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The story starts with a name and a camera, then crosses continents, kitchens, and boardrooms. Meet chef-turned-CMO Mariko Amekodommo — a career spanning broadcast journalism, Los Angeles supper clubs, and fractional marketing leadership for AI-driven companies across Vietnam, India, and now Prague. What unites it all is a relentless focus on audience—how people feel, what they need, and why every message must meet the moment.

Mariko shares how she built a culinary brand on timeless marketing fundamentals: direct outreach, clear positioning, and experiences crafted for emotion and memory. She contrasts the control of private dining with the chaos of consulting—where founders often chase virality, ignore channel–audience fit, or let ego override evidence. You’ll hear the cautionary fintech tale of the “10 million users in 30 days” promise, the Gangnam-style launch that never matched its buyers, and the reset that came from facing the real cost of attention. Her advice for early-stage CEOs is refreshingly direct: hire for your blind spots, listen, document trade-offs, and let data guide your next move.

We also dive into AI’s right role. As a CMO, she leans on it for research, analytics, and lead gen. As a host, she protects the human layer—story, presence, connection—that audiences crave after days behind screens. From robot kitchens in China to EU vs. US AI policy, Mariko argues for automating what accelerates and preserving what differentiates. Her global playbook is blunt: spend time in the market or work with locals. The standout case? North and West Africa, where TikTok exceeded expectations and a “chicken influencer” became the face of financial inclusion—proof that local truth beats HQ assumptions every time.

Come for the wild career turns; stay for the practical framework: start with the audience, align tactics to outcomes, respect culture, and keep ego out of the way. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with a founder who needs a reality check, and leave a quick review to help more curious builders find us.

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