Everybody Brands

Find Your Perfect Franchise and Own Your Future with Alex Smereczniak (co-founder of Franzy.com) and Brian Sooy, Founder of Aespire Branding and MarketingIn a sales slump? Improve your messaging and watch sales grow with StoryBrand and Brian Sooy. Take our free marketing assessment powered by StoryBrand.How to Get in TouchExplore Franzy's tools and resources: Franzy.comContact Alex via email: Alex@franzy.com or on LinkedInConnect with Brian Sooy on LinkedInFull episode notes on Growing Service Brands and The Society of Extraordinary StrategistsGet the best-selling branding book,Trade Secrets, by Brian Sooy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Brian and Eric discuss the intersections of ministry, business, and personal vocation. Topics include the co-vocational and bi-vocational models for ministry, lessons pastors and business leaders can learn from each other, and the significance of viewing work as worship. They also reflect on the challenges and opportunities in integrating faith with professional life.This episode is brought to you by Aespire, the branding and marketing agency for service companies. Book your StoryBrand Strategy Session and grow your business!Buy Eric's book, Market Street Pastor● The book guides ministry leaders to transition into marketplace jobs.● It addresses ministry sustainability and reduces financial stress for pastors.● It's based on Eric's work with his coaching agency, I Help Pastors Get Jobs, which has supported pastors adapting to a co-vocational model.Listen for more!How can people connect with Eric Hoke?● Visit IHelpPastorsGetJobs.com.● Follow him on Twitter/X: @EricHoke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Everybody Brands Podcast, Brian Sooy and guest Zach Hoskins discuss Zach's perspective on this idea: "Don't just sell a product—sell a process. Help clients build a strategy that converts leads, nurtures relationships, and retains customers for life."This episode is brought to you by Aespire, the branding and marketing agency for service companies.What is your professional background?Military: 10 years in Missouri Air National Guard, worked on B2 stealth bomberLeadership: 10 years on leadership teams of entrepreneurial organizations (C-suite roles)Consulting: Implemented coaching strategies and business systems for 5+ yearsCurrent: Owns The Efficiency Conductor, runs online communities for tech professionals and leadersWhat communities do you run?Harmony Growth Lab: Helps cybersecurity professionals build personal brands and strategic visionsWhat is your approach to client relationships?Focus on selling a process, not just a productHelp clients build strategies to convert leads, nurture relationships, and retain customersPrioritize investing in team members, who then take better care of clientsView relationships as the foundation of business successGet your copy of the book, "Trade Secrets: Four Core Strategies to Maximize Value for Service Companies" in print, ebook, and audio formats. Tailored for a wide range of professionals, from home services to wealth management, this book breaks down complex branding concepts into accessible, actionable strategies that any small business owner can implement.How do you balance team and client priorities?Shifted focus from "clients first" to "team members first, then clients"Pouring into team members empowers them to better serve clientsThis approach helps remove the owner from day-to-day operationsHow do you approach strategic planning for businesses?Map out the entire client journey from awareness to advocacyUse whiteboards to visualize processes and identify prioritiesFocus on one area (e.g., sales process) for a sustained period (90 days to a year)Emphasize working on the business vs. in the businessWhat's your view on long-term planning?While specifics may change, focus on desired feelings and outcomesUse reverse engineering to determine steps needed todayHow do you manage time and productivity?Focus on four key elements: Time, Energy, Attention, and Effort (T.E.A.E.)Create an "ideal week" to manage time effectivelyAnalyze energy levels throughout the weekDirect attention intentionally and adjust effort accordinglyHow do you approach relationship building in business?Create communication cadences (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly)Use methods like podcasting to generate leads and build relationshipsView relationships as the foundation of all business successBalance emotional and logical communication based on audience (e.g., more logic-focused for accountants) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join business and brand strategist Brian Sooy for a conversation with Brett Baker, founder of VAUSA.VAUSA is a virtual staffing agency with a mission to create meaningful jobs and community for military families by strategically building remote teams for faith and purpose-driven businesses.Highlights from this episode:Visit hirevausa.com to hire a virtual assistant to free your timeBook a free consultation with VAUSA®Download "125 Tasks To Delegate To Your Virtual Assistants"Grow your business with a brand and business alignment framework that unlocks greater potential for your EOS business. Order Trade Secrets: Four Core Strategies to Maximize Value for Service CompaniesEverybody Brands is hosted by Brian Sooy, founder of Aespire Branding and Marketing, the agency that helps service companies unlock their potential through business and brand strategy. StoryBrand Certified. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This brief episode introduces you to Trade Secrets: Four Core Strategies to Maximize Value for Service Companies by Brian Sooy, now available in audiobook format.“Trade Secrets by Brian Sooy shouldn't be secrets at all, yet most of us have never applied these practical, easy-to-understand ideas to optimize our businesses. Thanks, Brian, for making practical solutions so accessible!” – Donald Miller Author of Building a StoryBrand Every service business needs a plan to consistently align its brand with its customers.The CORE Framework shows you how to integrate a story-framed brand with leadership, marketing, sales, operations, services, and customer experience.Features case studies for HVAC professionals, electricians, plumbers, insurance companies, and financial advisors.Enhance your Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) or Business Made Simple implementation with four proven CORE strategies that build long-term brand value for any B2C or home services business.Buy Trade Secrets in ebook, print, or audiobook at https://amzn.to/4cTvOQmPreview at aespire.com/get-trade-secrets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last decade, nearly 1,000,000 people have searched for answers to questions about purpose, trust, branding, and messaging and found the answer on Aespire.com.It's rare to find two organizations that align on common usage, definitions, and application of the principles of purpose, mission, vision, and values. In this episode, Brian unpacks each of these important principles of brand strategy and shares how a well-known company puts principles into practice.Be sure to leave a five-star review for this podcast to help others find and enjoy it!Buy Brian's books:Raise Your Voice: A Cause ManifestoThe Gift of Small PotatoesBooks by Brian SooySubscribe to our Substack at https://extraordinarystrategist.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm excited to announce that I'm changing the name of this podcast from “Everybody Brands,” to “The Extraordinary Strategist.” If you're a listener or subscriber, you're a member of the Society of Extraordinary Strategists.I share interviews with marketplace leaders, you'll hear my insights more when we publish, and maybe we will find some new music to celebrate our name change.Thanks for listening and following. You can subscribe to receive our content directly in your inbox when we publish. Look for the link in the show notes or visit extraordinarystrategist.com. And, of course, please leave a five-star review! Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Schurrer was the COO at StoryBrand, where he worked alongside Donald Miller, and in a previous role, he worked alongside one of my heroes, Steve Jobs. Tim just released his new book, “The Secret Society of Success: Stop Chasing the Spotlight and Learn to Enjoy Your Work (and Life) Again”Click here to buy "The Secret Society of Success now.If you want to know how you can live a life of significance and success and join the Secret Society of Success, visit Secretsocietybook.com, which has everything you need to buy the book and connect with Tim.Are you worried that you're wasting money on marketing because you don't have a plan? Get a free marketing assessment from Aespire, powered by StoryBrand.

