Episodes

Kevin Oakley, Julie Jarnagin, and Jackie Lipinski discuss why great marketing is less about the message and more about the moment. From anniversaries to fishing lures to funnel metrics, the takeaway is the same: your audience determines your strategy. The right nuance can change everything. Special AnnouncementsMarket Proof Marketing Academy 2026 enrollment is nearly full. With fresh curriculum and expanded expert sessions, grab your spot now. Story TimeJulie - Who cares about 100 years? And ...

Host Kevin Oakley joins Jackie Lipinski in the studio to discuss technology, change, and the inevitability of pain. Kevin shares cogent examples (like choosing not to participate in a bad economy through a 500% tip) to illuminate counterintuitive mindset moves to keep builders moving forward. From the struggles that shape resilience to the real story of search data for builders, this episode is a reminder that you don’t have to internalize the valley, or the narrative. Story Time Jackie – Pai...

Nick Aufenkamp, founder of DIY Home Buyer Academy, joins Kevin Oakley to explore how transparency, data, and evolving buyer agency are rewriting the rules of real estate. Kevin and Nick share surprising takes on the current and future state of the Zillow + ChatGPT partnership. From start to finish, this episode is brimming with insights on what happens when buyers start leading the process themselves. AI & the Mirror EffectTech is giving us a mirror; turn it into a map New tools are revealing ...

Julie Jarnagin joins Beth Russell and Jackie Lipinski to explore what today’s challenges can teach marketers about grit, growth, and grace. From marketing merit badges to limiting factors, they discuss the perspective and strategy builders need to finish the year strong. Special AnnouncementsMarket Proof Marketing Academy 2026 is open for registration! A high-energy, hands-on virtual event designed to fast-track marketing mastery for homebuilder marketers. Space is limited - save your spot befo...

On this bonus episode, Qadra Evans, Director of Industry & Partner Engagement at Zillow, joins host Kevin Oakley for a look inside how one of the most-used housing platforms is adjusting to new demands in buyer behavior, builder engagement, and affordability. This conversation breaks down what’s evolving and how builders can interpret the signals. Tools That Reflect the MomentFrom dream browsing to financial fit: affordability filters get real Listings trends are shifting from static to cinema...

Kevin Oakley joins Julie Jarnagin and Beth Russell for conversations on ChatGPT considerations, Sora’s impact, shutdown shockwaves, and Halloween costumes. Whether you love or hate the rapid pace of change lately, this episode dives into the major shifts shaping the market and more. Special announcementsInterest in the January Market Proof Marketing Academy is at an all-time high, with a record number of people on the list. Tickets go live this week, so make sure to grab your spot before it’s ...

Fresh from the Summit, Kevin Oakley sits down with Rachel Spaugh for Office Hours to debrief on what stood out most. From how AI is reshaping content to how marketers can hand off great ideas to sales without losing trust, this one’s all about clarity, compression, and exerting creative control without chaos.

Host Kevin Oakley joins Julie Jarnagin and Jackie Lipinski to unpack the newest AI experiments, marketing shifts, and growth mindsets shaping 2026 and beyond. From Meta’s surreal new playground to the delicate relationship between builder breakthroughs and removing “limiting factors,” this episode looks at how curiosity and clarity drive progress, even when tech or timelines get in the way. Special AnnouncementsThe next Market Proof Marketing Academy is just around the corner, but the waitlist...

In this solo episode, Kevin Oakley takes you inside the room at a recent ULI panel. Builders, sales leaders, and consultants gathered to debate the toughest questions facing the industry, and Kevin is pulling back the curtain to share exactly what he was asked and how he answered. Here are the five big questions he tackled: Beyond discounts: what really drives buyer traffic? Online sales: speed or personalization? Resale vs. new: who wins when rates drop? The holy grail: is it possible to a...

Kevin Oakley and Rachel Spaugh are back in the studio for another round of Office Hours. In this episode, their discussion on AI, uncertainty, and messaging uncovers how to approach everything from fear to facts. Together they break down what to do when you need credibility and what's more powerful than certainty in your messaging right now. Tune in to learn How your leaders think you’re using AI vs how you should be using it Why objections aren’t the problem you think they are Hear Kevin bu...

In this episode, host Kevin Oakley is joined by guest Kim Sandoval, Director of Corporate Marketing for Classic Homes. Together they discuss Kim's nonlinear career path in homebuilder marketing, revealing salient reminders not to box in yourself, your career, or your company's growth with narrow thinking. As Kevin and Kim share the gift of retrospect clarity, both of their histories serve as needed reminders that every great success story has periods of expansion and contraction - on multiple le...

In this episode, Julie Jarnagin joins Beth Russell and Jackie Lipinski to discuss diagnosing hidden community issues, aligning the whole team around intent, and how to nail messaging and positioning in a shifting market. From long-form articles around behavior data to hot takes on who actually uses Bing, this one is sure to have you thinking about familiar topics in new ways.

