Podcast Summary: Beyond Blind Blaming

Episode: The Secret to Gen Z Marketing: Proven Strategies to Earn Attention and Build Loyalty
Host: Kevin D. St.Clergy
Guest: Jake Bjorseth, Founder & CEO of Trendsetters
Date: October 28, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into the unique challenges and opportunities of marketing to Gen Z, guided by guest Jake Bjorseth’s candid experiences as a Gen Z entrepreneur and founder of Trendsetters marketing agency. The discussion explores generational mindsets, the pitfalls of "blind blaming," unlocking Gen Z engagement, and actionable strategies for brands and employers to authentically connect with younger audiences.

Jake Bjorseth’s Journey: From Student Entrepreneur to Gen Z’s Marketing Voice

• Early Drive for Leadership:
  Jake recounts his entrepreneurial roots, from lemonade stands to selling a software startup while still in high school ([03:24]).

• Necessity as the Catalyst:
  The idea for Trendsetters was born from market need during Jake’s first week of college—exacerbated by a personal setback (three jaw surgeries), granting him time to start the agency:

  “With my jaws wired shut, throwing the pain medication out and drinking coffee, I couldn't eat anything. We formed trendsetters and haven't looked back since.” ([04:53], Jake)

• Building from Nothing:
  Facing skepticism, lack of experience, and zero startup capital, Jake and his Gen Z team clawed their way up by relentlessly taking on small projects and incrementally scaling to high-profile clients like McDonald’s ([06:12], Jake).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Debunking Gen Z Stereotypes and Assumptions

• Blind Blaming on Both Sides:
  There’s a mutual cycle where employers misdiagnose Gen Z with “laziness,” while Gen Z internalizes systemic issues as personal failings—leading to mental health struggles and disengagement.

  “You blame yourself for things that are entirely out of your control... then you blame the world for extrinsic things that you'll never have control over. ...Those things need to be flipped very much so.” ([12:00], Jake)

• Generational Perspective Lacking:
  Employers often fail to account for how formative events (e.g., the 2008 crisis, COVID-19) shaped Gen Z's worldviews—especially their preference for flexible work and diverse income streams ([13:49], Jake).

2. The Root of Failure in Gen Z Marketing

• Misdiagnosing Problems (“Hammer Looking for a Nail”):
  Brands often launch campaigns driven by their own perspective, not by true understanding of their audience.

  “What brands are really fighting for is attention and trying to be understood, yet they're hyper fixated on what are the different ways we can make people understand us, rather than getting hyper fixated on understanding others.” ([01:21] & [17:00], Jake)

• The Data Disconnect:
  Despite unprecedented access to data, many brands make “Mad Men-era" decisions—relying on intuition over actionable insights:

  “It's amazing that we have more data than we've ever had before, yet we still live in a world... that we do things like Mad Men.” ([22:36], Jake)

3. Successes & Failures: Learning from Experience

• Case Study – Beverage Brand Failure:
  Jake shares a high-profile failure: A top beverage company ignored Trendsetters’ consumer insights, launching a hybrid cola/coffee product that flopped.

  “[They] weren't seeking a new answer, they were seeking validation for an existing idea... We learned that the secret of the game, which is it's not really your role as an insights partner to tell us what products to develop, it's to validate our existing ideas.” ([21:00], Jake)

• Confirmation Bias in Corporate Culture:
  Too often, leaders prioritize validation of internal ideas over genuine market listening—a costly mistake.

4. Actionable Steps for Brands & Employers

For Marketers

• Talk to Creators Directly:

  “Go talk to the biggest creators in your category and ask them three to five questions: What should our brand be posting on social media? What does this audience really engage and enjoy? ...They will do it for free because no one asks them for it.” ([25:07], Jake)

• Focus on Authentic Community, Not Just Tactics:
  Don’t chase channels or viral moments; deeply understand the cohort you’re trying to reach.

For Employers

• Customize Roles & Titles to Talent:
  Tailor job descriptions to candidates’ interests/passions; create roles that align with their strengths and career aspirations.

  “We will end up cultivating and creating a specific role for them that plays to their strengths as well as their interests and even connect it to where they want to go from a career perspective.” ([28:46], Jake)

• Eliminate Unnecessary Requirements:
  Ditch outdated degree and experience prerequisites to attract innovative thinkers from outside the field.

  “Just because someone doesn't have experience in your category, I would argue that is more often than not potentially a good thing.” ([30:49], Jake)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Building Without Fear:

  “Not knowing enough to be uncertain or to doubt ourselves was probably our biggest advantage and the only reason we survived.” ([07:55], Jake)

• On Failure & Honesty:

  “I'll tell you one that actually has a failure associated with it more than a success story. And one that didn't necessarily end well for us or our partner here. But I think those can be far more insightful than the success stories.” ([19:24], Jake)

• On Investing in Self:

  “There is more risk in the known than the unknown is something that I like to live by. And so taking risk, I think has been very advantageous.” ([35:00], Jake)

Gen Z Trends & What’s Next

• Social Commerce Explosion:
  The rise of TikTok Shop and direct on-platform commerce is “an equalizer” for creators—and a sea change for brands ([31:53], Jake).

• The Democratization of Influence:
  Brand deals are increasingly driven by actual product sales (performance), not popularity or polish:

  “It's totally about performance... can you move product? And if the answer is yes, you're going to get a ton of opportunities. So it's an equalizer... and I'm excited for everything we're building in that category.” ([32:40], Jake)

• Trendsetters’ Software Launch:
  Look out for “Sugar Sugar AI,” a new creator marketing platform, launching summer 2025 ([37:34], Jake).

Resource Links & Follow-Up

• Connect with Jake:
  • LinkedIn: Jake Bjorseth
  • Trendsetters Agency (without vowels)
• Keep Up with the Host:
  • Check out Kevin D. St.Clergy’s book “Beyond Blind Blaming” and forthcoming From Stuck to Breakthrough Challenge at blindblaming.com

Episode Timestamps for Key Topics

• Jake’s backstory & founding Trendsetters: [03:24 - 05:48]
• Challenges of youth entrepreneurship: [06:12 - 08:28]
• The blind blaming cycle & Gen Z mindset: [10:13 - 13:11]
• Confirmation bias & “They don’t want to work” myth: [13:11 - 16:58]
• The real obstacle—lack of understanding: [16:58 - 19:05]
• Cautionary tale: Beverage launch failure: [19:24 - 22:26]
• Actionable advice for brands: [25:07]
• Custom roles for Gen Z employees: [28:46]
• Social commerce trends: [31:53]
• Investing in self for sustainable success: [33:49]

Summary Tone:

Conversational, insightful, empathetic—with Jake blending industry rigor with relatable generational perspective, and Kevin steering toward practical strategies and mindset shifts throughout the dialogue.