Season 2, Ep. 1 Mae Karwowski, Obviously Founder on Pricing What Others Miss, Great Partners, and Timing the Exit.
On Season 2, Episode 1 of NEXT, host Michael Sonnenfeldt sits down with influencer economy entrepreneur Mae Karwowski, the Founder and CEO of Obviously—one of the world’s most respected influencer marketing agencies and technology platforms. Since launching Obviously in 2014, Mae has turned a single idea into the industry standard for influencer marketing, guiding global brands like Amazon, Google, Lyft, Hasbro, Ulta Beauty, and Coca-Cola through thousands of data-driven campaigns that span millions of creators worldwide.
Under Mae’s leadership, the agency has grown into a full-service powerhouse powered by proprietary technology, managing complexity at scale while delivering strategic insights that help brands connect authentically with audiences across social platforms. Mae’s expertise has made her a widely quoted industry voice in major media—from The New York Times to The Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNBC, and The Washington Post.
In 2023, Obviously was acquired by WPP—the world’s largest advertising and communications group—allowing the agency to retain its entrepreneurial culture while gaining the global scale and resources to accelerate innovation and expansion.
In this episode, Mae and Michael explore what it truly takes to build something category-defining: recognizing value before others do, pricing with intention, and knowing when to take chips off the table without losing strategic upside. They also discuss how to raise kids with grit, the importance of choosing great partners, and the upside of liberal arts majors. Listeners will hear candid insights on leadership, scaling teams and tech, the evolution of influencer marketing, and how Mae’s perspective on value and timing continues to influence her approach to business and life beyond the startup phase.
Whether you’re building a new category, navigating an acquisition, or thinking about what comes next, this episode offers rare wisdom from someone who helped shape an entire industry.