Pitch Lab

Great ideas don’t sell themselves. Great pitches do.Pitch Lab brings Merrick Creative’s Tom Frank and communication strategist Jackie Hampton together to spotlight CEOs and founders in the middle of the real work—launching products, scaling brands, and raising capital. No fluff. No buzzword bingo. Just sharp conversations about what it actually takes to stand out.Tom and Jackie dig into the origin stories, quirks, challenges, and ambitions behind emerging brands—then flip the script. The conversation becomes the raw material for a fast, punchy 30-second content piece designed to cut through noise and stick in people’s heads.Part brand workshop, part performance, Pitch Lab is where big ideas meet bold storytelling, strategic messaging, and just enough humor to make serious ambition unforgettable.Pitch Lab is produced by Merrick Studios – where culture takes the mic.

Pitch Lab is a business podcast hosted by Thomas Frank, Jackie Hampton, with 9 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Thomas Frank, Jackie Hampton hosts Pitch Lab, a business show with 9 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #8

  Jamie Fahrner - Shake Up Cocktails

  Nov 5, 202532 minS1

  <p>This week on Pitch Lab, we’re cracking open a can of nostalgia with Jamie Fahrner, co-founder of Shake Up Cocktails — the fairground-inspired canned cocktail brand bringing the zest of the Midwest to life.<br> <br> From barbecue stands to business plans, Jamie shares how a childhood lemonade stand moment became a booming beverage brand — and how Shake Up is now inviting its community to invest through WeFunder.<br> <br> 🎡 Real fruit. Real sugar. Real spirits. Real story.</p> <p>🔗 Learn more at https://wearemerrickstudios.com/pitch-lab/jamie-fahrner</p> <p>Taste the fair. Invest in the future.</p> <p>Pitch Lab is...

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  Episode #7

  Marianna Sachse - Jackalo

  Oct 23, 202542 minS1

  <p>What do ripped knees, fast fashion, and circular economies have in common? They all show up in this week’s conversation with Marianna Sachse, founder and CEO of Jackalo, a kidswear brand built on durability, sustainability, and serious style.<br> <br> A former public health advocate, Marianna shares how she went from policy to play clothes—designing pants that can survive playgrounds and growth spurts. We talk about building a brand from scratch, the challenges of circular fashion, why her trade-in model wins customer loyalty, and how you can now invest in Jackalo through WeFunder.<br> <br> 👖 Tough clothes. Smart m...

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  Episode #6

  Mark Elias - We Could Be Heroes

  Oct 13, 202540 minS1

  <p>Actor–writer–producer Mark Elias (9-1-1: Lone Star, Lucifer, Truth Be Told, Criminal Minds, Justified, CSI) drops into Pitch Lab to unpack fifteen years of grind and how he leveled up from co-star credits to building his own slate. We get into the Beverly Hills Playhouse days, why almost every gig traces back to hustle, and the indie math of making a $1M film look like $5M. Mark previews his new project We Could Be Heroes, a fast, funny, gamer-forward crime caper in the Deadpool/Scott Pilgrim vein complete with a not-yet-announced marquee “Uncle Bob,” the cold truth about di...

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  Episode #5

  George Turkette - Turchetti’s Salumeria

  May 16, 202534 minS1

  <p>In the latest episode of Pitch Lab, hosts Jackie and Tom slice into the flavorful world of craft meats with George Turkette, CEO and founder of Turchetti’s Salumeria. From DIY pancetta in restaurant kitchens to building a premium meat brand with national reach, George shares the unfiltered story behind one of the most exciting names in charcuterie today.</p> <p>Learn more about George Turkette and the Rise of Turchetti’s Salumeria at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/pitch-lab/george-turkette</p> <p>Pitch Lab is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Merrick Chief Creative Officer, Tom Fran...

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  Episode #4

  Scott Baird - Donna’s Pickle Beer

  May 1, 202538 minS1

  <p>On this episode of Pitch Lab, we cracked open a can of Donna’s Pickle Beer and an even better story with co-founder Scott Baird—a hospitality lifer whose career spans from world-renowned cocktail bars to roadside burger joints. Alongside his longtime collaborator Josh Jankovic, Scott has created a beer that’s turning heads, dividing palates, and somehow bringing everyone together over the polarizing power of pickles.</p> <p>From a texted crayon sketch to nearly 10,000 cases shipped monthly, Donna’s Pickle Beer is more than a quirky idea—it’s a masterclass in authenticity, gut instinct, and brand storytelling...

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Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.