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“That's one of the biggest things that scares me the most about composing with AI. It's that, whatever AI model you're on, how was it trained, and was that material copyrighted? And was there any kind of permission for that to happen? And you, as the end user, don't know.” – Laney McCormickThis episode features a pair of guests who are passionate about helping creatives elevate their stories through music. As the founders of Scene Support Music, they specialize in pairing authentic music with visual media, ensuring that brands and stories stand out. As former music educators, they prioritize education in every collaboration, guiding filmmakers and musicians through the creative and legal intricacies of music licensing. Based in the Midwest, outside the traditional film and advertising hubs, they bring a fresh perspective to the intersection of music and storytelling. Between them, they hold multiple advanced degrees in conducting, education, percussion, and communications, but they believe their most valuable lessons come from lived experience, along with the occasional failure.Their names are Laney and Matt McCormick, and, beyond their work in music and licensing, Laney serves on the board of Women in Film Cincinnati and Cindependent Film Festival. Together, Laney and Matt continue to perform as musicians on stages across the country and internationally. If you've ever wondered what makes music truly move us, this is a conversation you'll really enjoy!As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – From Teaching to Music LicensingOur conversation starts as Laney and Matt recall their earliest memories of sound and how they got into the business of music licensing. “Hearing that band play for the first time,” Laney says, recounting a memory from elementary school, “and seeing her band director, who was… very proper and wearing a black suit, and I thought, ‘I want to make that sound in this environment with those kind of people.' Like, I want to be a band director. And that's what I did for a really long time.” Matt shares his experience as an indie musician and how it segued into commercial music. “I remember this is the exact one where light bulbs started to go off in my head,” he recalls. “A music supervisor had reached out and said, ‘I need thirty seconds of upbeat, positive music for an apparel commercial that's for the holidays, but it doesn't have to be holiday music.' And he was like, ‘money's kind of low for it, $7,000.' And honestly, for me at the time, and even now, $7,000, that doesn't sound too low.”(10:00) – The Challenge of AI in MusicLaney and Matt tell us more about their role as music supervisors and how it ties into the process of music licensing. “A sync agent represents a catalog of music for licensing,” Laney explains. “A music supervisor can contact sync agents to find music and make playlists for a director, and then a clearance specialist, which is what we're doing, like one-offs for ad agencies who will come in and say, ‘I want this specific song.' There's no searching involved. ‘Will you just get me the rights for that?' And a music supervisor will use the skills of both other things at the same time.” Our conversation turns to how AI is impacting their side of the music business and the differences between traditional musicians and AI artists. “Some artists will contact us and be super odd,” Matt adds. “And it's like, ‘Hey, I'm an AI artist,' and I don't want to be like, ‘Hey, AI is a bad thing. We're not going to do it.' And I've only talked to one person, but when that artist contacted me, and he's like, ‘I'm an AI artist,' I was like, I definitely want to have a conversation because I want to know what is going on there.”(25:00) – The Importance of AuthenticityAs we wrap up the first half of our discussion, Laney explains the different processes involved between licensed tracks and licensed covers. “That can drastically affect your bottom line,” she tells us. “Like, my cover of a Beatles song is not as expensive as the original recording. But the publishing is going to be the same whether you use the original or whether you use a cover.” Matt talks about the explosion of the licensed cover market in recent years and how it's helped streamline the process for finding the right song track for the right client. “There are so many covers that are already out there,” he explains, “that chances are, like, if we're working on a film and we need a cover song, my first thought doesn't go, ‘Hey, let's get somebody to record that.' My first thought goes, ‘I'm going to send an email to every catalog holder that we know to see what they already have of that.'"Episode SummaryLaney and Matt share personal stories about how sound influenced their lives.Exploring the implications and challenges posed by AI-generated music.Laney and Matt discuss why they prioritize authentic music in their work.Tune in for next week's episode as we discuss how sometimes even the best composer might not be the right composer, how vintage songs and positivity are making a surprising comeback, and what shows like Stranger Things have taught us about both following and setting musical trends.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“We did a sort of special launch episode with the King, um, who's so knowledgeable, so passionate, you know. I don't know whether he'd just read up about it, but it doesn't feel like it. It feels like it really tapped into something that he wants to talk about and knows how to talk about. Um, so yeah, a dream guest, frankly, in so many ways. Um, and Kate's a great interviewer, and there are another three episodes of that after it, but yeah, it was. When you talk about sonic branding, you know, there aren't many people in the world whose voice everybody recognizes.” – Neil CowlingThis episode is the second half of my conversation with podcast and audio promotions expert Neil Cowling as we discuss the scams and pitfalls of podcast promotion, why podcasting's evolved a more collaborative culture than traditional radio, and what the King of England has for breakfast.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(12:28) – How Sound Influences Brand IdentityMy conversation with Neil continues as he tells us his process for building an authentic connection between a brand and podcast. “We do try and spend an extended amount of time saying, ‘What is your tone of voice? If you can imagine a celebrity that would be your dream spokesperson, who would that be? What words do you use and not use in your other communication?'” he explains. “And all of that feeds into a general vibe that hopefully when people are listening to a podcast, they'll understand that it's from you.” We discuss podcasting metrics, from clicks and listens to downloads, and the perils of paying for services that promise a quick boost. “Someone goes in and promises they'll have a million downloads or that it will create an instant ROI for your product,” he cautions. “We avoid saying that because we are really talking about it as a long-term brand building exercise.”(00:00) – Podcasting With the KingWe discuss the transition from broadcast radio to podcasting in the 21st century, and why, in Neil's experience, radio's competitive culture hasn't carried over to podcasting. “Radio is a real kind of dog-eat-dog medium,” he says, “partly because there are only so many radio listeners and you're all fighting over the same time slot. Everybody wants to be the biggest breakfast show… whereas in podcasting, there's more of a sense that somebody else's success is not at everybody else's detriment.” He tells us about some of his most memorable podcasting experiences, including his team's surprise interview at Windsor Castle with not only Cate Blanchett but His Majesty, King Charles III. “Hannah had the honor of having asked the King what he had for breakfast,” Neil recalls, “you know, to test the microphone. The answer is nothing, if you're interested. He hasn't eaten breakfast for years.”(27:40) – Building Podcast EngagementAs our conversation comes to a close, Neil shares his thoughts on why radio ads are on the way out and what's replacing them in the podcast market. “Radio ads are rubbish,” he tells us. “Most radio ads are done at the last minute by an ad agency who, again, thinks it's easy. They've spent three months working on the TV, and they'll knock together a radio script and push it out there.” We discuss whether pre-roll or mid-roll ads are most effective at reaching their audience, and the unique outreach that host reads offer podcast sponsors. “Give us your bullet points, give us the things that absolutely have to be in there,” he says. “But also allow a bit of levity and a bit of leeway for those presenters so that they can take what the audience already loves about them and transfer it to your brand.”Episode SummaryBalancing brand consistency with collaborative podcasting.Neil explains the key metrics for measuring podcasting success.Exploring the branding benefits of podcast collaborations.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“In that moment of silence, you just remain silent and eventually the person in front of you will say something more and add more and add more. And often it's more and more personal…” David Deighton Top Five Tips For Active Listening1. Active listening, all senses included2. How are all performance artists while listening3. Abstract listening example4. Conceptual listening example5. Listening with strangers TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:36 Using all senses to be truly present in a conversation.05:10 Silence demonstrates respect 11:20 Disrupting social norms to have deeper conversations 20:10 Acting with intent ties back to active listening Where to find David?Website https://www.triptychdialogue.com/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@triptych-dialogue David Deighton Bio I am told that my work is unusual and urgent. I'll explain, first my background: I am an artist, educator, father, world traveller and entrepreneur working on transformational experiences using abstract art. My background as an art dealer and creator of a successful art business allowed me to invest back into community and country. I use art to do this. I am about engaging strangers in the spirit on connection, and I do this in innovative ways. I'm focused on the taboo subject of politics, but that word can be exchanged for a multitude of taboo subjects. I do NOT talk politics rather it's about tools to heal community, bridge divides, transform and explore artistic expression. For the last 6 years I have been actively engaging with strangers in public spaces, asking them to talk to their political opponents, listen to them and find commonalities. So far all has gone well without confrontation. How do I do this? I set up art installations in free speech areas where I share communication techniques with the public to use in engaging with strangers. Thousands of visitors have discovered my work in unlikely venues such as National Parks or even a mountain top. I'm happy to share what I have discovered and also share stories from my encounters, my multiple travels around the World or offer insights into humanity. All these experiments have been profoundly transformative. Listeners will discover meaningful ways to change our course away from division and hatred to a healthier exchange that benefits them and those around them.
“So the answer to why is that podcasts, whether they're audio only or, nowadays, the vast majority are including video as well, provide a depth and a nuance and a detail of conversation that is almost impossible to get anywhere else. So, you know, we live in an age where people are scanning TikTok and brands are trying to catch your attention for three seconds. And they feel like that's a triumph. If you've stopped scrolling for just three seconds and looked at their thing, it doesn't really matter if you've clicked through. And so, in an age where attention is so valuable, podcasting creates a level of attention that no one else except cinema can compete with.” – Neil CowlingThis episode's guest is the founder of Fresh Air, the leading branded podcast agency in the UK and the most awarded podcast company in Europe. Before getting into podcasting, he spent years creating documentaries and promotional campaigns for some of the BBC's biggest shows, such as Doctor Who, the Olympics, and Luther. He's one of the UK's leading experts in how to use audio to build a brand's unique tone of voice, creating work that drives client results and provides entertainment for listeners. His name is Neil Cowling, and we'll be discussing how brands can earn real attention, balance creativity with business goals, and use sound to connect more deeply with audiences.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – The Value of PodcastingAs our conversation starts, Neil shares his thoughts on when, and whether, it's okay for podcasters to take a break, and how a comedy cassette featuring Rowan Atkinson opened his eyes as a child to the power of sound. “What I love about audio is the fact that I can write something, it comes out of my head onto a page, and then I can make it and not really involve anybody else,” he explains. “I have an idea, and all I need in order to make that come alive is a brilliant script, a great voiceover artist and some sound design.” We discuss how podcasting has evolved over the past ten years, and why more companies are embracing it as a medium. “You can tell stories of extraordinary people all over the United Kingdom,” he tells us. “And a great way to do this, and, frankly, a cheap way to do this, is to do it on podcasts, because you don't need a big set, you don't need a location shoot.”(12:28) – Building a Brand's Audio IdentityOur discussion turns to branded podcasting and how it allows content creators to focus on important niche topics that might not have a chance to build an audience otherwise. “Most of the people in the world will never listen to a podcast that's aimed at insurance brokers,” Neil notes, “but those people love it and find it super valuable. And so is a lot of this kind of brand work, and that extends to all sorts of types of organizations, like, we do lots of charity work.” He tells us why downloads are no longer the key metric and what it takes for a podcast to succeed in today's world. “For some reason,” he says, “there's this residual feeling that, because so many people do make great podcasts from home, that it must be easy. It's really not. Even if you're doing it from home, it's really not.”(27:40) – The Future of Branded PodcastsThe first half of our conversation comes to a close as we look at the untapped marketing potential of sonic branding, particularly in social media spaces. “Some of the biggest brands in the world, you've no idea what they sound like,” Neil says. “They've thought really hard about what they look like, and there are tons of people employed to create the brand guidelines and make sure that they are guarded with their lives. As soon as you say, ' What's your audio brand? ', they haven't got a clue.” He talks about his work in such projects as the London Olympics and Doctor Who, and what Doctor Who in particular can teach us about audio branding. “The Doctor obviously changes every couple of years,” he notes. “You can change the characters, you could change the look of the TARDIS if you wanted to. If you change the noise of the TARDIS or the theme tune to Doctor Who, though, there would be a riot amongst fans of the show... It's probably one of the best examples of sonic branding.”Episode SummaryHow podcasting creates a deeper level of engagement than other media.Neil talks about the benefits of creating evergreen podcast content.Exploring how brands can better leverage audio in their marketing.Tune in for next week's episode as we reveal the key metrics for gauging a podcast's success, what sets the advertising culture of radio and podcasting apart, and what Neil learned from his recent podcast interview at Windsor Castle with Cate Blanchett and His Majesty, King Charles III.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
"You can't be the most expensive and be the most crap at what you do.” Andrew Griffiths Top Five Tips For Why You Should Proudly Be The Most Expensive1. When you play in the cheap end of town, you are just another transaction2. If you're going to be the most expensive you have to be the best, and there is no downside to this3. The right customers are looking for the best, not the cheapest4. Being the most expensive differentiates you in so many ways5. Businesses that charge the most build financial resilience TIME STAMP SUMMARY 01:40 Competing solely on price is a lack of creativity and leads to a lack of emotional connection with customers.04:10 Being the most expensive requires delivering exceptional value in every aspect of the transaction.09:20 Rewriting the stories and mindsets that prevent business owners from charging appropriately.15:25 Attracting the right customers who value quality and are willing to pay more leads to long-term business success.20:10 Financial resilience leads to a more sustainable and less stressful business environment. Where to find Andrew?Website https://www.andrewgriffiths.com.auWebsite LinkedIn https://au.linkedin.com/in/griffithsandrew Andrew Griffiths Long BioAndrew Griffiths stands as Australia's #1 small business author and global authority on future-proofing businesses. With 40 years of entrepreneurial wisdom, 14 bestsellingbooks published in 65 countries, and over 1,000 presentations delivered across 25 countries, Andrew brings a rare combination of street-smart experience and profound business insight to every stage. What sets Andrew apart isn't just his impressive credentials – it's his ability to see the human element in an increasinglydigital world. Renowned as one of the greatest storytellers in the speaking profession, Andrew weaves masterful narratives drawn from his vast bank of personal experiencesand business observations, delivering powerful lessons that resonate long after the presentation ends. As an entrepreneurial futurist, he champions the power of human intelligence in business, helping organisations and leaders navigate change while staying authentically connected to their customers. His gift for storytelling transforms complex business concepts into memorable, actionable insights that inspire real change. Drawing from his extraordinary journey from orphan to international business authority, Andrew delivers more than just insights, he shares battle-tested wisdomthat has helped both Fortune 500 companies and small business owners thrive. His presentations blend powerful storytelling with practical strategies, delivered with anauthenticity that can only come from someone who has lived the entrepreneurial journey in all its ups and downs. Organisations around the world including the EuropeanUnion, CBS, Hewlett Packard and Hertz have trusted Andrew to deliver not just inspiration, but actionable wisdom that creates lasting impact. His unique ability to hold a mirror up to audiences, showing them both challenges and opportunities comes wrapped in his signature style of unapologetic honesty and quick wit.Andrew specialises in helping audiences:• Look at their business from a global trend perspective• Embrace human intelligence as a competitive advantage • Use storytelling in a strategic way to connect and influence • Build deeper customer connections in a digital age• Navigate price increases and value positioning• Transform their definition of success• Create bulletproof brands that stand the test of time• Feel inspired by global stories of innovation in businessWhen Andrew takes the stage, he doesn't just leave a warm impression, he catalyses real change. His mission is to help people of substance build businesses of substance,ensuring they remain relevant and resilient in an ever-evolving marketplace.
