EP #27: From the Kitchen to the Factory Floor with Howard Rudin

EP #32: Katie Dooley on Branding as a System: Why Consistency Beats Pretty

In this episode, I sit down with Katie Dooley, founder of Paper Lime Creative in Edmonton, Canada, to talk about what branding really is, why a logo is the wrong place to start, and why consistency matters more than pretty design. Katie has been running her brand strategy and print studio for almost a decade, working with service-based businesses past the startup phase. We dig into the wedding photographer who built a brand for himself instead of his brides, why your branding guide should work like a standard operating procedure, and how print done well is one of the most underrated investments a business owner can make. If your brand feels inconsistent, or you are about to spend money on a new logo before doing the strategy work, this conversation will save you from a costly detour. In this episode: * Why a brand is every impression your business makes on every person, not just a logo * The wedding photographer mistake: building a brand for yourself instead of your ideal client * Why consistency beats pretty, and an ugly logo used consistently outperforms a beautiful one used inconsistently * The flower shop story that shows what inconsistent branding does to your customer's experience * Why branding guides are a standard operating procedure, not a creative restriction * How to think about print as a business investment, from heavy business cards to memorable mailers * Why local printers are worth finding and what kind of work they can take on Connect with Katie: * Website: paperlime.ca [http://paperlime.ca] * Email: katie@paperlime.ca [katie@paperlime.ca] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katiedooley [http://linkedin.com/in/katiedooley] * Instagram: @paperlimecreative Audio production: Huge thanks to Mike at Nielsen Audio Solutions for editing this episode. If you have a podcast and you are doing your own editing because you cannot find someone you trust, Mike is the answer. He has been editing every episode of This Might Get Creative and the difference shows. Reach out to him at Nielsen Audio Solutions [https://www.nielsenaudiosolutions.com/]. This episode is brought to you by Flodesk. Get 25% off your first year at flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES [http://flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES]. Want to know if your brand is doing its job? Take the free Brand Audit Scorecard at lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard [https://lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard?utm_source=podcast_apple&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes_scorecard]. Ten questions, five minutes, and you will know exactly where you stand.

EP #31: From SEO to AIO: How Jacki DeVries Rebuilt Around How AI Decides Who to Recommend

Search is changing in real time, and most business owners are still optimizing for the version that doesn't exist anymore. Jacki DeVries spent 15+ years in digital marketing (including time alongside Neil Patel's team) before she pivoted her business from FireUp SEO to FireUp AIO last year. The shift came after a conversation with CTOs telling her that visibility would no longer be about rankings. It would be about whether AI platforms could understand, trust, and recommend your brand. In this episode we talk about: * The real difference between SEO and AIO and why your old optimization playbook is working against you * Why AI builds a profile of your business across the entire web, not just your website * The trust signals AI looks for (and how testimonials, FAQs, and consistent profiles are doing the heavy lifting now) * Why one of her clients saw a 68% increase in AI recommendations after updating reviews on a single page * How being intentional about your audience now matters more than getting massive traffic * The FireUp framework: foundation, intent, response strategy, engagement, performance Connect with Jacki: * Website: fireup-aio.com [http://fireup-aio.com] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jackidevries [http://linkedin.com/in/jackidevries] * Instagram: @jldevries23 Want to know where your business stands in the new AI search landscape? Take Jacki's free AI Visibility Scorecard at fireup-aio.com [http://fireup-aio.com]. This episode is brought to you by Flodesk*. Get 25% off your first year: flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES* [http://flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES*] Think your brand could use some work? Take the free Brand Audit Scorecard at lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard [https://lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard?utm_source=podcast_apple&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep42_brand_strategy]and find out where you stand.

EP #30: Andrea Klunder on Podcasting as Brand Strategy: Why Your Show Has to Match Your Business

In this episode, I sit down with Andrea Klunder, founder of The Creative Impostor Studios, to talk about what podcasting really does for a business when it is working, and why so many shows stall out before they start delivering. Andrea has spent over a decade producing podcasts for arts organizations, cultural institutions, and changemakers, and she has watched the industry shift from "how do I start a podcast" to "is this one still working for me." We cover the pivot she sees happening with established podcasters, why brand alignment matters more than audience size, and the framework she uses to help business owners differentiate their show. If you have a podcast you are quietly losing faith in, or you are thinking about starting one, this conversation will give you a clearer picture of what to do next. In this episode: •       Why podcasting is one of the slowest, most effective trust-building tools in your marketing mix •       How to tell when your podcast and the rest of your business are out of alignment •       The five-pointed star framework Andrea uses with her clients, starting with differentiation •       Why solo episodes matter more than you think for booking clients •       The "100 episode ideas" exercise Andrea recommends before launching any new show •       Andrea's story: from a brick-and-mortar yoga studio that ended in bankruptcy to running a podcast production agency Connect with Andrea: •       Website: thecreativeimposter.com [http://thecreativeimposter.com] •       Free 30-minute podcast strategy call: bit.ly/behind-the-brand-pod [http://bit.ly/behind-the-brand-pod] •       Private podcast (Peace, Love and Podcasting): subscribe via thecreativeimposter.com [http://thecreativeimposter.com] •       LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andreaklunder [http://linkedin.com/in/andreaklunder] •       Instagram: @thecreativeimpostor Huge thanks to Mike at Nielsen Audio Solutions for editing this episode. If you have a podcast and you are doing your own editing because you cannot find someone you trust, Mike is the answer. He has been editing every episode of This Might Get Creative and the difference shows. Reach out to him at Nielsen Audio Solutions [https://www.nielsenaudiosolutions.com?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=].   This episode is brought to you by Flodesk. Get 25% off your first year at flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES [http://flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES].   Want to know if your brand is doing its job? Take the free Brand Audit Scorecard at lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard [https://lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=evergreen_bio_scorecard]. Ten questions, five minutes, and you will know exactly where you stand.

