Scott Taylor, MBA

Saint Ignatius High School

Assistant Director of Advancement Marketing

BlkDog

We are a brand marketing agency helping small businesses, entrepreneurs, 
and dreamers build brands with purpose.

CEO + Founder

INTERDESIGN

Global Director Brand Marketing

Moen Incorporated

• Lead end-to-end campaign development including identifying target insights,
audiences, developing strategy, briefing creation, defining messaging, channel
planning, brand positioning, and content development
• Lead creative direction of above the line advertising (paid social, tv, radio) to
support key marketing initiatives and branded content
• Track and report the brand marketing data including development of feedback
loops to ensure creative is delivering against company goals, and optimizing
for short and long term impact
• Develop and communicate industry, market, and channel understanding to
advance and address business objectives
• Work collaboratively with cross functional teams on new product launches
and marketing campaigns in support of our Vision Into Action strategy
• Manage and partner with internal marketers, writers, designers, and direct
external agency partners on briefings, creative reviews, and brand activities
• Translate brand strategies into brand plans and go-to-market strategies
• Monitor market trends and research competitor’s activities to find opportunities
and report on marketing activities

Associate Brand Marketing Manager

John Carroll University

• Led strategy and execution of creative, marketing, and web projects to
support John Carroll University’s strategic marketing efforts
• Led creative, brand, and web strategies including positioning, digital,
social media, and web management
• Co-led athletics rebranding process between 2018-2019
• Developed and enhanced brand positioning and brand guidelines
• Increased in-house creative capabilities including adding video and animation
• Led the visual direction of John Carroll University’s new website in 2019,
including consultation of UI/UX brand experience
• Directed external resources including a team of writers, photographers,
marketing specialists, and digital teams to execute strategic brand initiatives
• Coached and mentored team members on professional development growth
opportunities including training on brand marketing best practices

Director of Marketing and Creative Services

Director of Creative Services

Senior Graphic Designer

University Hospitals

• Lead designer for key accounts including The Cleveland Browns, UH Harrington
Heart & Vascular Institute, Corporate Communications, and Human Resources,
Sports and Orthopedics, Institutional Relations & Development
• Partnered with marketing and communications teams to produce the highest
standard of brand collateral to meet hospital objectives and enhanced brand
awareness across all marketing channels.
• Collaborated with senior leadership on system initiatives including evolving
processes, products, and tools

Graphic Designer

Sherwin-Williams

• Executed, coordinated, distributed, and supported Sherwin-Williams Protective
& Marine (PM) marketing and brand initiatives for North America
• Designed marketing and sales collateral including sell sheets, brochures,
print and digital ads, and event materials supporting North America and
Global sales strategic efforts
• Developed and managed the PM divisions’ first online digital magazine,
e-Coating Solutions, over 40,000 subscribers globally

Graphic Designer + Marketing Specialist

Co-Founder @ BlkDog, Brand Marketing Agency For Small Businesses | Connecting People + Brands to Purpose | Creative, Leadership, Strategy

Hi! I'm Scott. 

I'm a creative turned brand marketing leader. I'm here to share my experiences, life lessons, ideas, network, and help others. 

In addition, I am a…
🔸 Proud Father and Husband 
🔸 Cleveland Sports Fan - Go Browns, Guards, Cavs
🔸 Foodie - I love cooking and discovering new restaurants and breweries
🔸 Traveler - Travel changes us. It's the gateway to growth and creativity.
🔸 Lifelong Learner - Growth is never done. I love learning new skills and ideas to keep things fresh. 

I graduated with an MBA from John Carroll University and Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication Design from the University of Dayton. 

I have over 14 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, brand, and creative design. I’ve had the privilege to work in several roles in varying industries including Manufacturing, Higher Education, Healthcare, Technology, Security, Art & Design, Law, Software, Event Planning, Athletics, Health & Wellness. 

My diverse professional experiences have helped me remain agile, innovative, and focused on growth as a person and professional. Lifelong learning is at my core. Of course I wouldn't be where I am today without countless talented and incredible mentors, colleagues, and partners who have pushed me to continue growing. 

• Creative Direction 
• Marketing Strategy
• Integrated Marketing & Communications  
• Digital Marketing 
• Social Media and Content Strategy  
• Brand Strategy
• Agency Management 
• Advertising and Paid Media Execution
• Project Management 
• Team and Staff Development 
• Executive Leadership 

In addition to my full-time work experience, my wife and I founded a brand and design company, BlkDog. We focus on supporting other small businesses, entrepreneurs, & dreamers. We believe in supporting the local Cleveland community and small business owners to achieve their goals by partnering with our team on branding, design, and strategic marketing.

