North Star Leaders

Built to Belong with Rick Brooks

Culture isn't what's written on the wall - it's what people actually do when nobody's watching. So how do you build a company where employees act like owners, customers feel like they belong, and brand values drive real business results? In this episode, Lindsay speaks to Zumiez CEO - Rick Brooks, who shares how a deeply embedded culture has shaped one of retail's most distinctive brands, why individuality matters more than ever, and what leaders get wrong when they treat culture as a slogan instead of a system. You'll hear them discuss: * How Zumiez built a culture where employees are empowered to own their business and make decisions locally * Why teaching, learning, competition, and recognition sit at the center of the company's success * The connection between strong culture, flat organizational structures, and leadership trust * How Zumiez serves a specific customer who values individuality and self-expression over fitting in * Why physical retail still matters in an increasingly digital world, especially for younger generations * The role brand positioning plays in creating pricing power and long-term customer loyalty * How staying committed to core values helps businesses adapt and evolve without losing their identity Resources: Rick Brooks on Zumiez [https://www.zumiez.com/] | Find Zumiez Store [https://www.zumiez.com/stores] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-brooks-68aaa0108/] Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! [https://ironcladbrandstrategy.com/contact] | Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypedersen/]

Scaling Stories with Ali Albazaz

Brand isn’t just a logo. Culture isn’t just a mission statement. And customer obsession isn’t something you put in a slide deck. In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Ali Albazaz, CEO of Inkitt, to explore how a company built on AI, storytelling, and relentless customer focus grew from a scrappy startup into a global entertainment platform with more than a million paid subscribers. Ali shares why brand strategy became a turning point for the company, how talking to users every single week shapes product decisions, and why building a business that lasts 100 years requires far more than growth hacks and ad spend. You’ll hear them discuss: * How Inkitt is building what Ali calls the “operating system for storytellers” and transforming stories into books, movies, and franchises * Why reaching a growth ceiling forced the company to get serious about brand positioning and customer recall * The role word-of-mouth played in scaling beyond paid acquisition and accelerating growth * How weekly customer calls help every employee develop empathy and stay connected to the people they serve * Why Ali spends hours each day deep in product development despite leading a fast-growing company * The thinking behind creating distinct brands for different audiences instead of putting everything under one umbrella * How customer understanding, not competitor watching, became one of the defining principles of Inkitt’s culture * A first look at Ironblood, Inkitt’s newest platform focused on superhero, action, and sci-fi storytelling Resources: Ali Albazaz on Inkitt [https://www.inkitt.com/] | Galatea [https://galatea.com/] | CandyJar [https://candyjar.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alialbazaz/] Bill Conti - ''Gonna Fly Now'' (Theme from Rocky) on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioE_O7Lm0I4] Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! [https://ironcladbrandstrategy.com/contact] | Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypedersen/]

Collective Brain with Bryan Law

How much of your buying decision is actually rational? And how much of it was made long before you ever started comparing options? In this episode, Lindsay Pedersen sits down with Bryan Law, CMO at Nerdio, for a fascinating conversation about the neuroscience behind marketing, why consistency drives growth, and what stories can teach us about influence and decision-making. Drawing on research, psychology, and years of marketing leadership experience, Bryan shares how brands can earn a place in people's minds long before buyers enter the market. You'll hear them discuss: * Why consistent brand messaging helps companies grow faster and what research reveals about the "collective brain" * The difference between being distinctive and being differentiated, and why one matters far more than most marketers realize * How emotion, memory, and storytelling shape decisions, even in high-stakes situations where people believe they're being completely rational * What courtroom psychology can teach marketers about influence, persuasion, and the power of a compelling narrative * Why most buying decisions are heavily influenced before a customer ever enters the sales process * How AI and synthetic audiences are helping companies uncover hidden customer insights and better understand buyer behavior * Creating alignment across marketing, sales, and customer-facing teams to build a stronger, more consistent brand experience Resources: Bryan Law on Nerdio [https://getnerdio.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanbasdenlaw/] Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! [https://ironcladbrandstrategy.com/contact] | Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypedersen/]

Stay Curious with Gautam Mehandru

AI is making it easier than ever to create content, but also easier than ever to disappear into the noise. So how do you actually stand out when everything starts to sound the same? And what does it really take to balance short-term results with long-term brand in a world that’s moving this fast? In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Gautam Mehandru, SVP of marketing at CrowdStrike, to talk about navigating modern marketing, leading through change, and why curiosity might be your most important advantage right now. You’ll hear them discuss: * How Gautam’s path from engineering to marketing shapes the way he solves problems and leads teams * Why data isn’t optional anymore and what happens when decisions are driven by opinion instead * The real impact of AI on marketing today, including the rise of “AI slop” and how to cut through it * What it takes to stand out in crowded, noisy industries where everything starts to look the same * The ongoing tension between brand building and driving pipeline - and how to navigate both * Why alignment between sales and marketing matters more than ever in a full-funnel world * How staying curious (especially about AI) can be the difference between staying relevant or falling behind Resources: Gautam Mehandru on CrowdStrike [https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gautammehandru/] Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! [https://ironcladbrandstrategy.com/contact] | Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypedersen/]

The Meaning with Lindsay Pedersen

Is your brand working for you or just existing by accident? In this bonus episode, the tables turn on host Lindsay Pedersen as podcast producer Megan Dougherty steps in to interview Lindsay herself. Lindsay shares the thinking behind her approach to brand strategy, why she can't stand the term "personal brand," and what it actually takes to build something people remember. You'll hear them discuss: * Why every business has a brand whether they like it or not and why ignoring that is a mistake * The difference between a brand that gets liked and one that gets loved, and why only one of them drives real growth * Why Lindsay thinks "personal brand" is a dilution of what brand actually means, and what she'd call it instead * How her time managing household products at Clorox shaped the way she thinks about customers and why a big corporate brand team and a small local business aren't as different as you'd think * The case for being polarizing, and why playing it safe is the surest way to be forgettable Resources: Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! [https://ironcladbrandstrategy.com/contact] | Connect with me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypedersen/] Megan Dougherty on One Stone Creative [https://onestonecreative.net/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/doughertymegan/]