David Usher has sold over 1.4 million albums, won five Junos, and performed around the world. Today, he’s just as focused on algorithms as he is on melodies.

In this conversation, David talks about the shift from turning emotion into music to building products that preserve memory, support healing, and explore how technology can actually make us more human. We dig into:

 * Why creativity is a transferable methodology across art, writing, and coding
 * How his mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis inspired Second Echo
 * The ethical edge between digital preservation and digital imitation
 * Why over-reliance on AI threatens our writing and thinking muscles
 * The rise of “human spaces” and why connection still matters
 * What AI is doing to music, artistry, and the business model behind it

It’s a wide-ranging conversation about art, identity, AI, and the future of human experience — from someone who’s lived at the intersection of creativity and technology for decades.

David Usher on Creativity, Memory, and Staying Human in the Age of AI

Marketers spend countless hours optimizing for Google, LinkedIn, and Reddit—but what about Wikipedia? In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans talks with Bill Beutler, one of the world’s leading experts on Wikipedia strategy. 

Bill explains why brands can’t afford to ignore the platform that powers both Google search and AI tools like ChatGPT, and how companies can ethically and effectively manage their presence. 

From the pitfalls of “learned helplessness” to the opportunities of Wikidata, Bill reveals why a Wiki strategy is now a marketing imperative.

Bill Beutler on Why Wikipedia May Be the Most Overlooked (and Dangerous) Marketing Channel

Cold outreach has a bad reputation—spammy emails, pushy SDRs, endless noise in the inbox. 

But Michael Maximoff, co-founder of Belkins, believes it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode, Michael breaks down why most outbound strategies fail, how to rethink outreach as a marketing function (not just sales), and why relevance beats personalization every time. 

He shares lessons from scaling Belkins into a global powerhouse, the role of AI in creating hyper-relevant buyer journeys, and why CEOs should be their company’s best marketers. 

If you want to transform cold outreach from a numbers game into a trust-building engine, this conversation is for you.

Revolutionizing Cold Outreach: Michael Maximoff on Building Relationships, Not Just Pipelines

What does it take to disrupt a $500 hockey stick market dominated by global giants? 

At just 22 years old, Zechariah Thomas is rewriting the rules with Swift Hockey—an elite stick brand that's affordable, player-first, and unapologetically bold. 

In this episode, Zechariah shares how he turned a personal frustration into a fast-growing startup, his roots in drop shipping, and what it takes to stand out against CCM, Bauer, and Reebok. 

From starting at 12 -years-old by re-selling products purchased at the Dollar Store hats to being featured on Dragon’s Den, his journey is a masterclass in speed, resilience, and scrappy entrepreneurship.

Breaking the Mold: How Zechariah Thomas Is Disrupting the Hockey Stick Industry with Swift Hockey

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with Vahagn Sargsyan, VP of Marketing at Krisp, a pioneering voice AI company. 

Vahagn shares his unique journey from full-stack developer to marketing leader and dives into the strategies behind Krisp's emergence as a category-defining brand. He explains how Krisp went from a simple noise-cancellation tool to a comprehensive AI-powered communication platform used by millions, including enterprise clients like call centers and Discord. 

This conversation explores agile marketing, product-led growth, community-driven innovation, and how aligning closely with customers can fuel brand loyalty and expansion. 

From Developer to Demand Generator: Vahagn Sargsyan on Building the Krisp Brand and Voice AI Category

AI isn’t coming for the future of work—it’s already transforming it. In this episode, Mark Evans sits down with Mitch Joel, entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of Thinkers One, to unpack the seismic shifts AI is driving in knowledge work. 

From content creation to strategic decision-making, Mitch explains why the question isn’t if AI will take our jobs, but what we’re doing in case it does. 

This conversation explores what it means to stay relevant, creative, and human in a world where machines can mimic expertise in seconds. Y

ou’ll also hear about Mitch’s journey from agency founder to digital futurist, and how Thinkers One is reshaping access to thought leadership.

Will AI Replace Us? Mitch Joel on the New Rules of Knowledge Work

Entrepreneurship isn’t just about hustle, funding rounds, or scaling fast. It’s also about the inner game—mastering your mindset, aligning your purpose, and creating a business that doesn’t consume your life.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Zaheer Merali—founder, investor, and executive coach—shares what he’s learned from two decades of advising entrepreneurs and navigating his own personal reinvention. We dig into:

 * Why overthinking and overworking plague founders
 * How to break free from the addiction to hustle culture
 * The power of pausing, pivoting, and uncovering your true passion
 * Why aligning your inner compass is more important than any revenue target

This isn’t about working harder. It’s about working better—on your terms.

Why Founders Burn Out—and How to Reclaim Control with Zaheer Merali

Is your B2B podcast ready for YouTube? In this episode of Marketing Spark, I’m joined by Sergey Ross and Joe Newton from Sway One, who created a report [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G64xFhxyBBu9FTMOJ7RbWtrNE-eJya5O/view?usp=sharing]that analyzed 75+ B2B video podcasts to uncover what’s working, what’s not, and what the best shows are doing differently.

We talk about why YouTube has become the top discovery platform for podcasts, the essential strategies to optimize for engagement, and why executive-led shows get 6x more views. Whether you’re just launching your show or looking to grow faster, this episode is your tactical blueprint for B2B video podcast success.

Topics include:

 * Why B2B brands can’t ignore YouTube anymore
 * How to structure and format your show for better discoverability
 * Tips on thumbnails, titles, and short-form content
 * How to measure ROI (without obsessing over downloads)
 * The rise of executive-hosted podcasts and commentary-style formats

The Art and Science of B2B Video Podcasting: Lessons from 75 Shows

After a decade building Sendoso into a category-defining platform for B2B gifting and direct mail, Braydan Young is back with a new venture—Slash Experts—that’s taking on one of SaaS marketing’s biggest challenges: converting traffic without relying on the tired “Book a Demo” CTA.

In this episode, Braydan joins Mark Evans to talk about the evolution of personalization in B2B, how Sendoso capitalized on perfect timing and deep buyer pain, and why he believes the next wave of sales and marketing will be fueled by peer-to-peer trust and real conversations.

He shares lessons from scaling a startup through hypergrowth, raising $160M (including from SoftBank), navigating culture through the chaos of rapid hiring and remote work, and the “aha” moment that made him leave it all behind to start fresh.

If you’re thinking about how to truly differentiate in a crowded market—or wondering whether your next big idea is worth pursuing—this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

What Braydan Young Learned After 10 Years Building Sendoso

In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans sits down with Chris Silvestri, a conversion copywriting expert, to explore the art and science of crafting high-converting messages.

They discuss the psychology behind effective copy, how to blend storytelling with data, and practical strategies B2B marketers can use to drive engagement and sales. 

Tune in to gain actionable insights that will transform the way you approach messaging and marketing.

Conversion Copywriting Strategies: How Chris Silvestri Boosts B2B Marketing Success

I drive the growth of B2B SaaS companies with $1M to $10M in sales attract and engage the best prospects.

Mark Evans (@mapleleafmark) · Zencastr

Mark Evans (@mapleleafmark)

30-minute conversations with B2B SaaS marketers and entrepreneurs about the different roles played by marketing to build brands, attract customers, and drive growth. 

Marketing Spark (The B2B SaaS Marketing Podcast)