To learn more about our agency BlkDog, visit www.goblkdog.com 

 *All my experiences and opinions shared here are my own.

Director of Global Brand Marketing

Lindsay Rosenthal

Founder | Creator | Strategist | Building AI, Leaders, & Ideas That Move Markets

For sponsorships + booking + speaking: hello@cred.marketing
------
I build AI, leaders, products, and ideas that move markets.

As a founder, creator, and strategist, I’ve taken products from concept to market, scaled sales engines, built teams, and created campaigns that drive both revenue and cultural relevance. Deeply integrating AI in every step of the way. 

My experience spans SaaS, AI, B2B, and beyond, working alongside the companies and executives shaping tomorrow’s most important industries. (Would love to work with yours!)

I operate where innovation meets execution. 
Blending the reach of a creator, the precision of a strategist, and the perspective of an AI founder who has built and scaled from the ground up. 

The result: content, campaigns, AI, and go-to-market strategies that cut through the noise and position brands at the forefront of their markets.

Founder

1 month of content in 1 hour

The playbook I use to see trends early:

(my unfair advantage going into 2026)

I’ve led top brand campaigns w/ some of the coolest companies.
And right now, I’m deep in planning mode for what’s next.

A huge focus for me is spotting where trends actually start.
Then plugging campaigns into those moments.
Cutting in while people are still deciding.

Cause this messy middle (where Q’s repeat, opinions clash, community hangs) is where the real signal lives.

That’s why Reddit for Business is ranking at the top for me right now.
I use Reddit to:

- uncover golden audience insight from authentic convos
- activate audiences before they’ve made up their minds
- carry signal all the way through the funnel without losing trust

One example: I used Reddit Pro keyword tracking to spot a pattern forming across multiple communities. That signal showed up weeks before it appeared on other platforms.

We shaped the campaign around that language. Message landed immediately. Performance followed.

My 2026 system looks like this:
listen first → identify repeated intent → shape the narrative → then distribute.

The real edge now isn’t louder marketing. It’s understanding people earlier andddd meeting them while they’re already deciding.

That’s the playbook I’m building around.

Reddit is such an unfair advantage.

You can even sign up here with Reddit Ads to earn $500 in ad credit when you spend $500!!

LINK: https://lnkd.in/ghXdVeB6

feeling overwhelmed with content for 2026?

it might not be a content problem
but an AI tool stack problem.

too many tools, tabs, workflows would drive anyone crazy.

more AI hasn’t made content better.
it’s made it heavier.

the best creators I know aren’t running massive stacks.
they’re using 4 tools max.

because fewer decisions means more brain space saved.

here’s the stack to simplify your workflows:

𝟭. 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿
something to help you pressure-test ideas, structure thoughts, sharpen voice, get unstuck.

𝟮. 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹
used sparingly for clarity and flow.

𝟯. 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀
catch thoughts fast!

𝟰. 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺
a calendar, checklist, or light scheduler to help you stay consistent + intentional.

that’s it.
everything else is complexity disguised as productivity.

AI should reduce friction, not add it.

if your stack feels heavy, that’s the signal.
simplify!!

Biggestttt messaging mistake brands will make in 2026:

(and how to easily avoid it)

Using messaging to talk at customers instead of with them.

For years, one-way alerts felt fine.
They delivered the update.
They technicallyyy did the job.

But customers have moved on.
Nearly 1 in 3 people already find one-way brand messages annoying (Sinch). 
And once something feels annoying, it’s already working against you.

People are used to conversations now. 
On social, the brands that win reply, show up in the comments, are present where te customer is. 

That same expectation is quietly moving into inboxes, messages, and voice.

At the same time, AI changes the math:
 • brands can handle way more back-and-forth without blowing up teams
 • AI agents don’t just wait for Q’s, they reach out first (reorders, reschedules, support before friction hits)

So messages stop being dead ends, and instead turn into conversation!
And those conversations turn into trust.

The brands that get this right in 2026 won’t feel louder.
They’ll feel easier. More human. 
And people will pay for that.

Sinch killed it with their 2026 Customer Communications Trends.
Leans in deeper to where brands can truly get ahead today. 

Worth the time if messaging touches your customer experience at all:
https://lnkd.in/gw3yJ5G7

#SinchPartner

Brand partnership • Founder | Creator | Strategist | Building AI, Leaders, & Ideas That Move Markets

The Most Common Messaging Mistake Brands Will Make In 2026

how to prevent scaling the wrong ideas:

(despite what AI tells you!)

