From Procter & Gamble To Reebok To The Classroom: Roseann Hassey On Marketing, Travel, And What Really Matters

Get in Touch with Dan by Texting Now

Ever wonder how a brand story becomes a life story? I sat with Dr. Roseann Hassey—P&G alum, Reebok leader in women’s fitness, and University of Cincinnati professor—to trace the thread that ties marketing, travel, and purpose together: people first, always.

We begin with origins that aren’t tidy: a first car she never got to drive, a tight early job market, and the moment she chose brand management because it felt like leading the communities she already loved. That decision opened doors at P&G, where ownership and curiosity shaped her craft. Then came Reebok, where she helped steer a pivotal shift in women’s fitness—from “sweat to win” to feeling strong, connected, and mentally well. She unpacks how a women’s sneaker solved real pain, how apparel tech and style redefined the gym, and why Reebok briefly outpaced Nike by listening harder and building for real needs.

The conversation then turns to AI and the modern marketing toolkit. Roseann is refreshingly candid: tasks compress, teams evolve, and the bar for thinking rises. Yet the fundamentals refuse to budge—define a human, learn their world, and earn trust with clear value. Tools can draft; only people can care. Her teaching lens reveals what today’s marketers must cultivate: curiosity, critical thinking, and a bias toward action that starts with interviews, journeys, and friction points that make life meaningful.

Woven through are road miles and wonder. A mother–daughter drive to the Pacific makes the nation’s vastness visible and its politics legible. Dawn on the Serengeti reframes time. The Dolomites’ hut‑to‑hut trails and the pyramids on Cairo’s edge remind us that good strategy is humble before history and place. We wrap with a north star you can use today: it’s always about the people—students, teammates, customers, family—and the promises you keep with them.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves great brand stories, and leave a review to help others find us. Then tell us: what journey reshaped how you see the world?

The World Food Program: https://wfpusa.org/

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful: https://www.keepcincinnatibeautiful.org/