Kate Volman is the CEO of Floyd Consulting. Kate and Brian Sooy talk about content, creativity, and repurposing so you can do more with the content you love to create.Floyd Consulting believes an organization can only become the best version of itself to the extent that its people are becoming better versions of themselves. And in order to do that, you have to learn about your employee's dreams, what are the dreams that your team members have for their lives, and if you help them achieve their dreams, they're going show up at work differently and help you achieve the dreams of the organization.We talk about books: "What's interesting about it is when you have the book, you've done the hard work, you've done the work of taking these big ideas, and communicating them in a way that people can kind of bite size, take it and actually understand what you're trying to say."+++It's hard to know if you're actually getting your marketing right. If you've ever felt this way, I'm so excited to share a brand new tool with you.The StoryBrand Marketing Report is a new online business assessment that lets small business owners understand where their marketing plan is falling short and what it should look like.Marketing does not have to be complicated and yes, it can work. Take the assessment and get your report now

What's the secret to creating value, scaling, and growing your business? In this conversation with entrepreneur and author Blair Enns, we learn it's not about doing more or better, and it may be about doing less.Discover why growing your business requires more than good habits. In this episode, I'm talking with Blair Enns from Win Without Pitching. Win Without Pitching is an organization that runs sales and new business development training programs for owners and employees of design firms, ad agencies, PR practices, and other creative businesses. A lot of what he talks about is also relevant for your business. Blair is the author of the Win Without Pitching Manifesto, (a book I designed through my branding agency, Aespire) and Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour (the second of Blair's books Aespire designed. I suppose you can say the agency is habit-forming).Listen to hear the life-changing lesson Blair learned when he says, "Some lessons take me so long to learn, like the idea that other people could do what I do."Find Blair Enns atWin Without Pitching http://wwp.tv/blog2Bobs Podcast: http://wwp.tv/podcastThe Win Without Pitching Manifesto