“Scientifically, it's because that voice is vibration. So when it's vibration, it needs a medium to be heard. Like, if we are in outer space, we hear nothing because there's no medium to convey the sound. And then once we're back on Earth, we have media. And when we are listening to ourselves, the sound is vibrating in the head. So, the medium, the media, they are liquid, they are solid, the bones, so that's the medium that they are resonating in. But when we're recording ourselves, the medium is air. And then of course, fortunately or unfortunately, when people hear us, the voice is also vibrating in the air. So that's why I tell my clients, if you want to know how much suffering you're putting people around you through, you must listen to yourself.” – Cynthia ZhaiThis episode is the second half of my conversation with voice coach, TEDx speaker, and best-selling author Cynthia Zhai as we discuss the value of silence in public speaking, why our recordings never seem to sound like ourselves, and her insights into the trend of AI -generated narration.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Understanding GravitasThe second half of our conversation begins as Cynthia elaborates on the meaning of gravitas and how speakers can best convey a sense of it. “[Gravitas] just means that seriousness in the voice,” she says, “so when a leader speaks, if they are speaking with a voice that conveys this kind of seriousness, the heaviness that it gives people the impression that these leaders know what they're doing.” We discuss the challenge of maintaining an engaging pace while speaking, and why speeches are as much about silence as sound. “One very simple example that I use in my classes,” she explains, “is when we announce the lucky draw winner. So we say, ‘The lucky draw winner is…' After that, we pause, right? We pause so long that we are building up the suspense, building up people's anticipation.”(12:56) – The Role of PresenceCynthia describes her four tips for speakers to keep in mind, such as the impact they have on listeners. “The first one is people have to know how their voice affects people physically,” she says. “Either they give people goosebumps or make people relax.” We discuss that age-old riddle of why our voices never sound like our real selves in a recording, and why she always asks for a recording of her clients as part of her teaching process. “When I hear myself in my head, ‘Oh, it's so deep.' But when it's recorded, it's not. Or they feel, ‘Oh, it's so nice,' and recorded, it's not. They have to listen to themselves.”(25:30) – The Impact of AI on VoiceOur discussion turns to AI and its growing role in narration, and how Cynthia's recent encounter with a voice clone of a teacher who'd passed away quickly revealed itself as AI. “The way that they're talking, you can tell,” she says. “The more you listen, the more you can tell it is by AI because, for example, humans, when we are talking, we can say, ‘Ah, I see,' that there's a certain emotion that we carry where the AI, when you listen, it doesn't.” She tells listeners how they can get in touch and offers her parting tips on becoming a better speaker. “Even if they don't end up working with me,” she says, “I hope that this opens up some window where they realize, ‘The voice I was born with can be changed.'"Episode SummaryCynthia explains what gravitas means and how it can be developed.Techniques for effectively using silence and pauses in speech.The growing impact of AI voice clones and where they still fall short.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“My circle decides my ceiling.”Tracy Hollands Top Five Tips For Business Builders1. Stop confusing activity with leverage2. Turn your influence into something tangible3. Build with your community, not just for them4. Simple scales. Complex breaks5. Choose rooms that expand your future TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:23 Doing more with less05:40 Building a brand, no matter what10:20 Include your community in changes13:50 Focus on simplicity 17:10 Who is in your surroundings Where to find Tracy? Website https://www.innerfifth.com/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyholland Tracy Holland Bio I'm a founder, investor, and operator who has spent more than two decades building brands and businesses with women who lead. I co-founded HATCHBEAUTY and helped scale it to over $750M in cumulative wholesale revenue, launching and growing brands like Naturewell, Nuance by Salma Hayek, BLISS Color, FOUND Active, and Orlando Pita Haircare.Today, I lead the InnerFifth ecosystem, Potential to Powerhouse, Inner Fifth Accelerator, and Goodwill Brands, which is designed to take creators and entrepreneurs from inspiration to product to scale. I believe a woman's greatest asset isn't capital, it's conviction, and the community that amplifies it.My mission is to build rooms where powerhouse women rise together, with clarity, strategy, and support. I'm an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, a Fashion & Beauty Award recipient, and a member of The Committee of 200.
“I think one thing we mentioned just now, which is equanimity, that, of course, for them, they didn't realize the word. It was also something, the word that I've learned over the pandemic, so I think that's one thing where that equanimity, how you can stay grounded and centered, even if you are going through chaos, even if there is chaos in your head. So how you can stand grounded, and you can sound calm when you're talking to people, and even also in the pandemic, a lot of times the leaders don't know the answer either. So even if you don't know the answer, even if you feel the future is uncertain, you can still come across as calm and certain with the people you're leading.” – Cynthia ZhaiThis episode's guest is a voice coach, Professional Speaker, and best-selling author. She's also a two-time TEDx speaker, and she's helped professionals from 56 countries across six continents learn how to speak with a powerful voice. Her name is Cynthia Zhai, and she's been a professional speaker and coach for the past 23 years, with engagement spanning five continents in 25 countries. She's also been on this podcast before, though it was pretty much at the very beginning of things in 2020. We had a lot to catch up on, and the topic of communicating effectively is more important than ever. If you want your voice to have more impact and influence, you won't want to miss this discussion.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Developing Your Leadership VoiceAs our conversation starts, Cynthia shares the memories that have influenced her career in sound, such as hearing Martin Luther King's famous “I Have a Dream” speech. “I think that speech itself, the voice with emotion, the voice with a lot of passion, that's what really moved me,” she explains. “Plus, later on I heard about how the speech he delivered was not the original speech. I think that's even more impressive.” We talk about how things have changed since her last appearance on the show and what inspired her second book. “The first book came out ten years ago, 2015,” she tells us, “so now, ten years later, some new ideas have come to me. I've got some new inspiration, plus all the different clients I work with, so there are even more case studies. And so that's what I did.”(12:28) – Equanimity in LeadershipCynthia tells us about equanimity and how it guides her philosophy as a voice coach and speaker. “Equanimity is a Buddhist term that means that you stay centered and grounded even in the midst of chaos around you,” she says. “Even if you feel that it's uncertain, you feel a little bit panicked, but as a leader that, when you lead, you have to still come across as calm, composed, and certain.” She tells us why having a soft voice is no obstacle to being a powerful speaker, and her approach to helping clients overcome the doubts that keep them from speaking with confidence. “It's because there's something that in their mind is holding them back,” she explains. “For example, they don't dare to take up space. They have grown up in an environment where it's not encouraged… Or there are clients who are fearful of visibility or even authority. Once they have all these, it will affect the way they speak.”(27:40) – Overcoming Stage FrightThe first half of our discussion comes to a close as Cynthia recalls how she ended up taking her own advice about journaling to get in touch with your inner self. “I'm going to do what I have told my clients to do,” she says. “So I wrote it down, and once I wrote down all the thoughts running through my head, I felt so relieved, I said, ‘Oh, okay.' Then I went back to sleep.” She offers her tips for overcoming stage fright and talks about the importance, particularly these days, of showing empathy and understanding in public speech. “Since the pandemic, a lot of researchers have shown, and also it's attested by many clients as well, that people are more and more towards leaders who show compassion,” she tells us. “That's why that compassion has become a very key element when they're speaking.”Episode SummaryCynthia explores how compassion shapes audience perception.Discussion on the meaning and value of equanimity for leaders.Strategies for managing anxiety before public speaking.Tune in for next week's episode as we discuss just what it means to have gravitas, Cynthia's techniques for building a stronger connection with your audience, and how her uncanny encounter with the voice clone of a favorite teacher showed her both the power and limitations of AI in sound.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“I guess that's encouraging, and it's scary at the same time, because, you know, there are a lot of people in the industry that depend on the creativity that they've worked years and years and years to kind of master and to get to this point. And then all of a sudden, someone says, I don't want to pay this person. Let's just have AI do it. And, you know, it does a comparable job, if not better. So it's something that I think as a creative, I try not to be fearful of, but I do think about it as a competitor and as an ally at the same time.” – Jayson JohnsonThis episode is the second half of my conversation with founder of Strike Five Films, Jayson Johnson, as Jayson shares his creative philosophy and advice to young filmmakers, the impact he sees AI having on the creative industries, and why the world, especially now, could use more comedy.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – The Power of Music in Film The second half of our discussion starts with Jayson's firsthand experience with film scores and how a last-minute change to a climactic scene completely changed its tone. “We found an artist who made this really awesome song, and he was local, so he wasn't signed quite yet, and I just approached him, I said, ‘Do you think that we could use your music?'" Jayson recalls. “And so we put that music in there, and that completely changed the dynamic of it.” He shares the advice that award-winning director Terry Zwigoff gave him, and how he only later came to appreciate its significance. “He said you just have to be yourself, and I was kind of disappointed with that answer because everyone's looking for the hack,” he explains. “I realized that he was completely right, that… you have to be yourself and just do things that, you know, excite you. And in that way, it's going to come across as authentic.”(12:30) – Advice for Aspiring FilmmakersJayson offers his thoughts about the AI boom and advances such as the now-discontinued Sora app from OpenAI, and his advice to young filmmakers. “I would suggest that they really think about what they want to accomplish with sound,” he says. “A lot of times people use sound as an afterthought, and I would ask them to think about what exactly they wanted to execute beforehand.” He tells listeners how they can get in touch and talks about some of his upcoming projects, including one movie genre that's fallen out of the limelight in recent years. “I'm going to try my hand at comedy,” he explains, “because, you know, Hollywood says that comedy is dead, and I just don't believe that. I think people need to laugh at things… You can root for the underdog and feel good leaving the theater and, just for two hours, you don't have to think about the madness that's going on in the world.”Episode SummaryDiscussion on how AI is shaping the future of film production.Jayson offers tips on how to integrate sound into storytelling effectively.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Sound is a really important part of how I make movies because I always tell people that if the sound is good and the picture is bad, then you'll stick around to see what happens. However, if the sound is terrible and the picture is great, you're out of there in like ten minutes. So sound is something that I always cherish. And I think that the right filmmaker who appreciates sound can really take advantage of what we think about and use, you know, the viewer's imagination. A lot of film pictures start off in black and, you know, they just have the sound, so they really grab the audience's attention right from the beginning. So sound is just such a powerful medium.” – Jayson JohnsonThis week's guest is a filmmaker and the founder of Strike Five Films, an independent production company dedicated to authentic, character-driven storytelling. A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, he began his career under the mentorship of Francis Ford Coppola, working on the Wine, Daydreams & Memories tour before producing over 1,400 hours of broadcast television for Discovery ID. Since founding Strike Five Films in 2017, he's written, directed, and produced nine short films that have screened at more than ninety festivals worldwide, earning six awards. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets and is defined by themes of perseverance, community, and creativity.He's currently in pre-production on his debut feature, R.O.G.E.R & Me, an offbeat, heartfelt film rooted in Richmond, CA, while continuing to mentor emerging filmmakers and expand his mission of fusing storytelling, social impact, and independent artistry. His name is Jayson Johnson, and if you've ever wondered how intentional sound can elevate storytelling and make a lasting impact on audiences, you won't want to miss Jayson's behind-the-scenes insights and practical tips.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – How Sound Captivates AudiencesWe start things off with the vivid impression sound made on Jayson as a child, and how it led him to a career in filmmaking. “One of the memories I have as a child,” he recalls, “is, you know, you're sound asleep, and then all of a sudden, the vacuum cleaner goes on… that was kind of like an alarm clock for us, you know, because we always had chores.” He tells us more about his influences growing up and how a lifelong love of movies became a calling. “When I went to college,” he explains, “I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I signed up with Speech Communication, and they had a discipline of Radio, TV, and Film. And I just tried out everything.”(11:27) – Sound Techniques in FilmmakingJayson tells us more about his early years in the industry and how a chance job opening led to an encounter with Sofia and Francis Ford Coppola. “I put out all these resumes, I don't even know how many I put out,” he tells us. “Probably a hundred or so. No one called me except for this one place, and I said, ‘Oh, it's a winery. I'll go there.' And it happened to be Francis Coppola Winery.” He recalls his work on Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, and the lessons about sound that Marin Scorsese's classic Goodfellas taught him to apply to his own films. “We see the cars explode,” he explains, “and Scorsese wants the audience to feel the emotion of that scene by not saying anything and just adding that little pause in there and, you know, letting the audience feel the gravity of the moment.”Episode SummaryExploring how silence enhances emotional depth in storytelling.Jayson discusses the sound techniques he's used in his films.Tune in for next week's episode as we talk about how music can transform a film, both for better and for worse, his thoughts about the emergence of AI videos and virtual celebrities like Tilly Norwood, and why he considers sound to be the first step in his creative process as a filmmaker.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“People don't do what you expect, they do what you inspect” Dre Baldwin Top Five Tips for Eliminating Execution Drift in Growing Organizations1. Define Behavior, Not Just Outcomes2. Build a measurable execution scorecard 3. Remove Ambiguity from Roles and Standards4. Systematize “The Same Things, The Same Way, Every Time”5. Enforce accountability through structure not emotionTIME STAMP SUMMARY04:03 Importance of team leaders communicating that activities are being tracked to ensure compliance.08:58 Consistent enforcement of standards is crucial for maintaining order and respect.17:58 Systems can be simple but effective, and they are essential for managing growth.20:10 Accountability should be based on consistent processes, not personal relationships or moods. Where to find Dre?Website https://www.dreallday.com/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dreallday Dre Baldwin Bio Dre Baldwin is the creator of Work on your game, the operating system for high performance entrepreneurs.After a 9-year pro basketball career, Dre has delivered 4 TEDx Talks, authored 43 books, and built a body of work consumed over 100 million times. His framework installs discipline, structure and presence into experts and service pros ready to scale from six to seven figures with clarity, confidence and control.
