Brand Slam: The Winning Brands Podcast was born from resilience, recovery, and a desire to give back. Its creator, (add)ventures CEO Steve Rosa, survived a life-threatening battle with COVID-19 that included a six-week coma and months of rehabilitation. After he recovered, Steve decided to launch a platform rooted in gratitude and connection, one that would spotlight real stories of how brands and leaders win.
Co-hosted with Emmy Award–winning sportscaster Joe Kayata, Brand Slam has grown into a trusted voice in marketing and business storytelling. Now approaching 50 episodes, the award-winning podcast features leaders across healthcare, sports, hospitality, media and culture, offering candid, behind-the-scenes conversations that go beyond surface-level success.
From brands like Instacart, Draftkings, Liquid Death and Amica, to sports figures like LA Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes, Argentine Football Association CMO Leandro Petersen and UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley, each episode is designed to inform, inspire, educate and entertain; breaking down complex brand challenges into clear, human insights.
The podcast is guided by five core objectives:
Brand Slam empowers brands by celebrating real victories and the people behind them proving that when you solve human problems consistently, trust and loyalty follow.
Brand Slam began as a leap of faith. When the podcast launched, its creators didn’t know if it would last beyond the first episode, but they knew what they wanted it to feel like: conversational, authentic and human. That ethos, born from founder Steve Rosa’s recovery journey, became the show’s strategic north star. Rather than overproduced interviews, Brand Slam prioritized trust, curiosity, and real conversations with people who know what it means to win under pressure.
Early momentum validated the approach. High-profile guests from sports and media helped the show chart on Apple Podcasts almost immediately, proving there was an appetite for candid storytelling at the intersection of branding, leadership and culture. From there, the strategy evolved from “getting the show off the ground” to building a repeatable, scalable content engine.
Brand Slam operates with a clearly defined editorial framework anchored in four core content pillars: Healthcare Marketing, Sports Marketing, Food & Hospitality, and Business Marketing.
This structure allows the show to remain focused while still flexible, ensuring relevance across industries while giving listeners a clear reason to return. Execution centers on thoughtful guest curation and timely storytelling. Recent episodes reflect the show’s growth and global reach:
Each episode is recorded in a guest-friendly, brand-safe environment, then strategically distributed through full episodes, social clips, and promotional assets to maximize reach and longevity. Promotion is driven by organic social engagement, guest amplification, and cross-industry networks.
At every stage, execution returns to one core belief: go beyond surface-level success. By asking better questions, embracing nuance, and centering real human experience, Brand Slam has grown from a passion project into an award-winning platform, one that proves authenticity, when executed consistently, is a powerful growth strategy.
Over the past two years, Brand Slam has evolved from a fast-rising podcast into an award-winning, globally recognized platform for brand and marketing storytelling. 50 episodes in, the show has generated more than 1 million social media impressions across platforms, fueled by consistent guest amplification, short-form video clips, and organic engagement within marketing, sports and business communities.
Brand Slam’s reach now extends well beyond the U.S. The podcast charted at #1 on Apple Podcasts in Argentina in the Business/Marketing category, underscoring its growing international audience. This global momentum was further accelerated by bilingual episodes—released in both English and Spanish—expanding accessibility and cultural relevance, particularly in sports and healthcare marketing conversations.
Industry recognition followed audience growth. In 2025, Brand Slam earned the w³ Award for Best Advertising & Marketing Podcast, judged by leaders from brands such as Disney, Microsoft, and Netflix. Last year, your judging panel named Brand Slam a finalist for Best Business Podcast, an honor we were deeply proud to receive among such a distinguished group of peers. That recognition pushed us to raise our bar even higher, bringing forward bolder storytelling, exceptional guests, and sharper marketing insights over the past year. We’re grateful for the acknowledgment and excited to return this year, hopeful to earn the win.
Collectively, these results demonstrate Brand Slam’s ability to convert authentic conversations into measurable reach, cultural relevance, and industry recognition, proving that when brands lead with humanity and clarity, audiences respond.