Perceptions influence and determine how we experience the world. In this conversation with Rob Meyerson, the creator and podcast host of How Brands Are Built, we talk about how your brand name influences people, and how you manage expectations for all the decision-makers on your next naming projectRob is the principal of the branding agency Heirloom, and the author of the new book, Brand Naming: The Complete Guide to Creating a Name for your Company, Product, or Service.Listen to discover insights into the best practices and techniques you can find in Brand Naming, and the five key aspects of brand naming that every business owner, entrepreneur, or startup should know.Discover everything you need to know about Rob at brandnamingbook.comBuy Brand Naming on Amazon

As Brian celebrates the five-year anniversary of being a StoryBrand Certified Guide, he invites Dr. J.J. Peterson, Chief of Teaching and Facilitation at StoryBrand, for a conversation about storytelling, your customer journey, and how to tell a compelling brand story.  J.J. is the Host of the Marketing Made Simple podcast and co-author of the book, Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any Business.StoryBrand is fantastic for short-term marketing and for helping companies create coherence and continuity for their long-term brand strategy. You can find success stories and examples of how companies achieve success when they work with Aespire to create long-term brand strategy and marketing that works with StoryBrand framework at Aespire.com.You can find Dr. J. J. Peterson and learn more about the StoryBrand framework when you:Follow StoryBrand on Instagram, Facebook, or TwitterSubscribe to the Marketing Made Simple PodcastBuy Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any BusinessRegister today to create a clear message and 5-part marketing plan for your business at the StoryBrand Marketing LivestreamSubscribe to Business Made Simple University to get a step-by-step plan to grow a business that works, orSign up for the Business Made Simple daily.Brian Sooy is a leading dual-Certified Brand Strategist and StoryBrand Certified Guide.

Tom Schwab believes, “Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer.”So how do you start that conversation? If you can't make it through the noise, how will you drive traffic and leads?The answer is not to add to the noise but to speak directly to your dream customers. There is no easier or effective way than being featured on targeted podcast interviews they already listen to.Tom Schwab is the Chief Evangelist Officer of Interview Valet, the most trusted partner in the podcast industry, and the leader in podcast interview marketing. Tom helps leading brands, coaches, consultants, and nonfiction authors build their brand and business with targeted podcast interviews.Tom's clients include culture, marketing, entrepreneurship, leadership, design, consulting, and management experts.Tom says, “We're all adding to the noise. Nobody's getting heard. If you think you're going to outyell your biggest competitor, it's not going to happen. I believe that the best way to get heard is to get in on the conversation.”“I'd say in most companies, the biggest problem today is obscurity. There are thousands, maybe 10s of thousands, perhaps even millions of people that would gladly buy your current product, version 1.0. Right. They're praying for it right now. The only problem is they don't know you exist.”Here are some tips and insights to keep in mind if you think working with a podcast guest marketing service is suitable for your personal or business brand.To talk directly with your dream customers, it's critical to find a podcast guest marketing service that speaks directly to your niche. Interview Valet specializes in placing guests in three verticals, not necessarily where their clients are, but where the client's target markets are in business, faith and Christianity, and health, nutrition, and wellness.Find out who works with the podcast guest marketing service you're interviewing. If you own an agency and are recommending your client with a podcast guest service, you want your client to feel comfortable that their name or logo will appear alongside other clients that the company represents.  Both your agency's and client's reputation are affected by your choice of podcast guest marketing partners.Define your brand awareness goals. If you want to nurture your current leads and your current customers, then have your podcast. If you're going to go out and get new exposure, if you're going to get new leads, if you want to get new backlinks, if you want to get new opportunities, you must tap into somebody else's audience. Seth Godin is an excellent example of somebody who is doing that.Exposure brings opportunity — an opportunity for the person speaking — and people to hear something new about the company the guest or brand represents.Podcast guest appearances can fill gaps for authors. Three to four months before a book even launches, authors can do podcast interviews and then work with the host to schedule the podcast release to coincide with the launch date (plus or minus a week), so they get a boost of exposure and potential sales.Being a podcast guest is a brand-building strategy for individuals and companies. People are looking for help and expertise, and a podcast conversation is a great way to establish empathy, authority, and credibility.Being a podcast guest might be the best lead generator into which you can invest. Develop a sales funnel that you can direct people to after they listen, with an audio feature (since you know the visiting people are in the mood to listen). Check out some practical case studies on Interview Valet.Connect with Tom Schwab from Interview Valet on LinkedIn.Sign up to connect with your dream customers at InterviewValet.comCheck out the resources Interview Valet has for listeners at https://interviewvalet.com/brand/

