Vouched https://vouched.podbean.com Vouched is a podcast about the people the hiring system overlooks, and the humans willing to stand up and say, "I know this person, and they're good."

Hosted by Amber Meakin, each episode flips the script on modern hiring. When you apply for a job online, software usually screens your resume before a human ever sees it, and talented, qualified people get filtered out before anyone knows they exist. Vouched is the antidote: a real referral, in public, from someone who means it.

Here's how it works. Every guest is someone worth vouching for. Sometimes Amber does the vouching; sometimes she brings on the former manager, teammate, or colleague who wants to. They share the story that made them a believer. Then we meet the candidate: who they are, what they're looking for next, and the qualities a resume and an applicant tracking system will never capture. Every episode closes with the candidate paying it forward by vouching for someone they've worked with.

If you're hiring, consider this your warm intro to genuinely great people. If you're job searching, follow along. You're not a keyword or a gap on a timeline, you're a person with a track record. And if there's someone you'd vouch for, Amber wants to hear about them.

New episodes weekly. You're more than just a resume.

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:19:03 -0500 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en Copyright 2026 All rights reserved. Business:Careers 1440 episodic Vouched is a podcast about the people the hiring system overlooks, and the humans willing to stand up and say, ”I know this person, and they’re good.” Hosted by Amber Meakin, each episode flips the script on modern hiring. When you apply for a job online, software usually screens your resume before a human ever sees it, and talented, qualified people get filtered out before anyone knows they exist. Vouched is the antidote: a real referral, in public, from someone who means it. Here’s how it works. Every guest is someone worth vouching for. Sometimes Amber does the vouching; sometimes she brings on the former manager, teammate, or colleague who wants to. They share the story that made them a believer. Then we meet the candidate: who they are, what they’re looking for next, and the qualities a resume and an applicant tracking system will never capture. If you’re hiring, consider this your warm intro to genuinely great people. If you’re job searching, follow along. You’re not a keyword or a gap on a timeline; you’re a person with a track record. And if there’s someone you’d vouch for, Amber wants to hear about them. New episodes weekly. You’re more than just a resume, and this is where you get to prove it. Vouched Media, LLC Vouched Media, LLC No false https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22605734/1.png Vouched https://vouched.podbean.com 144 144 Episode 02: Tony Zubek: Static Companies Don't Win Episode 02: Tony Zubek: Static Companies Don't Win https://vouched.podbean.com/e/episode-02-tony-zubek-static-companies-dont-win/ https://vouched.podbean.com/e/episode-02-tony-zubek-static-companies-dont-win/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:19:03 -0500 vouched.podbean.com/c3a58573-e534-3adc-b691-14cc4dea71ba In this episode, host Amber Meakin vouches for Tony Zubek, a loyalty, CRM, and branded credit card leader who can set the strategy and then actually build it. Tony and Amber worked together when he ran a retail loyalty program and she was on the partner side, so she's seen firsthand how he turns a stalled program into one customers genuinely love. They get into what real loyalty looks like, why knowing your customer beats chasing points, and how he thinks about credit cards, mobile apps, and AI.

In this episode
  • Why loyalty is about how a brand makes you feel, not the points
  • Knowing your customer, and what it signals when a brand clearly doesn’t
  • Turning around a stalled loyalty program: audit, diagnose, and bring loyalty closer to the brand
  • Rewarding customers for keeping their profile current, and why fresh data drives repeat business
  • Why loyalty has to evolve with the customer: static companies don’t win, dynamic ones do
  • Untangling fragmented, multi-brand programs into one that works
  • Building the MarTech stack: in-house versus vendor partners, and why constant investment matters
  • AI as a tool, not a replacement, and why knowing how to use it is the real skill
  • Credit cards and loyalty: private label versus co-brand, depth versus reach
  • Mobile apps and gift card balances as real brand assets
  • How to actually get customers to download the app
  • What Tony is looking for next, and how to reach him
Connect

Guest

Tony Zubek

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyzubek/

 

 

Vouched

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vouched-media-llc

Website:  www.vouchedpodcast.com

 

Host

Amber Meakin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambermeakin

Email: vouched@ambermeakin.com

 

Music: "Podcast Intro Opening Talk Show" by Alex Morgan, via Pixabay.