AI is making bad ideas scale faster than ever.
but the problem isn’t AI’s.
it’s us hitting publish too fast.

something sloppy, half-baked, or just wrong can now reach hundreds, thousands, even millions, before anyone notices.

so how do you avoid amplifying mistakes?

pressure-test your thinking first.

here’s how:
1. slow it down
don’t hit publish right after generating a post.
take a breath. review. reconsider.

2. read it out loud
does it sound like you?
does it convey what you actually mean?

3. flip perspectives
what would a critic say? 
what would someone outside your industry think?
(critics aren’t the end-all, but can be worthy of thought)

4. share with another human
even one person spotting a gap can save you a lot of trouble.

your job isn’t to make more content.
it’s to make better content.

slow down.
pressure-test.
then scale.

I’m revealing my 3 layer storytelling strategy:

(copy my hack for better, more human outputs!!)

AI can generate words, but it can’t automatically tell your story the way your brand does.

to get consistent, on-brand output, teach the model your narrative in 𝟯 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀:

𝟭. 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀
define the principles your brand stands for.

 • write 2-3 sentences describing your values.
 • prompt AI: “use these beliefs as the foundation for all messaging”
   example: “we believe marketing should build trust, not just clicks”

𝟮. 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀
collect stories, case studies, or examples that capture your voice.

 • list 3-5 recurring stories or wins.
 • prompt AI: “reference these examples to illustrate points naturally”
   example: “highlight how brands scale with AI while keeping human creativity central”

𝟯. 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲
document recurring phrases, terminology, and tone.

 • compile 5-10 phrases or words you always use.
 • prompt AI: “write content using this tone, language, and style consistently.”
   example: “always lowercase, concise, educational, with punchy takeaways”

𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲:

 1. feed all three layers to the model before generating content
 2. ask AI to produce the first draft
 3. review, tweak, and add new examples to refine outputs

the better you teach, the less editing you need.
and AI becomes a true storytelling partner.

everyone’s asking how to use AI for content in 2026.
but that’s not really the question.
the real advantage is knowing what AI can’t do.

AI can generate ideas but it can’t live the moment that led to them.

AI can summarize what happened but it can’t show the tension while it was happening.

AI can clean up copy but it can’t recreate the back-and-forth, the second guessing, the almost wrong call.

that gap is where the human opportunity is.
in 2026, the content that actually works will be more real.
really, truly, real.

what to share instead of generic AI content:
• the decision you went back and forth on
• the thing that didn’t work + why
• what surprised you this week
• how something actually got approved
• what you changed after seeing real results
• the part of the process you normally skip over
• your real personality and human-ness

so show the tradeoffs, constraints, the imperfect execution.
what makes us truly humans, all giving our best go at this.

bc people don’t trust you because you sound smart.
they trust you because they understand how you think.

AI will keep raising the baseline.
but ultimately humans still win on depth and being real.

lately i’ve been scrolling past things that would’ve stopped me cold six months ago.
beautifully edited, smart, technically impressive.

and my brain just goes…to the next.

at first i thought maybe i was just becoming harder to impress.

i make a lot of content. i consume a lot of content. maybe this is just what happens?

but the more i paid attention to my own scrolling, the clearer it got.
it wasn’t that the content was bad.
it was that it felt finished.

everything sounded confident, correct, all the same.

the stuff that actually made me stop was messier and more specific.

AI makes it easy to produce competence at scale, but competence alone just doesn’t hold attention anymore.

i think we’re hitting a recalibrating point.

the stuff that’s working right now lives in the messy middle
where AI can’t really touch it. taste, specificity, humanness.

maybe that’s the era we’re actually entering this year.
the era of unapologetically humaness.

If you’re still catching up on Davos, I did the heavy lifting, compiling all AI takeaways. Here’s what you need to know:

SO much just happened. Keynotes from Nadella, Huang, Musk, world leaders.

All pointing towards what’s next for tech, AI, business.

The internet flooded with takes, quotes, hour long interviews.

But needed a really on point complete rundown.

Found I could use Superagent, a new AI product launched by Airtable to spin up so multiple specialized AI agents at once to help me out:

 • 1 researching across panels, interviews, and policy discussions
 • 1 analyzing themes and contradictions
 • 1 synthesizing everything into a single, coherent narrative, etc!

And the final Super Report it creates is insane!

You can check out / use my insights here, the future of AI from the global leaders themselves: 
https://lnkd.in/giPg-4zx

Exhaustive research, fully cited, interactive modules, expandable sections, stunning.

Am I sharing this with everyone I know right now? Haha yeah.

And if you want to make your own report too, check out Superagent here! 
https://lnkd.in/g3zsrz7E

Also use my code LINDSAY2FREE for 2 months free of Superagent!!

