On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey sits down with Anthony Pierri — a former associate pastor turned marketing entrepreneur and co-founder of Fletch. Anthony’s journey from playing guitar in a church band at 13, to running a Sunday night service at one of the largest campuses of his church, to co-founding a marketing company after COVID, is a masterclass in following your calling even when the path keeps changing.
Watch the Full Episode with Anthony Pierri
From the Church Band to the Pulpit
Anthony Pierri’s story starts in the church. His first job was playing in the church band when he was about 13 years old, and from there his involvement in ministry grew steadily. He tells Ethan about how a series of opportunities led him to become an associate pastor, with one condition: he had to be enrolled in seminary. What was supposed to be a year-and-a-half degree turned into two-and-a-half to three years because Anthony was working full-time while studying.
During that time, he was put in charge of a Sunday night service at the largest campus of his church. It functioned almost like a mini church plant — Anthony and his team decided what the music sounded like, and he was preaching and speaking on a regular cadence. It was a formative experience that taught him how to lead, communicate, and build something from within a larger organization.
The Transition from Ministry to Marketing
Life eventually required a change. Anthony’s wife had been commuting from the city to the suburbs for her family’s business, and the strain of that commute pushed the family to make a shift. The move away from the city, combined with the upheaval of COVID, became the catalyst for Anthony’s pivot from pastoral ministry to entrepreneurship. He co-founded Fletch, a marketing company that works with startups and growing businesses.
Anthony tells Ethan that the transition was not as jarring as it might sound. The skills he developed in ministry — storytelling, understanding people, building community, communicating a message — translated directly into marketing. The medium changed, but the core ability to connect with people and move them to action remained the same.
Marketing Is Not Magic — It Is Mindset
The central message of this episode is captured in its title. Anthony pushes back against the idea that marketing is some mysterious dark art that only a few people can master. He explains that effective marketing comes down to mindset: understanding your audience, being clear about your message, and showing up consistently. There is no secret formula or magic trick. There is only clarity, discipline, and genuine connection.
Ethan connects with this message personally, recalling how he first met Anthony when Anthony spoke at a Chamber of Commerce event in Green Bay, Wisconsin, while Ethan was working for a startup called Talent Planner. The way Anthony communicated at that event — clearly, practically, without pretension — was what drew Ethan to invite him on the podcast.
Social Entrepreneurship and Solving Real Problems
Ethan draws an interesting parallel between Anthony’s ministry background and his current work as an entrepreneur. He points out that Anthony’s journey mirrors the concept of social entrepreneurship — using resources and skills to solve real problems in the world. Anthony’s marketing work is not about vanity metrics or flashy campaigns. It is about helping startups and businesses communicate their value clearly so they can grow and serve more people.
Anthony agrees and notes that whether he was standing behind a pulpit or sitting behind a marketing strategy deck, the goal has always been the same: help people understand something that matters and take action on it. The platform changed, but the purpose did not.
Why This Episode Matters
Anthony Pierri’s conversation with Ethan Van De Hey is a reminder that your career does not have to follow a straight line to be meaningful. If you are someone navigating a major career pivot, trying to connect your past experience to a new venture, or looking for permission to bring your whole story to the table, Anthony’s journey from the church band to the boardroom shows that every chapter of your life adds to the story you are building.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Matt LeBris: Turn Failure into Fuel for Success
- Tyler Webb: Forget the Gatekeepers: Innovation is the New Key to Success
- Dennis Yu: Adversity Builds Champions
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