Today, Breaking and Entering heads to McGarrah Jessee in Austin to unpack why the city has become one of advertising’s most creatively alive markets. Strategy lead Jen Hruska and CEO Britton Upham dig into how Austin’s laid back culture fuels better work, why individuality matters more than trying too hard, and what it really means to build brands with integrity.
From "advertising athletes" to "in demand and choosy" partnerships, this episode is a look inside an agency that believes good can still be good business.
This episode was produced in partnership with McGarrah Jessee
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This week, Breaking and Entering breaks into Bakery’s Austin HQ where the lobby is a bar, the agency has a spirit animal, and the work is built by people who are hungry to make things that actually matter. Founders and creative leaders unpack why Austin has become one of advertising’s most magnetic cities, how indie agencies are reshaping the culture, and what it really takes to build work without layers, gimmicks, or bureaucracy. From custom Nike sneakers to 3D-printed prototypes, this episode is a look inside an agency that does not just launch brands but helps invent them.This episode was produced in partnership with Bakery.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co
Breaking And Entering's 2025 Ad Agency Of The Year.
03:10 - Recap of the year in advertising
06:10 - Breakout agency of the year
17:00 - Agency of the year
46:00 - Campaign of the year
01:09:30 - Looking ahead to 2026
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Breaking into advertising has changed.
In this solo episode, host Geno Schellenberger shares an updated framework for breaking into the industry in 2026 as entry-level roles shrink and expectations shift.
He walks through Nerd Up, Work Up, and Cool Up, then introduces a new fourth pillar that now matters more than ever.
If you are a student, recent grad, or early-career professional trying to break into advertising, this episode is for you.
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Jeff Goodby joins Breaking and Entering to unpack how a career built on curiosity, risk, and a little vandalism reshaped modern advertising. From breaking into the industry with a homemade portfolio to co-founding Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Jeff shares hard-earned lessons on ideas, leadership, and why the best work should feel a little dangerous. He dives into the thinking behind iconic campaigns, the power of noticing what others overlook, and what the next generation needs to survive and stand out. A masterclass, if you will, in doing the work your mom definitely wouldn’t think of.
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Disclosure: Travel and accommodations for this visit were provided by the agency.
Breaking and Entering breaks into Tombras, setting up inside the agency’s real-time social and data bunker in Knoxville. Geno and Jack sit down with Tombras CCO Paul Caiozzo and ECD Nathan Frank to unpack how data, AI, and cultural listening actually fuel breakthrough creative work. They get into fast-turn social moments, unapologetically being an ad agency, and why building world-class work far from New York might be the advantage. A behind-the-scenes look at what happens when creativity, analytics, and independence collide.
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Geoffrey Goldberg went from Broadway performer to Co-Founder of Movers+Shakers, one of the most influential social first agencies today. We talk about how he built the agency, what makes content go viral, the culture behind their creative process, and how he thinks the next generation can break into advertising. He also shares his path from the stage to the industry, the lessons that shaped him, and what it takes to make work that moves culture.
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Omid Farhang joins the show to talk about how he built Majority from the ground up, and why being tapped into culture gives creative work a competitive edge. He breaks down the early days of pitching the idea to Shaquille O’Neal and the pressure of proving the agency through real work. We get into his rise from Crispin intern to industry leader and why persistence matters more than talent. This episode is a blueprint for anyone trying to make an impact in advertising today.
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PayPal Ads is one of the most interesting new ad platforms in the market. We sat down with Dr. Mark Grether, SVP and General Manager of PayPal Ads, to break down how PayPal collects first party commerce data from PayPal, Venmo, and Honey, how 30 percent of global commerce passes through its products, and why they believe the future of advertising is buying directly inside the ad.
We also did a mock job interview for a PayPal Ads sales role live on the show.
Topics:
• 400 million users and 30 percent of global commerce
• How PayPal makes ads shoppable with checkout and trust built in
• Using first party data to build a new ad platform
• Working with agencies and brands
• Mark’s career at Amazon, Uber, GroupM, and now PayPal
Listen to the full episode and learn away!