#SuperagentPartner #ad

and the winners are!!!

the top marketing campaigns that won in 2025:
(in our humble opinions)

𝟭. 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘅 𝗚𝘄𝘆𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘄
love how a deeply technical platform paired with a wellness/lifestyle persona.

this seemed to sell a feeling of calm, control, sophistication (no product demos here!)

enterprise software that feels premium, and they nailed it.

𝟮. 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗮 - 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀
Bowlmates absolutely crushed it with building community + identity around their dating show.

so fun to watch + kept people coming back for more!

this creativity is exactly how you create loyalty in a world of endless options.

𝟯. 𝗟𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗱𝗶 𝘅 𝗔𝗹𝗱𝗶
leaned into humor, self awareness, internet culture in a way that felt native to both the artist and the brand. 

Aldi didn’t borrow Lewis Capaldi’s audience, they shared a joke with it. 

this is the difference between sponsorship and cultural relevance. take notes here!!

𝟰. 𝗬𝗮𝗵𝗼𝗼 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗮𝗵𝗼𝗼 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲
“touch grass without ever having to log off”

this April fool’s joke turned actual product was a modern revamp for a legacy internet brand

such a fun, chaotic, tapped-in campaign that actually got people talking about Yahoo.

𝟱. 𝗔𝗯𝗯𝗶 𝗗𝗶𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼 × 𝗟𝘆𝗳𝘁
this is what creator partnerships are supposed to look like!! 

the content felt like Abbi, not like an ad. Lyft didn’t try to force it. 

niche but powerful creator show how the product fits into her actual life. 
hats off here to Abbi and Lyft both!!

overall, it was a year of marketing that finally stopped trying to impress marketers and started trying to impress real people again.

and we are here for it!

here’s to 2026 and what it will bring next.

the results are in!!

here’s the 5 AI companies that won in 2025:
(based on our humble opinions)

𝟭. 𝗡𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮 
(enough said here, just a massive powerhouse overall)

𝟮. 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲
Gemini, Nano Banana, etc. grew leaps and bounds this year above other LLMs.
effective AI integration into the entire Google Suite proved successful. 
plus, this year will be huge as they avoid Nvidia GPU bubble w/ own TPUs.

𝟯. 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝗾
huge win with Nvidia buying them EOY 2025. congrats to them!!
powerhouse in the inference game.

𝟰. 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁
THE AI powerhouse encompassing all areas of hardware, software, cloud, etc.
Copilot making waves, Azure making waves, aqcuirements making waves, excited to see what 2026 brings!
	
𝟱. 𝗔𝗠𝗗
compute only becoming ever-more key with each year.
positioned perfectly to ride the wave / solve the issues on the horizon here.

who else would you add to the list? 
who do you see rising up in 2026?

the 2025 creators who won the year:

(we highly recommend following if you don’t already!!)

1. Brandon Smithwrick
Brandon (+ his newsletter Content to Commas) seemed to be everywhere this year. 
events, collabs, articles couldn’t get enough of him.

2. Corporate Natalie
she’s a classic and we love her (as do millions of others)
comedy with a professional spin that can’t ever go wrong here on LinkedIn.

3. Madhav Mistry
information-packed and highly-saveable content.
we were so impressed by how quickly he grew this year (doubled?? tripled??)
expect to see him everywhere in 2026!

4. Marina Mogilko (Silicon Valley Girl)
bringing a premium feel to B2B and tech.
follow her for insightful videos, tech news, and entrepreneur advice.

5. Christina Le
a socials mastermind bringing the insta/X feel to LinkedIn.
plus, real experience as Head of Marketing for B2B companies including Slate. 
excited to see what she does there in 2026!

6. Charlie Hills
another creator who exploded in popularity in 2025.
AI in content expert with real prompts, frameworks, and more.
keep up the amazing job Charlie!

who would you add to this list?
who do you see rising up in 2026?

6 traits that successful marketers have: 

(self-inventory for your 2026 goals!)

1. they don’t chase vanity metrics
engagement matters, but connection and trust matter more

2. they think in stories
each piece of content fits into the bigger narrative of the brand

3. they study the platform, not just the algo
they know what works, why, and adapt faster than anyone else

4. they’re competitive (but thoughtful)
they measure against themselves, not just the competition

5. they value action / results
title, badge, or buzzwords don’t impress them. results do

6. they learn from failures publicly
the posts that teach the most are the ones that show what went wrong + what learned

these habits are what differentiate average marketers from the ones who excel.

what habits will you cultivate this year??

taplio

The Battle

Scott Taylor, MBA

Lindsay Rosenthal

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Lindsay Rosenthal's LinkedIn Performance

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