EP #29: From VA to Web Designer: How Katie Eberman Built a Business Around Women's Stories

Katie Eberman went from corporate admin work to stay-at-home mom to virtual assistant to web designer, and she built every part of that path by paying attention to what she actually loved doing. Today she runs Simply by Katie, designing Squarespace sites and writing copy for women in business, specifically the helpers: therapists, coaches, mortgage brokers, real estate agents. Her whole approach comes down to one thing, your website has to reflect who you are before it can work for you.   In this episode we talk about: •       Why most websites don't convert, and what a goal-driven site actually looks like •       The difference between a website that looks good and one that's built around visitor intent •       How sharing your story, including the messy parts, is what creates real connection with clients •       Why Katie stopped writing technical blog posts and started sharing women's stories instead •       What changed when she stopped performing in her marketing and started just being herself •       AI, copy, and how to use both without sounding like everyone else   Connect with Katie: •       Website: www.simplybykatie.com [http://www.simplybykatie.com] •       Instagram: @simply_by_katie •       Facebook: facebook.com/SimplybyKatie [http://facebook.com/SimplybyKatie] •       LinkedIn: Katie Eberman •       Women Who Inspire Me blog series: www.simplybykatie.com [http://www.simplybykatie.com] (apply at the bottom of any story post)   This episode is brought to you by Flodesk. Get 25% off your first year: flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES [http://flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES] Want to know if your brand is doing its job? Take the free Brand Audit Scorecard at lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard. [https://lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard?utm_source=podcast_apple&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep42_brand_strategy] Ten questions, five minutes, and you will know exactly where you stand.

EP #28: Why CEOs Don’t Trust Marketing — And What to Do About It

Most marketing isn’t failing because of bad ideas — it’s failing because marketing and leadership aren’t speaking the same language. Mari-Liis Vaher learned that the hard way, standing in front of a bank CEO with a polished digital report and no answer to the question: “How does any of this help me grow my business?” That moment changed the direction of her career. In this episode, Mari-Liis breaks down the Marketing-Leadership Gap, why 70% of CEOs don’t trust marketing to deliver growth, and why 75% of marketers are burning out — and explains why those two numbers are two sides of the same problem. She’s the founder of Powerful Marketers, author of The Greatest Marketer, and the creator of a five-step framework that starts somewhere most marketing books don’t: with your mindset. We also got into the orchestra analogy, why the first person she talks to in any new business is on the sales team, and the question every listener should ask themselves: what are you still doing today simply because you’ve always done it?   In This Episode: •       The bank CEO moment that changed everything — and what Mari-Liis did next •       Why 70% of CEOs don’t trust marketing — and why marketers nod when they hear it •       Why marketing itself has a branding problem •       The five-step framework: Mindset, Strategy, Marketing, Communication, Leadership •       Why mindset comes first — the oxygen mask analogy •       The road trip analogy: what happens when teams drive without a destination •       What she asks the sales team before she ever looks at a campaign •       What you should probably stop doing (and why stopping won’t hurt your results) •       The companion tools inside thegreatestmarketer.com [http://thegreatestmarketer.com] — and why they’re free   Connect with Mari-Liis: •       Website: powerful-marketers.com [http://powerful-marketers.com] •       Amazon: search ‘The Greatest Marketer’ — available globally •       LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vahermariliis [http://linkedin.com/in/vahermariliis] •       Powerful Marketers on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/powerful-marketers [http://linkedin.com/company/powerful-marketers]   This episode is brought to you by Flodesk. Get 25% off your first year: flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES [http://flodesk.com/c/LYONCREATIVES]   Not sure if your brand is working as hard as you are? Grab the free Brand Audit Scorecard at lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard [http://lyoncreatives.com/brand-audit-scorecard] — ten questions, five minutes, and you’ll know exactly where to focus.