This is part two in a four-part series capturing Rokt’s conversations at the FQ LOUNGE™ during Advertising Week
In a landscape driven by metrics, AI, and scalable platforms, relationship-building is starting to feel like a lost art. But in the panel Power of the Pack®: Building Relationships That Matter, Laura Cosgrove, SVP of Strategic Accounts at Rokt, Elyssa Byck, SVP of Enterprise Partnerships and Operations at NBCUniversal, Jay Altschuler, SVP of Global Media ar Mastercard, and Alia Lamborghini, SVP of Global Revenue at Yahoo DSP, joined moderator Erica Taylor Haskins, Co-founder and Chief Relationship Officer of Tinsel Experiential Design to unpack how authentic relationships fuel long-term value, and why in-person still wins.
Radical honesty creates momentum
Each panelist reflected on formative relationships: the ones where honesty, not flattery, changed everything.
Laura Cosgrove shared how she confronted a mentor who was holding back feedback.
Just give it to me straight.” That moment of transparency became a turning point in her growth. “Once he stopped holding back, I could finally see what others were seeing.
For Jay Altschuler, mentorship began at home. His aunt, an advertising veteran, helped him break into the industry and left him with advice that stuck: “If your persistence is greater than their resistance, you win.”
Scale matters, but depth sustains
In a world optimized for reach, the panelists made the case for depth over width.
I’m not chasing scale — I’m chasing un-scale,” said Alia Lamborghini. “The real scale comes from taking care of people, doing favors, and making connections. That’s the real currency of our business.
Byck echoed the importance of presence: “We're in the office three to four days a week for a reason. Eye contact matters. Showing up matters.” Her team leans into walk-and-talks and one-on-ones designed to build connection — not just efficiency.
At Rokt, Cosgrove described a culture of in-office collaboration, powered by 71 whiteboards. “Clients walk in and we say, ‘Let’s whiteboard.’ And we mean it. Laptops down. That’s where the trust builds.”
Boundaries, bandwidth, and modern leadership
Balancing relationships with personal energy was a recurring theme, especially for leaders navigating demanding roles.
Returning from parental leave, Cosgrove shared how her structured return plan quickly unraveled. “Balance isn’t about perfect structure — it’s about knowing when to flow with the chaos. Sometimes, no boundaries is the boundary.”
Byck leads with transparency, asking every new hire to share their non-negotiables. “We’re all humans first,” she said. “If I want you to deliver your best work, I need to know what keeps you grounded.”
Altschuler and Lamborghini emphasized the need for clarity around availability and expectations. That clarity helps teams protect energy, stay focused, and move faster without burning out.
What Gen Z, and the rest of us, should remember
Looking ahead, the panelists encouraged next-gen marketers to value presence as much as performance.
“Reach out just to say, ‘I thought of you.’ No ask. No agenda,” said Byck. “That’s how real relationships grow.”
Altschuler warned against relying on digital-first interactions. “Creativity and community go hand in hand. You don’t get serendipity in a Slack thread.”
Cosgrove summed it up: “You can’t shortcut trust. If it matters, get on a plane. Sit across from someone. That’s what they’ll remember.”
Lamborghini closed with a personal touch: “We have a house phone. My kids use it to call their grandparents. They know how to have a real conversation. That’s a skill — and it’s becoming rare.”
Next in the series
Stay tuned for part three in our Advertising Week series, where we’ll explore how Elizabeth Buchanan aligns the C-Suite’s vision with action at Rokt.
See how leading marketers unlock value in the moment that matters most.
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