Podcast appearances and mentions of Vera Bradley

Inside INdiana Business Radio for the afternoon of June 11, 2025. The CEO of Fort Wayne-based Vera Bradley is stepping down. Plus, an Indianapolis sock company is paying homage to Pope Leo XIV, and food trucks are becoming more prevalent in St. Joseph County. Get the latest business news from throughout the state at InsideINdianaBusiness.com.

ABOUT CLAIRE CODER:BIO: Claire Coder (Forbes 30under30) is a 28-year-old Thiel Fellow and founder and CEO of Aunt Flow. On a mission to make the world better for people with periods, Aunt Flow stocks public bathrooms with freely accessible tampons and pads. Through Claire's leadership, Aunt Flow launched patented tampon & pad dispensers in 60k+ bathrooms and raised $17m+ in venture capital. Coder launched her first company at age 16, designed a bag for Vera Bradley that sold out in 24 hours, and has her own line of GIFs. After getting her period in public without the supplies she needed, at 18 years old, Claire dedicated her life to developing a solution to ensure businesses and schools can sustainably provide quality period products for free in public bathrooms. Since 2016, Aunt Flow has worked with thousands of businesses and schools, including organizations like Google, Princeton University, Netflix, and 30+ professional sports stadiums, to offer freely accessible period product dispensers, filled with organic cotton tampons and pads. Aunt Flow has donated over 7 million organic cotton tampons and pads to menstruators in need since 2021. Claire's ultimate goal in life is for any menstruator to walk into any bathroom and never need to worry if they start their period, because Aunt Flow period products are freely available!Claire's story has been featured in TeenVogue, Forbes, Fortune, and she starred in TLC's Girl Starter Season 1. Claire speaks regularly surrounding her advocacy work, starting a social enterprise and journey as a female founder. For more information, please visit LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairecoder/ Websites:clairecoder.com (Personal)goauntflow.com (Company)SHOW INTROWelcome to the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast.EPISODE 78 … and my conversation with Claire Coder the Founder and CEO of Aunt Flow. On the podcast our dynamic dialogues based on our acronym DATA - design, architecture, technology, and the arts crosses over disciplines but maintains a common thread of people who are passionate about the world we live in and human's influence on it, the ways we craft the built environment to maximize human experience, increasing our understanding of human behavior and searching for the New Possible.    The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is presented by VMSD Magazine part of the Smartwork Media family of brands.VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. The IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing the discourse forward on what makes retailing relevant. You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.orgWhen Claire Coder was 18 years old she was at an event and she used a public restroom. While there, she discovered that she had unexpectedly started her period. And… she didn't have a quarter. Why she would have needed a quarter and what happened as a result of not having one is the subject of an exceptional entrepreneurial trajectory that has changed woman's public bathrooms around the country.We'll get to all of that in a moment but first though, a few thoughts…                 *                                  *                                  *What if you had an amazing idea that you knew was a no-brainer, an idea that provided something deeply necessary, but it seemed that everyone had overlooked it.What if you had a moment of insight from a personal experience that chartered out a clear path for providing a product and service that seemed to satisfy the deeply under met needs of more than 50% of the population?And what if when you took this moment of clear mental insight to a group of venture capitalists explaining that this was not just an idea that would not only satisfy a certain customer need but that could be an extraordinarily profitable business operation but when you asked for their involvement, they simply said… “NO”.And what if you heard “NO” 86 times when trying to get people interested in supporting your idea. Would you give up? Would you have already given up after the 1st or 10th or 50th “NO”? And what if you happened to be an 18-year-old young woman with this vision and enthusiasm and the subject of your VC pitches dealt with menstruation and woman's public bathrooms... How far do you think that would have gotten you?I could focus in on this intro by talking about the thing that we don't talk about, at least as a guy I can't imagine me and my guy friends would have ever talked about…as a teen, young man or frankly even today.Which is to say… women and monthly periods. I could focus in on this somewhat taboo subject of a naturally occurring bodily function that we somehow sweep under the social discourse carpet, despite that more than 50% of the population has one every single month. Or I could talk about the strange discomfort that comes up because somehow, we've made this discussion something to be ashamed about or talked only about between mothers and grandmothers and their daughters. The strange irony here is that the other 49.53% of the North American population will end up living with, perhaps marrying and having children with the 50+ percent of the population who has their period every single month and yet, we'd prefer not to talk about it…But, if I did focus on those subjects, which by the way are not unimportant to talk about, it would potential we derail another story about a passion for entrepreneurship and the overwhelming need to address the needs of a population who are wholly unserved.It takes a lot of guts to be an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. In fact, there are a lot of people who would say you'd simply have a few screws loose to actually want to be an entrepreneur.It's highly risky and you carry an extraordinary amount of responsibility. Everything from fundraising and decision-making, planning operations, accepting both successes and failures.When the entire enterprise is your baby, and relies on you as the key driver of the big idea, it can be incredibly emotionally taxing. The working hours can be extraordinary too. If we think that an average work week is neatly packed into 40 hours, an entrepreneur may end up spending twice or maybe even three times that amount in trying to get their business off the ground...and there's constant pressure to keep on pushing forward. One success does not necessarily guarantee the next and so there's this cycle of continuing to push and to make forward strides create product extensions and to expand the brand footprint that is unrelenting. This is especially true if folks have lent you money to get your big idea off the ground.There's also a great degree of isolation that can emerge on the entrepreneurial path. You, and often you alone, are focused on birthing your brainchild, developing it and bringing it to market. This ‘child rearing', if you will, often happens in times of extraordinary uncertainty and ambiguity. In the current state of the world we live in today, ambiguity is the name of the game. What with the pace of change exponentially increasing, government shifting the rules of the game with tariffs and regulations, funding cuts and banning more that 250 words that according to PEN AMERICA are no longer considered acceptable including:advocacy, abortion, all-inclusive, biologically female, community equity, DEI, female, inclusive, sex, sexuality, vulnerable populations, and woman or women, just to name a few. So if your big idea is squarely focused on women, menstruation and period products, I would imagine it's tricky.So, this means that you have to be built for understanding the pace of change the ability to flex and move and be resilient when things don't happen to go your way. Like for example if you are launching a new product line and a COVID pandemic hits that effectively shuts your business down.You could stop and pack up shop and be done or you could be resilient and change direction asking ‘what do people need right now?, and turn what you thought was going to be a business into a completely different thing that was not at all what you had planned in the 1st place.As an entrepreneur, you also have to wear many hats. You are at the same time the company owner, marketing and sales rep. You're dealing with HR issues, product design and materials sourcing and assortment planning.You're often doing customer service and trying to keep them satisfied while dealing with shipments that go missing or supply chains that get disrupted, because of say tariffs, for example, when your products were coming from out of the country and all of a sudden now they are more expensive than you had anticipated.And you have to be good, I mean really good, at dealing with rejection and failure.Most entrepreneurs face repeated setbacks, investor rejections, failed launches or people who just don't get what you're trying to deliver - or straight out don't like what you're trying to deliver - and reject your product and actively work against you to shut you down.Resilience and a sense of purpose when faced with strong headwinds is an absolutely essential feature of being an entrepreneur.You want to become an entrepreneur? Then you had better show up at the game with a load of mad skills so that you can weather the multiple impending storms.Now… don't get me wrong, it's not all doom and gloom. It's not all uphill struggles like Sisyphus pushing a rock up a hill only to have it roll back down again.Entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding. It can bring something that you are passionate about into the world. Maybe it's something that had never existed before. Maybe it satisfies the need that is self-evident but others just haven't seen it yet. But to play in the arena of entrepreneurship you need to be able to recover from failures and keep moving forward regardless of whatever the setbacks were.Because they are inevitable.No one skates happily through entrepreneurship and starting a company without stuff just going off the rails from time to time. And that requires an amazing amount of intrinsic motivation and drive. You've got to be able to get up every morning and go get it. And you've got to be able to get up and do it without anyone behind you saying ‘go team go” pushing you to do it every single day.You might need an accountability buddy. That would be good.  But in the absence of that person or group, you need to be able to be incredibly disciplined and willing to get back in the ring every day.You also have to have a certain level of risk tolerance. In fact, I would say you probably have to have a very high level of risk tolerance. No one in the entrepreneurial world makes it by being a wallflower; by being risk adverse and not wanting to step out into traffic and navigate all of the oncoming traffic.And while dancing your way through the crosswalk in oncoming traffic, you have to be pretty flexible and be willing to pivot in an oftentimes volatile environment. You also have to believe in your vision and have a well-crafted strategy to get you to the top of the mountain.Successful entrepreneurs can generally see a much bigger picture than other people. They see opportunities where others simply see closed doors and that often means when hearing “no” you don't implode like the Wicked Witch of the West when water was thrown on her, but you ask questions. Not just questions about ‘why?' but also ‘why not?'.You have to be conspicuously curious and have a compulsion to keep on asking questions, never being satisfied with the status quo.Your interpersonal skills also have to be incredibly well honed. You have to be good at networking, slapping backs, shaking hands and making people feel like they're the only people in the room who matter to you. You've got to be good at networking and pitching and you have to be an incredibly good leader which suggests that you have to be an effective communicator and be emotionally tapped in. Your EQ, as well as your IQ, has to be highly tuned.You have to carry a certain level of confidence without being arrogant.You have to believe in your ideas while staying open to feedback; weeding out what is good commentary and bad commentary.…what allows you to maintain a connection to your brand story and the products or services you believe need to be brought to market while at the same time always finding a balance between taking in what people say as constructive criticism and dismissing other commentary that doesn't seem to fit or takes you off track and away from your vision.And all of this brings us to the story of Claire Coder who at 18 years old goes into a public bathroom at an event and discovers she started her period.In an effort to have period products that met her in her moment of need, she goes to a dispenser on the wall and discovers that in order to get a tampon or pad she has to have quarter and who really carries quarters around in their pocket anymore?  At that moment Claire is faced with accepting the only option available which is to go to the free roll of toilet paper on the bathroom stall and create a makeshift tampon.At that moment Claire decides that if toilet paper and paper towel are offered at no cost in public bathrooms why should tampons and pads cost $0.25.? and why is it that the box on the wall, that has likely been there for decades and that may likely not work in any case, an acceptable solution?Claire Coder was selected as one of Forbes 30under30 and is the 28-year-old founder and CEO of Aunt Flow. On a mission to make the world better for people with periods, Aunt Flow stocks public bathrooms with freely accessible tampons and pads. Through Claire's leadership, Aunt Flow launched patented tampon & pad dispensers in 60k+ bathrooms, 150 universities, 600 schools, 28 Fortune 500 company's offices and raised $17m+ in venture capital.After getting her period in public without the supplies she needed, at 18 years old, Claire dedicated her life to developing a solution to ensure businesses and schools can sustainably provide quality period products for free in public bathrooms.Since 2016, Aunt Flow has worked with thousands of businesses and schools, including organizations like Google, Princeton University, Netflix, and 30+ professional sports stadiums, to offer freely accessible period product dispensers, filled with organic cotton tampons and pads. Aunt Flow has donated over 7 million organic cotton tampons and pads to menstruators in need since 2021. Claire's ultimate goal in life is for any menstruator to walk into any bathroom and never need to worry if they start their period, because Aunt Flow period products are freely available! Claire Coder was the opening keynote presenter at SHOP Marketplace 2025 and I caught up with her after her presentation to have a chat…ABOUT DAVID KEPRON:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582bWebsites:  https://www.davidkepron.com    (personal website)vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645  (Blog)Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.comPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/Bio:David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why', ‘what's now' and ‘what's next'. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott's “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine's Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation's Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason University.He has held teaching positions at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (L.I.M.) in New York, the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Montreal and he served as the Director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School (L.I.F.S.) in Singapore.  In 2014 Kepron published his first book titled: “Retail (r)Evolution: Why Creating Right-Brain Stores Will Shape the Future of Shopping in a Digitally Driven World” and he is currently working on his second book to be published soon. David also writes a popular blog called “Brain Food” which is published monthly on vmsd.com.  The next level experience design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too.

