Dave Of The Dead Podcast

About Dave Of The Dead Podcast

Dave of The Dead is a candid, insight-rich podcast where host and lifelong entrepreneur David Chitel, goes beyond the surface of success and failure to explore the pivotal moments that define who we become. Rooted in the show's four core pillars, each episode moves fluidly from a sharp thematic hook to personal reflections and deep unfiltered conversations with guests about the truths they've learned along their journey. The show leans into real stories about life decisions, business battles, bold reinventions, and the kinds of enduring lessons that shape our character, our craft and our entire lives. Dave of The Dead gives listeners something rare: the mindset, stories, and wisdom of remarkable people told without polish, pretense, or performance — only the human truth that leads to real growth.

Publisher

David Chitel

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Dec 2025

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Ep. 10 - Karina Martinez - CEO & Co-Founder, DRAFTED

   On this episode of Dave of the Dead, I sit down with Karina Martinez, an entrepreneur who turned an unconventional start to her career into a journey of building businesses, challenging assumptions and spotting opportunities others were missing. Karina shares how she went from struggling to find her place in traditional workplaces to building her own agency and eventually launching DRAFTED, a sports culture media company built around the Latina fan. We dig into why Latina sports fans represent a massive cultural and economic opportunity, why community should come before business, and what the sports industry still gets wrong about this audience. Karina also opens up about ADHD, failure, vulnerability, identity and what she's learned from challenging traditional ideas about where and how she's supposed to fit in. It's a candid, funny and inspiring conversation about betting on yourself, seeing opportunity differently and turning what makes you different into an advantage.

2. 

   29 Jun 2026

   Ep. 9 - Marissa Solis - SVP, Global Brand & Consumer Marketing, NFL

   On this episode of Dave of the Dead, I sit down with Marissa Solis, one of the most influential marketers and cultural strategists I've had the privilege of knowing. Marissa has spent her career at the highest levels of corporate America, helping shape iconic brands at Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and now the NFL. But what has always impressed me most isn't her résumé, it's the person behind it. We talk about her journey from being the daughter of Mexican immigrants and restaurant owners in South Texas to becoming one of the most respected executives in America. Along the way, we explore the loss of her father, the work ethic that shaped her, the pressure and privilege of representation, and the lessons she's learned navigating rooms that weren't always built with people like us in mind. We also dive into business, culture, and leadership, what it really takes to reinvent yourself over and over again, why so many companies still misunderstand Latino consumers, and how organizations like the NFL think about growth, influence, and relevance in a rapidly changing America. Marissa shares her perspective on everything from the business strategy behind Bad Bunny and the NFL to the future of multicultural marketing and leadership. As always, Dave of the Dead goes beyond titles and accomplishments. We talk about legacy, belief, family, resilience, and the idea that the most important thing people remember about us isn't what we achieved, it's who we were while we were achieving it. This is a conversation about culture, identity, ambition, and the power of staying true to yourself while changing the game around you. I think you're going to love it.

3. 

   26 May 2026

   Ep. 8 - Luis Miguel Messianu - Founder & CCO, MEL

   In this episode of Dave Of The Dead, I sit down with advertising legend and multicultural marketing pioneer Luis Miguel Messianu, and we go deep. From arriving in the U.S. as an immigrant with an outsider's perspective, to building MEL into one of the most influential multicultural agencies in America, Luis shares what it really took to stay relevant while culture itself was reshaping the business world around him. We talk about identity as strategy, not limitation, and how Luis saw long before most brands did that culture wasn't a niche — it was the future of America itself. What followed was decades of pushing against convention, building through uncertainty, navigating reinvention, and learning how to lead while entire industries were evolving in real time. But the conversation really shifts when we get into legacy, mortality, relevance, and the emotional weight that comes with spending your life building something meant to outlast you. For me, this one is about evolution, conviction, and what it takes to keep reinventing yourself without losing who you are in the process.

4. 

   20 Apr 2026

   Ep. 7 - Gaby Natale - Entrepreneur, Host and 3x Emmy Winner

   In this episode of Dave Of The Dead, I sit down with Entrepreneur, TV Host and 3x Emmy Winner, Gaby Natale, and we go deep.  From leaving Argentina with a vision of what her life might be, to realizing quickly in the U.S. that no one was coming to choose her. What followed was a series of bets on herself.  Building SuperLatina from nothing, choosing ownership over visibility, and pushing through the fear that came with it until the first signs it was actually working. We talk about identity as leverage not something to dilute and how she turned being an outsider into an advantage, ultimately becoming a category of one. But the conversation really shifts when we get into the year everything changed when success collided with a breast cancer diagnosis, forcing her to confront mortality, fear, and who she actually was without all of it. For me, this one is about what it takes to stop waiting, build your own lane, and have the clarity to evolve, letting go of what no longer serves you so something stronger can take its place.

5. 

