Creative Friction

Leaning into Qualitative Customer Research with Ryan Paul Gibson

In this episode of Creative Friction, we welcome Ryan Paul Gibson.  Ryan shares his background in B2B sales and marketing, specifically in the franchise industry, where research played a crucial role. He shares his hands-on approach to gathering customer insights and how it influenced his marketing strategies, business development, and operations. Tune in to hear more about his journey and the lessons he learned along the way. Listen in as we speak about: * Ways customer research drives business success * The customer journey  * How to uncover customer pain points * Agile research methods with AI And much, much, more! Also — check out Ryan's incredible resource, The Definitive List of B2B Customer Interview Questions [https://www.contentlift.io/customer-interview-questions], as a way to start bringing more qualitative research into your creative work. Connect with Ryan: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-paul-gibson-69688844/] Website [https://www.contentlift.io/]  Connect with Your Hosts: The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/]  Jeff Meade [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeade/] Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] Madeline Reeves [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/] Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] or The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/], visit our websites! Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month! All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

From Content Marketing to Collaborations: Strategies for Building a Robust Sales Pipeline

In this episode of Creative Friction, Madeline and Jeff discuss the struggles that many agencies are facing in terms of generating new customers and the slow process of closing deals. They attribute this to the current economic climate and clients' hesitation to spend money on marketing. They also highlight the challenges faced by tech-related agencies and offer suggestions on how to stand out and differentiate yourself in the market. Listen in as we speak about: * How to build a strong sales pipeline * The benefits of specialization  * Effective outreach through research studies * Why you need a marketing plan And much, much, more! Connect with Your Hosts: The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/]  Jeff Meade [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeade/] Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] Madeline Reeves [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/] Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] or The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/], visit our websites! Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month! All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

Scaling Small Businesses Through Social Media with Maribel Lara

In this episode, Madeline and Jeff speak with Maribel Lara of the Sasha Group, discussing how to effectively support small business clients in developing their online presence through social media. We talk about the daily routine and week-to-week tasks involved in work, and challenges faced by clients who expect the agency to handle everything. Maribel emphasizes the need for collaboration, strategy, and a focus on the clients target audience rather than just increasing follower counts.  Listen in as we speak about: * Supporting small businesses through social media * How to empower small businesses * The importance of aligning with the right clients And much, much, more! Connect with Maribel Lara:  LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribellara/] The Sasha Group Website [https://thesashagroup.com/]  Connect with Your Hosts: The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/]  Jeff Meade [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeade/] Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] Madeline Reeves [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/] Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] or The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/], visit our websites! Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month! All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

The Harmful Effects of Rainbow Washing

In this episode of Creative Friction, Madeline and Jeff dive into the topic of Pride Month and the increasing corporatization and monetization of the LGBTQ+ community. They discuss the performative marketing strategies employed by brands during this time and the pushback from queer individuals. Join the conversation as they explore the challenges faced by creative entrepreneurs in staying true to their roots while navigating the commercialization of Pride. Listen in as we speak about: * Rainbow Washing in Pride Marketing * How Corporations can support the LGBTQ+ Community * Why we need to evaluate actions, not just words * Why brands must evolve with consumers And much, much, more! Connect with Your Hosts: The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/]  Jeff Meade [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeade/] Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] Madeline Reeves [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/] Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] or The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/], visit our websites! Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month! All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.

Aligning An Agency That Amplifies Your Impact with Ari Kryzyzek

If you grew up in America, you’re accustomed to entrepreneurial success stories left and right. You knew that if you worked hard and buckled down, you would be given your opportunities. But this isn’t the experience many people who grow up outside of the United States face. Carrying unique insight and culture outside of the common lens, entrepreneurs coming into the United States can bring a fresh perspective to the companies they join and get off the ground. The challenge is, many people don’t even know that they can have opportunities outside of their lived experience. But with opportunity, also comes challenges. In today’s episode, we are joined by Ari Krzyzek, CEO at Chykalophia, a creative technology agency that specializes in working with women-led companies to build strong brand pillars and online experiences. We discuss what it takes to grow an impact-oriented agency from the ground up, how to go about identifying and establishing a niche, and the importance of making giving back a core part of your mission as a marketing leader.  Listen in as we speak about: * What it takes to grow an impact-oriented agency from the ground up * How to go about identifying and establishing a niche * The importance of making giving back a core part of your mission * The challenges and triumphs of being an Asian woman in leadership And much, much, more! Connect with Ari Krzyzek:  LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/arichykalophia/] Chykalophia Website [https://chykalophia.com/] Connect with Your Hosts: The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/]  Jeff Meade [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeade/] Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] Madeline Reeves [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/] Thank you for listening to Creative Friction! Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. If you want to learn more about Fearless Foundry [https://www.fearlessfoundry.com/] or The Meade Company [https://www.themeadecompany.com/], visit our websites! Creative Friction is a podcast for creatives and agency owners seeking honest and practical guidance on how to grow their business. Tune in for new episodes the first Friday of the month! All audio and video recordings are owned by Madeline Reeves and Jeff Meade, recorded live every other Friday on LinkedIn, and are released once a month. Music is by Premium Beats.