#seen

Parker Hughes is the founder of Parker Marketing and Management, a marketing agency helping brands grow through strategy, content and creative.In this episode, Parker shares her journey from missing out on nursing school by 0.05 of a point to building a successful agency before turning 30.We chat about entrepreneurship, leadership, burnout, boundaries, AI, social media addiction, client management and the pressure that comes with building something of your own.Parker also opens up about a health scare that forced her to rethink everything, why she believes growth at all costs is a trap, and how she's building a business that supports her life rather than consumes it.If you're building a business, leading a team or trying to navigate the chaos of modern work, this one's for you.The #seen Podcast is proudly sponsored by Sked Social. Start your FREE 14 day trial now.

This week on #seen, Lach sits down with Rachael Webb from Sticki and DataSauce for a conversation on creator partnerships, internet culture, human behaviour and why the best marketing rarely follows a formula.They get into the psychology behind why people buy things, why smaller brands are often moving faster than legacy players, the tension between originality and efficiency, and why creators should be trusted to “cook” instead of being over-managed by brands.There’s also chat around influencer marketing blowing up into a billion-dollar industry, the emotional side of agency life, relationship-led growth, reality TV brain rot, Coke Zero addictions, frozen pizzas and a genuinely elite nacho business concept.If you work in social, marketing, partnerships or creative, there’s a lot in this one.Proudly brought to you by Sked Social — the social media workspace for teams who take socials seriously.

Everyone wants the shortcut.Nobody wants to do the boring work.This episode with Jack Delaney goes deep into the overlap between elite sport, creativity, discipline, and why most people are chasing hacks instead of building actual skill.Jack went from professional rugby into the world of creative strategy and performance marketing, eventually landing at Canva — where he now works across paid media, creative systems, storytelling, and growth.We spoke about:Why strategy is actually action, not “thinking”The death of generic AI copyWhy brands are becoming allergic to sounding humanThe hidden value of copywriting in 2026What great creators understand about repetitionWhy volume matters more than perfection onlineThe psychology behind content hooks and audience retentionHow elite sport shaped Jack’s mindset around workWhy execution beats ideas almost every timeThe difference between making content for algorithms vs peopleThere’s also a very honest conversation around burnout, identity, frameworks, and the weird state of modern creative work.This episode is proudly brought to you by Sked Social — the social media management platform built for brands, agencies, and teams who take socials seriously.Start your free 14-day trial now.

Most brands don’t have a content problem. They have a trust problem.This week on #seen, Lach is joined by Kelsey Denouden, founder of Have and Hold Marketing.They chat about her unconventional path from performing arts and retail into running an agency, why authenticity is getting harder to fake, how to create content that works in an AI world, the psychology behind customer behaviour, managing burnout, and why listening is still the most underrated growth strategy.If you work in content, social, branding or marketing, there’s plenty in this one.Proudly brought to you by Sked Social. The platform helping teams plan, collaborate and schedule socials without the mess.

Most LinkedIn content is trying to sound professional… and that’s exactly why it doesn’t work.In this episode, Lachlan sits down with Robin O Connell, a long-time LinkedIn leader who’s spent over a decade inside the platform across multiple roles, countries, and now within its evolving Creative Studio.They unpack what’s actually working on LinkedIn right now, why so many brands and creators blend in, and how to build a presence that people actually care about.From the rise of video and thought leader ads, to the psychology behind comments and why discussion drives reach, this is a practical look at how to use LinkedIn properly in 2026.They also get into:why “sounding professional” is a traphow to stand out without forcing itwhat brands get wrong about contenthow creators can build real audienceswhy consistency beats perfection every timeIf you’re posting on LinkedIn (or thinking about it), this one’s worth your time.Proudly brought to you by Sked Social. Start your free 14-day trial today.

Most brands are still trying to win attention with content that feels safe, polished, and instantly forgettable.This week, Lach is joined by Medya Gungor from Zeno London to chat about what actually earns attention now — from creators and community to cultural tension, impact, and why the best brand ideas usually start with a real human problem.Proudly brought to you by Sked Social.

Most brands think social media success means more followers and more views.Shelley Strater says that’s completely wrong.Shelley has spent 15+ years working across social media, digital marketing and content strategy, helping brands understand the real drivers behind audience growth — human behaviour, emotional connection and community.In this episode of #seen, we talk about what actually moves the needle online and why chasing vanity metrics like follower counts and views can lead brands in the wrong direction.Shelley breaks down how she thinks about engagement, audience psychology, storytelling and platform strategy, and why smaller creators with tight communities often have more influence than accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers.We also get into the realities of working in social media — including burnout, algorithm pressure and staying creative in an industry that never switches off.In this conversation:• Why engagement matters more than follower counts• The biggest mistakes brands make on social media• Why views don’t necessarily mean your content is working• How to build real communities online• Why small creators can outperform big influencers• How to survive working in a 24/7 social media industryIf you work in social media, marketing, content or brand, this episode is packed with practical insights from someone who’s spent more than a decade inside the industry.This podcast is sponsored by Sked Social.Sked helps social media teams plan, schedule and analyse content across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and more — all in one place.If you’re serious about social media, Sked makes it easier to stay organised, collaborate with your team and understand what content is actually working.Start your FREE 14 day trial now.