We all have a problem: We're addicted to busyness. Busyness is a distraction that erodes our attention, drains our energy, and minimizes our effectiveness. Best-selling author and serial entrepreneur Jordan Raynor shares how we can overcome busyness and redeem our time.Jordan Raynor is a serial entrepreneur and national bestselling author who helps Christians do their most exceptional work for the glory of God and the good of others. Through his books, podcast, and weekly devotionals, Jordan has helped millions of Christians in every single country connect the gospel to their work.In addition to producing this content, Jordan serves as the executive chairman of Threshold 360, a venture-backed tech startup that has built the world's most extensive library of 360° experiences of hotels, restaurants, and attractions.Time is the one resource we never seem to have enough of. Once it's gone — it's gone! We can earn more money, but we can never gain any more time. So who can show us how to make the most of our time?The gospels don't show Jesus walking around with a to-do list or a calendar. But they do show him dealing with distractions at work, fighting for solitude, and seeking to be busy without being hurried. The  gospel biographies show Jesus facing many of the same challenges we face today as we seek to steward our limited time. And because he was infallible God, we can assume that Jesus managed his time perfectly, providing us with the ideal model to follow.In Jordan's new book, Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive, Jordan shows you 7 timeless time management principles from the life of Christ and 31 hyper-practical practices to help you live out those principles today. Listen for answers to the questions:If God's grace is sufficient, why does it seem the amount of time we have to be insufficient?What's the difference between being busy and being hurried?I don't mind being purposefully busy, but I don't want to be hurried. What principles and practice can you share with me to speak to that genuine tension I feel every day? Connect with Jordan Raynor:Order the best-selling book, Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive on Amazon.Connect with Jordan at jordanraynor.com The Everybody Brands podcast is hosted by Brian Sooy, certified Brand Strategist and StoryBrand Guide.Everybody Brands gives you insight into branding and brand strategy that helps you focus on your customers and empowers you to outmaneuver your competition so you can achieve your company goals and grow your business.Find Brian Sooy's books on Amazon.Book Brian to speak or help you grow your business at Aespire Brand Agency.

Brand owners and marketers can learn a lot from... wait for it... recovering ministry professionals.Why are people drawn to brands that demonstrate credibility and trust? We might not have all the answers, but we talk about that question and more in this conversation between Jake Zufelt and Brand Strategist Brian Sooy.Jake is the founder of Weldwood Marketing, an agency that specializes in marketing for Realtors.  If you're a realty professional, you've got to hear what he has to say about how you market your business.It's not much different than what we say at Aespire.  If you're a frequent listener, you'll know what we say.  If not — listen now — for an insight that everybody who brands and markets their business needs to practice.We throw in the usual references to music, too.Find Jake at Weldwood Marketing.Get a poster of the 12 principles from the Aespire Brand Clarity Credo and a year's worth of practices you can apply to your brand and business when you signup for the Clarity Credo at claritycredo.com

Not content to leave a pile of brand myths unkicked in the middle of the road, Andy Starr, Managing Partner of Level C, and Brian Sooy, Brand Strategist and Founder of Aespire Brands ask (and answer) questions about brand and branding.People don't understand why differentiation matters. What's the value? Why should someone who works in brand care about the brand being different? “What are the three questions every brand and business owner should ask?How do you know when an idea is innovative?This episode of the Everybody Brands podcast is Part Two of an extended conversation with Andy Starr, Managing Partner of Level C.Andy Starr is the managing partner of Level C, an education program teaching principles of modern brand to business professionals.  Andy co-founded Level C and with international brand expert and author Marty Neumeier.Andy calls himself a "provocateur-for-hire" at the intersection of education, business, and brand. He helps clients outmaneuver competition and conditions in their markets, and make marketing|advertising|PR|content work better, land stronger, and drive real results. Because he's a provocateur, you can understand why I invited Andy for a conversation about brand and business on the Everybody Brands podcast.  We mention Dune, Marty Neumeier, and make a connection between the practice of brandind and music that you don't want to miss.Connect with Andy Starr atLevelC.orgAndy Starr on LinkedInBrian Sooy is the only dual-certified Level C Brand Strategist and StoryBrand Guide. He is the author of multiple books on brand, communications, and culture, and the agency principal of the Aespire Brands Agency.