Sipping the tea

Kim Tran, a bag designer with experience at Crocs, Vera Bradley, Vince Camuto, Coach and others, has some fundamental issues with the fashion industry. She believes it has stopped focusing on quality design and no longer cares about what's best for customers and employees. This realization inspired her to launch her own mission-driven bag brand, Practice. She calls the brand's no frills design “a mix between Prada and Patagonia”, and people are starting to get excited. Her best-selling product, the large Karma backpack, features a practical, minimalist design, is made in limited small batches.  Practice What You Love   https://www.practicewhatyoulove.com

Vera Bradley, the beloved purse, travel and accessory retailer, recently refreshed their brand look and strategy to increase brand awareness and expand their consumer profile. Vera Bradley's CEO, Jackie Ardrey, joins us to discuss the brand's transformation, the Vera Bradley customer and how the company stays ahead in the ever-evolving retail industry. She also shares what she loves most about working in retail and her impactful career advice. (00:00:00) Introductions(00:00:39) Highlights of the NRF Big Show (00:01:39) Ardrey's career background (00:07:50) The pace of change in retail (00:09:30) Vera Bradley's transformation journey (00:15:05) Balancing brand loyalty with an expanding customer base (00:17:49) Facing the unpredictability of consumers (00:21:39) Ardrey's best career advice The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association.Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.Resources:• verabradley.com• Get ready for Retail's Big Show in NYC• Become an NRF member and join the world's largest retail trade association• Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org• Learn about retail advocacy at nrf.com/advocacy• Find more episodes at retailgetsreal.comRelated:• What to know about the consumer in 2025Produced by Crate Media.

On today's show, we're chatting with Erika Veurink, a writer, the founder of EV Salon, and a brand consultant who lives in Brooklyn by way of Iowa. You may know Erika from her Substack, Long Live, where she writes about clothes – mostly pre-loved – and shares secondhand shopping recommendations.  We chat about fashion writing, Nora Ephron movies as muse, and why all the best thrift shopping is here in Iowa. I think you're really gonna love it –  so let's dive right in!  DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [5:03] Erika's career journey as fashion writer, and how it led her to Long Live. [9:26] 90s J.Crew catalogs as fashion inspiration. [12:13] What Erika has learned from 3 years on Substack, writing about personal style. [17:38] Erika loves an online secondhand shop [26:16] A Vera Bradley revival? [36:50] Erika is the founder of EV Salon, a community that brings like-minded communities together for in-person connection. EPISODE MENTIONS:  @erikaveurink Long Live on Substack Erika's letter on JCREW catalogs Nora Ephron movies as a source of fashion inspiration Erika's letter about why buying more won't help Thanks, It's From eBay WORN in Des Moines BODE Sarah Spellings Sarah's piece on brown diamonds Tariro Makoni of Trademarked Mandy Lee (Old Loser in Brooklyn) - Cyclical on Substack LET'S CONNECT: 

Design your own wardrobe, thrifting  is the new best  thing, is commuting changing, the world is a big place, is Vera Bradley still cool ?   Scariest house in America. Sin city tow, storage wars, vacation house rules, industry, after truth, the wise guy.   Limiting your calories, crunchy ramen salad. Hibiscus tea, one pan garlic chicken and veggies, broccoli salad, Korean popcorn chicken.

Mariah Parsons recaps the ShopTalk Fall conference in Chicago 2024, highlighting key takeaways and experiences. The conference spanned three days, with Thursday being the busiest due to the main concert by Busta Rhymes. Key themes included the importance of in-person engagement post-pandemic, the role of AI in enhancing consumer experiences, and the growing trend of duping products. Notable sessions featured insights from industry leaders like ThredUp, Lowe's, and Winky Lux. Mariah Parsons also emphasized the value of live selling, the need for brand compliance with FTC regulations, and the innovative use of tech in retail. She concluded by sharing her excitement about new products and brands discovered at the event. Episode Timestamps: 0:05 Recap of ShopTalk Fall Conference Mariah announces this episode will be a solo recap of the ShopTalk Fall conference in Chicago. She highlights the excitement around the first fall conference and her recent move to Chicago.  4:29 Overview of ShopTalk Fall Conference Structure She notes the busiest day was Thursday due to the all-conference concert by Busta Rhymes. The conference had a main stage, showroom floor with sponsor booths, and multiple content session rooms. Attendees could choose from various sessions, and there were breaks for networking and wellness activities. 4:48 Networking and Meeting New People Mariah emphasizes the opportunity to meet many people in a short time at the conference Mariah appreciates the caliber of people brought together by ShopTalk. 15:23 Content Sessions and Key Takeaways Mariah discusses the various content sessions she attended, featuring leaders from companies like Thredup, Farm Rio, CrunchyRoll, Studs, Winky Lux, Kendra Scott, Hard Candy, Malbon Golf, David Yurman, Pandora, Tonies, Vera Bradley, Skims, Zumiez and more. She highlights the theme of activities drawing conference goers and customers alike. The core pickleball court and Dot Digital's friendship bracelet and trucker hat booths were popular activities. Lowe's keynote on in-person events and ThredUp's use of AI for image search and styling were notable takeaways. 15:23 Consumer Engagement and Retail Innovations Mariah talks about the importance of asking consumers for their opinions, as seen with GE Appliances. She mentions Winky Lux's strategy of offering free lip gloss for customer feedback. Retailers enabling tech in stores, like Ulta Beauty's skin analysis and robot application of lashes, were highlighted. The concept of "dupe shopping" and the development of dupe score technology were discussed. 21:45 Tech Innovations and Future Trends Mariah mentions the trend of reselling and trading old items, with examples from ThredUp and TipTap. Live selling, especially in Asia, was discussed as a potential future trend in the US. The importance of staying updated with Federal Trade Commission regulations was emphasized.Mariah plans to have a detailed conversation with Kae Majmundar from Sway Tech on this topic. 25:43 Fun Elements and Experiences at ShopTalk Mariah appreciates the themed elements of the conference, such as the Mission Possible theme and live band transitions. She highlights the all-women keynote panel and the women-only happy hour before the Busta Rhymes concert. The shopping experience at the Vault, featuring both up-and-coming and established brands, was a favorite part of the conference. Mariah shares her excitement about discovering new brands and meeting their founders. 31:09 Product Discoveries and Favorites Mariah lists various products she discovered at the conference, including Fun Fact Co.'s Would You Rather game and Royce Chocolates. She mentions Devine's hair and body wash, mini Mac room's nail stickers, and Elf's Power Grip Primer and Lip Oil. Other products included Erzo Laszlo's deep cleansing bar, Char Charms' tumbler and straws, and Tangle Teezer's hair brush, and more Mariah expresses her excitement to try out these products, especially during the holiday season.

In this episode of our new Retail Innovation Series with OFFBounds and Shoptalk Fall, I sit down with Alison Hiatt, the Chief Merchandising and Growth Officer at Vera Bradley, who stepped into her role in 2023 with the mission of leading a rebranding and turnaround for the beloved American brand. Known for its vibrant, patterned bags, Vera Bradley had touched the hearts of many since the 80s but struggled to stay relevant with newer generations. Alison shares her journey of taking on this challenge, discussing the brand's rich heritage, the strategic decisions behind the rebranding efforts, and the innovative approaches being implemented to reconnect with both loyal fans and new customers. We delve into the importance of authenticity, the cultural shifts within the company, and what this transformation means for the future of Vera Bradley. If you're interested in the intricacies of brand revival and what it takes to refresh an iconic name in today's competitive market, this episode is a must-listen. Don't forget to join us at Shoptalk Fall in Chicago, where Alison will share more insights on stage.20% Discount for Brand & Retailers20% Discount for General AttendeesTimestamps:0:00 Introduction1:02 Why Alison Accepted the Challenge for This Rebranding3:34 The Process of Rediscovering the Brand6:40 Understanding the New Customer8:20 Changing Everything at Once10:50 What People Should Feel When They See The Brand13:10 How to Change the Culture15:36 The Metrics and User-Generated Content19:51 Shoptalk Fall and Gender Parity 21:34 Passionate About Marketing24:00 What Makes a Good CMO26:02 A CEO Alison Admires28:12 Advice To Someone Who Is Starting29:25 Final Remarks

While tech companies like Best Buy, Verizon, and BitCoin's Verse are refreshing their logos, women's accessory companies like Zales and Vera Bradley are introducing entire brand refreshes. Join Mark and Lorraine as they talk the differences between a brand refresh and a brand new logo. The positioning duo tackles the latest marketing overhauls, the origins of Singer Corporation, and some successful past brand refreshes.Spend 30ish with Mark and Lorraine as they talk all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning!

Last week, for the first time in its 40-plus-year history, the bag brand Vera Bradley revealed a 360-degree rebrand. Updates include a new logo, new products, new in-store and online experiences, and a new ambassador: actress and singer Zooey Deschanel.  Days prior, Glossy sat down with the company's president and CEO, Jaqueline Ardrey, and CMO, Alison Hiatt, to discuss how the brand's fresh look and feel play into the Project Restoration growth plan set by Ardrey last year. They also shared the challenges of reaching new audiences while retaining existing customers, and making big changes under the watchful eye of investors as a publicly traded company. 

Jacqueline Ardrey, CEO of Vera Bradley, joins the show to discuss why the company's rebrand is needed now and how they are assessing the brand's health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Water Tower Hour Podcast, Consumer Products analyst, Doug Lane, discusses our recent Consumer Products Virtual Investor Conference, as companies navigate the post-pandemic landscape with new strategies and management teams. We heard about Vera Bradley's Project Restoration, Medifast's innovative GLP-1 Lifestyle Program, and Herbalife's refreshed leadership. We also explored the strategic moves by Beachbody, Flow Beverages, 1-800-FLOWERS, and Lanvin, each poised for potential growth. Discover how these companies geared up for a brighter future, driven by resilience and innovation.

On it's latest earnings report, Vera Bradley reported net revenue for the first quarter that missed the average analyst estimate. The retailer's CEO, Jackie Ardrey sat down with Bloomberg's Katie Greifeld to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does a CMO ensure the customer experience remains at the forefront of their brand's strategy? In this episode of the Modern Customer Podcast, Alison Hiatt, the Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer at Vera Bradley Designs Inc., shares her invaluable insights from her journey in marketing, including experiences with iconic brands like Starbucks and Amazon. Discover how Alison views CX as an all-encompassing concept, intertwined with brand identity, and learn how Vera Bradley leverages diverse customer engagement channels to tailor CX strategies and the art and science of understanding customer behavior. Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today's Customer.

