Episode 513: Emily Hickey: Scaling Brands, Marketing That Converts, and Building What Lasts

Habits and Hustle

Jen Cohen

Self-improvement, Entrepreneurship, Business, Education, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 800 Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2025

⏱️ 92 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What actually makes a brand break through and stay relevant long after the hype fades? I wanted to explore that question with someone who sees behind the scenes of real growth, not just what looks good online. In this episode, I sit down with Emily Hickey to talk about what performance marketing really means, why specificity matters more than volume, and how the smartest brands focus on what is already working instead of chasing every new idea. We get into product positioning, influencer strategy, why hero products matter, and how marketing decisions connect directly to identity and behavior. We also talk about fitness, discipline, GLP-1 medications, and why building a business often forces you to build yourself at the same time. Emily Hickey is the co-founder and CEO of Chief Detective, a performance marketing agency working with leading consumer brands across Meta, Google, and social platforms. She also advises companies like Goop and Weight Watchers, helping leadership teams think clearly about growth, positioning, and longevity. What We Discuss: (00:00) Why Most Brands Stall Even With Great Marketing (07:18) What It Actually Means To Be A Top Meta Agency (14:42) Why Product Strategy Matters More Than Ads (22:05) The Biggest Mistake Early Brands Make Online (30:11) How Influencer Marketing Really Drives Sales (38:47) Why Winners Win And How To Spot Them Early (47:26) How Fitness Builds Confidence Beyond The Gym (56:02) The Real Link Between Personal Growth And Business Success Thank you to our sponsors: Prolon: Get 30% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program! Just visit https://prolonlife.com/JENNIFERCOHEN and use code JENNIFERCOHEN to claim your discount and your bonus gift. Therasage: Head over to therasage.com and use code Be Bold for 15% off Air Doctor: Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code HUSTLE40 for up to $300 off and a 3-year warranty on air purifiers. Magic Mind: Head over to www.magicmind.com/jen and use code Jen at checkout. Momentous: Shop this link and use code Jen for 20% off Manna Vitality: Visit mannavitality.com and use code JENNIFER20 for 20% off your order Amp fit is the perfect balance of tech and training, designed for people who do it all and still want to feel strong doing it. Check it out at joinamp.com/jen Find more from Jen: Website: www.jennifercohen.com Instagram: @therealjencohen Books: www.jennifercohen.com/books Speaking: www.jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagement Find more from Emily Hickey: Website: www.chiefdetective.com Instagram: @emilyhickey_official YouTube: Emily Hickey: Growth Series

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, guys. It's Tony Robbins. You're listening to Habits and Hustle. Crush it.
0:06.7	In this episode of Habits and Hustle, I sit down with Emily Hickey, co-founder and CEO of Chief Detective,
0:13.4	one of the top performance marketing agencies working with leading consumer brands across
0:18.3	meta, Instagram, and beyond. Emily is one of the sharpest
0:21.9	strategic thinkers I've come across when it comes to branding, growth, and what actually
0:26.4	drives consumer behavior. We break down what performance marketing really means and why most
0:32.4	brands waste time trying to fix what isn't working instead of doubling down on what is,
0:39.2	and how the smartest companies think about positioning, product strategy, and identity. Emily explains core principles like
0:45.4	Winners Win, SpearPoint marketing, and why specificity always beats broad messaging. If you care
0:53.1	about scaling a brand or understanding modern marketing with clarity, this
0:57.6	conversation delivers.
0:59.5	By the end, you'll see why I think of Emily as the Kara Swisher of Marketing, direct, incisive,
1:06.1	and unwilling to sugarcoat what actually works.
1:09.4	I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed having it.
1:18.9	Before we dive into today's episode, I first want to thank our sponsor, Therasage. Their trite
1:25.4	panel has become my favorite biohacking thing for healing my body. It's a portable
1:31.2	red light panel that I simply cannot live without. I literally bring it with me everywhere I go.
1:37.4	And I personally use their red light therapy to help reduce inflammation in places in my body
1:43.1	where, honestly, I have pain. You can use it on a
1:46.2	sore back, stomach cramps, shoulder, ankle. Red light therapy is my go-to. Plus, it also has
1:53.6	amazing anti-aging benefits, including reducing signs of fine lines and wrinkles on your face, which I also
2:00.4	use it for. I personally use Therisage
	...

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