Engineering Brand Love

What happens when two advertising outsiders build one of the industry’s most recognizable media platforms by refusing to take the business quite so seriously?
In this episode of Engineering Brand Love, Rick and Josh Milenthal sit down with Geno Schellenberger and Jack Westerkamp, creators of Breaking & Entering, to talk about the people, personalities and creative energy that keep advertising interesting. They explore why joy matters in an industry increasingly defined by pressure and uncertainty, what younger generations really want from their careers and leaders, and why trust, honesty and the freedom to be yourself can produce better work.
The conversation also digs into Breaking & Entering’s approach to finding stories, why the most interesting advertising increasingly doesn’t look like advertising at all, and how brands can remain distinctive without reacting to every comment, trend or cultural shift. Plus, the group examines the rise of everyday creators and micro-influencers, and why the future of influence may be less about massive audiences and more about the people consumers already know and trust.

What does it take to change the perception of an entire state?
Rick Milenthal and David Grzelack sit down with Ryan Squire, VP of Marketing and Communications at JobsOhio to learn the back story on why CNBC just named Ohio the best state in the country for business – rising from number 31– just a decade ago. 
Ryan shares the remarkable story behind JobsOhio’s privately funded economic development model, the strategy driving Ohio’s resurgence in manufacturing, aerospace, semiconductors and life sciences, and why marketing plays a critical role in decisions that can take companies years to make.
The conversation also goes inside the thinking behind the bold “Your Move” campaign and the power of putting people, rather than the state itself, at the center of the story. From talent attraction and community to affordability, innovation and the return of American manufacturing, Ryan explains why the stories we tell about places can ultimately help shape their future.
Plus, the group discusses the convergence of technology, connectivity and marketing, and why the human story may become even more valuable in an age of ubiquitous information and artificial intelligence.

In this deeply personal episode of Engineering Brand Love, RickMilenthal and David Grzelak speak with Dr. Luan Phan, Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University and creator of SOAR (State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience). 
Together, they explore mental health, resilience, grief, creativity, and the power of storytelling to help people feel less alone. From SOAR’s ambitious effort to transform mental health research to deeply human stories of loss and healing, this conversation is a powerful reminder that vulnerability is not weakness. It is the foundation of empathy, leadership, creativity, and real human connection.

In this episode of Engineering Brand Love, Rick sits down with Matty Ayers, founder of Tiny Wins, the world’s first “feeling studio,” to explore why the future is not just something brands predict, but something they design.
From digital interfaces and AI to urban transportation, IRL experiences and the emotional weight of modern technology, Ayers makes the case that great design is applied empathy: the intentional choices that make people feel considered before they ever arrive. Together, the conversation moves through the tension between prophecy and legacy, the role of fear and optimism in innovation, and why the most powerful brands are not simply building products, platforms or experiences, but shaping how people feel inside them.

Rewriting Discovery, Storytelling & Search
On this episode of Engineering Brand Love, Rick Milenthal sits down with Tom Howell, founder of FancyAI, alongside Shipyard partner Dave Grzelak, for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of generative engine optimization (GEO), AI-driven discovery, and the future of brand storytelling.
Together, they explore how AI platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and xAI Grok are fundamentally reshaping how brands are found, recommended, and trusted - and why creativity may become more important, not less, in the AI era.
The conversation spans everything from Reddit signals and influencer authority to personalized AI agents, the death of transactional search, and the return of authentic storytelling as a competitive advantage. Rick, Tom, and Dave also unpack the future of advertising in an AI-first world, the role of creators and podcasts in training large language models, and why the next era of marketing may reward relevance, humanity, and imagination over sheer media spend.

Engineering Brand Love explores how modern brands build trust, affinity, and emotional connection in an AI and tech-driven, performance-obsessed world.
Hosted by The Shipyard, this series goes beyond trends to unpack the real work behind brands people choose, defend, and stay loyal to.
Because brand love isn’t accidental — it’s engineered.
Coming soon to your favorite podcast app.