What is brand? What is branding? Why does it matter?This episode of the Everybody Brands podcast is Part One of an extended conversation with Andy Starr, Managing Partner of Level C.“We believe that the brand is defined by and owned by you. Branding is what we do what I as the owner of the business, it's what I do to influence you.”Andy Starr is the managing partner of Level C, an education program teaching principles of modern brand to business professionals.  Andy co-founded Level C and with international brand expert and author Marty Neumeier.Andy calls himself a "provocateur-for-hire" at the intersection of education, business, and brand. He helps clients outmaneuver competition and conditions in their markets, and make marketing|advertising|PR|content work better, land stronger, and drive real results. Because he's a provocateur, you can understand why I invited Andy for a conversation about brand and business on the Everybody Brands podcast.LevelC.orgAndy Starr on LinkedInBrian Sooy is the only dual-certified Level C Brand Strategist and StoryBrand Guide. He is the author of multiple books on brand, communications, and culture, and the agency principal of the Aespire Brands Agency.

In this episode of the Everybody Brands podcast, we’re talking with Merrell Sheehan, the Vice President of Marketing, and Cole Godsey, Marketing Manager at Electronic Merchant Systems about how a B2B brand wins trust and earns customer loyalty through exemplary customer service and transparency (with a technique many businesses can do).EMSCorporate.comEMS on FacebookEMS on TwitterEMS on LinkedInEMS on YouTubeConnect with Merrell Sheehan or Cole Godsey on LinkedIn

Stephanie Owens is a Certified Brand Strategist and the founder of Gold Sheep Design, a collaborative branding and design studio based in Southern California that helps musicians and instrument makers grow crowds of super fans by cranking their brands to 11.In Part 2 of this two-part episode, we talk about how any business can crank their brand to 11..Stephanie is a self-described Introverted rocker helping musicians grow crowds of super fans by cranking their brands to 11.Get to know Stephanie atGold Sheep Designon LinkedInon InstagramBuild a brand that inspires your fans to listen, trust, and buy with Certified Brand Specialist and StoryBrand Certified Guide Brian Sooy from Aespire, the brand agency that helps family-lead business and ESOPs implement the StoryBrand framework. You can build a beloved brand that engages customers, reduce sales costs, and grow revenue when you work with Aespire.

Stephanie Owens is a Certified Brand Strategist and the founder of Gold Sheep Design, a collaborative branding and design studio based in Southern California that helps musicians and instrument makers grow crowds of super fans by cranking their brands to 11.In part one of this two-part episode, we talk about how businesses in the music world can crank their brand to 11.She's a self-described Introverted rocker helping musicians grow crowds of super fans by cranking their brands to 11.Get to know Stephanie atGold Sheep Designon LinkedInon InstagramBuild a brand that inspires your fans to listen, trust, and buy with Certified Brand Specialist and StoryBrand Certified Guide Brian Sooy from Aespire, the brand agency that helps people implement the StoryBrand framework and build beloved brands that engage customers, reduce sales costs, and grow revenue.

What is the difference between marketing and branding?It's ridiculous to argue about what's more important, branding or marketing. It's important to understand the difference between branding and marketing so you know how they work together to attract, inspire, and engage customers and create raving fans. In this episode, Brian discusses the definition of brand and marketing, and shows you how your brand can align with the principles from Donald Miller's book, Business Made Simple.Read this podcast episode at Aespire.com(I recommend listening to Chris Do discuss the merits of both marketing and branding with Melinda Livsey and Fabian Geyrhalter).

In this special episode of the Everybody Brands podcast, Cleveland businessman and National Director of WEC, Intl., John Murtha and Brian Sooy have a conversation about faith-driven business, entrepreneurship, and why everybody who works is essential.This episode is different from most others on this podcast — you'll learn about Brian's background, his faith story, and his passion for helping entrepreneurs grow and experience the joy of their faith — whether they are the CEO or someone who pushes a broom.John and Brian dig deep into why work matters, how you can integrate your faith at work, and if Brian's forthcoming book, Essential: Finding Worth in your Work During Uncertain Times, a 30-day devotional, is prophetic for times like these.Enjoy a 5-day devotional sample when you subscribe to Essential: Finding Worth in your Work exclusively from Bible.com and the YouVersion app. 

In this episode of the Everybody Brands podcast, we have a conversation with Mind State Group founder Will Leach on how making fast emotional connections with people will help your brand win trust and resonate with people’s hearts and minds.Will knows what it what it's like and how it feels to hold your breath every time you launch advertising, and how crushing it is when the campaign you worked on so hard just crashes and burns. With over 25 years of experience in corporate America, Will has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world and conducted hundreds of research studies. His best-selling book, Marketing to Mindstates generated six figures in just six months of launching, (which makes me jealous). Marketing to Mindstates is one of the leading resources on behavioral and science-based marketing today.Connect with Will atMindstate GroupWill Leach on Twitter Will Leach on LinkedInConnect with Brian Sooy from Aespire atAespire.comon Marketing Made SimpleBrian Sooy on LinkedInBrian Sooy's books on Amazon