Welcome back to The Pretty Little Podcast! In this episode, Phoebe and Caroline break down episode 507 of Pretty Little Liars: The Silence of E. Lamb. Join them as they discuss West and Ciara from Summer House, whether Vera Bradley is making a comeback, and Hanna's new character arc.   TIMESTAMPS intro - 00:00:00 inside out 2 - 00:04:04 chicago - 00:16:34 ios update - 00:17:12 nick viall and natalie joy - 00:23:01 movies/the quiet place - 00:32:49 vera bradley - 00:37:19  yuck your yum - 00:38:50 rotations - 00:39:43  pll - 00:58:16

Sam Baker transforms underperforming ecommerce sites into powerful selling tools that help her clients generate double-digit incremental revenue each year. Sam's ecommerce background includes web optimization at Abercrombie & Fitch, digital marketing at Vera Bradley and consulting clients such as Under Armour and Intercontinental Hotel Group. Her consultancy specializes in A/B Testing, UX improvements, and Retention and Acquisition strategies. On this episode, Sam speaks with Jen White about how she got into a career that didn't exist when she was in college and about the challenges of moving from working a corporate job to running her own business.

We're back with Season 8 and kick it off with one of the industry's leading thought leaders--Carrie Tharp, VP Strategic Industries at Google Cloud. With her past experience in senior leadership at Fossil Group, Neiman Marcus, and Travelocity, and current board roles at the National Retail Federation, Vera Bradley, and Rue Gilt Groupe, Carrie brings tremendous perspective on where retail is headed and the challenges and opportunities brands face.In a wide ranging discussion we delve into the current state of cloud technology, where generative AI is headed (including the results of Google's new industry survey), and how retailers can accelerate their pace of transformation--including tips on how to deploy "test and learn" strategies. We also discuss specific use cases, including a recently launched partnership with Victoria's Secret to close the digital divide, expand conversational commerce, and a whole lot more.Before we dive into our typical opening segment we engage in a bit of humble-bragging sharing our own news that the pod won the top "Retail Voice" award at this year's VIP Awards show.We also announce some special pre-order bonuses for Steve's forthcomign book (see below).Then we jump into our hot takes on the week in retail news, including whether the holiday season delivered the goods or not. Then its on to good news as Lululemon, Abercrombie & Fitch, and American Eagle take their sales guidance up. We follow it with bad news, however, as "new department store" concept Showfield's shuts down and competitor Neighborhood Goods retrenches. We can't miss the opportunity to talk about the success of the ludicrously capacious Stanley Quencher. We wrap up with the shocking news that physical retail is still not dead. Presented by Celonis.My new book--"Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption"--will be released March 12th. And for a limited time pre-order it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop,org, or any other retailer worldwide, and get some very special FREE bonuses.Buy 1 Copy and receive:- An exclusive PDF book excerpt- An invitation to a private pre-launch virtual event.Buy 5 Copies and receive:- All the above, plus access to a small group virtual Q&A session.Buy 25 copies or more and receive:- All the above, plus a private one-on-one 20 minute Zoom consulting or executive leadership coaching session with me.Simply email your receipt to leadersleap@sageberryconsullting.com and we will handle the rest! About CarrieInnovative Chief Digital Officer/Chief Marketing Officer with experience driving growth and business transformation in retail, consumer products and eCommerce based businesses. Creating data driven, customer centric strategies that drive growth through new customer experiences, digital innovation, and business model expansion. Currently focused on evolving retail capabilities for the new digital age - dedicated to building teams and experiences to serve customers in new and compelling ways.About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor, board member, and keynote speaker focused on strategic growth and transformation and the impact of digital disruption. He is the author of the bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption and the forthcoming Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption , which will be published in March 2024 and is now available for pre-order at book retailers everywhere. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on social media..Steve will be back on stage at Shoptalk in Las Vegas and we've got a special offer for our podcast listeners to save an additional 10% on registration. Retailer & Brands use Code: RBREMAR225 by going here.General Attendee: use code: GAREMAR360 here.Don't forget to join Steve's new Linked Group for his new book.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice, a keynote speaker around the world and consumer growth consultant.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada's top retail industry podcast,   The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor , Canada's top food industry podcasts and one of the top management podcasts in the nation according to Apple, with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael  on  LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

Safe In Harm's Way envision a world where survivors can recognize the feelings in their relationships as the hallmark red flags of abuse, effortlessly communicate, access resources, and embark on a journey of healing without financial or logistical barriers.Our vision is driven by the urgent necessity for accessible and free or low-cost trauma-informed solutions.By nurturing diverse online communities with embedded safety mechanisms, we provide a sanctuary where survivors can explore their healing process in privacy and security.Caroline Markel-Hammond:•CEO•AUTHOR•VICTOR• Top 20 Leaders of 2022 at Women Leaders Magazine DomesticShelters.org Purple Ribbon Award Winner, Survivor of the Year 2021 Boston Scientific's Global Volunteer of the Year 2020 Vera Bradley's Inspiring Women Award Winner of 2020 Keynote speaker positively impacting 51,000 lives by Q4 of 2022. #intentionallyfearlessDM me BELIEVE to get your FREE download of 25 Immediate & ACTIONABLE ways to help your loved one break free from abuse, so that they can have health, safety and healing for themselves, their children and pets. Launched my brand on Times Square billboards, and across the country, making over ONE BILLION impressions. Took over Instagram and 4.5 MILLION accounts to highlight violence against women and children. THREE time international best selling author of “#SheWins2”, “Dragon Slayers Wear Lipstick” and “The Dragon Slayers Handbook” THAT's a dream come true.If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence please call the domestic violence hotline. 800-799-7233 or Hope House in the eastern Jackson County or Kansas City, Missouri area. 816-461-HOPE.

Imagine being a small business, fighting against the tide of big retail giants in the digital space. What if there was a platform designed to level the playing field, geared towards a community-focused digital solution for local retailers? This episode is a heart-to-heart chat with Kate Giovambattista, visionary founder of Beyond Main, who has been championing the cause of small retailers with her innovative platform. As a former Vera Bradley executive, she brings her deep insights on changing consumer behavior and the digital struggle small businesses experience. You'll learn about Beyond Main's subscription model, different from typical commission-driven models. We delve into the highs, lows, and everything in-between, of running a bootstrapped start-up. Tune in to hear about the crucial role of customer feedback in shaping the platform, and the exciting journey of onboarding 615 businesses. With perseverance, passion, and a will to support local businesses, Kate's story serves as a beacon for any small business owner seeking a digital edge or anyone curious about the dynamic world of e-commerce. 

This Halloween might be turning Boo's into Brrrrs and Lizz is not prepared to dress her summer babe for the chilly — and chilling — night. Kelly is finishing joke training with George and looking forward to some laughs one way or another. → Calling all RAV4 drivers! Kelly and Lizz would love for you to hop on over to the reviews, leave yours, and share what you love about the show. Don't forget to shout out your ride when you do. If you've ever been audacious enough to take a walk with your phone you might find today's millennial word of the day relatable. ‘Silent walking' is the new trend amongst Gen Zers who are finding they could use, as Kelly puts it, a little alone time with the noggin'.  In reel talk with Lizz and driveway dumps Vera Bradley is coming back and Kelly and Lizz are fascinated by correlations between Menstrual cycles and ugly eras.  Homemade baked goods are Kelly's base model luxury of choice this week. Her eggless blueberry muffins were a morning delight. She'll be messing up her already messy kitchen for time and time again.  Fast lane philosophy brings you an update from Kelly on the four-hour work week along with her thoughts on everyone creating an online course. Today's advice segment includes listener questions about repeating family names and purchasing used rental vehicles. Kelly shares some crucial red flags to look for on Carfax and AutoCheck reports such as accidents where airbags deployed, situations where vehicles were towed, and recurring issues after an accident.  Today's episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. When you're struggling to find a doctor who takes your insurance near you, try Zocdoc. Zocdoc helps you find expert doctors and medical professionals that specialize in the care you need. Book an appointment in no time. With Zoc, you have a trusted guide to connect you to your favorite doctor you just haven't met yet. Millions of people have used Zocdoc's free app, to find and book a patient-reviewed doctor in their neighborhood.  → Head over to zocdoc.com/carpool to download the app and book a top-rated doctor today. Many are available within 24 hours.  In industry news, the best vehicles for doomsday include the Jeep Wrangler, Hummer, and Subaru Outback — and Lizz is ready to auto-prep. The Mazda CX 70 two-row midsize crossover is on the way. And 20 electric cars are now selling below sticker price.  A final Blake's besties honors Elizabeth's baby Lily, Megan's baby Feisty Fluff, Sarah's babies Harper and Mason, and Jessica's baby Nora Grace. Kelly and Lizz read the names of every baby whose story was shared this month and celebrate so much love while sending hugs out to all of the mama's who have experienced loss.  → To share your ditch the drive-through recipe with us, call (959) CAR-POOL and leave us a message! → Do you have a story to share about your little one who was gone too soon? Send Kelly and Lizz your pregnancy memories at hello@thecarmomofficial.com  → Write in your icks and ask for advice! Send Kelly and Lizz an email to get your question featured on the show at hello@thecarmomofficial.com  Follow the Carpool Podcast on IG Follow the Carpool Podcast on YouTube Follow Kelly on IG Follow Lizz on IG Visit thecarmomofficial.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If we aren't laughing everyday in our school or with our students, we should be. But sometimes we fail as teachers and these aren't small fails, they are epic. In this episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we are sharing some hilarious, huge teacher fails that will totally get you laughing and learning. Warning #1: Your jaw could hit the floor on a few of them so prepare your heart. Warning #2: The greatest, most ridiculous Vera Bradley story of all time is told in this episode Let's have some fun as we celebrate the struggles that we all experience from time to time. Episode Notes:  Want to Have Your BEST Year Yet Both Personally and Professionally? Check out This Awesome Opportunity:  monicagenta.com/365ofawesome Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Wheel That I Use in my Classroom: monicagenta.com/amazon Wheel of Names Digital Wheel: https://wheelofnames.com/ Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

This week, we're sharing all of our favorite self-care tips to integrate during the semester! But first, we have a sister catch up on elementary school backpack trends (think Vera Bradley) & discussing our current uni bags. Enjoy! Products discussed: Face Mask Hair Mask Heating Pad

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This reprisal of our 100th episode featured Patricia Miller, co-founder of Vera Bradley. Enjoy hearing the origin story of this popular fashion company, and the life lessons learned along the way. Listen to Pat's life of significance as a grandmother, friend, designer and company leader. Note her life of collaboration in all of her roles. What a life of achievement.