]]> In this episode, host Amber Meakin vouches for Tony Zubek, a loyalty, CRM, and branded credit card leader who can set the strategy and then actually build it. Tony and Amber worked together when he ran a retail loyalty program and she was on the partner side, so she's seen firsthand how he turns a stalled program into one customers genuinely love. They get into what real loyalty looks like, why knowing your customer beats chasing points, and how he thinks about credit cards, mobile apps, and AI.

In this episode
  • Why loyalty is about how a brand makes you feel, not the points
  • Knowing your customer, and what it signals when a brand clearly doesn’t
  • Turning around a stalled loyalty program: audit, diagnose, and bring loyalty closer to the brand
  • Rewarding customers for keeping their profile current, and why fresh data drives repeat business
  • Why loyalty has to evolve with the customer: static companies don’t win, dynamic ones do
  • Untangling fragmented, multi-brand programs into one that works
  • Building the MarTech stack: in-house versus vendor partners, and why constant investment matters
  • AI as a tool, not a replacement, and why knowing how to use it is the real skill
  • Credit cards and loyalty: private label versus co-brand, depth versus reach
  • Mobile apps and gift card balances as real brand assets
  • How to actually get customers to download the app
  • What Tony is looking for next, and how to reach him
Connect

Guest

Tony Zubek

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyzubek/

 

 

Vouched

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vouched-media-llc

Website:  www.vouchedpodcast.com

 

Host

Amber Meakin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambermeakin

Email: vouched@ambermeakin.com

 

Music: "Podcast Intro Opening Talk Show" by Alex Morgan, via Pixabay.

]]> Vouched Media, LLC false No 2699 2 full Episode 01: Elisabeth Keller: From Loyalty Strategy to Lasting Customer Relationships Episode 01: Elisabeth Keller: From Loyalty Strategy to Lasting Customer Relationships https://vouched.podbean.com/e/episode-01-from-loyalty-strategy-to-lasting-customer-relationships/ https://vouched.podbean.com/e/episode-01-from-loyalty-strategy-to-lasting-customer-relationships/#comments Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:08:51 -0500 vouched.podbean.com/98497013-70fb-380b-9c1e-84835c4964d2 In this episode, host, Amber Meakin, vouches for Elisabeth Keller, a loyalty and customer engagement executive who rose from operations to SVP and chief client officer before founding Keller Standard. Elisabeth explains why effective loyalty depends on customer understanding, cross-functional execution, and playing the long game, not simply offering more discounts or points.

Guest:

Elisabeth Keller

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-keller/

Email: eliskeller@kellerstandard.com

Website: www.kellerstandard.com

 

Vouched

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vouched-media-llc

Website:  www.vouchedpodcast.com

 

Host:

Amber Meakin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambermeakin

Email: vouched@ambermeakin.com

 

Music: "Podcast Intro Opening Talk Show" by Alex Morgan, via Pixabay.

 

]]> In this episode, host, Amber Meakin, vouches for Elisabeth Keller, a loyalty and customer engagement executive who rose from operations to SVP and chief client officer before founding Keller Standard. Elisabeth explains why effective loyalty depends on customer understanding, cross-functional execution, and playing the long game, not simply offering more discounts or points.

Guest:

Elisabeth Keller

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-keller/

Email: eliskeller@kellerstandard.com

Website: www.kellerstandard.com

 

Vouched

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vouched-media-llc

Website:  www.vouchedpodcast.com

 

Host:

Amber Meakin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambermeakin

Email: vouched@ambermeakin.com

 

Music: "Podcast Intro Opening Talk Show" by Alex Morgan, via Pixabay.

 

]]> Vouched Media, LLC false No 2645 1 full Introduction Introduction https://vouched.podbean.com/e/introduction/ https://vouched.podbean.com/e/introduction/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:14:31 -0500 vouched.podbean.com/cede995f-76ae-3d01-8751-15e0ef76e06d In this episode, we introduce the concept of the Vouched podcast. 

 

Know someone who deserves to be vouched for? Tell Amber at vouchedpodcast.com.

Follow Vouched so the next episode lands in your feed.

 

Music: "Podcast Intro Opening Talk Show" by Alex Morgan, via Pixabay.

]]> In this episode, we introduce the concept of the Vouched podcast. 

 

Know someone who deserves to be vouched for? Tell Amber at vouchedpodcast.com.

Follow Vouched so the next episode lands in your feed.

 

Music: "Podcast Intro Opening Talk Show" by Alex Morgan, via Pixabay.

]]> Amber Meakin / Vouched Media, LLC false No 134 trailer