Take two for the first international Everybody Brands episode with Eddie Biroun, a copywriter who happens to design. Eddie helps businesses attract more leads, create more customers and increase profits through brand building and sales messaging. Eddie has achieved results across 16 different markets, including financial insurance, real estate, automobile education, entertainment and fitness, and he's worked with brands like Sotheby's, Toyota, and Volvo. Eddie and host Brian Sooy are both passionate about brands and branding. We both approach brands and branding from similar and different directions, with a common mentor in one of the world's leading branding experts. Connect with Eddie onInstagramEddieBiroun.comMentioned in this episode:Marty NeumeierRaise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto

Purpose, mission, and vision statements can be confusing. It's rare to find two organizations that agree on common usage, definition and application of the words. It can be even more confusing to understand why each word is relevant, and how each component relates to one another. Some organizations tend to substitute their mission and vision for their purpose. If you want your audience to connect with your mission, you need to communicate with clarity about why, what, and how you are creating value and impact.In this companion podcast the popular article, The Difference Between Purpose, Mission, and Vision, Brian Sooy unpacks the difference between purpose and mission, the difference between mission, and vision, and why impact is ultimately what matters.A good mission statement and vision statement are best suited for internal organizational guidance. Purpose keeps you focused on why you exist, vision aligns you with your goal, and mission empowers how you will accomplish it. Done well, it will inspire and motivate you every day, and just might inspire your audience.

Purpose lifts us at the end of the day beyond the tasks we have accomplished and the goals we have achieved to the belief that we have not just added value, but we've achieved something of significance in pursuit of something greater. This is perfect episode for anybody who's in a leadership position. It's perfect right now for organizations who are finding the need to adapt what they're doing and align new things in an economic crisis and during COVID-19 with their purpose. Get clarity for your purpose, vision, and marketing message at Aespire.com/storybrandConnect with Brian Sooy on LinkedIn or Twitter

In this episode of the Everybody Brands Podcast we have a conversation with Wes Gay about how we should define a brand and what a marketer or business owner focus on now, especially in uncertain times: branding or marketing. Wes Gay is the founder of Wayfinder and a StoryBrand Certified Guide & Copywriter. Wes’ experience as a former pastor gives him the empathy and credibility to help leaders create a clearer message for their companies using the StoryBrand Framework.Wes worked in churches and nonprofits for 10 years, including running a thrift store.  Wes began his journey to entrepreneurship the way many of us do: He had been unemployed for about six months and couldn't get anywhere after coming out of a difficult kind of church experience. Little did he know three and a half years later being a copywriter and marketing consultant would become his real job. While Wes and Brian approach their work from different backgrounds, both guide companies integrate and implement the StoryBrand framework, a storytelling and marketing model that is proven to help any business or brand to create clear messaging and grow through consistent implementation.Wes and Brian talk about how we should define a brand and the interplay between the disciplines of branding and marketing.“How we talk about ourselves in the verbal version of branding is something that a lot of smaller and big businesses struggle to figure out. Most branding agencies only focus on the visual stuff. How are you going to talk about yourself in a way where people care, and people understand either the problem you solve or the solution you provide?”Connect with Wes Gay atWesGay.comWes Gay on LinkedInThis episode is brought to you by Websites Made Simple.  Download a free ebook, 8 Things Every Website Needs to Engage Customers, to find out what simple changes you can make so your website helps you grow your business and make more money.

David Lemley has had a creative and strategic hand in shaping some of the world’s most iconic brands including Starbucks, REI, Pampers, and Nintendo. As the Founder and Chief Strategist of Seattle-based Retail Voodoo, David is on a mission to help better-for-you brands win customer’s hearts, minds, and souls. He partners with marketers, investors, and founder-owners to unlock the power of their brand’s promise to engage consumers, spark innovation, identify opportunity, and drive exponential growth.This episode is brought to you by Aespire Websites Made Simple, the visual website builder that helps you build a professional site that grows with your business.David Lemley published his first book, Beloved and Dominant Brands: The Brand Ecosystem that Drives Better-for-you Brands from One of Many to Category Prominence, a highlight of the very first model David and Retail Voodoo uses in their brand strategy development process.Some of the questions David and Brian discuss include:In an age where people care more about “what's in it for me,” are you finding that consumers are still really tied in with the “Why?”Based on industry and a culture perspective, how do you define branding?What are some of the myths that you encounter around branding?What do you tell someone who doesn't believe their brand is a valuable business asset?How can a business and brand do a better job of using story to keep promises?As you listen, you’ll learn about a mutual colleague whom David counts as a major influence on his thinking and interviews in Beloved and Dominant Brands.Find David Lemley and his work at:Retail-voodoo.comBuy Beloved and Dominant Brands: The Brand Ecosystem that Drives Better-for-you Brands from One of Many to Category Prominence on Amazon.Find podcast host Brian Sooy at Aespire Branding and Marketing, LinkedIn, and Amazon.

“Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing people.” — Peter Drucker It’s no wonder business leaders struggle with marketing. Spend any amount of time listening to podcasts and ”experts” and you‘ll hear conflicting advice, confusing jargon, and a jumble of terms that make you wonder why you bother to try marketing at all. IN this conversation with Dennis Hahn, we'll explore branding, experience, why shared values are key to building a tribe, and more — including the difference between branding and marketing, and why they matter, As chief strategy officer at Liquid, Dennis is responsible for the methodologies that Liquid uses to address the strategic challenges of our clients. Dennis leads teams of strategists across all of Liquid’s offices, providing expertise, mentoring and consulting on a wide range of significant strategic branding initiatives for clients that include John Deere, HP, Microsoft, Motorola, Nasdaq, PayPal and Walmart. Dennis’ background and training as a designer gives him a design thinking perspective that gives him the insight and expertise to help organizations enculturate their brands with their employees and customers. Working with the leadership teams of companies like Microsoft, Intel, Symantec, SAIF and Mercy, Dennis has provided his expertise to create alignment and commitment to organization-wide brand culture programs. Find Dennis Hahn at Liquid Agency , LinkedIn, and Twitter. Get in touch with host Brian Sooy, brand strategist and president at Aespire, and StoryBrand Certified Marketing Guide. Music in this episode is the track, Wrong, by Dan Henig on Youtube Audio.

If you’re a board member or nonprofit leader, this two-part episode of Everybody Brands is one to which you need to listen, to understand why your digital strategy needs to be part of your entire organizational structure. All businesses need to be managing their digital resources, but It's like a “spaghetti of things.” What many leaders neglect is that just like if you have a campus of buildings, somebody has to manage that campus. You probably already have an ecosystem of digital tools that you're using and somebody needs to be keeping an eye on those resources. It is a critical function to get the most out of those resources and ensure that they’re used properly to strengthen and connect the entire organization. Get more insights for strategy and thriving organizations at Aespire.com

When communications consultants say things like, ”Nonprofits don't want to do the work that we need them to do and they don't realize how important strategy is;” and nonprofit leaders say, “Strategic planning is not helpful and annoying and takes up too much time,” it's time for an intervention. Just how important is strategy, and why is it the first principle in Aespire’s Clarity Credo for purpose-driven brands and culture? If you’re a board member or nonprofit leader, this two-part episode of Everybody Brands is one to which you need to listen. This episode of Everybody Brands is a conversation between host Brian Sooy and Sarah Olivieri from Pivot Ground. Sarah is a nonprofit strategist with a passion for helping organizations thrive in the digital age. Sarah introduces us to her business framework, the Impact Method, that gives you a strategy in less time. We take a step back and talk about how the impact method helps organizations that focus on strategy nurture trust with the people they serve and the people that they're asking for support from.

Does your brand inspire and engage people? Why not? If your vision and values aren’t clear and communicated at every touch point, people forget why your brand matters. The Clarity Principles are for people focused on growing their company with a culture that attracts and retains customers and talent. The 12 principles of the Clarity Credo are essential values to help you align purpose, communications, relationships, and leadership. In this episode, we talk about the four dimensions of communications and culture and explore how the 12 principles help you nurture a brand and culture that inspires people. “Upholding our brand truths is everybody’s responsibility. If we’re not aware of what our brand represents and if we don’t communicate it clearly, people will fill in the gaps with what they believe—whether it’s true or not.” To download the free Clarity Credo poster mentioned in this episode, subscribe at Aespire.com. Read the original transcript of this episode at blog. Aespire.com

Trust is a brand asset for which every employee, from the CEO to the front-line team, is responsible. Trust is reinforced when people act and speak in a manner that is consistent with an organization's values, character, and culture. The challenge with trust is that you cannot buy it or force customers to believe your organization is trustworthy. Your brand must work to earn trust. Every interaction is an opportunity to build relationships and nurture trust. In this episode, I explore how being trustworthy impacts major brands like Facebook and Marriot, and how trust will help your organization grow by being more appealing to employees and customers. Read more at Aespire.com

Your brand embodies the purpose, mission, values, vision, message, and impact of the organization. Leave one out and people fill the gap with what they want to believe. Are you willing to risk that? Understanding how a story works toward making your brand and organization’s personality more believable is essential to unlocking the power of purpose and the potential of your narrative. When we tell ourselves stories about our experience, we are trying to figure out what the brand or organization means to us or how it improves our lives. Read more at Aespire.com

What defines a Difference Maker? What are the qualities of a Difference Maker? Discover the four dimensions of communication and culture to amplify your voice, deepen knowledge, and expand your impact in the difference you want to make as a business owner or as a nonprofit.

