Tyler Milakis is the Head of Brand Marketing at Charlotte's Web, a leading producer of hemp-derived wellness products. In his role, he spearheaded a full rebrand, go-to-market launches, and performance campaigns for flagship wellness products. With over a decade of experience in DTC marketing, Tyler has helped brands sharpen their voice, expand their presence, and own their markets.

Brands with rich origin stories may struggle to evolve without alienating their loyal customer base. As consumer expectations shift and competition intensifies, companies must modernize their brand while remaining true to their core values. How can brands grow, innovate, and stay relevant without losing the essence that built their trust?

According to brand marketing leader Tyler Milakis, brand evolution starts with intention and internal alignment. He advises embedding your values across every touchpoint — from packaging to messaging — and aligning your team by hosting brand days, creating guides, and maintaining consistent communication. Rather than chasing novelty or trends, innovation should solve consumer problems and remain rooted in your brand’s purpose.

In this episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani hosts Tyler Milakis, Head of Brand Marketing at Charlotte's Web, to talk about guiding a legacy brand through evolution and innovation. Tyler explains how to convey an authentic brand story, remain culturally relevant, and maintain consistency in marketing efforts.

Jerel Blades is the Head of Growth at TUSHY, which provides best-in-class bidet attachments for toilet seats. As a growth marketer, he was the VP of Growth at GOAT Foods, where he led growth for Licorice, Pretzels, Caramels, and Chocolate. Jerel began his career as an intern in fashion brand management.

In today’s consumer-led digital landscape, growth marketers must drive short-term performance without sacrificing long-term brand equity. As paid media becomes increasingly competitive and attribution becomes unclear, marketers must demonstrate their value while aligning with broader business objectives. How can growth teams build scalable strategies that protect and enhance brand value?

With a background in fashion branding and performance marketing, Jerel Blades maintains that curiosity, business acumen, and a deep understanding of customers are foundational traits for any high-performing growth team. He stresses the importance of aligning brand and performance KPIs, using shared tools and frameworks to promote cross-functional collaboration. Post-purchase surveys and consumer insights can also address skepticism around unfamiliar products and shape more effective, empathetic marketing campaigns.

In this week’s episode of Chief Advertiser, Jerel Blades, Head of Growth at TUSHY, joins Samir Balwani for a discussion about building performance programs that support long-term brand strategy. Jerel explains how to create alignment between growth and brand teams, strategies for educating consumers in a high-consideration category, and the ideal characteristics of growth marketers.

Helen Christoni is the Senior Vice President of Ideal Living, where she leads the growth of AirDoctor and AquaTru, two of the nation’s leading clean air and water solutions brands. With over 20 years of experience in health and wellness, she specializes in building mission-driven brands through influencer partnerships, education, and community engagement. Helen has completed the Boston Marathon five times and three 100-mile ultramarathons.

Social commerce holds untapped potential for growth, but where can brands begin? Companies often focus on driving sales and ROI first without building a loyal community or a clear brand voice. How can businesses create an authentic social commerce strategy that balances education, relationships, and long-term growth?

According to marketing strategist and influencer-driven commerce expert Helen Christoni, social commerce begins with prioritizing community over immediate conversions. She emphasizes immersing yourself in industry conversations, defining ideal brand partners, and investing time in education before launching campaigns. Seeding products, building relationships organically, and hosting educational webinars have helped her create lasting partnerships and drive meaningful engagement.

In this week’s episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani sits down with Helen Christoni, SVP of AirDoctor and AquaTru at Ideal Living, to talk about scaling social commerce through education and community-building. Helen discusses managing rapid growth, overcoming tech challenges, and preparing for AI in commerce.