“Brands recognize the cultural dominance of podcasts”: global podcaster Mel Robbins talks AI, ad budgets and audience ownership

Mel Robbins is one of the world’s most listened-to podcasters, and the woman behind the “Let Them” theory — the simple idea about relinquishing control over others that led to her chart-topping namesake podcast, a number one New York Times best-selling book, and a phrase that has taken on a life of its own across social media. Robbins attended the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity for the very first time last month — a rare step outside of the empire she’s built. “I’m so focused on running my business, I don’t often extract myself out of it to go to big events.” But having been asked to attend with her ad sales partner, SiriusXM, 2026 was…

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