Cindy Marshall is the Founder and CEO of SHINE Strategy, a strategic consulting company committed to helping brands drive profit and ROI. She is also the Chief Digital Officer at Jane, a curated marketplace with more than 2,000 shops. As an accomplished chief marketing officer, Cindy has developed working relationships with over 50 well-known brands, including Vera Bradley, Performance Bicycle, Strand Bookstore, Annie Selke, and LL Bean. Beyond her efforts as a company head, Cindy serves as a board member of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle, an elite women's society of executives at leading retailers and brands. In this episode… Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is an e-commerce marketing strategy where brands sell products directly to consumers. In addition to benefiting manufacturers, the DTC model offers consumers advantages like higher lifetime values, improved relationships, and effortless omnichannel experiences. Despite the many pros of DTC marketing, the model also presents several cons. The DTC e-commerce industry experiences widespread complications with marketing strategies such as paid search, feed optimization, and performance max campaigns. However, marketing strategists like Cindy Marshall provide solutions through the use of a roadmap. Roadmaps are campaign evaluations offering insights on brand logistics and the changes needed for business growth. The process includes strategic and content planning, data management integration, and talent solutions. In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris welcomes Cindy Marshall, Founder and CEO of SHINE Strategy, to talk about DTC marketing strategies. Cindy discusses the SHINE roadmap, common challenges in the retail industry, and universal e-commerce branding advice.

Does what we do really matter? Can one person make a difference? When we live intentionally, our choices impact every aspect of our lives. With that purposeful perception comes the conviction that jobs, homes, lifestyles and hobbies can and should be leveraged to their full potential and for a greater purpose than our own comfort. Victoria Duerstock is on the show today sharing about her book titled The Story of Good (EndGame Press) which includes the individual accounts of more than 30 founders that were brought together under the umbrella of "the good MRKT" – a concept store driven by the executives of Vera Bradley to provide an opportunity for consumers to purchase with a purpose. Join us as Victoria shares stories about ordinary people who long to understand their calling. Not one day in the future, but right now. Not giving everything up and living in Africa but taking what they are doing today and leveraging it in such a way it echoes in the hearts of others in an extraordinary way forever. We pray you see yourself in their stories and see how a little kindness goes a long way. Connect with Victoria: https://www.victoriaduerstock.com https://www.thestoryofgood.com/brands Victoria and End Game Press are each donating a portion of the book sales to the Dare To Do Good Fund, a charitable initiative by goodMRKT that connects creators with the resources they need to support their mission driven businesses.

It's Felicia's birthday, which means its time for her to insert one of the things she loves into the Wonkaverse! Join us as we discuss potential Muppet castings, Vera Bradley, and an update on the counterfiet Wonka bars.  To keep up-to-date on all things Wonka, be sure to follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter @wonkawatch. We'd love to hear your concerns (it'd be unhealthy if you didn't have any). Email us at wonkarapture@gmail.com If you'd like to help us keep this podcast up and running, you can visit buymeacoffee.com/wonkawatch! All supporters will get a shout out on the podcast :). If you want to check out our Muppet commentary track from a few months back, you can do so here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wonkawatch/the-muppets-2011-commentary-track  Cover Art by Reilly Branson:  https://www.instagram.com/rad_reilly/ Sources:  Crown court trial set over 'selling 1,237 boxes of fake Wonka Bars' France Takes Center Stage with Hugh Grant as Oompa Loompa in Spectacular Wonka: A Journey Back to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Origins France (and Hugh Grant as Oompa Loompa) will be in the spotlight for Wonka, the film which will return to the origins of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory France Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNnWP1WoTRQ  Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:37 Wonka Watch News 09:29 Casting Wonka Watch Characters 16:05 Casting Side Characters 29:49 Casting the Kids 37:17 Other Notes 38:35 Casting Wonkas 48:55 Predictions 49:37 Outro

Kat's Parking Ticket Expense Report & Vera Bradley Outlet Sale Returns

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Ardmore Shipping CEO Anthony Gurnee (ASC) explains how he's shaped his company into a heavy hitter in the marine shipping industry.  How Yext (YEXT) is capitalizing on the current interest in artificial intelligence. How lower freight expenses and cost-cutting initiatives made a huge difference at niche-retailer Vera Bradley (VRA). Ciena Corporation (CIEN) gives us an inside look at what's really going on in the computer networking industry. The Drill Down with Cory Johnson offers a regular look at the business stories behind stocks on the move. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Good Girls are back with ballerina, Ukrainian dancer, and aerialist, Tatiana Ozaruk! In this episode, we go deep into our dance backgrounds and how they contributed to our Good Girl-ness. We also chat about being early as a personality trait, performatively wearing dance gear in public, medium ugly Vera Bradley patterns, and finding joy in movement. And then we play a Silly Little Game named by Chat GPT! Special thanks to DJ Skip to my Luke for our fabulous intro! And a HUGE thank you to the designer of our brand new logo and look, Emery Bergmann! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we will mail you a GGGS sticker! Just screenshot the review, send us a DM and an address where you would like the sticker sent! BUY SOME MERCH (shipping is always free!) Check out Tatiana and her dance company in Vogue! Follow the Good Girls on Instagram @goodgirlsgonesad And TikTok @goodgirlsgonesad And Twitter @goodgrlsgonesad Follow Tatiana @tatiana__oz Follow Becca @thebeccastephenson Follow Syd @syd.the.king --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/good-girls-gone-sad/message

Hosts Hannah Brown (@hannahabrown) and Tyler Meredith (@tylermckmeredith) had another rip roaring time recording this week yall! We kiki over daddy Pedro Pascal on SNL, how zombies are not our vibe and give our NYC and Disney trip recaps! This week on GG—Obie is HOT to us and Audrey/Max are NOT to us. We obsessed over the looks of Luna and marvel at how everyone you know is at the Tribeca Film Festival. JC tries to right many wrongs at jessica Vera Bradley's pop-up which turns out to be a hot mess. And we get in an intervention for Kate Keller which she truly needs—but will she really use her GG sorcery for good? TBD upper east siders. XOXO H&T

800+ global artisans. 2 million raised for charitable organizations. A $200 dollar investment that started it all. Griffin Thall has always been an entrepreneur.  As a teenager, he was selling a steady stream of products on eBay, earning enough cash to fund his college ventures. Now, 12 years after he co-founded and served as CEO for Pura Vida Bracelets, a company he helped grow from his dorm room into a $130 million+ company, Griffin announced he is stepping away.  In his conversation with host Ryan Berman, we'll hear some of the strategies that Griffin used to grow his tremendous brand, and why he feels there is still room for them to grow on platforms like TikTok. He also touches on why they felt Vera Bradley was the right partner to acquire the brand after interviewing 25 potential suitors. Note: This interview was conducted a week prior to Griffins departure announcement.

Welcome to Episode #11. My guest today is a friend, world class Entrepreneur and an even better person, Mr. Paul Goodman. As the CFO and Co-Founder of Pura Vida Bracelets, Paul is charged with ensuring the growth and financial success of the multimillion-dollar jewelry and lifestyle brand. www.puravidabracelets.com Immediately after graduating from SDSU, Paul and his best friend, Griffin Thall, teamed up with two Costa Rican artisans to launch the brand. Within a decade, the startup has become one of the biggest jewelry companies around, with millions of fans all across the globe. Paul is not only dedicated to building a strong brand culture both internally and externally, but he's also passionate about making an impact on the lives of other people. He helps provide full-time jobs to more than 550 artisans around the world, and the brand's Charity Collection has raised more than $4M for charitable causes and organizations. His financial acumen allowed the brand to achieve 57% year-over-year growth in 2019, while maintaining consistent levels of profitability. Paul was also instrumental in securing a $130M investment from iconic lifestyle brand Vera Bradley. Paul is a member of global leadership organization YPO and has been featured on Forbes' “30 Under 30” list. Pura Vida is one of Inc.'s 5,000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America, and was named LA Business Journal's Direct to Consumer Brand of the Year in 2019. In his spare time, Paul enjoys surfing, traveling the world and raising his daughter, Romy. Enjoy! Time Stamps: 5:18 The origin story of how Pura Vida was born 7:15 Jorge, Joaquin and the first 400 bracelets 11:14 The jar approach to inventory management 13:38 Influencer marketing before "influencers" was a thing 15:50 The Campus Rep program helps expand across the US 17:50 Their elaborate initial pricing strategy 22:20 The trade show intro that changed the game for their business 26:30 the loyalty to Jorge and Joaquin 30:35 the infamous coin flip for CEO 32:25 Establishing the Pura Vida culture and hiring throughout the years (micro to 32:32) 33:33 the transition to adding retail stores 37:20 $130 Million exit to Vera Bradley 37:49 From doubters to haters to the praise - having fun along the way 43:15 parental advice from PG! Follow Paul- LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-goodman-1721a115/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/paulgoodman/ Bryan - Insta: https://www.instagram.com/bduzco/

The Grinch is stealing XXX-mas - and making people laugh! A TikTok account has posted some racy Grinch videos that have people clamoring for more. Dancing with pasties and doing donning some sexy négligée, this Grinch is making hearts flutter while they grow several sizes!Show me on this doll where the TSA touched you. Aaron recounts his unpleasant experience with the TSA during his travel. They, suspecting his daughter was a terrorist, threw away her aloe vera gel and some facial scrub. This upset her and, of course, Aaron since he already has a deep dislike for anything they do. But it only gets worse. Now, the TSA is going to use facial recognition to make travel easy and more efficient. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/02/tsa-security-face-recognition/ "They", meaning the government, make it difficult and annoying to travel, but then they make it easier. We become accustomed to the degradation and will freely give up rights for convenience.However, some students in China have created a magic coat to make you invisible to AI technology, so you can walk freely without being seen.https://www.vice.com/en/article/88q3gk/chinese-students-invent-invisibility-cloak Whilst everyone is up in arms about TikTok, The Breakdown Crew asks how it is different from the TSA or governments using your social media to track, trace, and surveil you.Bryan brings up the dangers of deep-fakes and the movement of society towards a dystopian Minority Report-type future where you can be guilty of a crime without having committed it - even with video evidence. This spins into a conversation about biometrics taking away personal identities. Regardless of your eschatological beliefs, the world is speeding towards a global currency, global government, and global religion.The Breakdown has now moved to identifying as "Non-Bidenary" program. Like Sam Brinton. He's been charged with yet another felony due to his fetish for stealing other people's luggage. Erica asks how this thief can be in charge of disposing of nuclear waste. Aaron wonders how the culture of mental illness can allow a person to hold such an important position and live within a make-believe world. The crew also questions his taste - why would you steal a Vera Bradley bag?Do you order copious amounts of products from Amazon? Now, the global shipping giant wants to make it easy for you to tip those drivers during the busy season. Aaron wonders out loud - because this is radio - if tipping some employees is getting out of control.https://www.cnet.com/tech/alexa-thank-my-driver-make-amazon-pay-your-delivery-driver-an-extra-5-dollar-tip/ How do you feel about the Brittney Griner trade for the Merchant of Death? The Biden administration needs to take some tips on how to negotiate.What is wrong with kids these days? One sheriff in Florida is moving forward with a plan to implement more severe discipline for children. Maybe it's time to take your kids out of public school. Aaron wouldn't want any other adult laying their hands on his kids. He and Erica think it falls on the parents, not on school officials. It seems the public wants to push more responsibility on others to raise their kids rather than doing the hard work of parenting.Would you want teachers to spank your kids? Leave a comment or a #SoundOff by going to www.breakdradio.com and clicking on the mic in the bottom corner.https://boingboing.net/2022/12/01/florida-sheriff-announces-old-time-punishments-like-disfigurement-are-back-for-school-kids.html Now it's time for Bad Theology. This week we listen to a TikToker who says that Paul's words are not the Word of God, encouraging other's to essentially not pay attention to what Paul says. Listen for yourself: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR4T7Ntd/ The Breakdown Crew do a sufficient job of destroying this terrible theological stance.The show ends with the infamous "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" segment where they scour the internet finding the stories that make you say, "What the Foxtrot?" This week does not disappoint.Listen live every Saturday 9:00 am - 11:00 am EST on MoJo 5-0: https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/MOJO50&Listen on Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-breakdown-with-aaron-barker_1

