He took the lowest job offer, moved to Dallas with two friends, and launched e-commerce at Fossil before most people knew what it was. In this episode we sit down with John Talbott, senior marketing faculty at the Kelley School of Business, to explore his path from corporate retail to higher education. John shares why he turned down big finance firms, what made retail feel like home, and how a watch company taught him everything about branding, perceived value, and experience. He also reflects on raising a family in Bloomington, influencing future CEOs, and why he still believes brand is a promise, not just a logo.