“When I do see really powerful sonic branding, it's impressive. It stands out, you know? There was one I looked at, it was a luxury airline, or it was a luxury-like experience, I want to say. They sold, like, really specific vacations to remote parts of the world that were really luxury experiences and really interesting, and they had a really cohesive sonic branding that wasn't music. It was just an intentional sound design approach where they had a lot of the sounds of the place, and they really focused on a sense of place. So when it was in Japan, it would be the sound of that water bamboo thing, you know, really magnified. And then the sound of an old wooden gate closing, and then the sound of someone folding a paper crane, like really delicate, beautifully recorded sounds that they would shape into the commercial. And so that wasn't music, but every single ad had the same kind of vibe of this really intentional, beautiful sound design that evoked a sense of place. And that was just so cool. And so, when I see something like that, I'm like, ‘That's what you can do. Why are you doing random samples when you could have a really nice effect and memorable impression?'" – Caitlyn TrevorThis episode is the second half of my chat with sonic UX researcher Caitlyn Trevor as we discuss how culture can dramatically change UX impressions, the value of sound in strengthening brand, and her “Sound Effects” series on LinkedIn, exploring the link between sound and behavior.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Making the Most of a Sonic ImpressionThe second half of our conversation begins with Caitlyn's findings when it comes to improving on-hold UX phone design, including her discovery that less is more when it comes to automated voice updates and commercials. “You're like, ‘Oh, thank God,'" she recalls from her research results, “But if it's just, ‘We want to tell you about our special new…' You're like, ‘Oh.' And so it was a stress thing for them every time they heard a voice, they thought, ‘Oh, someone's answering.' And then when it was a commercial, they were extra annoyed by the commercial.” We talk about some other sound design elements that defy common sense, such as research showing that fire alarms aren't very well attuned to the human brain. “I found that the typical fire alarm is not the most effective,” she tells us. “You know, this kind of house alarm, like, it's at around 3,000 Hz, really high-pitched. This is not great. A lower-pitched one around, I think it was 500 Hz, is actually more effective at waking people up.”(15:00) – How Sound Changes the Customer ExperienceCaitlyn tells us more about the unexpected results of research into our relationship with sound, including our smartphones. “When you turn off notifications completely,” she notes, “you actually check your phone more than if you leave them on because you have this like, fear of missing out… People who had their phones on mute picked up their phones 48 more times per day and spent 52 extra minutes on their phones.” We talk about what that research means for audio branding and making a positive customer impression, and we discuss the powerful, often-overlooked impact of sonic logos. “There's an IPSO study as well,” Caitlyn recalls, “that wasn't actually about sonic branding specifically, but the results were really flattering for sonic branding. It was something like if you have a sonic logo, it increases brand recall by, I think it was like 96%. It was really crazy.”(21:40) – The Future of Audio BrandingOur conversation comes to a close as Caitlyn shares her thoughts on the power of sound and what her research has shown about its impact on the human mind. “I think sometimes, you know, sound is such an afterthought,” she explains, “and people don't remember that it actually has a really big impact on the experience. I think that's becoming a bit clearer with people caring more about neurodivergence and sound sensitivity.” She tells listeners how they can get in touch, and adds her advice on how brands can make the strongest and most consistent sonic impression on their customer base. “The more time you spend with stimuli,” she notes, “whatever it is, a song, a picture, the longer you look at it, hear it, the more you like it. So when you're doing ratings of emotion or, I don't know, familiarity, likability, that's going to affect it. But, you know, we know this, and somehow we don't use it sometimes.”Episode SummaryCaitlin discusses the impact of sonic branding on client relationships.The impact of sound on brand perception, ratings, and customer loyalty.How Caitlin's research is redefining audio branding and marketing.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Success really should be improving your life, not just consuming it.” Nancy Youssef Top Five Tips For Moving From Fear to Purpose and Building a Life you Actually Want 1. Commit before you feel ready2. Money is emotional before it's mathematical. 3. Let go of control to become a better leader4. Purpose isn't something you find- Its something you keep choosing5. Build a business that gives you freedom, not just success. TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:37 Readiness is achieved through action and experience. 06:40 Knowing your numbers and understanding trigger points.14:50 Purpose can change based on life circumstances and challenges.20:10 Make changes to achieve the freedom they desire, even if it means taking risks. Where to find Nancy?Website https://www.nancyyoussef.com.au/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyoussef/ Nancy Youssef Bio Nancy Youssef is an award-winning business mentor, Certified Speaking Professional and author of Fear Money Purpose and Success Beyond Fear.She founded Classic Finance in 2003 and Classic Mentoring and Coaching in 2012, originally to give back to startups in the finance industry. That work has since evolved into mentoring more than 300 entrepreneurs and SME owners across many industries in Australia and beyond. She sold Classic Finance in 2019 and has been fully dedicated to mentoring and speaking ever since.Nancy is a Director on the PSA Board and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. A lifelong student of leadership, she has invested in her entrepreneurial journey through Richard Branson's Necker Island and pursued development through UCLA Anderson School of Management, Bond University and the Mind Academy where she holds certifications in NLP, Life Coaching, Hypnotherapy and Sustainable Dynamics.Nancy has also raised hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting charitable initiatives across Africa, the Middle East and beyond. For her, purpose-led business and giving back have always been the same pursuit.She is known for her grounded, candid style and one question guides everything she does: does this give you more freedom or less?
“Our brain really prioritizes vocal signals. They're super important to the brain because human communication is a really big priority for us as a species. It's a deep signal in our brain, right? And so, we were seeing a stronger reaction to the screams than to the music, and that sort of makes sense. There were more intricacies to that, but I can't really remember the exact brain areas and all that. But it was cool to see that. Yeah, it is sort of mimicking, but our brain really separates them. You know, it may still get sort of a response, a same kind of fearful response, but it's not going to be as powerful as the voice, um, which makes sense because music is not real, right? There's a difference between a real stimulus and this sort of artistic one. Yeah, so it was interesting.” – Caitlyn TrevorThis episode's guest is an award-winning researcher and musician with over a decade of experience studying how people perceive and respond to sound. She holds a PhD in Music Theory from Ohio State University and has published her work in top journals. She was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship to study music and neuroscience, and she's professionally certified in user research. As a musician, she has a Master's in Cello Performance, has composed an award-winning short film score, and has designed sound for theater and film. At SonicUXR, she leads with both credibility and creative empathy, equipping sound teams with the tools to create more intentional, impactful audio.Her name is Caitlyn Trevor, and her work is reshaping how sound is understood, valued, and designed across industries. If you've ever wondered how sound really works on us, this conversation will change the way you listen.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Lighting a Musical FireOur conversation starts with Caitlyn's early impressions of sound, particularly the moment that sparked her love of orchestral music. “I came across on the floor like a little cassette tape and a cassette player, and I popped it in and just hit play while we were chatting, and it was the Lord of the Rings soundtrack,” she recalls. “I was a little too young when it came out, the first one, and I was just captivated by it. I mean, I was like, ‘Wow, what is this?'” We discuss the chance encounter during her musical studies that turned her focus towards music cognition and the neuroscience behind sound. “There was a lecture I went to totally by chance,” she tells us. “It was a new music theory professor, and the lecture was about music cognition, and I had never heard of it before. And I was like, ‘This is just the coolest field I've ever heard of.' And I totally was on board after that.”(15:00) – Pianto Sighs and Psycho ViolinsOur discussion turns to her research on the connection between music and the brain's primal response to voices. “In sad music,” Caitlyn explains, “there's something called the pianto topic, which is essentially just a half-step falling motion, like, which is supposed to mimic a sigh. But, you know, that's quite abstract… Whereas the psycho violin, you know, sounds very much like a scream.” She tells us about the birth of her daughter and how her career shifted from academia to the private sector. “I think a lot of academics are scared that's going to happen, that it's going to feel like, I don't know, maybe they wasted all that time,” she says. “I was prepared that I may not be able to continue doing music cognition, and I'm very happy that that hasn't been the case. That was surprising.”(21:40) – Putting Audio Theory to PracticeCaitlyn tells us more about her work on UX research, and how it quickly and unexpectedly led to her focus on phone trees and hold-time experiences. “They hadn't thought about the phone tree for that,” she recalls. “They just mentioned it, like, ‘Oh, and we're also doing the phone tree and the on-hold music.' And I was like, ‘Wait, that would be great for me to work on… somebody needs to do UX on that [because[ it's the worst.'" She talks about the advantage of being able to put her findings to use, something that hadn't been so easy at the university. “What I like about my new position,” Caitlyn explains, “as opposed to working in academia, is synthesizing it in a way that's accessible… I never really did that in academia. It was always just about supporting your hypothesis, explaining the results. But now I get to say this research shows me that we should compose it this way.”Episode SummaryCaitlin shares her journey from Lord of the Rings to the science of sound.The evolutionary origins of music and its impact on the brain.Caitlin's work in UX research and creating a better phone-hold experience.Tune in for next week's episode as we discuss the results of Caitlyn's studies into on-hold UX design and phone trees, why unpleasant sounds are sometimes the better choice in automobile UX, and what she's learned about the long-term return on investment when it comes to sonic branding.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Your gut feeling about a person is a powerful early-warning system, but it only becomes truly useful when you check it against what you see and hear beyond the words.” Eytan Segev Top Five Tips For Reading People Instantly and Making Better Decisions In Business and Life1. Read Structure, Not Behaviour 2. The face is a map of decision-making 3. Trust Signals are visible in seconds 4. Stress always leaves a clue5. Adapt your communication to win TIME STAMP SUMMARY06:48 The significance of facial structure15:50 Listening and observing body language to understand communication better.22:00 Understanding stress in others to communicate more effectively and help them.23:00 Adjusting your approach to match the other person's communication style. Where to find Eytan?Website https://il.linkedin.com/in/eytansegevLinkedIn https://body-language.academy/ Eytan Segev Bio For over 19 years, Eytan Segev - The Profiler has unlocked the hidden codes of human behavior. Through face reading, body language, and micro-expressions, he equips audiences to connect deeper, communicate clearer, and influence with impact.Born in South Africa, Eytan moved to Israel at 3. At 13 he lost his mother, returned to South Africa a year later, and came back to Israel at 19. These shifts forged his mission: mastering the art of reading people.Today, at 59, he lives in Israel, happily married and father of three daughters. For 12 years, he and his wife have also been a foster family to a child from Eritrea, now 13-experiences that give his work rare authenticity.Eytan has trained corporations, government agencies, universities, security forces, and thousands of professionals worldwide. He is the creator of the Profiler Practitioner program, a unique training system taught online and in person, and has delivered hundreds of workshops on personology, face reading, body language, lie detection, and micro-emotions.He is also the founder of a startup that applies face-reading and body-language technology, merging human insight with AI and behavioral analytics.A board member of the Virtual Speakers Association International (VSAI), Eytan is recognized as Israel's leading authority in face reading and body language.His bestselling book, The Complete Guide to Face Reading, Body Language & Micro-Expressions, is a cornerstone for professionals seeking stronger communication.As Tony Robbins said: "The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives." That belief drives Eytan's mission.Audiences learn to:o Decode trust and intention through body language.o Recognize hidden emotions and micro-expressions.o Use face reading to understand personality and motivation.o Build stronger connections in leadership, sales, education, and relationships.Whether on stage, in universities, or in consultation, Eytan delivers charisma, depth, and transformation. Like a Mentalist, he reads people instantly. Participants leave inspired and equipped with tools that change how they see others-and themselves. Participants leave inspired-and equipped with tools that immediately change how they see others and themselves. If you want a speaker who electrifies audiences and transforms the way they connect, Eytan Segev - The Profiler - is the one, bringing knowledge, passion, and unforgettable impact wherever he speaks.