Brian Sooy and Marty Neumeier discuss “The Brand Flip,” a whiteboard overview of how customers now run companies, how you can profit from it and create more loyalty with your customers. Download the complete transcript at http://bit.ly/2tDarOo "The Brand Gap." "Zag." "The Designful Company." With each new book, Marty Neumeier re-defines the role of brand and its influence on your customers. The Brand Flip defines how your customers influence (and own) your brand. As often as brand managers and communications like to think a brand is all about an organization (it's not), Marty's insights and experience prove we have a long way to go in truly understanding the discipline of brand management. Read and download the transcript from Aespire.com

Let’s cut to the chase: if your communication initiatives don’t directly align with the objectives or focus from your strategic plan, you’re merely doing busy work. You’re in possession of a to-do list disguised as strategic communications. If you are a smart marketer or business owner who wants to make the best use of your time and limited resources to help your organization communicate, raise awareness, and increase revenue, you can apply these three rules for converting strategy into action. Read more at Aespire.com

Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of three books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, and Louder Than Words) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. His book Die Empty was named by Amazon.com as one of the best books of 2013.
 His latest book, Louder Than Words, is about how to develop an authentic voice that resonates and creates impact. In this interview, Todd and Brian Sooy talk about impact, why a manifesto is more compelling than a mission or vision statement, and how empathy for your audience helps you connect most effectively with those you're creating for. Visit causemanifesto.com for more resources and content like this. Read more at Aespire.com

Be Courageous. We will dream big dreams, and have the courage to change and adapt in order to make our vision a reality. Courage may require that you step into the unknown. It may require difficult conversations. It will require that you find a way to overcome whatever fear is preventing you from taking the next step. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Be Powerful. We will believe our cause is meaningful, and act in the belief that it has the power to change the world. Power comes from strength: a courageous and engaged board; a confident and competent leader; a clearly articulated purpose; and a mission embodied by the character, culture, and voice of the organization. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Be Positive. We will choose our words well, for they will motivate people to follow, donate, advocate, and believe in our cause. Optimism is a better motivator than pessimism. Internally and externally, stakeholders will respond to positive messages with a positive response. A positive experience leads to deeper motivation and more engagement. Being positive affects everyone’s perceptions. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Be Trustworthy. We will seek accountability and transparency, acting and speaking in a manner consistent with our values, character, and culture. Clarity — the principle of clear and focused communication — can only be achieved when an organization makes its communications choices from the perspective of mission-driven design. Its purpose, culture, character, and voice must be unified in support of the cause. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

The true gift that is given is your supporter's trust. Money, services and time is an accompaniment to that gift. How you respond shows your donor that their gift is as meaningful to you as it is to them. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

All media is social media, and every interaction is an opportunity to build a relationship. Explore why ambassadors and advocates need to be authentic. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Be Engaging — As in a conversation, listen as often as you speak to stakeholders, supporters, and believers in your cause. From "Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto." Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Engaging people is not about telling your story, it's about inviting them into a story. The power of words inspires me. The right words, shared at the right time, give hope and purpose. Words create an expectation of reality; anticipation for what is promised, hope for what is to come. An audio abstract from Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Be insightful. Big data, little data. We will embrace data as a means of telling our story and gaining greater insight into the outcomes of our mission. An audio abstract from Part Two, chapter Four of Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Be meaningful. We will ensure that our values and actions align with the reasons that motivate our followers and stakeholders to believe in our cause. An audio abstract from part two, chapter 3 of Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Focus your strategy and communication on the information needs of your audience. Learn to speak their language, what they care about, and how to best speak to their minds and touch their hearts. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Strategy is not an option, it's a requirement of your mission. Every purpose-driven organization needs a strategic plan to guide its activity and communication. Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.

Mission-Driven design aligns design and communications with and organization's purpose and mission. Purpose, values, and character support a culture of communications that nurtures trust. Are you ready to Raise Your Voice? Download a FREE POSTER to transform your culture and help you apply the 12 principles of the Cause Manifesto from Aespire.com. Lead your team better when you read the top-rated book for building culture through mission-driven communications.