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Andrea Gilman, CMO of Early Warning (Zelle and Paze), joins Breaking and Entering Brandside to share three rules for building a marketing career you actually enjoy. She traces her path from economic consulting in Excel to Time Inc, IBM, startup life, more than 20 years at Mastercard, and now leading products used by millions, explaining how an MBA, empathy, and trust shaped each move. Her three rules: define your current North Star, build real skills and relationships, and lead with empathy for partners and consumers.
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Liz Taylor is one of the most awarded creatives alive and the Global Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy. In this episode, she breaks down how she almost became a lawyer, the cold call to Leo Burnett that changed everything, and the path that led her to running Ogilvy’s creative work across 83 countries. She also shares her philosophy on leadership, resilience, and the advice she gives every young creative trying to break in.
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Joe Burns, Strategy Lead at Quality Meats, joins Breaking & Entering to unpack how real strategy isn’t about data hoarding or 150 slide decks. It’s about edge. He shares why PowerPoint might be worse than the Black Death, how AI is reshaping the strategist’s role, and why the best ideas come from breaking rules everyone else thinks are real.More from Breaking and Entering Media:💼 Follow on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/📖 Read our Publications https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei✉️ Subscribe to The Vault https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising https://www.crowbarawards.com/🤝 Work With Us - Email: breakingandentering@smoothmedia.co
Tourism Australia CMO Susan Coghill joins Geno to share how “Come and Say G’day” became one of the most recognizable destination campaigns in the world. She reveals how consistency beats constant reinvention, what happened when Robert Irwin suddenly became a global sensation, and how Australia’s marketing team turned a kangaroo into a worldwide icon.
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André Toledo, CCO of DAVID New York, joins Breaking & Entering to talk about creating ads that actually entertain. From Lima to Madrid to New York, André’s built his career on passion over pedigree and ideas over ego. He shares how to sell risky work like Burger King’s “Stevenage Challenge,” why obsession with your book matters, and how hiring people better than you keeps an agency’s soul alive. Plus, the funniest reason anyone’s ever worked this hard for a free Whopper.
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Erica Roberts sits down with Brian and Geno to talk about what it really takes to stay on top in advertising today. She shares how fear fuels her creativity, why she fights boredom by choosing the hard problems, and how hands-on leadership keeps BBH USA winning big. From falling asleep at concerts to relaunching iconic brands with swagger, Erica brings honesty, humor, and practical advice for anyone chasing a career that keeps them excited to show up every day.
Subscribe and listen to Working Smarter — A podcast about AI and modern work: https://workingsmarter.ai/
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Jason Harris Built Mekanism. Then He Rebuilt It Four Times.
Jason Harris, co-founder and CEO of Mekanism and host of Soul & Science, joins Breaking & Entering to talk about how he built one of the most respected indie agencies in the country, sold it, and kept its soul intact. He breaks down what Harvard learned from his campaigns, why advertising will always survive, and the one mistake most people make when trying to break into the industry. Plus, the wild story behind “Geno's Meats,” the funniest podcast tangent we’ve ever had.
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500 PODCASTS!
For our 500th episode special, ad legend Rob Schwartz interviews Geno.
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Susan Credle went from giving receptionists their bathroom breaks to becoming one of the most influential creative leaders in the world. The Global Creative Advisor at IPG and former Global CCO at FCB shares how she built her career from the ground up, created the “Never Finished” philosophy that reshaped FCB’s culture, and helped turn M&M’s into an enduring brand icon.
Susan opens up about fighting for ideas, building people instead of just work, and why young creatives should pick the city first, not the agency.
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Mike Byrne has made 22 Super Bowl commercials, led creative for Nike at Wieden+Kennedy, and now runs Anomaly as Global Chief Creative Officer. In this episode, he breaks down how a single print ad made him fall in love with advertising, what he learned from Dan Wieden, and why he still writes every morning. We talk about leaving the best job in the industry to take a huge risk, the creative habits that last decades, and what it takes to lead one of the world’s top agencies.
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Erin Riley runs one of the biggest ad agencies in the world. As the Global CEO of TBWA, she’s built her career on disruption, bravery, and never settling for “good enough.” In this episode, Erin breaks down the three decisions that made her a leader, the brutal truth about mediocrity, and what it really means to protect the soul of a creative company. From pitching Viagra early in her career to leading a global network behind brands like Apple and Adidas, Erin proves what it takes to become a true boss in advertising.
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