“I grew up near the west coast here in Denmark, so yeah, the sea has always been there. And Aarhus is also a harbor city, so definitely there's something relaxing about going down to the water and hearing the whistling. We implemented that in Necesse, actually. We have a water fountain that's spatial, so that when you get near to it, you hear it rustling. You can sit by it and actually get the feeling that you're talking about, of just, you know, [dreaming] away.” – Rune EskildsenThis episode is the second half of my conversation with composer Rune R. B. Eskildsen as we discuss the balance between AI convenience and human intuition, where the data we feed AI ends up and how it might be used, and his work on the upcoming, highly anticipated game Out of Words.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Navigating AI and Copyright ChallengesAs the second half of our discussion starts, Rune shares his thoughts on the growth of AI and how even a simple jingle can benefit from a human touch. “It's a story that you are trying to convey through the brand or whatever you're making that sound for,” he explains. “Yes, you could recreate the same thing with an AI, but it wouldn't be able to encapsulate the thoughts that we've spoken about.” We talk about the environmental impact of AI and the data centers that power it, and how different countries are looking to offset, and even take advantage of, that impact. “Data centers are going up,” he notes, “I just learned recently that in Amsterdam or somewhere in the Netherlands, they use data centers to heat up the city. So they build them on the ground and then they heat parts of the city.”(15:45) – The Role of Human Emotion in SoundOur conversation turns to some of the privacy concerns that have sprung up around AI, and how they affect his use of it for professional clients. “Even though it might not go anywhere, we don't know if it's going anywhere,” he says about prompts. “It takes a snapshot and puts it somewhere and hides it. And there might be some secret stuff, so yeah, that's also a concern.” He discusses some cases where, on the other hand, AI has helped clients better express their needs. “I think talking about AI as a tool,” he tells us, “maybe people would do that, say, ‘This is kind of the vibe that I want to do. And I've made it with AI or made it myself or whatever, but now I want you to do it properly.'"(22:00) – Rune's Advice for Product DesignersAs our conversation wraps up, Rune elaborates on the different, often subtle impact that AI and human compositions can have on listeners. “I guess that's sort of the same,” he explains, “[as] plastic plants and real plants. And that's definitely, you know, it lights up and there are some colors which you really can't emulate that well, even though some of the plastic ones are good.” He tells listeners how they can get in touch and talks about some of his upcoming projects, including the indie adventure platformer Out of Words. “We have some updates coming and we'll be on sale on Steam when we go into winter,” he adds. “So that is nice. And yeah, we have some bigger updates coming.”Episode SummaryRune shares insights on the current copyright landscape in Denmark.Discussion on the ethics and sustainability of AI in the audio industry.Rune gives tips on how to enhance sound quality in product design.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“When I started on the project of Necesse, we had maybe thirty sound effects. I've made around 400, 350 sound effects, so it's become much more immersive. You can hear animals when you wander around in the different environments. And just the feedback you get by playing the game, it's quite nice compared to before, which were much more… maybe empty is the right word.” – Rune EskildsenThis week's guest is a media composer, sound designer, and drummer based in Denmark. He writes music and builds sonic identities across formats, from commercials and podcast jingles to film scores, game music, and in-game sound design. He holds a Master of Science in Strategic Communication, which he applies to creative direction, collaboration, and clear, audience-first storytelling.More recently, he's become the Composer and Sound Designer of the indie game Necesse, selling more than 2,000,000 copies. His name is Rune R. B. Eskildsen, and he bridges classical training and cutting-edge technology to tell stories through sound. This episode will give you a fresh, behind-the-scenes perspective on how sound can shape emotion, imagination, and even player behavior.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Growing Up in a Musical HomeOur conversation starts with the movies and music that inspire Rune's career in sound. “I clearly remember watching Star Wars,” he recalls, “and all of the soundscapes that are in, you know, just that huge universe, [with] TIE-fighters flying by and Darth Vader, that scary sound.” He shares his memories of growing up in a home that doubled as a music studio, and of studying classical music from a young age. “When I went to this special school in Denmark that is only for classical music,” he says, “and being there, being part of that, I played the French horn. At this time, I started to have ear training and music theory and all of that, which kind of led me on a path to try to make my own.”(15:00) – From Classical Music to Video GamesThe discussion turns to his work in the video game industry and how he got his start in composing video-game soundtracks. “I showed up at this incubator with game companies,” he tells us, “and I was, like, ‘This is me, I do music, I want to do music for games.' And then some of the guys there, they said, ‘Hey, we want to work with you.'" Rune gives us a behind-the-scenes look at game development and recalls his sound work on MineRalph, a game where the soundtrack had to keep pace with the action. “So, because you gain speed if you're, like, going down a hill or something like that, or down a hole,” he explains, “if you have high speed, the music will change into different adaptive layers.”(21:40) – Creating Immersive Gaming SoundscapesAs the first half of our talk comes to a close, Rune tells us more about his work with video games and shares another memorable project that took some outside-the-box thinking. “That was like a dystopian world sci-fi thing,” he recalls, “and that was actually mainly symphonic music. But again, it was sci-fi, so I was able to design a lot of, you know, sounds that people did not hear before.” He shares his thoughts on where indie games are heading next and how organic creativity is becoming an increasingly valuable asset in the industry. “I think in terms of trends,” he explains, “people are trying to make immersive worlds that are standing out more than just being, you know, if you use Unity... making it more creative, making your own world, making it hand-drawn instead.”Episode SummaryRune shares his early memories of sound, particularly from sci-fi films.Rune explains his journey from classical music to video game soundtracks.Discussion on current trends in game audio and the role of AI.Tune in for next week's episode as we talk more about the influence of AI in video games and cinema, Rune's advice to musicians for juggling the rapid-fire demands of modern freelancing, and how countries around the world are managing the environmental impact of the AI boom.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“We're in a world surrounded by so much data and AI we can get lost in the noise of it all, and I've found that throughout my year as a performer, the amount of times people say to me, you know, your content is great, but your energy, your essence, your presence is what really makes us attracted to connecting with you…” Sarah Rowan Top Five Tips For Staying Human, Creative and Connected In 2026 1. Choose presence over performance2. Create spaces where people feel safe, seen and connected3. Prioritize quiet...stillness is becoming a superpower4. Grow your tech skills... and your human skills... side by side5. Get your hands in the dirt TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:39 Human connection and presence are essential, 06:05 Creating a safe space for people to be creative, free from judgment and ridicule.12:48 Learning bit by bit to avoid burnout and stay present.18: 50 Finding small ways to connect with nature, even in urban environments, to improve their overall well-being. Where to find Sarah?Website https://artistsarahrowan.com/about/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/artistsarahrowan/ Sarah Rowan Bio Sarah Rowan (who now goes by Rowan) is an artist and thought leader who empowers individuals and organizations to ignite a better future through creativity. As one of Australia's top Speed Painters, she has lived and breathed the dynamic process of transformation for over 20 years, turning blank walls and cavasses into thought-provoking pieces of art, with limited time and often in front of a live audience. Merging her artistic talent with her passion for public speaking, Rowan has reimagined the role of the artist, pushing the boundaries of a studio-based pursuit into a trail-blazing performance genre that challenges the limitations of time and space.After graduating from Converse College in 2003 with a BFA in Studio Art, Rowan started an art business in Greenville, South Carolina, USA before moving to Sydney to expand her horizons. It was here that she used the process of creative futurism to overcome depression, challenge chronic illness and create a new future for herself and her family. No longer shackled by societal norms, she has stepped into the full power of her truth personally and professionally.Rowan's strong emotional storytelling, along with her ability to paint fast and think fast has captivated hundreds of clients like Nestlé, ANZ, AMP, Ernst & Young, Woolworths, Sydney Airport, and Priceline. She has inspired audiences to embrace their own creativity which she believes is a “birthright to all” and to date has painted at over 600 events raising over $400,000 for charity.Other clients include: SAP, Netball World Cup, Salvation Army, Terry White Chemmart, YPO, City of Sydney, Commonwealth Bank, American Express, Doterra, Department of Defence, Mirvac, Australian College of Nursing, Liberty Finance, University of Sydney, NAB, ANZ, Dexus, Fastway Couriers, AUSCAM, Bombay Sapphire, International Canadian School Ho Chi Min City, etc.
“I think that sound drives the emotion of a scene, right? As much as dialogue, right? Sound and music, score in particular… I just think it helps to create emotion in a scene or augments the performances. Because you gotta have great performances, but great performance coupled with, you know, great sound design or a great score, it just makes you feel, it does something, it makes you tingle. It does something to you that just envelops you in that moment, right?” – Kenneth JohnsonThis episode is the second half of my conversation with sonic storyteller and founder of Artistry in Sound, Kenneth Johnson, as we talk about his experiences as one of the earliest Black sound designers in Hollywood, the changes that AI and streaming media have brought to sound design, and how horror movies in particular combine a variety of sound approaches to make a powerful impact.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – The Role of Sound in FilmOur discussion continues as Kenneth walks us through the process of sound design, from shooting script to the recording booth.“As I'm reading the script,” he tells us, “I'm sort of envisioning the project and thinking about, okay, well, what do I think it should sound like? And what can I do to embellish those scenes? And so once I've kind of digested that, then we do what's called the spotting session with the creatives.” He tells us more about creating a cinematic soundscape and reveals just how little of what the audience hears comes from the action onscreen. “Everything, usually, other than the dialogue, we recreate,” he says. “Whether that's a car race, a spaceship, or it's by a river, everything that you hear, all the ambience, all the sound effects are redone. We've recreated that whole soundscape.”(15:45) – Production Recording vs. Post-ProductionKenneth tells us about his up-and-coming experiences in Hollywood and the importance of diversity in the sound industry. “What I do is I try to give people opportunities,” he explains. “My team, you know, are from their early twenties to forty, and the majority are African American, and the majority of them, well, all of them, basically, I trained and mentored. And they're very talented.” We discuss the growing role of AI and streaming content in sound editing, and how much software apps have changed the process since his audio career began in the ‘90s. “Once we put [the audio track] into iZotope RX,” he tells us, “we could see it, and so I had to figure out what's making this resonance. I had to take some things out, and it turns out it was a metal music stand that was vibrating and causing that frequency.”(25:30) – The Future of Sound DesignOur conversation comes to a close as we talk about the different roles and responsibilities involved in cinematic sound, from soundtracks to dialogue to each layer of Foley sound. “We want it to be able to breathe because if you just throw everything on the wall,” he says, “then it's not going to be as nice as if you selectively pick what's going up there. That's important to figure out, who's going to handle what, because a lot of times sound design and score can overlap.” Kenneth tells listeners how they can get in touch, and he offers his advice for newcomers in the sound industry, including the value of hands-on experience. “I can take you to a class and talk for a few hours about techniques… Are you going to retain that? Probably not,” he says. “If you're able to get in there like I did and have access to being able to work and try out different things and get advice, you're going to move faster.”Episode SummaryWe discuss how sound drives emotion and shapes a movie's narrative.Kenneth outlines his creative process from script reading to ambient sound design.Insights and advice from Kenneth for the next generation of sound designers.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Pain and trauma are the building blocks for resilience.”Kelvin Holiday Top Five For the Payment Gateway Revolution1. Trust is not a strategy, verify everything, especially with those closest to you. 2. Freedom isn't determined by income, it's a mindset that you leverage.3. Pain and trauma is the building block for resilience.4. Reinvention has no age limit5. Dig the well early TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:26 Trust without documentation is chaos07:06 Turning cashflow into travel and lifestyle freedom14:43 Building resilience19:32 Being prepared for obstacles Where to find Kelvin?Website https://kelvinholliday.com/LinkedIn https://th.linkedin.com/in/kelvinholliday Kelvin Holiday BioKel is a 5 times best-selling author, international speaker, and recognized internationally by Fox ABC and NBC media as a top 10 professional in leadership systems. Family is everything to Kel. He has 3 loving daughters, all health professionals, a son who leads one of the largest Canadian sound recording studios, and 3 grandsons. Kel is a leading expert in the creation of freedom, and he lives what he teaches having visited 15 countries in the past 2 years and now living in northern Thailand with his new bride. Kel is a serial entrepreneur, having built his first million $$ business (45 million plus) at age 24 while at the same time teaching business management at TAFE at night. Kel has ALWAYS loved tech and teaching. He is an multi-award-winning entrepreneur and has always been at the forefront of technology solutions and education since personal computers were a thing.· He owned his first IBM computer in 1978· Was one of the first Microsoft techs in Australia in 1984· Developed the first software for his building company in 1986· Run a radio program on business growth before Podcasting was a thing· Owned a small TV and film production studio In 2018 Kel decided to retire aged 55. Selling all his business and buying a caravan to travel Australia. Well, that lasted all of 2 weeks. One of the businesses he was selling advised him late in the settlement period that they didn't want to take on the 15 VAs he employed. So, not wanting these 15 long-standing employees to be unemployed, within 4 days he reshaped everything to start a new company called the Transformational Hub that went on to grow into 9 global companies, located in 3 countries, serving clients globally including a Highlevel agency that he started in 2019. Kel is always saying, “I love to empower entrepreneurial growth that doesn't lead to breakdown or burnout but instead to create freedom”
This episode's guest is an award–winning supervising sound designer whose groundbreaking work has shaped the sound of some of television and film's most iconic projects, including Netflix's hit series Forever and Kevin Hart's animated comedy Lil Kev. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, he rose through the ranks of Hollywood post-production, breaking barriers as one of the few Black sound designers in the industry and earning multiple MPSE Golden Reel Awards and Emmy nominations. Today, he's not only redefining sonic storytelling but also championing greater diversity behind the scenes, ensuring the voices shaping what we hear are as dynamic as the stories themselves.His name is Kenneth Johnson, and in this episode, we'll discover how he transforms silence into emotion and builds powerful storytelling through every note, tone, and texture.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Kenneth's Early InfluencesWe start things off with a look at Kenneth's journey from a childhood in the South Central projects to an award-winning Hollywood career. “Something just came over me, and I said, you know what? This is it, I'm kind of done,” he recalls a pivotal moment early in life. “I had to make a decision as to what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and, you know, I've always liked music.” He tells us about his early career in post-production sound and a chance encounter with producer J.R. DeLang. “He said, ‘That's great, but you can't come in and just sit in that chair. You've got to work your way up to that.'” Kenneth tells us of their first meeting. “He said, ‘we've got two positions that usually work their way up to being [soundtrack] mixers, and that's a dialogue editor and a sound effects editor.'”(12:45) – The Journey to Sound DesignKenneth tells us more about his work as a sound designer and the art of creating impossible sounds, such as the wild inventions in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series. “They were always creating these contraptions and things that don't exist,” he says, “so you had to figure it out in your mind. You'd have to say, ‘Well, what do I think it sounds like?' Or what should it sound like? And then you start putting pieces together.” He recalls his sound editing work from a memorable scene in the award-winning movie Road to Perdition and the thought process behind it. “We started out with just hearing the sounds of winter,” Kenneth explains. “And then he tries to start the car, and the car is not really functioning and he's having an issue starting it. And so that whole sequence of him trying to start the car and then finally getting it started was, it was just really beautiful.”(25:30) – The Power of SilenceAs the first half of our conversation wraps up, Kenneth emphasizes the importance of testing sound work in its native format as well as the studio. “I think a lot of times people don't do that,” he says. “They don't play it back in the medium that it's meant to be played on. They just play it in the room and it sounds fantastic, right? But then when you squash it all down to a stereo file, it will sound different.” We talk about what goes into setting up an ideal sound studio and about the importance of “tuning” a room. “Say there's a dip in the low end,” he explains, “and the room hasn't been compensated. We're going to push the low end, which means that possibly when it gets to another playback format, the bass is going to be really loud. So we try to mix in a neutral environment where everything is flat.”Episode SummaryKenneth discusses his childhood and transition to film and television sound design.We discuss the challenge of creating sound effects for things that don't exist.Kenneth emphasizes the importance of maintaining an ideal studio sound space.Tune in for next week's episode as we discuss how Kenneth puts sound to work in shaping a narrative, how his role as a sound designer has changed since digital sound editing became the norm, and his advice for people who are just starting out in post-production and sound editing.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Real change doesn't come from big ideas alone. It comes from small, repeatable moments done well over time.” Luke Evans Top Five Tips For Building a Resilient Culture 1. Redefine what culture actually is2. Start with your why, not your values poster3. Be intentional about how culture is lived, not just stated4. Stop treating wellbeing as a standalone initiative5. Use resilience as the capability that holds it all togetherTIME STAMP SUMMARY01:13 Culture is influenced by norms and rules07:07 Living culture intentionally, not just stating it15:50 Importance of addressing wellbeing19:40 Resilience is about advancing Where to find Luke?Website https://cuppa.pickmybrain.world/profiles/luke-evansLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-evans-1348475a/ Luke Evans BioAfter nearly 20 years working for some of the world's most loved brands, I've come to believe that resilience is not built in our biggest moments. It's built in the quiet, ordinary ones that shape how we show up every day.Across my life and work, one pattern has stayed consistent, especially amongst high achievers. When we're under pressure, we work harder. Try more. Push through. But without understanding what's actually driving the challenge, at the level of belief and biology, that effort creates a disconnect. Over time, it shows up as burnout, disengagement, and corporate values nobody really believes in.I'm a resilience coach and facilitator, and Founder of Emotive Work. My work has taken me through leadership and advisory roles, building businesses, living and working internationally, and supporting leaders and teams through periods of change and uncertainty. Along the way, I've seen what happens when capable people are expected to cope without the tools, language, or systems to support them.That experience shaped my purpose. Helping individuals and organizations understand that culture is behaviour repeated, resilience is biology before behaviour, and belief is what makes purpose work. When those layers are aligned, people don't just perform better. They feel better, and the work becomes more sustainable for everyone.Today, I work with leaders and teams to build resilient, purpose-led cultures grounded in how humans actually function. Not through quick fixes or wellbeing initiatives, but through everyday practices that support regulation, connection, and accountability.Because real change doesn't come from big ideas alone. It comes from small, repeatable moments, done well, over time.If you're noticing your people are struggling more than they should, or your culture isn't helping you grow, the work starts here.