She tore both ACLs, lost her dad, battled cancer — and still built one of the sharpest marketing brains in the game.This week on the pod, Lach sits down with Maddie King — product marketer at Canva, ex-Unilever brand manager (Dove, Rexona, Lynx), former TikTok brand strategist, early Magic Brief marketing lead (acquired by Canva), and professional LinkedIn “shitposter.”What unfolds is way more than a career chat. It’s a masterclass in resilience, taste, creative judgment, and building a marketing career that actually means something.Maddie opens up about:Pivoting from ballerina dreams after tearing both ACLs and losing her dad at 17Getting cancer during uni, building a business, and storytelling her journey onlineWhy “taste” is the most underrated skill in marketingAI vs originality (and why you must protect your creative muscle)Startup burnout, acquisition highs, and knowing when to say noWhy social shouldn’t be reduced to perfect attributionTaking big swings in marketing (and allocating budget to “dumb shit”)Building community flywheels instead of chasing vanity metricsIf you work in content, marketing, social, paid ads, brand — or you’re just trying to stack skills and make bold career moves — this one will recalibrate how you think about creative work.The podcast is proudly sponsored by Sked Social — the social media management platform built for teams who take socials seriously.

Ideas are infinite now. Execution is the real bottleneck.In this episode, Lach sits down with Rich Henson, Product Manager at Sked Social, to unpack what actually happens between customer feedback and product launches — and why most social teams are drowning in ideas but starving for clarity.From rebuilding approvals (and killing the screenshot era) to spotting early signals around AI adoption, Rich shares what five years inside Sked has taught him about workflow, burnout, and building tools that don’t replace social media managers — but empower them.They also give a behind-the-scenes look at Sked Ideas, a new feature designed to bridge the messy gap between “rough thought” and “ready to schedule.”You’ll hear:Why Google Sheets accidentally became the planning tool of choiceHow to filter good ideas from useful onesThe real impact of AI on social professionalsWhy “grow at all costs” is a trap for agenciesAnd how to avoid burning out in a reactive industryIf you manage social, run an agency, or build products for marketers, this episode will hit.

Social media didn’t just change how we post, it changed how we think, rest, work, and connect.In this episode, Lach Bradford sits down with Kriti Gupta to unpack what it really means to live online. From starting out running Facebook events for community groups, to working across publishing, big brands, and building her own venture In My Head, Kriti shares the unfiltered realities of working in media without burning yourself out.We talk about fake productivity, why boredom is a lost skill, the pressure to speak on everything, authenticity as a misunderstood buzzword, and why your “real-life algorithm” matters more than the one on your phone. Plus: practical habits Kriti uses to reset her brain, her minimal tech stack, and the tools she actually swears by.This episode is brought to you by Sked Social — the social media management platform helping teams plan, publish, and engage smarter (without living in chaos).If you work in social, content, media or feel permanently online — this one will hit.

Jess Smalley has been behind some of the biggest podcasts in Australia — Mark Bouris, Two Doting Dads, plus a heap of shows she’ll never publicly take credit for.Now she’s building her own thing.Sharing the game she’s been running behind the scenes for years.Starting from zero again — which is brutal, humbling, and very, very real.In this episode we unpack:Why audience building starts way earlier than people thinkHow to actually craft stories people care aboutThe producer secrets that make good guests greatClip strategy, pre-production, structure, and the stuff that separates pros from puntersWhy humans > AI when it comes to podcastingHow to publish when you’re not ready (because you’ll never feel ready anyway)What to do when your content flops — and how the best bounce back fastIf you work in content, marketing, podcasting or just want to show up more confidently online — save this one.SKED SOCIAL DISCOUNT:Use SKEDBF50 for 50% off annual plans.New #seen episodes drop every Tuesday at 5am AEST.

Most brands obsess over “going viral.” Almost none know what to do after it happens.In this episode of #seen — a podcast by Sked Social, Lachlan Bradford sits down with Josh Bailey, former TikTok insider and founder of CoCo, to unpack what brands actually get wrong about social.Josh spent years inside TikTok watching the same mistakes play out again and again: chasing luck, copying trends, obsessing over reach, and ignoring the one thing that matters most — building content systems that create familiarity over time.From long-form vs short-form to why authenticity is now a trap, this episode goes deep on what works, what doesn’t, and what every brand needs to rethink in 2025 and beyond.We cover:• Why going viral is overrated — and why the real work starts after it happens• Consistency > luck: how the algorithm actually rewards creators• How trends help established brands but hurt beginners• The rise of episodic content and TikTok “TV shows”• Why retention and watch time matter more than views• How large brands block their own growth• The trust gap in hiring full-time creators• AI for structure, planning and creative clarityIf you work in social, content, marketing or brand — this episode is a must-listen.Presented by Sked Social — use code 'SKEDBF50' for 50% off annual plans + a free 14-day trial.