To elevate your training, it’s time to take a page from the marketing playbook. In this episode, we’re joined by Bianca Baumann and Mike Taylor—co-authors of Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro: Strategies to Ignite Learning—to explore how applying marketing strategies within learning programs can supercharge engagement, drive measurable impact, and secure stakeholder buy-in.

Bianca, VP of Learning Solutions & Innovation at Ardent Learning, and Mike, a learning consultant at Nationwide, share actionable insights on:

• Building a program content strategy that captures learner attention
• Leveling up with technology and measurement tools
• Tapping into the emotional drivers that make learning stick

Marketing strategies go beyond boosting program visibility. Learn to create learning experiences that resonate and reframe your L&D mindset through a marketer’s lens.

Resources:

• Book: https://www.td.org/product/book--think-like-a-marketer-train-like-an-ld-pro/112507
• Website:
  • Bianca: https://www.biancabaumann.com/
  • Mike: https://mike-taylor.org/
• LinkedIn:
  • Bianca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancabaumann/
  • Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miketaylor/

Siri Chilazi, senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School and co-author of Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results, joins the podcast to explore how organizations can meaningfully advance fairness at work.

Drawing on insights from her research and the book, Siri discusses how to drive change even in risk-averse or hesitant environments. She unpacks the difference between fairness and sameness, how to bias-proof training, and what it really takes to embed behavior change into day-to-day decision-making.

From debunking persistent workplace myths to practicing “norm entrepreneurship,” Siri offers practical strategies—grounded in data—that leaders and teams can apply right away.

Resources:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sirichilazi/
• Website: https://sirichilazi.com/
• Book: https://sirichilazi.com/books/make-work-fair/

Neil Thompson is the founder of Teach the Geek, a company dedicated to helping technical professionals effectively communicate the value of their work to non-technical stakeholders. He joins the podcast to share how anyone with a specialization can sharpen their presentation skills—moving beyond acronyms and jargon that only experts understand.

This conversation also explores what L&D professionals can do when they’re on the receiving end of technical lingo. How do you collaborate with a SME who seems to speak a different language? How can you encourage technical workers to embrace soft skill training? And where do we even start when it comes to AI?

Neil answers all of these questions and offers practical tips to solve a common workplace issue: getting too technical.

Resources:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilithompson/
• Website: https://teachthegeek.com/
• TD Magazine article (Member-only): https://www.td.org/content/td-magazine/public-speaking-struggles-for-technical-professionals
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/teachthegeek