“The reason why brands and companies should be thinking about audio is because all of their consumers are, whether they know it or not. I mean, to your point about people knowing when something doesn't feel right but not necessarily knowing why, a lot of times it's audio. Especially now too, with so much AI slop and the level of inauthenticity that is being broadcasted, a really great song jingle, like a really well-crafted sound design for movements in things like action, sports, or what have you, that can bring in the viewer or the listener into a world that I just cannot.” – David GielanThis episode is the second half of my conversation with founder and CEO of Dominant Creative, and founder and CTO of DominantLabs.AI, David Gielan, as we discuss the shifting balance between AI content and natural creativity, where he sees the advertising industry heading as human artists become more of a luxury, and the link between branding, better sales, and the power of sound.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – The Importance of Audio in MarketingThe second half of our conversation starts as David relays a lesson Emma Thompson shared in one of her books about the impact that just writing our thoughts down can have on the brain. “She says there's a relation between the way that our brain works and our hand,” he recalls. “You fundamentally learn what it is you're putting down on paper by having that connection, which I think is really interesting. And we totally miss it if we put it into an AI chatbot.” We focus on the steady growth of AI in the advertising industry, and how it's making organic content both less common and more valuable. “In the same way that I buy vinyl and listen to vinyl,” David says, “that's how voiceover, and, in my humble opinion, sound design, music creation, all these things will be. There will be a premium for it, and there'll be a much smaller group doing it because you will not be able to make a living at it.”(08:15) – AI's Impact on CreativityDavid tells us more about his creative process, and how he took a deliberately low-tech approach to mixing his last album: “I didn't want samples from somebody I've never met, somebody I didn't know who played it in some studio in Prague to have their stuff on my record,” he explains. “And so I think there are more people out there who feel the same way that I do.” AI can have its advantages, though, and he describes how he puts it to use when brainstorming. “When I want to sketch out storyboards,” he says, “it's much easier for me to clarify that idea and then have it animated… Not because I'm trying to put out a final product, but because I'm trying to understand better what I want.”(22:35) – Crafting an Authentic Brand SoundAs our conversation comes to a close, David shares some of the projects that have marked the highlights of his career, and the role sound played in shaping their success. “One of the proudest things I have in my career is a piece of audio that's absolutely defined the legacy of that brand. And it is very easy to forget what drives a consumer to make a purchasing decision to align themselves with an identity because that's essentially what, you know, your dollars go to.” We discuss the link between visual, audio, and ad revenue, and how he puts all three to use to build a successful brand. “The thing I spend most of my time doing is connecting the dots between a good brand and better sales,” he tells us. “Ultimately, that's what it will or will not do. And audio is a massive part of that.”Episode SummaryDavid discusses why brands should focus on authentic audio experiences.The conversation shifts to the effects of AI on sound design and creativity.David shares his philosophy on creating sound with a personal touch.Connect with the GuestDominant Creative's website: https://dominantcreative.com/David's website: https://gielan.com/Follow David Gielan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgielan/Follow David Gielan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidgielan/Follow David Gielan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgielan/Get your complimentary mini e-book and learn how to create your personalized and branded audio branding strategy with my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy.Do you need a voice talent for your next project? Visit my voice-over website to find out more about how my voice can help you with your audio brand. You can also subscribe to the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube to watch the show's latest episodes.Please leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review so others can find the show on their favorite podcast player!Want to be a guest on Audio Branding? Send Jodi a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/jodikrangle.This interview episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco.** Transcript available upon requestThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“To your point, like it can make or break campaigns, can make or break TV and film. I mean, you know, there's mumblegate that's happening, like with all the streamers where I can't understand half the things that are being spoken... And in the interview, he was like, ‘Well, it's just not important to me.' I'm like, what?” – David GielanThis week's guest is a six-time founder and creative strategist who knows the power of sound in shaping stories that stick. As founder of Dominant Creative, a global agency and production company, he helps brands harness audio to spark connection and inspire change. His name is David Gielan, and in this episode, he shares how sound influences branding, fuels emotion, and helps organizations stand out in a noisy world. If you care about where audio is headed, you'll want to hear this one.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – David's Journey from Music to MarketingAs our conversation starts, David recalls his early memories of sound and how he's passing on the lessons he learned to his own children. “Being even two or three years old,” he says, “I have these memories of dancing to records in my home and, you know, I just try to impart that on my kids too when they were very young.” He tells us more about his experience in marketing and ad production, and how having a background in music can sometimes be a mixed blessing. “I am not a person who can go to live music events as just an appreciator of music,” David explains. “It makes it absolutely impossible for me…. I'm just going to be sitting there in my head trying to pick it apart, not in a negative way, but just in a way of trying to understand how it was all put together.”(08:15) – Mumblegate and Audio ClarityThe discussion continues as David tells us more about the role sound plays in his approach to branding. “ I also have always been the kind of director and creative who is considering sound at each stage of the process,” he tells us. “And so I'm also doing the edit in my head and I'm doing the sound design in my head while we're filming, while we're working on it, and so it just gives me a greater level of control, but also creative inspiration as I'm working.” Our conversation turns to “mumblegate,” the sound editing trend that's making streaming audio harder to hear than ever, and how it can work against a marketing campaign. “I think for a lot of people,” he adds, “sound is usually an afterthought, especially because advertising a lot of time is a very visual medium… The creatives that I love working with most are the ones who come from post before they started getting into the director's chair, because they understand how something incredibly simple can make such a massive impact.”(22:35) – The Role of Sound DesignAs the first half of our conversation closes, the topic turns to how David puts sound to use in his own marketing work, such as an ad campaign he created for Yonex. “It was a very dark and emotive and impactful round of spots that were mainly driven by sound design,” he recalls. “It was just the visuals of a racket spinning. But it really came to life when, you know, when those moments were accented by key sound effects.” Our discussion returns to his insights on mumblegate, and how often it comes down to a struggle between sound editors and producers. “I've worked with a number of rerecording mixers over the years that bury dialogue because they're forced to do so, not because they want to. They're like, ‘No, I want to bring clarity to this project and so people can follow the story and understand what's going on.' And then they're, you know, shouted down by the folks at the top.”Episode SummaryDavid talks about his career journey and personal experiences with sound.Why audio clarity seems to be less of a focus in today's media.David shares the impact of sound design in his advertising campaigns.Tune in for next week's episode as we talk about the human creativity premium that the AI rush is helping to create, how David's balancing automation and his personal approach to building a campaign, and why he feels that sound is an untapped resource when it comes to branding.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Live is always going to be great. Human connection is the only thing that will differentiate AI from people and from artists. And that is, I think, going to be the key lever that artists have left. So in the same way as you might go and buy a handmade coffee cup for $20 from an artisan stall when you can buy one for a dollar in Walmart, music will still hold great value.” – David Courtier-DuttonThis episode is the second half of my conversation with the founder and CEO of SoundOut, David Courtier-Dutton, as we discuss the catch-22 financial companies can face when it comes to making a sonic impression, how some companies are reaching old and new customers alike by reviving the radio jingles of years past, and the role of audio branding in an increasingly AI-driven world.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Surprising Trends in Sonic BrandingThe second half of our conversation starts as David shares more of SoundOut's discoveries about the effectiveness of branding, including why Visa and Mastercard's sonic logos haven't made the impact they'd hoped. “Listening to their sonic logo in isolation with no brand association,” David explains, “20% and 31% respectively said, yeah, we know the brand. But not one person out of those 400 across the two brands could actually write the brand name when asked what the brand was.” We talk about the old radio jingles and how some companies are finding success in reviving them for a new generation. “Both Maybelline and Pillsbury,” he tells us, “are sort of historic logos that were retired for a long time, and you just cannot underestimate the power of bringing back an old, beloved sonic logo… I wouldn't say it's an easy win, but it is, because those neural pathways are absolutely locked in.”(8:45) – The Role of AI in Music and MarketingDavid and I talk about the elephant in the room, AI and its impact on marketing, and the shift he's seen over the past year. “Up until about six months ago,” he observes, “we were seeing very little of it. There are some obvious concerns around legalities … brands won't want to use music created by AI in case it is actually breaching copyright. [But[ that will get sorted in the next six months or so, I think.”He shares his thoughts on how search processes are being increasingly handled by AI, and how audio can help brands stand out from the crowd. “The brand will go nowhere near the consumer,” he tells us. “So anything that you can do to make your brand more distinctive when you are advertising online and through music, anything to make a brand more prominent, can only help.”(20:30) – The Power of Authenticity in BrandingAs our discussion comes to a close, David elaborates on his observation that AI is increasingly talking to itself rather than users. “We're basically talking agents talking to agents,” he explains, “so AI agents talking to AI agents… I would imagine within 12 months it'll become quite a big thing. And within three years, it'll be everywhere. Everywhere.” We talk about the role human creativity might still play in a marketplace driven by AI, and one advantage musicians still have over machine-generated content. “It can feign emotion,” he says, “but you'll never move an AI with a song because it doesn't do emotion, and it literally, it never will… Emotion and empathy are all that we have as humans to distinguish ourselves from machines. And so music will… music will survive forever.”Episode SummaryThe challenges and surprising innovations in building a distinctive audio brand.How AI audio content has already begun to reshape the digital landscape.David shares his insights on what the growth of AI means for human artists.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“What gets celebrated, gets repeated. If there's something you want more of, you shine a light and celebrate it.” Sammi Jaeger Top Five Tips For Creating A Fueled-Up Life and Business1. Clarity 2. Consistency 3. Connection 4. Celebration 5. Capacity TIME STAMP SUMMARY 01:15 How lack of clarity can cause burn out 05:30 Who do you celebrate with 10:30 Celebrating the achievements 12:50 How can you build capacity Where to find Sammi?Website https://www.sammijaeger.com/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammijaeger/Book www.sammijaeger.com/fuelleduplifeSammi Jaeger Bio Sammi Jaeger is a Business and Life Strategist, Coach, Speaker, Podcaster and Author. After Sammi's life hit a crossroad, she hit the wall, picked herself up again and began leaning into creating and living her own Fueled Up Life. This time by design.Sammi has sat in the employee, freelancer and founder seats and loves spending her time with business owners turning their dreams into plans. Sammi is deeply passionate about how our relationships impact the quality of our lives. She is an advocate for the UN Global Goals and knows that we all have a role to play in creating a better world.