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, December 1st, 2022. Happy Friday Jr. everyone! Having a good week thus far I hope… hey, question for ya… Dropwave Do you have a podcast, or thinking about starting one? Does your church have a podcast feed for sermons? The Dropwave.io is for you. Cancel culture is like walking on a thin glass bridge over the Grand Canyon. Every step you take could get you killed, I mean canceled. Since the beginning CrossPolitic has been working on being antifragile, so no matter what happens, our content can still be delivered to your tv and to your podcast. This past year, the Waterboy and his friend Jeremi, have been working on building a podcast hosting solution for rowdy platforms like CrossPolitic, so that you can be confident your podcast will never fall through that glass bridge. Dropwave offers seamless onboarding for shows that have been around for years to easy to use solutions for starting your own podcast. Dropwave will track all your show’s downloads by city, state, and country, and it offers network and enterprise packages for solutions like the Fight Laugh Feast Network. Free to speak, Free to podcast, free to start your journey now at www.Dropwave.io. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/house-passes-biden-backed-bill-avert-rail-strike House passes Biden-backed bill to avert rail strike The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday to avert a national railroad strike, but questions remain about whether the effort can clear the 50-50 Senate. By an 290-137 vote, House lawmakers voted to pass legislation blocking nearly 100,000 railroad workers from striking in early December. Economists and the White House have warned that a railroad strike could paralyze the nation's economy ahead of the holiday season. "We must act to prevent a catastrophic strike that would touch the lives of nearly every family," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The legislation gives unionized train engineers and conductors three unpaid sick days a year for medical appointments, provided employers are given at least 30 days' notice about the time off. It's based on an agreement that railroad companies and transportation unions agreed to in September. While eight unions have already adopted the agreement, four have not. The standoff between the holdout unions and railroad companies has failed to resolve itself even as White House officials have become increasingly involved. President Biden said the failure to achieve a breakthrough forced him to ask Congress to intervene and prevent a strike. Progressives have lambasted Biden's decision to ask Congress to intervene. Far-left lawmakers, like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., say Biden's request for Congress to approve legislation blocking nearly 100,000 railroad workers from striking was inappropriate given the unions were still pushing for broader paid sick leave. The House on Wednesday also passed a separate bill 221-207 giving railroad workers an additional seven days of sick leave. It remains to be seen if it will be included in the version the 50-50 divided Senate will take up. Within the upper chamber, at least 10 Republican votes are needed for the legislation to overcome a filibuster, provided all 50 Democrats fall in line. Let’s keep it within the Biden administration shall we? https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-non-binary-nuclear-official-charged-stealing-womans-luggage-airport Non-binary Biden nuclear official charged with stealing woman's luggage at airport Sam Brinton, a senior Energy Department (DOE) official, was charged with stealing a traveler's luggage in the Minneapolis airport in September, shortly before quietly taking a leave of absence. Brinton — who serves as the DOE's deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition — allegedly took a Vera Bradley suitcase worth $2,325 from the luggage carousel at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport (MSP) on Sept. 16, according to a criminal complaint filed on Oct. 26 in Minnesota state court and obtained by Fox News Digital. Brinton had traveled from Washington, D.C., to MSP that day. After the suitcase's owner alerted police, officers reviewed video surveillance of the carousel and identified Brinton taking the luggage before removing its tag identifying the owner, the court filings stated. Law enforcement observed Brinton using the luggage during at least two other trips to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18 and Oct. 9. Then, on Oct. 9, Brinton denied stealing anything when a police officer called to discuss the incident. Brinton confirmed still possessing the suitcase. "If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual," Brinton told the officer. "That was my clothes when I opened the bag." Two hours after the phone call, Brinton called the officer back and apologized for not being "completely honest." But Brinton said it was a mistake and blamed being tired for taking the wrong bag at the carousel. "DEFENDANT said when they opened the bag at the hotel, they realized it was not theirs," the court filings stated. "DEFENDANT got nervous people would think they stole the bag and did not know what to do. DEFENDANT stated they left the clothes from the bag inside the drawers in the hotel room." Brinton was ultimately charged with felony theft of a movable property without consent, a charge that could result in a five-year sentence, $10,000 fine or both. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/11/28/watch-kanye-canceled-by-kanye-walks-out-of-tim-pool-interview-when-asked-to-defend-his-antisemitism/ Kanye Canceled — by Kanye; Walks Out of Tim Pool Interview When Asked to Defend His Antisemitism Kanye West, the rapper and entrepreneur who has become infamous for his antisemitic views, walked out of an interview Monday evening with podcaster Tim Pool the moment the host mildly challenged his views on Jews. https://twitter.com/i/status/1597401435549110272 - Play Video The interview, which was streamed live on YouTube, included Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and Milo Yiannopoulous, who has recently joined West’s entourage and nascent 2024 presidential campaign. Pool allowed West to express his views, largely uninterrupted, for the first fifteen minutes of the broadcast. He claimed that his recent, controversial dinner with former President Donald Trump had been scheduled last month — apparently before West began making antisemitic comments such as the infamous “death con” tweet. The dinner was postponed until after the midterm elections; West confirmed that Trump did not know Fuentes. West claimed that it was “beautiful” that people could see how Jews — whom he referred to as “Zionists” at one stage — cancel people. Luke Rudkowski, one of Pool’s co-hosts, said that West said as he was leaving: “You don’t believe in my truths.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1597406857185832961 - Play Video News out of England… https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/britain-census-religion/2022/11/29/id/1098318/ Census: Christians a Minority in England; Non-religious Grow Fewer than half the people in England and Wales consider themselves Christian, according to the most recent census — the first time the country's official religion has been followed by a minority of the population. Britain has become less religious — and less white — in the decade since the last census, figures from the 2021 census released Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics revealed. Some 46.2% of the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier. The Muslim population grew from 4.9% to 6.5% of the population, while 1.7% identified as Hindu, up from 1.5%. More than 1 in 3 people — 37% — said they had no religion, up from 25% in 2011. The other parts of the U.K., Scotland and Northern Ireland, report their census results separately. Secularism campaigners said the shift should trigger a rethink of the way religion is entrenched in British society. The U.K. has state-funded Church of England schools, Anglican bishops sit in Parliament's upper chamber, and the monarch is "defender of the faith" and supreme governor of the church. Andrew Copson, chief executive of the charity Humanists U.K., said "the dramatic growth of the non-religious" had made the U.K. "almost certainly one of the least religious countries on Earth." Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, one of the most senior clerics in the Church of England, said the data was "not a great surprise," but was a challenge to Christians to work harder to promote their faith. "We have left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian, but other surveys consistently show how the same people still seek spiritual truth and wisdom and a set of values to live by," he said. Almost 82% of people in England and Wales identified as white in the census, down from 86% in 2011. Some 9% said they were Asian, 4% Black and 3% from "mixed or multiple" ethnic backgrounds, while 2% identified with another ethnic group. Redballoon Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/11/espn-host-stephen-a-smith-apologizes-for-using-the-term-homosexual-while-discussing-profanity-laced-lamar-jackson-tweet/ ESPN Host Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Using The Term “Homosexual” While Discussing Profanity-Laced Lamar Jackson Tweet Jackson took offense at Twitter user CastleWillKill sharing his opinion that the Baltimore Ravens should let him walk rather than pay him $250 million. CastleWillKill tweeted, “When someone is asking for over 250 mil guaranteed like Lamar Jackson … games like this should not come to Justin Tucker. Let Lamar walk and spend that money on a well rounded team.” Lamar Jackson responded with a profanity laced tweet, to which Stephen A. Smith responded to, like so: https://youtu.be/CueNCRKO3hY - Play 4:40 - 5:23 As reported by Awful Announcing, Smith would later apologize for using the term “homosexual” while discussing Jackson’s tweet. https://streamable.com/5ez4yw - Play Video There is absolutely no reason to apologize for using the term homosexual over gay. In fact, Smith should have used the word Sodomite instead.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, December 1st, 2022. Happy Friday Jr. everyone! Having a good week thus far I hope… hey, question for ya… Dropwave Do you have a podcast, or thinking about starting one? Does your church have a podcast feed for sermons? The Dropwave.io is for you. Cancel culture is like walking on a thin glass bridge over the Grand Canyon. Every step you take could get you killed, I mean canceled. Since the beginning CrossPolitic has been working on being antifragile, so no matter what happens, our content can still be delivered to your tv and to your podcast. This past year, the Waterboy and his friend Jeremi, have been working on building a podcast hosting solution for rowdy platforms like CrossPolitic, so that you can be confident your podcast will never fall through that glass bridge. Dropwave offers seamless onboarding for shows that have been around for years to easy to use solutions for starting your own podcast. Dropwave will track all your show’s downloads by city, state, and country, and it offers network and enterprise packages for solutions like the Fight Laugh Feast Network. Free to speak, Free to podcast, free to start your journey now at www.Dropwave.io. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/house-passes-biden-backed-bill-avert-rail-strike House passes Biden-backed bill to avert rail strike The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday to avert a national railroad strike, but questions remain about whether the effort can clear the 50-50 Senate. By an 290-137 vote, House lawmakers voted to pass legislation blocking nearly 100,000 railroad workers from striking in early December. Economists and the White House have warned that a railroad strike could paralyze the nation's economy ahead of the holiday season. "We must act to prevent a catastrophic strike that would touch the lives of nearly every family," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The legislation gives unionized train engineers and conductors three unpaid sick days a year for medical appointments, provided employers are given at least 30 days' notice about the time off. It's based on an agreement that railroad companies and transportation unions agreed to in September. While eight unions have already adopted the agreement, four have not. The standoff between the holdout unions and railroad companies has failed to resolve itself even as White House officials have become increasingly involved. President Biden said the failure to achieve a breakthrough forced him to ask Congress to intervene and prevent a strike. Progressives have lambasted Biden's decision to ask Congress to intervene. Far-left lawmakers, like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., say Biden's request for Congress to approve legislation blocking nearly 100,000 railroad workers from striking was inappropriate given the unions were still pushing for broader paid sick leave. The House on Wednesday also passed a separate bill 221-207 giving railroad workers an additional seven days of sick leave. It remains to be seen if it will be included in the version the 50-50 divided Senate will take up. Within the upper chamber, at least 10 Republican votes are needed for the legislation to overcome a filibuster, provided all 50 Democrats fall in line. Let’s keep it within the Biden administration shall we? https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-non-binary-nuclear-official-charged-stealing-womans-luggage-airport Non-binary Biden nuclear official charged with stealing woman's luggage at airport Sam Brinton, a senior Energy Department (DOE) official, was charged with stealing a traveler's luggage in the Minneapolis airport in September, shortly before quietly taking a leave of absence. Brinton — who serves as the DOE's deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition — allegedly took a Vera Bradley suitcase worth $2,325 from the luggage carousel at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport (MSP) on Sept. 16, according to a criminal complaint filed on Oct. 26 in Minnesota state court and obtained by Fox News Digital. Brinton had traveled from Washington, D.C., to MSP that day. After the suitcase's owner alerted police, officers reviewed video surveillance of the carousel and identified Brinton taking the luggage before removing its tag identifying the owner, the court filings stated. Law enforcement observed Brinton using the luggage during at least two other trips to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18 and Oct. 9. Then, on Oct. 9, Brinton denied stealing anything when a police officer called to discuss the incident. Brinton confirmed still possessing the suitcase. "If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual," Brinton told the officer. "That was my clothes when I opened the bag." Two hours after the phone call, Brinton called the officer back and apologized for not being "completely honest." But Brinton said it was a mistake and blamed being tired for taking the wrong bag at the carousel. "DEFENDANT said when they opened the bag at the hotel, they realized it was not theirs," the court filings stated. "DEFENDANT got nervous people would think they stole the bag and did not know what to do. DEFENDANT stated they left the clothes from the bag inside the drawers in the hotel room." Brinton was ultimately charged with felony theft of a movable property without consent, a charge that could result in a five-year sentence, $10,000 fine or both. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/11/28/watch-kanye-canceled-by-kanye-walks-out-of-tim-pool-interview-when-asked-to-defend-his-antisemitism/ Kanye Canceled — by Kanye; Walks Out of Tim Pool Interview When Asked to Defend His Antisemitism Kanye West, the rapper and entrepreneur who has become infamous for his antisemitic views, walked out of an interview Monday evening with podcaster Tim Pool the moment the host mildly challenged his views on Jews. https://twitter.com/i/status/1597401435549110272 - Play Video The interview, which was streamed live on YouTube, included Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and Milo Yiannopoulous, who has recently joined West’s entourage and nascent 2024 presidential campaign. Pool allowed West to express his views, largely uninterrupted, for the first fifteen minutes of the broadcast. He claimed that his recent, controversial dinner with former President Donald Trump had been scheduled last month — apparently before West began making antisemitic comments such as the infamous “death con” tweet. The dinner was postponed until after the midterm elections; West confirmed that Trump did not know Fuentes. West claimed that it was “beautiful” that people could see how Jews — whom he referred to as “Zionists” at one stage — cancel people. Luke Rudkowski, one of Pool’s co-hosts, said that West said as he was leaving: “You don’t believe in my truths.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1597406857185832961 - Play Video News out of England… https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/britain-census-religion/2022/11/29/id/1098318/ Census: Christians a Minority in England; Non-religious Grow Fewer than half the people in England and Wales consider themselves Christian, according to the most recent census — the first time the country's official religion has been followed by a minority of the population. Britain has become less religious — and less white — in the decade since the last census, figures from the 2021 census released Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics revealed. Some 46.2% of the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier. The Muslim population grew from 4.9% to 6.5% of the population, while 1.7% identified as Hindu, up from 1.5%. More than 1 in 3 people — 37% — said they had no religion, up from 25% in 2011. The other parts of the U.K., Scotland and Northern Ireland, report their census results separately. Secularism campaigners said the shift should trigger a rethink of the way religion is entrenched in British society. The U.K. has state-funded Church of England schools, Anglican bishops sit in Parliament's upper chamber, and the monarch is "defender of the faith" and supreme governor of the church. Andrew Copson, chief executive of the charity Humanists U.K., said "the dramatic growth of the non-religious" had made the U.K. "almost certainly one of the least religious countries on Earth." Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, one of the most senior clerics in the Church of England, said the data was "not a great surprise," but was a challenge to Christians to work harder to promote their faith. "We have left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian, but other surveys consistently show how the same people still seek spiritual truth and wisdom and a set of values to live by," he said. Almost 82% of people in England and Wales identified as white in the census, down from 86% in 2011. Some 9% said they were Asian, 4% Black and 3% from "mixed or multiple" ethnic backgrounds, while 2% identified with another ethnic group. Redballoon Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/11/espn-host-stephen-a-smith-apologizes-for-using-the-term-homosexual-while-discussing-profanity-laced-lamar-jackson-tweet/ ESPN Host Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Using The Term “Homosexual” While Discussing Profanity-Laced Lamar Jackson Tweet Jackson took offense at Twitter user CastleWillKill sharing his opinion that the Baltimore Ravens should let him walk rather than pay him $250 million. CastleWillKill tweeted, “When someone is asking for over 250 mil guaranteed like Lamar Jackson … games like this should not come to Justin Tucker. Let Lamar walk and spend that money on a well rounded team.” Lamar Jackson responded with a profanity laced tweet, to which Stephen A. Smith responded to, like so: https://youtu.be/CueNCRKO3hY - Play 4:40 - 5:23 As reported by Awful Announcing, Smith would later apologize for using the term “homosexual” while discussing Jackson’s tweet. https://streamable.com/5ez4yw - Play Video There is absolutely no reason to apologize for using the term homosexual over gay. In fact, Smith should have used the word Sodomite instead.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, December 1st, 2022. Happy Friday Jr. everyone! Having a good week thus far I hope… hey, question for ya… Dropwave Do you have a podcast, or thinking about starting one? Does your church have a podcast feed for sermons? The Dropwave.io is for you. Cancel culture is like walking on a thin glass bridge over the Grand Canyon. Every step you take could get you killed, I mean canceled. Since the beginning CrossPolitic has been working on being antifragile, so no matter what happens, our content can still be delivered to your tv and to your podcast. This past year, the Waterboy and his friend Jeremi, have been working on building a podcast hosting solution for rowdy platforms like CrossPolitic, so that you can be confident your podcast will never fall through that glass bridge. Dropwave offers seamless onboarding for shows that have been around for years to easy to use solutions for starting your own podcast. Dropwave will track all your show’s downloads by city, state, and country, and it offers network and enterprise packages for solutions like the Fight Laugh Feast Network. Free to speak, Free to podcast, free to start your journey now at www.Dropwave.io. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/house-passes-biden-backed-bill-avert-rail-strike House passes Biden-backed bill to avert rail strike The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday to avert a national railroad strike, but questions remain about whether the effort can clear the 50-50 Senate. By an 290-137 vote, House lawmakers voted to pass legislation blocking nearly 100,000 railroad workers from striking in early December. Economists and the White House have warned that a railroad strike could paralyze the nation's economy ahead of the holiday season. "We must act to prevent a catastrophic strike that would touch the lives of nearly every family," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The legislation gives unionized train engineers and conductors three unpaid sick days a year for medical appointments, provided employers are given at least 30 days' notice about the time off. It's based on an agreement that railroad companies and transportation unions agreed to in September. While eight unions have already adopted the agreement, four have not. The standoff between the holdout unions and railroad companies has failed to resolve itself even as White House officials have become increasingly involved. President Biden said the failure to achieve a breakthrough forced him to ask Congress to intervene and prevent a strike. Progressives have lambasted Biden's decision to ask Congress to intervene. Far-left lawmakers, like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., say Biden's request for Congress to approve legislation blocking nearly 100,000 railroad workers from striking was inappropriate given the unions were still pushing for broader paid sick leave. The House on Wednesday also passed a separate bill 221-207 giving railroad workers an additional seven days of sick leave. It remains to be seen if it will be included in the version the 50-50 divided Senate will take up. Within the upper chamber, at least 10 Republican votes are needed for the legislation to overcome a filibuster, provided all 50 Democrats fall in line. Let’s keep it within the Biden administration shall we? https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-non-binary-nuclear-official-charged-stealing-womans-luggage-airport Non-binary Biden nuclear official charged with stealing woman's luggage at airport Sam Brinton, a senior Energy Department (DOE) official, was charged with stealing a traveler's luggage in the Minneapolis airport in September, shortly before quietly taking a leave of absence. Brinton — who serves as the DOE's deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition — allegedly took a Vera Bradley suitcase worth $2,325 from the luggage carousel at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport (MSP) on Sept. 16, according to a criminal complaint filed on Oct. 26 in Minnesota state court and obtained by Fox News Digital. Brinton had traveled from Washington, D.C., to MSP that day. After the suitcase's owner alerted police, officers reviewed video surveillance of the carousel and identified Brinton taking the luggage before removing its tag identifying the owner, the court filings stated. Law enforcement observed Brinton using the luggage during at least two other trips to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18 and Oct. 9. Then, on Oct. 9, Brinton denied stealing anything when a police officer called to discuss the incident. Brinton confirmed still possessing the suitcase. "If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual," Brinton told the officer. "That was my clothes when I opened the bag." Two hours after the phone call, Brinton called the officer back and apologized for not being "completely honest." But Brinton said it was a mistake and blamed being tired for taking the wrong bag at the carousel. "DEFENDANT said when they opened the bag at the hotel, they realized it was not theirs," the court filings stated. "DEFENDANT got nervous people would think they stole the bag and did not know what to do. DEFENDANT stated they left the clothes from the bag inside the drawers in the hotel room." Brinton was ultimately charged with felony theft of a movable property without consent, a charge that could result in a five-year sentence, $10,000 fine or both. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/11/28/watch-kanye-canceled-by-kanye-walks-out-of-tim-pool-interview-when-asked-to-defend-his-antisemitism/ Kanye Canceled — by Kanye; Walks Out of Tim Pool Interview When Asked to Defend His Antisemitism Kanye West, the rapper and entrepreneur who has become infamous for his antisemitic views, walked out of an interview Monday evening with podcaster Tim Pool the moment the host mildly challenged his views on Jews. https://twitter.com/i/status/1597401435549110272 - Play Video The interview, which was streamed live on YouTube, included Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and Milo Yiannopoulous, who has recently joined West’s entourage and nascent 2024 presidential campaign. Pool allowed West to express his views, largely uninterrupted, for the first fifteen minutes of the broadcast. He claimed that his recent, controversial dinner with former President Donald Trump had been scheduled last month — apparently before West began making antisemitic comments such as the infamous “death con” tweet. The dinner was postponed until after the midterm elections; West confirmed that Trump did not know Fuentes. West claimed that it was “beautiful” that people could see how Jews — whom he referred to as “Zionists” at one stage — cancel people. Luke Rudkowski, one of Pool’s co-hosts, said that West said as he was leaving: “You don’t believe in my truths.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1597406857185832961 - Play Video News out of England… https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/britain-census-religion/2022/11/29/id/1098318/ Census: Christians a Minority in England; Non-religious Grow Fewer than half the people in England and Wales consider themselves Christian, according to the most recent census — the first time the country's official religion has been followed by a minority of the population. Britain has become less religious — and less white — in the decade since the last census, figures from the 2021 census released Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics revealed. Some 46.2% of the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier. The Muslim population grew from 4.9% to 6.5% of the population, while 1.7% identified as Hindu, up from 1.5%. More than 1 in 3 people — 37% — said they had no religion, up from 25% in 2011. The other parts of the U.K., Scotland and Northern Ireland, report their census results separately. Secularism campaigners said the shift should trigger a rethink of the way religion is entrenched in British society. The U.K. has state-funded Church of England schools, Anglican bishops sit in Parliament's upper chamber, and the monarch is "defender of the faith" and supreme governor of the church. Andrew Copson, chief executive of the charity Humanists U.K., said "the dramatic growth of the non-religious" had made the U.K. "almost certainly one of the least religious countries on Earth." Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, one of the most senior clerics in the Church of England, said the data was "not a great surprise," but was a challenge to Christians to work harder to promote their faith. "We have left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian, but other surveys consistently show how the same people still seek spiritual truth and wisdom and a set of values to live by," he said. Almost 82% of people in England and Wales identified as white in the census, down from 86% in 2011. Some 9% said they were Asian, 4% Black and 3% from "mixed or multiple" ethnic backgrounds, while 2% identified with another ethnic group. Redballoon Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work https://www.boundingintosports.com/2022/11/espn-host-stephen-a-smith-apologizes-for-using-the-term-homosexual-while-discussing-profanity-laced-lamar-jackson-tweet/ ESPN Host Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Using The Term “Homosexual” While Discussing Profanity-Laced Lamar Jackson Tweet Jackson took offense at Twitter user CastleWillKill sharing his opinion that the Baltimore Ravens should let him walk rather than pay him $250 million. CastleWillKill tweeted, “When someone is asking for over 250 mil guaranteed like Lamar Jackson … games like this should not come to Justin Tucker. Let Lamar walk and spend that money on a well rounded team.” Lamar Jackson responded with a profanity laced tweet, to which Stephen A. Smith responded to, like so: https://youtu.be/CueNCRKO3hY - Play 4:40 - 5:23 As reported by Awful Announcing, Smith would later apologize for using the term “homosexual” while discussing Jackson’s tweet. https://streamable.com/5ez4yw - Play Video There is absolutely no reason to apologize for using the term homosexual over gay. In fact, Smith should have used the word Sodomite instead.

