory reflect on the very first Uncensored CMO: The Calling event. This episode recorded just days after it happened, with Kory joining as one of the keynote speakers.
The conversation explores the biggest lessons from the event, including why marketers need to embrace “pattern disruption,” the underrated power of curation, and what lobsters can teach us about growth and reinvention. Jon and Kory also discuss the uncertainty and vulnerability that comes with live events, why polish is often overrated, and why genuine engagement matters far more than reach alone.
Timestamps
00:00 - Start
02:24 - How Jon pulled off The Calling in 3 months
03:10 - The uncertainty of a live event
05:55 - Kory’s 3 biggest insights from The Calling
06:44 - Lesson 1: Learn like a lobster
12:29 - Lesson 2: Pattern disruption
17:03 - Lesson 3: Curation
20:41 - The lesson from Jon’s daughter
22:24 - The power of vulnerability vs polish
22:53 - Why Jon gave free tickets to unemployed people
25:40 - Reach vs engagement
29:03 - Jon’s big takeaway from the event

Today Jon and Kory break down why speed has become one of the biggest competitive advantages in modern marketing.
Using e.l.f.’s Super Bowl campaign, created and launched in just 11 days, they explore what allows some organisations to move incredibly quickly while others get trapped in endless approvals and bureaucracy. From legal teams and leadership trust to decision-making and culture, this episode is a practical look at how to build teams that execute with speed.
Timestamps
00:00 - Start
01:12 - What Usain Bolt can teach us about speed
04:43 - Why e.l.f. made a Super Bowl ad in 11 days
09:33 - How you can work at e.l.f. speed
12:27 - How legal can help you work at speed
15:30 - What needs to be true in order for speed to happen
17:47 - Why speed is such a big competitive advantage

Since joining e.l.f., Kory has famously achieved consecutive quarters of growth, 28 at the time of recording. This is an extraordinary achievement for a CMO, so Kory breaks down exactly how they did it, and what insights you can take back to your company to achieve the same.

Today Jon and Kory break down what actually makes someone memorable in an interview, beyond rehearsed answers and polished CVs.
From body language and energy to asking better questions and avoiding corporate waffle, they share practical advice on how to stand out without sounding scripted. They also discuss how they personally hire, whether interviews are overrated, and why the best candidates treat interviews like conversations, not performances.
Whether you’re hiring, interviewing, or just trying to communicate better, this episode is packed with useful insights.
Timestamps

00:00 - Start
02:10 - Kory’s advice for interviews
05:07 - The importance of non-verbal behaviour in interviews
07:31 - Why you need to ask questions at the end of an interview
09:58 - How Kory and Jon like to hire
12:22 - Do we put too much pressure on the interview?
13:52 - How to show energy in an interview
18:34 - Do prepare, don’t rehearse
20:19 - Do strategically distill, and don’t ramble on
21:36 - Do have a framework, don’t have unstructured thinking
22:44 - Do have a conversation, don’t deliver canned responses
23:42 - How personal should you get in an interview?
25:09 - Why Kory wants to do a TED Talk
26:13 - Should you follow up after an interview?

In this episode of Uncensored Renegades, Jon and Kory tackle one of the most underrated relationships in business: marketing and finance.
Too often, marketers see the CFO as a blocker. In reality, they can be your biggest ally. Jon and Kory break down how to build a strong relationship with finance, why understanding how the business really works is critical, and how to turn your marketing plan into something the CFO actually wants to champion.
Timestamps
00:00 - Start
01:08 - Where the KBO$$ nickname came from
02:06 - Why the CFO relationship is so important
04:39 - Understand how the business needs to work
05:51 - How to build the relationship with your CFO
09:54 - Get finance to present your marketing plan
11:16 - How to make earnings interesting
14:31 - Are founder led companies more effective?
16:35 - How to approach risk in a business
20:52 - Translating data into insights