“When you hand it to the composer in sonic branding, at that point, it becomes an art, because the job of the composer, of course, is to translate those desired emotions into music. And it's not [the] music that the composer feels, it is what it makes the audience feel when they hear it, and that is almost pure art. We have done some science around it, and we know what might help in terms of instrumentation and timbre and pitch and all that sort of stuff, but, at the bottom line, the sonic logo is only going to be as good as the composer. They are the most important person in a sonic branding project, bar none.” – David Courtier-DuttonThis episode's guest is the founder and CEO of SoundOut, and he's on a mission to prove that sound isn't just art – it's strategy. From building the world's largest music testing platform to decoding how sonic logos tap straight into our memory and emotions, he's turned the science of sound into a tool that brands can't ignore, and he's worked with such brands as Amazon, TikTok, Netflix, Sky, and Target to help optimize their sonic branding and marketing.His name is David Courtier-Dutton, and we'll be talking about what makes audio unforgettable, how data reveals our hidden reactions to music, and where the future of audio branding might be headed.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – David's Earliest Memories of SoundOur discussion starts off with a pivotal moment in David's childhood, and in the years that followed, that taught him the power of sound. “It seared that moment in my brain,” he says, recalling George Harrison's song “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth), “of all the very few memories you have when you're six, seven years old. It just stuck with me. And I lost the song for probably about thirty years or so. And then when I heard it again, I was straight back in that little car, absolutely transfixed by the radio at that point.” We talk about his journey from corporate law to sonic branding, and how it coincided with the dramatic changes that MySpace and social media brought to the music industry. “The industry appeared to be facing existential moments,” David recalls. “So I thought, ‘well, wouldn't it be great, if the industry is going to go away and fans can connect with the bands, why don't we create a business that enables the fans to invest in the bands themselves and actually finance them?”(15:00) – Understanding the Role of Sonic BrandingDavid shares his observations on audio branding and the mistakes that can derail an agency's search for the right sonic logo. “They get really attached to the sounds,” he explains, “and they start reading things into the options and the logos that perhaps don't exist. They forget that this sonic logo will just be pinged out across the airwaves and listened to fleetingly by consumers, and you can really overthink it.” He tells us about SoundOut's pioneering brand study, its methodology, and what it's revealed so far about successful sonic branding. “From that historic data,” he says, “the key data point was that if you have your [brand] name in your sonic logo, then people were twice as likely to attribute it to the brand as if it wasn't in. So that's powerful. That's a good argument for putting the name in.”(23:00) – Insights from the SoundOut IndexAs the first half of our conversation wraps up, David offers more insights from the SoudOut study and what they tell us about successful sonic branding. “If you've got three seconds or two seconds to create a logo,” he notes, “you're not going to create something that has a hook as strong as Katy Perry or whatever it may be. It's always going to be a short snippet of a melody.” We discuss the surprising gap the index revealed between what consumers think they know and what they actually know when it comes to brand recognition, and the advantage sound has over other, more traditional marketing. “People can't block their ears,” David tells us. “They can look away, they can be doing something else at the same time, but you can't close off your ears [or] your ability to listen and for those connections to be made. So it's a very subversive way of marketing, but highly effective.”Episode SummaryDavid shares his journey from a London law firm to music and marketing.How traditional branding can lead agencies astray when it comes to sonic logos.David discusses SoundOut's five-year study of audio branding and recognition.Tune in for next week's episode as we talk about the unique audio branding challenge companies like Visa and Mastercard face, what role human creatives might play in a market that's increasingly giving way to AI, and how audio branding can help companies rise above the algorithmic noise.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Mindfulness means your mind is full of one thing, right? Be mindful of that one thing when you're at work. Just be at work. Live that passion, work in it as much as you can. When you're with your family, stop checking your email and not being present with your family.” Shivani Gupta Top Five Tips For Passion1. Prioritize your passions2. Create a clear hierarchy 3. Accept imperfection and drop the guilt4. Stack goals for your top three passions5. Make your goals visual TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:54 Impossible to be passionate about everything simultaneously 07:50 Narrowing down broad passions14:50 Stacking goals 18:50 Find a method that works Where to find Shivani?Website https://www.askshivani.com/ LinkedIn https://au.linkedin.com/in/askshivani Shivani Gupta BioThe world's only Engineer turned Entrepreneur turned Educator as the Passion Activator for Leaders. I support their Transformation through implementing the P.A.S.S.I.O.N. Model. This leads to Transformation when you can have more impact and create the life you wish. I deliver this work globally as a Speaker, Coach and Facilitator.Over the past 23 years, I've:Keynote on local and global stages including TEDxCoached 1,500+ leaders across industriesAuthored 8 books on leadership and transformationFacilitated workshops worldwideTwo successful exits of business'I am proud to be the first woman in my lineage to work and at age 11, I made the leap from India to Australia, building a life that bridges cultures and perspectives.My passion is to help leaders and entrepreneurs lead with heart, head and habit.I also want to help eliminate of child sexual abuse. Beyond my work, I'm a mum to two teenagers, married to Scott for 18 years, and I believe life's best conversations happen over an excellent chai.
“I give them a lot of credit because they use that so frequently, and that's why they have so much success. I mean, it is an iconic melody in and of itself, but it's that repetition and that usage, you know, whereas I feel like a lot of sound logo projects that come in, we'll get to the finish line and they'll be excited to use it, and then a month or two later, they'll be like, ‘We're not seeing quite the results that we'd hoped.' It's like, A, you're not going to see it after a month, and B, you've got to use it consistently, you know, and potentially in multiple places. State Farm does it right.” – Connor MooreThis episode is the second half of my conversation with founder and creative director of CMoore Sound, Connor Moore, as we talk about where AI voices might be taking sound design, how he became a juror at the International Sound Awards, and how sonic logos are making a comeback.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Current Trends in Sound DesignThe second half of our discussion starts as Connor talks about neural voices, the latest breakthrough in AI voice clones, and how popular they're becoming with clients. “It's a very interesting space,” he says, “having a customized brain and voice that can constantly adapt, you know, and so we're seeing a lot more of that come through.” He talks about his work on Google Glass and how he might approach its UX design differently in today's world, and how he helped reshape the famous State Farm sonic logo. “'Here's a simple tweak at a foundational level,'” he recalls saying, “'Take away the square wave and use a sine wave at a base level.' And they were like, ‘Oh.' And we're already 65% there.”(10:47) – The Importance of SimplicityWe discuss his work with the International Sound Awards and the insights he's gained from seeing nominees from all over the world. “Most of the work I've reviewed in the last four years has been more kind of traditional sonic branding,” he tells us. “It's just great to be a part of that community and to hear all the cool work coming, because it's at a global scale.” He talks about the resurgence of sound logos in today's market, and the lesson to be learned from State Farm's branding success. “The iconic nature of that example is the melody,” he says, “the melody that's been around for so long. But I think that what I would say is just, you know, use it lightly. Be careful with overusing it.”(24:47) – The Future of Sonic BrandingOur conversation wraps up with what he's working on now, and the trends he's seeing in branding and audio UX design. “Industries that you might not expect,” Connor explains, “old school industries that are becoming more tech focused, for example... which I think is interesting, because I think sound as a technology [is] starting to touch industries of old that are modernizing.” He tells listeners how they can get in touch, and shares his perspective as someone on the forefront of sonic branding. “I'm working on very emerging technologies,” he says. “I'm working on older industry segments that are stepping into new technology, I'm working in automotive... it's a good balance that keeps me engaged.”Episode SummaryOur discussion on the rise of wearable technology and voice-driven experiences.Exploring how simplicity impacts sound design and brand perception.Connor's predictions on the evolution of audio branding and its applications.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Too much sound complicates things, it confuses things, and it causes annoyance and fatigue, too much brain power needed. Too much cognitive load, and it's a known fact. So oftentimes companies will come to me and say, ‘Hey, we have, you know, sixty sounds we want to create.' And I go, ‘Okay, cool. Let's take a look at the list. Let me understand your product a little better and let's try to find ways to strip it back.' Because, you know, that can be very overwhelming for users.” – Connor MooreThis episode's guest is a leading expert in audio UX and audio branding. As the founder of CMoore Sound, he's shaped how major brands like Google, Uber, Peloton, and Airbnb use sound to enhance their products and connect with audiences. Over the past fifteen years, he's helped define how sound influences everything from brand identity to user experience, and he's been featured in The New Yorker, NPR, and Google's Design series. He's also a fellow judge for the International Sound Awards, which is how we met. His name is Connor Moore and his work shows how sound isn't just decoration, it's a powerful tool that shapes how we feel, navigate, and interact with the world.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Connor's Audio Eureka MomentOur conversation starts with Connor's early memories of sound, and how quickly he came to realize in college that audio branding wasn't really a thing in marketing. “It really begged the question for me of why aren't brands thinking about sound and music like they are for their visual branding,” he explains. “So that, to me, was a bit of a eureka moment and really kind of set me on my path.” He talks about how both old-time jingles and current audio brands like Netflix get it right when it comes to repetition, and his process for getting clients what they need to establish their audio brand. “With my business,” Connor tells us, “I'm involved at every stage… that's a big value add. Having a veteran in the industry in the room at all times and really guiding the work, that is really the biggest differentiator.”(12:23) – The Evolution of Sonic BrandingConnor tells us about some of his current projects, including a major car company that needs a creative approach to sonic branding. “They're a product first company,” he says. “It's an automotive company. Without the product, you don't have the brand. So that is the biggest touch point for their customers. And you can do the audio branding process through UX. It's really the same process.” He shares the insights he gained from working with companies like Samsung and Lucid Motors, and tells us about the early days of audio-first UX. “Back then they were just very simple kind of ringtones and alarms,” he says. “And what I did is I went in and really crafted really long form compositions that gradually pick up over time, you know, with volume, percussion, harmonics, [and] complexity.”(26:15) – Creating a More Thoughtful SoundscapeAs we come to the end of the first half of our discussion, Conner tells us how he balances the functionality of UX with the distinctiveness of audio branding. “There should be a level of cohesion across the experience,” he explains. “But there should also be levels of distinction. So a welcome sound for an in-car experience could be very soft and inviting, whereas, like, for a collision sound, it can't be soft. You know, it has to be kind of in your face.” We talk about the value of silence, and how knowing when not to make a sonic impression can be as important as making one. “There's a lot of power in simplicity and silence,” he says. “That is the biggest takeaway of my time in this space.”Episode SummaryConnor discusses his first experiences with sound and sonic branding.We explore how sonic branding has become more intentional over the years.Our discussion turns to the need for thoughtful, pleasing soundscapes.Tune in for next week's episode as we talk about the latest developments in AI-driven neural voices, Connor's pioneering work at Google Glass and on State Farm's famous sonic logo, and how companies that don't necessarily need a musical jingle can still take advantage of an audio brand.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“The two most important things in life are your health and your relationships.” Anil Gupta Top Five Tips For Creating A World Class Relationship 1. Listen more, speak less2. Ask the question, “what can I do.” 3. Do things you love, separately. 4. Make your partner your number 1 priority5. It's a no before it becomes a yes TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:39 Listening is the first step06:56 Connecting with intentional actions13:10 Getting your priorities straight17:08 Doing your due diligence Where to find Anil?Website https://meetanil.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anilgupta-lovedoctor/ Anil Gupta Bio Anil Gupta, internationally known as The Love Doctor.Anil helps singles, couples and families overcome their struggles and issues in relationships and communication in a rapid and powerful manner with proven results so they can live richer, fuller lives filled with love. Anil is a triple best-selling international author and TEDx Speaker, positively impacting very large audiences in over 18 countries. He has been featured in numerous publications and media outlets including i Heart radio, Fox News, Sky TV, Harvard, ABC, NBC and much more. Anil has coached celebrities including Mike Tyson, was a guest speaker with Richard Branson on Necker Island and has been invited by heads of state and spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama to meet them.Anil overcame suicide in 2008 and has since then formulated the Happiness Formula, The Happiness Test, the Relationship Score and the Relationship Ratio.He has held relationship and mindset workshops in over 18 countries translated in 8 languages, with audiences of over 10,000 fans. Anil has a unique intuitive gift to remove the blockages that prevent people living fulfilled lives, using his intuitive and proven skill sets.Anil is on a mission to inspire 1 billion people and is always available to share his unique and powerful content.
“I think, you know, what I mentioned before would really apply, and that's sit down and really come up with a plan over the next twelve months. What do I want to do? Do I want to release a single every month or maybe it's a couple of singles leading up to an EP and then actually execute that. And, you know, at the same time, be consistent. You don't want to be an artist that puts out a few tracks and then, you know, goes away for about four years and tries to come back and do it again, because you're going to have to really start over. I mean, there's just too much out there, you know, to consume that, you know, you're going to lose a lot of your fan base if you don't engage with them. You have to consistently engage with the fan base, consistently release music and devise a plan, like I said, for each of the platforms so you can gauge and analyze exactly what's working and what's not. So the next time you put something out, you know what to do.” – Jesse FloresThis episode is the second half of my conversation with Vice President of Artist and Label Partnerships at Intercept Music Jesse Flores, as we talk about how Intercept Records is balancing AI advances and human creativity, his thoughts on what music genres might take off next, and why rushing to upload your next single might not be the best long-term strategy for building a fan base.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – AI in Music MarketingOur conversation picks up as Jesse talks about how Intercept is putting AI to use for its clients without undermining its artists. “We definitely support AI when it comes to a marketing tool,” he explains, “[but] content creation, not so much, because we really support human-made content that has some soul put behind it, an actual human behind it.” He also offers his advice to musicians on social media. “You have to consistently engage with their fan base, consistently release music and devise a plan,” he says, “for each of the platforms so you can gauge and analyze exactly what's working.”(9:30) – Strategies for Emerging ArtistsJesse tells us where he sees the future of music heading, and whether AI music could someday become a genre of its own. “Talent is a priority,” he says. “You know, you've got to have talent if you're an artist nowadays. I think that's always been the case since day one. Making music that is timeless, making music that is undeniable… that's what's going to keep you in this for the long run.” As our conversation comes to a close, he shares his thoughts on the power of sound, and what artists can do to help set themselves apart from the background noise. “There are different points and moments in your life when you hear a song,” he tells us, “[and] you know what you were doing when you first heard it, or, you know, it brings back memories of this person that you were dating at the time, or where you were or who your friends were. Like, it's just always going to be there for me.”Episode SummaryExploring the benefits and challenges of AI in marketing versus music creation.Jesse offers his advice on building a music career and engaging with fans.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“Treat your calendar like your budget”Danielle Brooks Top Five Tips For Amplifying Your Freedom1. Know your numbers.2. Define what freedom looks like for you.3. Build a system, not a hustle.4. Protect your time like money.5. Stay rooted in your “why.” TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:21 The need to shift from reactive to proactive financial management03:41 You need to inspect what you expect 11:11 Understanding your core service and its drivers 16:01 Your why vs your whatWhere to find Danielle?Website https://pearlbc.com/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmoorebrooks Danielle Brooks BioWhen it comes to showing service-based superstars how to optimize their finances, no one does it better than Danielle Brooks. Founder of Pearl Business Consulting, Danielle serves as Virtual CFO for business owners who are crushing it in the front end and want to level up their backend and finances to match. Thanks to her years of experience as a COO, business management consultant and sales manager, Danielle is an expert at streamlining expenses and maximizing income so her clients have the freedom and flexibility to focus on what they do best. While corporate experiences at the CIA and ExxonMobil showed her the ropes, Danielle knew she was called to help small business owners after her processes recouped over 40 hours a month and over 400% revenue increase for her mother's small business.Well-known for her flawless bookkeeping and financials so organized you'd think she was the Marie Kondo of entrepreneurial finance, Danielle is an in-demand speaker who has addressed a wide range of topics including how rest can increase your revenue, time management for small business owners, identifying income opportunities, how to amplify your income and how to build a virtual team. In addition to her financial prowess, she's most proud of being an entrepreneur for over a decade, becoming a mother to her precious children (6 years old, 4 years old and 2 year old), and enjoying 8 years of marriage and joy with her college sweetheart.