Pat Gray joins as the guys discuss the odd popularity of James Cameron's "Avatar." Blaze podcast host Daniel Horowitz joins to discuss the Senate passing the Respect for Marriage Act and the possible consequences of the act. Sam Brinton, a non-binary senior Energy Department official under President Biden, was recently charged with felony theft for stealing a woman's Vera Bradley suitcase from the airport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As fashion brand Balenciaga continues to face backlash for its recent disgusting ad campaign, Glenn explains how the exploitation of children became the norm for the leftist political agenda. Pat Gray joins as the guys discuss the odd popularity of James Cameron's "Avatar." Blaze podcast host Daniel Horowitz joins to discuss the Senate passing the Respect for Marriage Act and the possible consequences of the act. Stu and Jeffy discuss Don Lemon's shocking claim that CNN anchors were "never liberal" and President Trump's latest dinner with some controversial guests. Sam Brinton, a non-binary senior Energy Department official under President Biden, was recently charged with felony theft for stealing a woman's Vera Bradley suitcase from the airport. Why is Disney's latest movie bombing at the box office? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As America moves into presidential race 2024, it seems like presidential candidate Ye, formally known as Kanye West, is sucking up the media oxygen after he walked out of the "Timcast IRL" podcast. Will America elect Ye as president? Sara Gonzales, BlazeTV host and Ye expert, joins to discuss why Ye is surrounding himself with people like Milo Yiannopoulos and Nick Fuentes. The Biden administration is under fire again after the first non-binary official, Sam Britton, deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition at the Department of Energy, was officially charged with felony theft for “accidentally” stealing a woman's Vera Bradley suitcase from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Will Sam face the consequences? Former disinformation czar Nina Jankowicz is back in the news after she registers as a foreign agent to work on “gendered disinformation.” San Francisco is at it again, but this time the city isn't addressing the current poop on the street or the homeless problem, but proposing the use of robots to “deploy lethal force.” Is this crossing a moral line? As the Left continues to question identity and gender, Cambridge Dean Michael Banner is trying to make the argument that Jesus could have been “transgender.” When will the Left stop changing the past? Today's Sponsors: Text CHAD to 989898 for your free info kit on diversifying into gold. Plus, when you do it this month, by Black Friday, get a FREE GOLD BAR with every purchase that you make by December 22. Right now you can stock-up and save money – the best of both worlds. Go to http://MYPATRIOTSUPPLY.COM and you'll SAVE 25 PERCENT on a FOUR-WEEK Emergency Food Kitfrom My Patriot Supply. This amazing kit gives you breakfasts, lunches, dinners, drinks, and snacks – enough for one person for three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie, singer and songwriter has died at age 79. Non-Binary Biden official, Sam Brinton, arrested after stealing a Vera Bradley suitcase from a airport baggage claim and is customer service getting worse? These stories and much more as Jack Riccardi takes on today's news with insightful commentary that includes interviews with local and national newsmakers and Jack takes your calls on the days news and hot topics.