   22 Mar 2026

   Ep. 6 - Javier Farfan - Founder, J Wolf Advisors

   In this episode of Dave of the Dead, I sit down with my longtime friend and powerhouse operator Javier Farfan—an executive who's helped shape culture and commerce from the inside at places like the NFL, Roc Nation, Verizon, Walmart, and beyond. We go deep on what it really means to move at the intersection of culture, brand, and business—and how Javier has consistently stayed ahead of where the world is going, not where it's been. From building game-changing partnerships to navigating some of the biggest platforms in sports, music, and retail, this conversation is about pattern recognition, positioning, and playing the long game. We also talk about the evolution of Latino influence across major institutions, what brands still get wrong about culture, and how the next wave of operators will win by owning both distribution and narrative. Javier shares lessons from inside the rooms where billion-dollar decisions get made—and what it takes to not just get a seat at the table, but to redefine it.

6. 

   3 Mar 2026

   Ep. 5 - Susie Jaramillo - CEO, Encantos

   In this episode of Dave of the Dead, I sit down with my longtime friend and colleague Susie Jaramillo—an Emmy-nominated director, artist, and the CEO/co-founder of Encantos, the company behind Canticos, the beloved bilingual kids brand helping families raise confident, culturally rooted children. We go deep on identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to build purpose-driven IP—plus Susie's perspective on fearlessness and the stories that shape who we become.  We also talk about growing up "Venezo-gringa," turning art into enterprise, and building culturally rooted children's media at scale.  Susie's leap from agency life to entrepreneurship, the role of purpose in building enduring brands, and why authenticity matters even more in the age of AI are also part of this episode of Dave of the Dead.

7. 

   10 Feb 2026

   Ep. 4 - Mark L. Madrid - CEO & Founder, Breakthrough Mavens

   Reinvention doesn't always arrive with fanfare. Sometimes it comes through pressure, loss, and moments where the path forward isn't obvious—but staying still isn't an option. My guest on this episode of Dave of the Dead, Mark L. Madrid, knows that kind of reinvention intimately. He's a strategist, a former federal leader, and a lifelong advocate for small business—but more than that, he's someone who has learned how to carry ambition and humility at the same time. Mark's journey stretches from rural Texas and migrant farm worker roots to Wall Street, Stanford, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Along the way, he faced discrimination, isolation, anxiety, and personal tragedy—experiences that quietly reshaped how he defines success. Rather than chasing status, he chose to build a life grounded in discipline, faith, service, and resilience. This conversation isn't about titles or accolades. It's about learning to fuel yourself when no one else can. It's about starting over without bitterness. And it's about understanding that real influence isn't measured by how high you climb—but by how many people you lift as you rise.

8. 

   27 Jan 2026

   Ep. 3 - Kim Gamez, Founder, Sober(ish)

   Reinvention usually isn't a decision you announce. It takes shape quietly—through small shifts, honest questions, and choices that start to add up.  My guest on this episode of Dave of the Dead, Kim Gamez, knows that kind of reinvention well. She's a builder, a mother of five, and an entrepreneur shaped by showing up again and again—not by chasing the spotlight. She's built companies, lived the grind, and made the harder call to shut one down before starting her next chapter.  Her latest venture, Sober(ish), didn't start as a business. It started at home—experimenting with non-alcoholic drinks with her mom and questioning ideas around identity, control, and the stories we inherit without realizing it.  This conversation isn't about what Kim has built. It's about who she's become—and why the most meaningful pivots aren't driven by momentum, but by the ability to keep going when it's gone.

9. 

   13 Jan 2026

   Ep. 2 - Maribel Lara, Founder & Principal, Beget Love

   In this episode, I sit down with Maribel Lara — founder of Beget Love — to talk about what success costs when no one's watching. Maribel grew up the daughter of immigrants in New York City, became a caregiver to both of her parents, and learned early that ambition doesn't mean much if it isn't rooted in truth. We talk about grief, pressure, survival mode, and the moments that force you to grow whether you're ready or not. Maribel also opens up about her years working alongside Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee), what she learned operating at the center of a fast-moving empire, and how that experience sharpened her instincts, confidence, and refusal to wait for permission. This conversation isn't polished. It's about surrendering to hard lessons, building a life and career with intention, and passing the wisdom forward while you're still here.

10. 

    22 Dec 2025

    Ep. 1 - Evan Shapiro, Media Universe Cartographer

    In the debut episode of Dave of the Dead, host David Chitel sits down with media universe cartographer Evan Shapiro for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the moments that shape a life—and the courage required to reinvent when the old map no longer works. From growing up as a latchkey Gen-X kid to clawing his way into the entertainment business with no safety net, Evan shares the personal stories behind his outspoken public persona. The conversation moves fluidly through theater, television, corporate media, entrepreneurship, getting fired on his 50th birthday, and ultimately rebuilding a career by breaking every rule he was once told to follow. More than a conversation about media, this episode is about identity, resilience, creative risk, and being radically honest with yourself. Together, David and Evan dig into the four pillars of the show—Life, Business, Reinvention, and the Lessons That Outlive Us—setting the tone for everything to come.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.