“What can we do to make that number a thousand? That's the kind of stuff we really focus on. We have tools and analytics within our dashboard to kind of help guide you with that and provide insight onto what strategies are needed to get to that place. But also, I think what makes a lot of sense is to have the right team around you for independent artists. You've got to have a really good manager, obviously a great distributor, a good entertainment lawyer, a good publicist, and a good online marketing and social media strategist. If you have those five people in your camp, you're off to good start.” – Jesse FloresThis week's guest was recently named VP, Artist and Label Partnerships at Intercept Music. He's a seasoned music industry executive with over two decades of experience in business development, artist partnerships and label relations, and, as Senior Director of Label and Business Development at Virgin Music Group, he played a pivotal role in securing and managing relationships with high-profile artists and independent labels, working with artists such as Stephen Marley, Slum Village, Carla Morrison, Dax and more. With a background in both tech and sound, he's built tools that treat music not just as art but as a powerful business asset.His name is Jesse Flores, and in this episode, we'll be talking about what it really means for artists to own their sound, why marketing is part of the creative process, and how the right tools can help great music get the recognition it deserves.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Jesse's Journey into the Music BusinessOur conversation starts off with Jesse's early memories of sound, particularly an unforgettable concert when he was a child. “It was my first concert ever,” he recalls. “I was seven years old, and it was the Jacksons' Victory Tour. Obviously, at the time, Michael Jackson was probably the biggest artist in the planet. And I was young, but I was a fan.” He shares his professional journey, from music student to music executive in Los Angeles, and how narrowly he avoided an early career pitfall. “I really had a good time to, you know, sit down and think about it and weigh the pros and cons,” he explains, recalling a job transfer that would've sent him across the country. “And, at the end of the day, I decided to stay in L.A., which was a blessing and the right decision because if I'd moved to Miami, I probably would have lost my job in the next year or two because they closed that office down.”(9:45) – Working with Independent ArtistsJesse tells us more about his work at Universal and what goes into building an up-and-coming musician's brand. “We had a team just nationwide of people where, you know, they bring them into our market and we were the experts in our region,” he says. “So we knew exactly where to take them, what stations made the most sense, what retailers were really supporting them, where we were selling the records.” He talks about his transition from Universal to Intercept records and explains how he's still leveraging his connections to help indie artists. “Any artist that was coming off their major label deal but still wanted to release music,” he tells us, “we gave them that opportunity to do that, and not only just put out their music and using our pipes, but also have major label services.”(13:00) – Rising Above the Digital NoiseJesse and I take a closer look at social media, and the double-edged sword that music platforms can represent for musicians who are just starting out. “Anybody can release music,” he says, “so there's just so much clutter out there, you kind of have to sift through it. And in order to rise above the noise, I think the key thing is to have a good distribution partner.” We discuss which platforms are the best choices for artists, and his strategies for helping bands find success. “Not everybody is gonna perform as well as some other platform,” he says. “One might have great success on YouTube, but not so much on Spotify and Apple Music. So what we want to do is sit down with the artists, figure out what they've done up to this point, and what we can do to really augment what they've been doing.”Episode SummaryJesse discusses his lifelong progression from music fan to music industry insider.His strategies for helping independent artists succeed via social media.We discuss whether live performances are still important in the digital age.Be sure to tune in for next week's episode as Jesse shares his thoughts on AI, why consistency is key for both new and established artists, and his tips for standing out from the musical crowd.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
“If you want breakthrough differentiated results, you need breakthrough differentiated thinking.” Todd Hagopian Top Five Tips For Transforming Your Business Using Hypermanic Strategies 1. Grandiose Goal Setting2. Growing through subtraction3. Treating customers and products differently4. Making 52 small changes a year5. The razor hand rule TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:18 What exactly is ‘hypomanic' 06:50 The importance of efficiency and focus in achieving high productivity.10:30 52 small changes a year to transform business performance.15:50 Tying all tasks to the organization's goals to ensure alignment and drive profitability. Where to find Todd? Website: https://toddhagopian.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddhagopian/ Todd HagopianTodd Hagopian, known as the Stagnation Assassin, has transformed businesses at Berkshire Hathaway, Illinois Tool Works, Whirlpool Corporation, and JBT Marel, selling over $3 billion of product. As Founder of the Stagnation Intelligence Agency, he is the authority on Stagnation Syndrome and corporate transformation. Hagopian doubled his own manufacturing business acquisition value in just 3 years before selling, while generating $2B in shareholder value across his corporate roles. He has written more than 1,000 pages on Corporate Stagnation Transformation, including an upcoming book called "The Unfair Advantage - Weaponizing the Hypomanic toolbox", while earning recognition from Manufacturing Insights Magazine and Fox Business News Manufacturing Marvels. His transformative strategies reach over 100,000 social media followers and generate 15,000,000+ annual impressions.
“In this age of AI and, you knew I was going to go here at some point, so how can an artist differentiate themselves now that AI can basically create music with the push of a button? Like, it's hard. It was hard before, and now we have this to worry about. I think you touched on it maybe indirectly earlier in the connection, the spirit of creating and being a human. I think it is the dopest superpower that we have, and I do believe that everyone has it. It's just, you know, what level it's in, but just because it's not, like, music or visual art or dance or something doesn't mean you're not creative.” – Jastin ArtisThis episode is the second half of my conversation with artist, producer, and creative sound leader and founder of A&R in Your Pocket Jastin Artis, as we talk about what musicians need to know when they're starting out as professionals, whether record deals still matter in the digital music scene, and how AI, from digital assistants to licensed voice cloning, is reshaping the industry.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Navigating the Fine PrintWe start the second half of our conversation with a focus on some of the lingo of the music industry, such as PRO, short for performance rights organization, payments. “That's how you get paid royalties on the back end,” Jastin explains. “You might hear that phrase, right? For when your stuff is played on these different avenues and, you know, obviously streaming.” We talk about split sheets and how payments are divided in a group, and the importance of figuring things out ahead of time. “It's easy if it's just you, which I know most of us are often doing, right?” he says. “But you have your producer, maybe you have another songwriter, that's three people. You wanna make sure you have your equally splits or whatever share… you guys agree to. Do not do that after the song is out.”(13:13) - Creativity in the Age of AIThe conversation shifts to building the foundation for musical success early and the challenge of starting out in the industry. “There's people obviously we've seen in music that are A-list artists because they did have the team,” he tells us. “But if you talk to them in the beginning, they didn't know what they were doing. They felt like they could figure it out, and they did.” He shares how AI has changed his workflow and approach to music, and his confidence that the human touch isn't going away anytime soon. “We still have to just believe in, like, the human aspect of what we do,” Jastin says. “That can't ever go away. I don't care, regardless of what is happening now, what could happen. It just, and maybe that's just my belief, that's just where I'm gonna keep my eyes on the prize.”(28:55) - Human Connections in MusicOur discussion comes to a close as Jastin tells us how listeners can get in touch and what he's working on right now, including a leadership coaching program. “It's a 12-week program that's centered around being sync-ready,” he explains. “Like, that's a big thing that I'm leading with, and we'll continue now that I've seen how it works. And, I know I'm still learning too, but man, I'm getting paid for beats that I made in, like, 2006.” He also shares his latest musical successes, including his upcoming album. “There will be new music coming,” he says. “Probably not by the end of [2025], but… I'm working on my thirteenth album. That's kind of like, wow, I can't even believe I'm saying that.”Episode SummaryJasten shares his insights on forming a strong musical career foundation.Our discussion on how AI and the digital music scene has affected musicians.Jasten's thoughts on the necessity of human creativity amidst AI growth.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
"You can't lead others unless you first lead yourself. And you can't lead yourself unless you know yourself."Kylee Leota Top Five Tips To Drive Continuous Improvement through infinite Leadership1. Self-Leadership2. A strong reflective practice3. Identity 4. Influence5. EcosystemTIME STAMP SUMMARY01:53 Leadership starts with knowing yourself before leading others06:30 Setting process to determine what's working, and not working 11:20 How we give away power through our reactions16:50 Doing an energy audit.Where to find Kylee?Website https://elements4success.com.au/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylee-leota Kylee Leota Bio Kylee Leota is the founder of Elements 4 Success – a global organisation delivering transformational experiences to individuals, teams, and businesses.Earl Nightingale defines success as “the progressive realisation of a worthy goal or ideal”.Kylee wishes to empower people of all ages so that they can develop the confidence, skills, and tools they require to live a life of their design and purpose. She believes that you have the knowledge within yourself to create success and gives you the right tools in your toolbox to help you make these goals and ideals, reality!After 20 years in the education sector, including leadership roles at both schools, and regional levels, Kylee wants to empower and have a positive impact, further than just the education sector: working collaboratively across sectors including complex behaviour, trauma and early intervention, as well as transition to work sectors. Her depth of experience and knowledge ensures she is adaptable to any industry.Kylee is a change management facilitator, specialising in sustainable behaviour changes for both individuals and teams. With a track record for results, Elements 4 Success has a long list of happy clients who have achieved their goals, a team renowned for its out of the box thinking and solution focused approaches.
“Embrace challenge and adversity as the raw material by which you build success." Hilton Misso Top Five Tips For How To Manifest Success1. Embrace challenge and adversity2. Play with the hand that you have been dealt3. Develop your Will and Determination with finding your why4. Learning the secrets by itself and even the how is not enough you must do5. Believe you can and you will TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:47 Challenges leading to resistance06:44 Bad hands don't mean the end13:40 Your Why builds your success19:00 Your belief is the key to success Where to find Hilton?Website https://think2be.com.au/our-story/ LinkedIn https://au.linkedin.com/in/hilton-misso-a65164 Hilton Misso Bio At the heart of the Think2Be Group lies the inspiring story of Hilton Misso, a dedicated family man, visionary leader, and believer in the power of community. Hilton's journey is a testament to what can be achieved with determination, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference, for his family, his community, and beyond.Hilton Misso's story begins like so many of ours, an ordinary individual with dreams and challenges. Struggling with school didn't deter him but instead ignited a promise to himself to achieve and succeed against the odds. Determined to create a legacy, Hilton followed in his father's footsteps and chose to study law.This path brought success, important lessons and invaluable opportunities. More than anything, however, it revealed Hilton's true calling; helping others succeed. Whether it was providing guidance, sharing his expertise, or empowering others to reach their potential, Hilton discovered the deeply satisfying reward of giving back.
"AI is a fantastic refiner of information, but it's got to be you bringing in that foundational idea.”Wes Towers Top Five Tips To Protect Your Brand Voice When Using AI 1. Start with your ideas; use AI to tidy2. Name the shadow, claim your stance3. Build a Brand Voice OS4. Human final cut, always5. Evolve in short loops (continuous improvement) TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:41 Not to overly rely on Ai for generation, rather for refining06:35 Clarify what you stand for14:20 The message is the key18:50 Refining in small increments Where to find Wes?Website https://uplift360.com.au/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/westowers Wes Towers Bio Wes Towers is a brand and website strategist at Uplift 360 who helps trades and construction firms attract ideal clients and get found through his Search Everywhere Optimisation process. His approach is human-first. You bring the ideas, stories and stance, and use AI to organise and polish without diluting your voice. The goal is to humanise your brand online with clear positioning, consistent tone and proof-led content that shows up where clients look; your website, Google Business Profile, socials and AI-driven answers.Wes shares step-by-step tips to tighten your message, strengthen case studies and project galleries, and refine enquiry paths so the right people feel confident to reach out. Clients value the blend of human insight and useful automation that keeps their brand voice intact while making content easier to produce and maintain.
“We develop leaders very surgically there to create value the fastest and best way that we can.” Lee Benson Top Five Tips For Aligning Your Team Around One Most Important Number1. Define your Most Important Number (MIN) clearly 2. Clarify and teach the business model3. Packaging to scale4. Connecting culture to value creation5. Surgical Leadership Development TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:43 What is the most important number?07:39 The pricing policy15:58 The importance of culture connection21:53 Creating value Where to find Lee?Website https://www.etw.com/lee-benson LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-j-benson/ Lee Benson Bio I've spent over 30 years in the business world, focused on one thing: creating value. Today, I'm the CEO of Execute to Win, where we help organizations of all sizes accelerate the value they bring to the table. My journey into value creation started way back when I was pulling weeds for just 25 cents an hour.Since then, I've had the privilege of founding and leading eight companies, including Able Aerospace. What started with just two employees grew into a team of 500, serving 2,000 customers across 60 countries, and we eventually celebrated a 9-figure exit in 2016. It's been an incredible ride!
“Instead of asking yourself, 'How will this replace me,' ask yourself, 'How can this help me?”Willem Gous Top Five Tips To Stay Ahead In The Age of AI Disruption 1. Shift from Fear to Curiosity2. Act Small, Act Fast3. Focus on Adaptability, Not Certainty4. Think Like an Entrepreneur5. Take the Next Small, Doable Step TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:50 Using AI as a thinking partner to enhance one's own capabilities.07:20 Taking small, fast actions with AI and automation to see how they can help achieve goals.11:40 Adopting an entrepreneurial mindset17:00 Becoming a chameleon and adapting to new situations Where to find WillemWebsite https://willem-gous.com LinkedIn http://za.linkedin.com/in/willemgous Willem Gous Bio Willem Gous is a global expert in entrepreneurial thinking and human adaptability, the skills that keep people and organisations ahead when the world changes fast. He works with companies to build teams that stay calm in disruption, think clearly under pressure, and take confident action to create innovative solutions. His practical approach makes adaptability and innovation part of everyday work, not just a one-off event.With over 25 years of experience in business and entrepreneurship, Willem delivers practical frameworks that shift how people think and work. His signature model, the Indivineur Thinking Compass, activates five core principles that unlock adaptability, resourcefulness and internal locus of control in organisations. Willem holds a Master's degree from the University of Liverpool, U.K.,was named Startup Mentor of the Year 2023, and ranks as a Top 50 Global Thought Leader with Thinkers360 in Lean Startup and Careers. Offstage, he is a single father and certified firewalking instructor, proving that the right mindset and preparation make anything possible.
"...a few seconds of bravery can really deliver results and as far as I know, no one's ever been killed for trying to close somebody on a sale. So you know your life's not in danger, your pride might be in danger and your hopes might get crushed, but you're not going to be killed.” Jody Gerard Durand Top Five Tips for Gaining Influence 1. Be Productive2. Plan and Prepare3. Focus Your Time and Efforts4. Overcome Objections5. Close Sales TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:50 Concentrating on tasks that are most productive, while managing time effectively.10:00 Importance of identifying productive days and planning tasks accordingly.15:50 The importance of active listening and finding ways to solve problems.17:20 The inability to close sales is often due to fear of hearing the word "no." Where to find Jody?Website https://www.youtube.com/@CountryBoySoul-g9v LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jody-durand-61893650 Jody Durand Bio Jody Durand has been a successful salesperson and sales trainer in the agricultural industry in Canada for over twenty years as well as an accomplished speaker deeply involved in his farm, family and local community. He has a passion for agriculture and people and loves connecting the general population with the farmers who are responsible for growing and producing the food that makes it to your tables, every day. He is an accomplished Toastmaster, happy husband, proud father of four children and lucky grandfather of seven grandchildren. He lives in Scotland, Ontario with his wife Laura on a three-acre hobby farm where she owns and operates their home-based dog business called Birchview Dogs.