In this episode, Kevin Oakley joins Jackie Lipinski and Beth Russell in the studio to reflect on the fine lines between lying and storytelling in marketing, the attribution lies you must know (so you can avoid them), and how creatives in our industry are inspiring the DYC marketing team. Listen closely - this short episode packs in some big questions and even bigger topics in today's ai-driven digital marketing landscape. Story Time Beth - finding secondhand joy in watching others do creative ...

As Jackie and Julie summited the heights of Mt. Rainier with camping gear in tow, marketing inspiration found them where they least expected it. Today, they’re bringing all the fresh insights back to the MPM studio to share with listeners so you can get ahead of your own end-of-year mountains to move.

In this milestone 400th episode of Market Proof Marketing, Kevin Oakley, Julie Jarnagin, and Beth Russell share some provocative takes on what happens when marketing and sales stop collaborating and start competing for credit. When marketing and sales become a marriage on the rocks, someone has to take the first step toward resolution. Learn what every great therapist knows not to do when this happens.

In this episode, Rachel returns for another round of Office Hours with Kevin. Together, they unpack one of the most misunderstood, overindexed, and emotionally charged concepts in homebuilder marketing: attribution. Rachel, still relatively new to the industry, brings the curiosity of someone learning in real time, asking the foundational questions many marketers may feel too embarrassed to raise around attribution. Kevin breaks it all down with signature clarity, diving deep into the messy inte...

Julie Jarnagin joins Beth Russell and Jackie Lipinski to talk through burnout, delegation, and the invisible work that keeps marketers stuck. This episode isn’t about perfection; it’s about momentum. And it’s a lifeline for anyone trying to hold it all together with too little time and too few resources. Summit Special AnnouncementSummit 2025 is almost here, with over 100 builders already sending attendees, many bringing their entire online sales or marketing teams. Registration closes soon, an...

Brian Boero, co-founder and CEO of 1000Watt, joins Kevin Oakley for a punchy, high-frequency conversation on how home builders can (and should) learn from the broader real estate world. With decades of insight from both agents and consumers, Brian brings a unique lens to current challenges, and opportunities, for builders navigating 2025’s volatile market. This episode previews Brian’s upcoming talk at the Online Sales & Marketing Summit, pulling from his research, fieldwork, and no-BS branding...

Kevin Oakley and Jackie Lipinski break down what sets successful builders apart in a shaky market (and why AI won’t save you if your strategy’s unclear). From underutilized CRM systems to the danger of deceptive ad automation, this one’s packed with hard truths and practical insight. Special AnnouncementsSummit is selling out at a rate of 3-4 tickets purchased per day. Don't miss out - save your spot today! Market Proof Marketing Academy for Spring 2025 is a wrap! But the waitlist for next tim...

In this debut installment of Office Hours with Kevin, Rachel Spaugh (DYC’s Marketing & Events Manager) sits down with Kevin Oakley for a grounded-yet-ambitious conversation about what it really takes to grow as a marketer. Drawing from decades of experience, Kevin breaks down the invisible steps between just starting out and true, practiced expertise. This episode unpacks the journey through technical skill-building, data fluency, strategic thinking, and leadership, all with a lens toward avoid...

No guests. No segments. Just Kevin, a porch mic, and four surf-side stories from Hilton Head to help you reset your marketing instincts. He covers: What happens when you fight the tide (and lose) Why your best data might be lying to you How to spot a shark before the lifeguard does The missed wave sitting in your CRM This isn’t a how-to. It’s a how-it-feels. And sometimes that’s the episode you need. Tune in. The ocean doesn’t wait.

Julie Jarnagin joins Beth Russell and Jackie Lipinski to tease out the topic of how to play by the rules and win. Is your team sliding into a panic-fueled (rule)bender? DYC has got you! Julie, Jackie and Beth talk mid-year pivots, market psychology, and incentives missteps, all to help you know when to break the rules vs. when to follow them. Tackling everything from Michelin guides to Groupon flops, this episode is your unofficial halftime huddle. Note: The team experienced technical difficult...

In this episode, Kevin Oakley is joined by Jackie Lipinski and Beth Russell for a discussion that speaks directly to the mental load marketers are carrying right now. They unpack what it means to feel like a firefighter, why leadership fatigue is a very real thing, and how the industry's obsession with quick fixes like AI-generated ads might be missing the point. From shifting ad expectations to reclaiming clarity in your work, this one’s packed with insight. Listen in for a refreshing dose of ...

Kevin Oakley is joined by Chris Mumford, CMO of CoStar Group Marketplaces, and Marc Regardie, Senior Director of New Construction at Homes.com. They pull back the curtain on why they want to become the most influential platform for new construction listings, how homes.com is different, and what it takes to disrupt a deeply entrenched real estate category. From Chris’s experience leading one of the largest media campaigns in real estate history to the quiet power of aligning incentives between b...