Sometimes you get on a flight without checking luggage and then pick up someone else's Vera Bradley rolling suitcase at baggage claim. Happens to the best of us, right? Howie talks the ridiculous story about Brandon's Secretary of Energy who has been charged for major theft. Then, Howie is joined by Grace Curley to talk whales, yachts, and suspicious packages.

In recent years, servant leadership has become a buzzword. However, some people believe many executives use it as a way to appear more compassionate and humble without making any real changes. But not today's guest. Jeff Blade is the real deal. He exudes servant leadership every single day. It's part of his fabric and has made a significant impact in every organization he touches. And the list is impressive: Steak & Shake, Vera Bradley, Matilda Jane, and Herff Jones to name a few. What is servant leadership and why is it gaining popularity? During this episode, Jeff shares his insights on servant leadership, how it helped him become successful, and how it can be used to create lasting change in organizations.

Welcome to the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with CommerceNext and presented by CommX.Recorded live in person at the 2022 CommerceNext Ecommerce Growth Show, we sat down with some of the top trailblazers and change-makers that joined our community in New York City to discuss the future of digital commerce and share the latest strategies for E-commerce acceleration.On this episode, Daren Hull, President, Vera Bradley + Andrea Moore, SVP Digital, E-commerce and Consumer Insights at Nest New York, talk about Staying Customer Obsessed   ABOUT US: Scott SilvermanAn ecommerce veteran, Scott Silverman has been active in the industry since 1999 and is passionate about digital retail and the innovation driving the industry. Scott Silverman is the Co-Founder of CommerceNext. Previously, he spent 10 years as Executive Director of Shop.org where he launched the Shop.org Annual Summit. Scott co-invented “Cyber Monday” in 2005 and was the founder of Cybermonday.com in 2006, a shopping site that has generated more than $2.5 million for Shop.org's scholarship fund.Veronika SonsevVeronika Sonsev is the Co-Founder of CommerceNext. She also leads the retail practice for Chameleon Collective and is a contributor for Forbes on how to grow retail and ecommerce in the age of Amazon. Having spent the last 10+ years working with some of the largest retailers and direct-to-consumer brands, Veronika has intimate knowledge of the challenges facing retail and ecommerce today. She is also an advocate for women in business and founded the global non-profit mBolden, which is now part of SheRunsit. Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada's top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus        Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  and       The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  You can learn more about Michael       here  or on       LinkedIn. 

Jay has rounded up some summer Star Wars fashion and gets a jump on back-to-school Star Wars fashion and lifestyle products. In this fully armed and operational episode, we discuss: Star Wars backpacks and products from Vera Bradley, Star Wars inspired athletic apparel from Crowned Athletics, Spot It! The Mandalorian Card Game, Sarlacc Pit Samba Shoes from Adidas, Jabba's Throne Room Adilette Slides from Adidas, Star Wars Bolsa Dark Side Slide Sandals from DC available at Journeys, The DC Stormtrooper Reversible Bucket Hat available at Journeys, Star Wars Hawaiian shirts from Reyn Spooner, and A Star Wars inspired 90s Hawaiian Button Down shirt from SFneewho. Thanks for joining us for another episode! Subscribe to Podcast Stardust for all your Star Wars news, reviews, and discussion wherever you get your podcasts. And please leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts. Find Jay and her cosplay adventures on J.Snips Cosplay on Instagram. Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube. T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, masks, and posters are available on TeePublic. Find all episodes on RetroZap.com.