“If the task is too big, it feels like climbing Mount Everest, most people won't even start. The small steps that you can master each day are ultimately what's going to win the war.” Justin Kuyper Top Five Tips For Execution1. One-page weekly plan2. Pain → Proof → Playbook.3. Track 3 pipeline metrics 4. Lead with trust5. Land the plane with checklists TIME STAMP SUMMARY 01:20 Importance of staying focused on key action items to avoid getting overwhelmed by multiple tasks.07:10 Creating a feedback loop to avoid wasting time on unviable products or services.10:50 Focusing on what drives revenue and ignoring other distractions.15:10 Attention to detail and transparency in delivering investment strategies to customers. Where to find Justin?Website https://openvest.co/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/openvest1/ Justin KuyperJustin Kuyper is the Co-Founder & CEO of Openvest, a fintech platform making top 1% hedge-fund and private-equity–style investing accessible to everyone. A former full-time professional fund manager with an MBA from Columbia Business School, Justin is focused on simple, transparent products that help people build wealth without high fees such as 2-and-20. Openvest partners with top-tier custodians such as Interactive Brokers (100B Market, S&P 500 company) and emphasizes clarity, trust, and execution.
"There is one and only one business. Everybody's in the exact same business. And that unique business is the manufacturing and delivery of delight." Philippe Bouissou Top Five Tips To Grow Your Business1. Aligning the pain of your customer with your business's claim2. Align your message with customer perception 3. Make buying frictionless 4. Expected Delight and Offering (what the business delivers) 5. Internal team alignment TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:30 Growth is the only way to create sustainable shareholder value.03:51 Difference is crucial for standing out in a competitive market.12:10 Clear expectations and ensure they are met or exceeded to maintain customer satisfaction.17:10 Internal alignment for external success Where to find Philippe?Website https://philippebouissou.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/phbouissou Philippe Bouissou Bio Dr. Philippe Bouissou is a name that resonates through the heart of Silicon Valley. For over three decades, he has danced on the cutting edge, donning the hats of an entrepreneur, a CEO, and venture capitalist. Philippe has served on the boards of 23 companies. He is a growth expert and bestselling author of Aligning the Dots. He pioneered a revolutionary methodology called A4 Precision Alignment™ that's lighting the fires of faster, sustainable revenue growth across the business world. It is brilliantly illuminated in his landmark TED talk, The Secret to Grow Any Business, that received over one million views.Philippe's groundbreaking work and innovative concept of market alignment is encapsulated in Blue Dots Partners, LLC, the firm he founded in 2014 in Palo Alto, California. Philippe and his team of highly accomplished CEOs and business builders diligently apply the Blue Dots data-driven analytical methodology to advise CEOs on how to grow their business and soar above their competitors across many industries. Philippe's groundbreaking work has earned him a spot on the cover of The Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs magazine in 2024.Philippe's storied career includes launching and scaling Apple's eCommerce business from zero to $350 million, under Steve Jobs. He steered over 240 management consulting projects. As a venture capitalist, he invested $44 million generating double-digit cash-on-cash returns. With an illustrious background that boasts a BS in Mathematics, an MS in Physics, and a PhD in non-linear physics and chaos theory from the prestigious École Normale Supérieure in Paris, Philippe brings a scientific precision to the business world
"OKRs are really a feedback mechanism… it's a two-way street rather than a command-and-control mechanism.”Allan Kelly Top Five Tips For Working With Objectives and Key Results 1. Feedback mechanism: OKRs are a feedback mechanism rather than a order giving mechanism2. Involve as many people as possible in setting OKRs3. OKRs are not a to-do list, they describe a desired outcome4. Decide where Business as Usual fits in5. Ambition or predictable? TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:36 Setting OKRs based on proximity to the customer and understanding of the technology.10: 50 Success measured in tangible changes 12: 24 Balancing new products while maintaining existing products17:00 Clear communication manages expectationsWhere to find Allan?LinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/allankellynetWebsite https://www.allankelly.net/Book Link https://amzn.to/3EK08kOAllan Kelly BioWelcome to Allan Kelly's home on the internet. Home to Allan and his company, Software Strategy Ltd. Let him take up the story:Once upon a time I was a programmer, people I worked with thought I was quite a good one. I was part of a team building a hand-held PC, which was a big deal in 1991. I worked on electricity modelling, I wrote programs for railway timetables, software for banks and real-time data feeds for Reuters. I built secure e-mail systems and mobile phone network diagnostic tools.The code was not the problem, the problem was the way the team was set up, the problem was the way we were asked to work, or the way work reached us. To fix that problem I needed to become a manager… but I didn't want to be a foolish manager like all the ones I'd worked for before, so I got myself a management qualification. And while I was getting that qualification, I discovered that modern management thinking was very close to the then newly emerging field of “agile software development.” When I look back at my experiences so much of the good times matched the thing, we call agile.I still love software, I love coding, but I don't code any more. (Actually, I do code a little, for love.) I devote my time to helping make software better. In my mind when I'm teaching, advising, coaching, consulting I'm helping the person I used to be. When I see programmers at work I see my younger self. And I want them to do a great job, I want them to be able to do a better job than I ever did.Today I call myself an Agile Guide – I guide people and organizations to greater agility. I provide coaching and direct advice on agile working to leaders and teams creating digital products (software!). The companies I work with come from many fields as different as healthcare and surveying. However, they all depend on software to deliver for their customers. Without software they are nothing. Yesterday… I started coding in 1982 on a Sinclair ZX81. By 1986 I was earning money as a regular contributor to BBC Telesoftware – PDP, PDR, Eclipse, Fonts, Demon's Tomb, EMACS (no, not that emacs), Snapshot and Femcoms to name a few, mostly in 6502 assembler. In 1989 I was a system administrator with Nixdorf Computer. In 1991 I was a software tester at DIP in Guildford building the Sharp PC-3000. Even as an undergraduate I was hired by the University to help teach other undergraduates and occasionally post-graduates.
“Clear clutter to create space to allow more opportunities to enter your life and to create that sort of peaceful, harmonious environment.” Jane Langof Top Five Tips For A Feng Shui Home 1. Clear clutter to create flow2. Make your front entrance inviting3. Position your bed for positive energy 4. Connect to nature5. Manage the energy around you TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:15 starting small, focusing on key 08:50 Placement of your bed13:00 Using real plants for better indoor air 18:40 Meaningful objects, uplifting people, and practicing affirmations and gratitude. Where to find Jane?Website www.fengshuiconcepts.com.au LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelangof Jane Langof Bio Jane Langof is an internationally accredited, award-winning Feng Shui Master and designer who loves helping property owners create beautiful spaces with positive energy. With over 16 years of practice as the founder of Feng Shui Concepts, Jane transforms homes, commercial properties, and community spaces by integrating traditional Feng Shui with modern design principles. Jane specialises in consultations for new buildings, renovations, and refurbishment projects across Australia and overseas. Jane shares her passion for creating spaces that inspire abundance through media and speaking engagements at property, well-being, and lifestyle events. And she is the author of a book called Feng Shui – A Homeowners Guide to Abundance.In her spare time, she enjoys running around a netball court with her two daughters.
“In order to connect with authentic self, we need to be doing more of what is aligned to who we are, and that is doing more of the things that you love doing.”Anthony David Hartcher Top Five Tips For Mental Health1. Connection with self2. Connected with nature3. Connected with others4. Contribution to society 5. Challenge yourselfTIME STAMP SUMMARY01:33 Understanding oneself helps in developing better relationships with others and the world.05:10 Reconnecting with nature by spending time outdoors11:31 Finding commonality as a starting point and growing through differences.19:10 The importance of understanding one's own capacity and not overloading oneself. Where to find Anthony? Website http://www.meandmywellness.com.au/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-hartcher Free Resources can be found on Anthony's site. Please feel free to reach out directly to him mailto:anthony@meandmywellness.com.au Bio Anthony David HartcherMeet Anthony Hartcher, a dynamic international speaker and a trusted authority in the realm of Holistic Health consulting, mental health advisory, clinical nutrition, and holistic health podcasting. With his comprehensive knowledge and infectious enthusiasm, Anthony has been transforming lives across the globe.His expertise spans a broad spectrum, from sleep and mental health to nutrition and lifestyle medicine. As a holistic health consultant, he doesn't just advise; he revolutionizes habits, empowering individuals to achieve superior health and overall well-being.Anthony's academic credentials are equally impressive. He holds three bachelor's degrees in nutrition, Complementary Medicine, and Chemical Engineering, each completed with distinction or honours. His academic prowess earned him the University Medal for academic excellence from Endeavour College of Natural Health and recognition as the most highly commended Student of the Year by The Australian Traditional Medicine Society.But what truly sets Anthony apart is his personal journey and commitment to mental health advocacy. Sparked by a personal tragedy at the age of eighteen, Anthony has dedicated his life to supporting community mental health initiatives. His podcast, 'me&my health up', serves as a platform for mental and holistic health education, reaching listeners worldwide.Despite his professional and academic accomplishments, Anthony cherishes his family. His weekends are spent making memories with his wife Adriana and their two children, Sofia and Ollie, on family adventures.Anthony's wellness sessions have been lauded by clients such as BCA Certifiers Australia Pty Ltd and WeWork. His ability to tailor sessions to meet specific needs has made him a sought-after speaker in the corporate world, with clients including JP Morgan, Dulux, Amazon, and more.
“By combining these human insights with data-driven decision-making, organizations can ensure that the systems and experiences they design are truly aligned with the needs and expectations of those they serve.” TIME STAMP SUMMARY02:10 Technology should enable and enhance the experience, not be the primary focus.10:30 Balance between automation and maintaining human connection in customer interactions.15:50 Adapting systems to avoid becoming bottlenecks for growth.22:10 putting technology in service of the experience, not the other way around. Valentina Coin Top Five Tips For Designing Systems That Deliver Unmatched Customer and Team Experiences1. Map the experience before the technology2.Automate with purpose, not for the sake of it3.Design for flexibility & scale4.Data-driven, but human-led5.Make your Systems invisible while impossible to ignore Where to find Valentina?Website https://www.viatechnology.com.au/ LinkedIn https://au.linkedin.com/in/valentina-coin Valentina Coin Bio Hailing from Italy but based on the Sunshine Coast strategic skills. She's also a co-founder and director of Via Technology, a company created to help service-based leaders reveal and refine their Core Business System, so they can analyse, optimise, and monetise for consistent and confident growth. With over a decade of leadership experience across a broad range of industries, Val excels in change management, digital optimisation, and human-first workshop facilitation. She's successfully executed over 150 digital transformation projects, including large-scale initiatives for national organisations, and her diverse professional journey equipped her with a unique combination of skills and perspectives to navigate complex, multifaceted business challenges. Ultimately, though, it's Val's ability to bridge the gap between teams, along with her expertise in strategic and intentional initiative design, that ensures solutions and systems drive organisational outcomes. She thrives on unravelling complex problems and joining dots others simply can't see, whilst always emphasising the emotional and trust components of tech-enabled, but people-powered, transformation. Beyond the office, Val enjoys reading, walking, embracing new skills, and connecting with others driven by a passion for continuous growth, all of which adds to the warmth, curiosity, and commitment to excellence that position her as an engaging, insightful, and inspirational speaker
“Done is better than perfect.”TIME STAMP SUMMARY00:43 Niche and getting clear about what one wants to be known for.05:21 Creating valuable evergreen content and consistency16:01 Visibility to elevate one's thought leadership platform.20:10 Thought leadership can attract the right audience The Top 5 Tips for Building Your Thought Leadership Platform 1. Own Your Niche with Authority2. Create Valuable, Evergreen Content3. Leverage the Power of a Book4. Get Visible and Build Strategic Relationships 5. Monetize Your Thought Leadership Where to find Kelly?Website https://kellyschuknecht.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kellyschuknecht/# Kelly Schuknecht Bio Kelly Schuknecht is the Chief Elevation Officer at Two-Mile-High Marketing. With years of experience helping entrepreneurs and professionals establish themselves as thought leaders, Kelly specializes in turning expertise into influence through strategic content marketing, personal branding, and book publishing. She has worked with countless business owners to refine their messaging, grow their authority, and leverage books as powerful tools for visibility and business growth. Whether through coaching, ghost-writing, or marketing strategy, Kelly helps her clients amplify their impact and stand out in their industries.
“If you walk away without creating a commitment, we don't have it. There's no teeth in the game.” Karin Hurt Top Five Tips For Navigating Workplace Conflict1. Building human connection2. Creating clarity3. Cultivating curiosity4. Achieving commitment5. Using power phrases TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:25 Creating connections before needing to address difficult conversations.05:10 Conflict cocktails which are complex conflicts caused by remote work and global teams.12:40 Scheduling follow-up meetings to ensure commitments are met and conflicts are resolved.14:00 "go-to" phrases that help in different dimensions of conflict resolution Where to find Karin?Website www.LetsGrowLeaders.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt-7ab25910 Karin Hurt BioKarin Hurt helps human-centered leaders find clarity in uncertainty, drive innovation, and achieve breakthrough results. She's the Founder and CEO of Let's Grow Leaders, a global leadership development firm known for practical tools and techniques for human-centered leaders. A former Verizon Wireless executive with more than two decades of experience in sales, customer service, and human resources, Karin is known for growing courageous leaders, building great cultures, and inspiring high-performance teams.Since 2013, Karin and her husband, David, have grown tens of thousands of leaders on every continent (except Antarctica) with their leadership development programs and keynotes. In addition to encouraging courage around the world, they also provide clean water to the people of Cambodia through their Winning Wells philanthropic initiative.Karin is an award-winning author of five books, including:Courageous Cultures – How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers and Customer AdvocatesPowerful Phrases for Dealing With Workplace Conflict: What to Say Next to Destress the Workday, Build Collaboration and Calm Difficult CustomersShe is the host of the popular LinkedIn show, Asking for a Friend. And she was recently named by Inc. Magazine as a Top 100 Great Leadership Speaker.