Susan Britton, Owner/ Principal Creative Director, Britton Marketing & Design Group (Fort Wayne, IN)   Susan Britton is Owner and Principal Creative Director at Britton Marketing & Design Group, a branding boutique agency that focuses on strategy, design, and helping its color-trended consumer goods clients better brand and market themselves. Sue started her career at Vera Bradley and rode a 9-year growth boom where things changed so rapidly the company had to reinvent itself every six months. (Revenues increased from $10 million to $400 million.) She left Vera Bradley on such good terms that they provided her with furniture for her new company and stayed on as clients with Britton doing catalogs and marketing for them for the next 10 years until Vera Bradley went public.  Sixteen years after she left her position at Vera Bradley, Sue says the experience “gave us a wonderful foundation to work with companies that are focused on home and colors, or fashion” – Britton's niche market. She believes that brands “really take off” when a brand is distinctly “nuanced” in a way that shows the brand is special and the agency builds a “very highly descriptive visual expression” reinforcing the brand identity and couples that with a “strong strategy.” Done right, the created assets can be amortized over time, broadly used, and will promote a “more devoted following.”  As an example of a typical client, Sue talks about working with a number of paint companies, the importance of tracking color trends and building brand uniqueness, and the challenge of reaching out to “the do-it-yourselfers and the do-it-for-mes and then the pros.” Some changes Sue has seen over the years are “a reluctance to invest in creative because it's changing so quickly,” the need for lots of online (and often transitory) creative assets, and the flux of brands vacillating between bringing their creative work inhouse . . . and seeking an external agency. Sue's agency has deleted some staff positions over the years and today outsources to partner vendors such less-frequently used services as building website backends or videography. Sue is a strong believer in work-life balance. Before Covid, her agency interviewed people to discover what they valued . . . and came back with these results: “Their family, whatever that looked like. Their community. Their spirituality, whatever that looked like, or wellness. And then their environment.” She says, “They've circled the wagons around their family in a really, really big way.” She describes this as “the new American middle.” Sue can be reached on her agency's website at: bmdg.com (for Britton Marketing & Design Group), send an email off the site, or email Sue directly at:  sue@bmdg.com Transcript Follows: ROB: Welcome to the Marketing Agency Leadership Podcast. I'm your host, Rob Kischuk, and I am joined today by Susan Britton, Owner and Principal Creative Director at Britton Marketing & Design Group based in my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Welcome to the podcast, Susan. SUE: Thank you, Rob. You can just call me Sue, that's fine. ROB: We'll go with Sue. Yeah, it's excellent to have you here. I want all the Fort Wayne stories that the audience might not want to hear. But why don't we start off first with a little bit of introduction to Britton Marketing & Design Group, and what is the firm's superpower? SUE: Well, we're in Fort Wayne, Indiana because my education happened when I went to work for Vera Bradley, which is located – their headquarters are here in Fort Wayne. I joined Vera Bradley when they were about $10 million, and nine years later they were about $400 million. We tried everything, we experienced everything, and growing at that fast rate, we were reinventing every six months what we were doing. So that was a real privilege, and like I said, a great education. Then I jumped off after about 10 years, and owner/founder Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and her partner, Pat, were really supportive when I left. They gave me furniture from the merchandising department and helped me get set up because they appreciated that they were female entrepreneurs and I wanted to be one again as well. Then we continued to work with Vera Bradley, doing their catalogs and some marketing for the next 10 years until they went public. It really gave us a wonderful foundation to work with companies that are focused on home and colors, or fashion. We worked with Peter Millar as well for a few years, getting them on the map. So really, our superpower, I would say, is design. It sounds very typical, but I think it's sometimes underappreciated. I guess it's hard to define sometimes, but when you have a brand that is really nuanced, when you have a very highly descriptive visual expression of what that brand is coupled with a really strong strategy, that's when it operates on all cylinders and when we've seen brands really take off. I think people talk about it a lot in this industry – the form and function, the art and science – but it has always been true and will continue to be true. ROB: I assume on Day 1, you were the one designer. Is that the case? SUE: Yes. [laughs] I was sitting there looking out the window on a rainy day, at my desk. I had two other family members involved with me, and we were like, “Oh my gosh, what did we just do?” But the work followed, and we worked really hard. It all worked out. We're here 16 years later and still figuring out marketing in the world today, which has gotten very complicated as well. ROB: I was going to ask, because design in and of itself can be a little bit tricky to define, but then the definition has even probably changed on you. How has the nature of the work you do, the services, the deliverables – what has shifted in those 16 years? SUE: I think it's how fast everything – the kind of creative assets that people need constantly, day in and day out online – in the past, when we started out, it was print. Catalog work, and you would do two-week photoshoots. Well, that has really changed because of the tentative nature of the imagery that people need and the quantity of it. But I think what happens today is it's easier to rely more on the science, which is more memorable – how many click-throughs – as we look at the success of an email campaign or whatever, a social media campaign. I've seen a transition for a couple of things. One, a reluctance to invest in creative because it's changing so quickly. But when they don't do that, then you could put anybody's logo on a picture on Instagram, like fashion or even home goods. It really needs to be nuanced in a way that you know when you look at it that that is a special brand. And it takes a little investment to do that, but there is a way that it can be done where you're really creating assets that are amortized over a certain period of time and used in every area. I see when companies do that, they really have a more devoted following. People respond so well to the uniqueness that that brand represents. Secondly, I think I've seen a change where in order to save costs many brands will bring their creative in-house, and that can be very successful, too, if they find the right people. It can also be easily unsuccessful just because of the complacency or the repetitive nature of the work. Focusing on one brand, day in and day out, I think sometimes people lose a little bit of edge. But not necessarily. ROB: There's definitely a lot to consider there. The pendulum of in-house versus – not outsourced, but out of house, working with a creative services firm. That pendulum seems to swing both industry-wide and then some clients really swing that pendulum back and forth as well. You certainly mentioned Vera Bradley as a foundational client; what does your mix of clients look like? Are there typical industries, other key clients you're able to talk about that you've snapped up since then? SUE: Yeah, what's happened since then is we really have honed our expertise in mostly color-trended consumer goods – I can say primarily purchased by women, but sometimes not. We've really worked into a lot of different paint company work. When you think about paint, it's kind of like chemicals in a bucket. It's really all marketing to talk about what's special about that particular brand of paint and to do it in a lifestyle way, but sometimes with humor. It's very color-oriented, so we're always working on trends, looking at trends, trying to look ahead to what's coming up that the consumer is looking forward to seeing. Also, we asked ourselves when we were getting into especially the home goods market, what makes us successful in Fort Wayne with these kinds of customers, the color trending customers, home group customers? We saw that it was like the everyday person. It's you and me, and so many percent of their consumers were everyday people. It wasn't the super high end or super low commodity end. It's really right there in the middle. So we've done a lot of research on that and have built an expertise around that particular consumer. That helps us work with these different companies. ROB: Paint's a really interesting one because nobody looks at your wall and can tell what kind of paint you have, and you probably don't know either. There's not a lot of word-of-mouth there, I don't think. Any paint could be any color. But you have an industry buyer – we've had somebody helping paint our house; I don't even know what they're picking. They know, absolutely, what they're picking for us, and then there's “What do I pick up when I wander down the aisle at Home Depot or Lowe's?” It's anybody, for sure. SUE: Right. And then they also have their pros that they're trying to respond to. They have the do-it-yourselfers and the do-it-for-mes and then the pros. ROB: Yeah, that's what I'm getting at with the pro that we work with. I don't know what they're picking. I don't ask for anything. They tell me where to go pick my colors. They say, “Go to this store and pick a color.” And I listen and I do it. SUE: Right. They have undue influence. [laughs] ROB: [laughs] You got ahead of us on the origin story and where the firm came from, and you mentioned, of course, that you are still the principal creative director, but I'm sure you don't do it all now. What did it look like to bring in let's say the second design creative, and what did it take to get over the hump of you not doing it and letting them do the work? SUE: It's probably a variety of things, but I think what's really important is to not only mentor but provide room for mistakes. We had a saying early on; we bring in interns and grow our own. We would bring someone in and explain the level of quality that our clients expect and then coach them on how to get there and make sure they were getting there. Then they would embrace it. And we really provided a non-threatening environment where people could really grow, we could really mentor them, and give them their own work to own and really work at. That's really what they're doing today. Some people that are here have been here over 10 years, and probably the last group we hired has been for 7 years. So we're probably getting ready to add another couple. But I think the important thing is respecting your team and allowing them to be different from you, but just making sure that the expectations are really clear and the goals of the company are clear too. But we also wanted to create an environment where they could have a life beyond work. I think we've all worked places where we just worked way too many hours and we couldn't have a personal life. Even before COVID, which I think has really brought that whole situation to light, we wanted to create an environment where family also comes first. So, if you're taking care of the people that are working for you, they're your human resources, and respecting them as much as you respect the work I think has been really key to our success and to having a well-oiled machine where everybody has been here a while and keeps it all humming. ROB: Do you think that sort of autonomy is partly – you mentioned people who've been there 7 years, 9 years – do you feel like there's a degree of autonomy where they get to do the work they would do even if they were out on their own, without the headache of being out on their own? Is that some of the mix? What's some of the secret sauce on that kind of longevity? SUE: I think it's very close to what you said. I think it's a way that they feel ownership in the work that they're doing, and as a team, we might group critique something so that it's not really threatening, but we're always looking at improvements so that they can grow into their work and they can own it, and I don't have to look over their shoulder. Because I don't think people really like that. Especially creative people. They have their own expression within a certain frame and having them hone that and be able to do that I think is what creatives really want to do. ROB: Certainly, with the amount of time you've had the firm up and running, I'm sure you've had to make some choices of where to grow and maybe some service offerings and lines of business that you've perhaps decided intentionally to not add. What are some things that maybe you have chosen to not do, maybe you keep partnering on them, maybe you refer them, maybe you say you don't do that? Have there been decisions like that along the way? SUE: Oh yeah, for sure. We used to have a videographer on staff and some photography, and we decided a few years ago that our expertise is a branding boutique agency where we're helping our clients brand themselves better and have a better marketing strategy and better nuanced creative. So we have partners that we use for website backend building or videography or some even just video editing, those kinds of services. We don't always need them consistently, or even photographers, because for every particular job you want to customize the right vendor to that particular project. They all have different levels of need, from high quality to a lower quality maybe, depending on budgets. It's nice to be flexible and then just plug in and play with those other vendors as needed. ROB: Got it. That makes sense. There's an element even where maybe you have enough work to keep a videographer busy, but you really need half or a quarter or a tenth of 10 different videographers rather than ten-tenths of the same person. SUE: Yeah, exactly. That's definitely true. ROB: Sue, as you reflect on the journey so far, what are some of the lessons you've learned in building the business – things you might go back and tell yourself to do differently if you were starting over? SUE: That's a good question. I think building an expertise is so important. I learned that from a fellow that was helping with us, consulting with us on our business a few years ago, and it's the best thing that we've ever done because it helps us focus on what we're really good at, what we have the right to win, and not try to be everything to everyone. I'm sure many agencies go through that, because you really do want to reach. You want to do something new and exciting. And sometimes that's fine, if it's not too far from your expertise, to stretch. But sometimes if you overreach, you get yourself in a difficult position. That's not really good for you and not good for your client, and it's not good for your team. So, I think really understanding what you're good at and owning that is key. In the past, we may have hired people that we thought, “Oh, we're going to build this whole department,” but that really wasn't going to happen. One thing is, people didn't always trust you to be able to do it. They would look at what you were traditionally good at and they would not trust that you could go that far the other direction. So, I do think you have to really focus. ROB: I can see that. It definitely helps you know how to talk to your clients as well, rather than being everything to anyone. But it's hard to get that conviction. You mentioned in some notes as we were getting this scheduled something about the “new American middle.” Tell me about the new American middle. What is that, and what is that expertise? How does that play into the firm? SUE: As we all know, marketing is really about values. If you're in lifestyle marketing, it's really about values, and it's a pretty complicated, noisy world. You're not going to get a chance to remember much about a brand with everything going so quickly, so it's really important that when you're marketing, you're really connecting and resonating with your consumers' values. As we looked at, again, who we were in Fort Wayne, why anybody should work with us, the kind of projects that are a good fit and companies that we could align with, it came back to that everyday person. As we dug in and we did a lot of research, we did some primary research, it was really illuminating to us that – and this was before COVID – we realized that the world had become less certain, and while maybe in the '90s or some of the more consumer-driven decades, things had really changed. When we interviewed people, the most important thing to them was their family, whatever that looked like. Their community. Their spirituality, whatever that looked like, or wellness. And then their environment. Those are the things everyone was really concerned about. They've circled the wagons around their family in a really, really big way. For example, if you're featuring maybe a woman with a handbag and that's the product, so many companies feature it as a product on a person. But if you would reflect them doing things with their family, they may relate to that photo more quickly on a social media post than a single one. It's just an idea of blending and taking your brand and looking at, with your competition also, what are the values that you compete over? What are the values you share? And what is the open space that they're not owning? Many brands are not owning family. If, for example, when you do your research, it pops up as a top important consumer value to those customers, then you can really reflect that through your digital expressions and your copy, etc., if that makes sense. ROB: Yeah, that makes sense. You mentioned also – we talked a little bit about family. I understand that family's also important to how you operate the firm. How have you thought about setting up the work environment, setting up the work, setting up roles in a way that is compatible with families, in a way that maybe other services firms have a hard time with? SUE: I think one thing we do is, for example, with the creative team, we have three different creative directors so that when we're working with a client, usually there's one that's assigned, but they help each other out. So if one's going to be out for a week, they'll double up a little bit and do some handoffs just to get by through that week. And they know each other well enough that they can do that smoothly. In the past, I would say it was not the case. Early on, we had creative directors that were very specific about their work, which was great, but they didn't really overlap. But I think as we've worked into trying to be more flexible in our schedules, we've overlapped with each other so that we can help each other out when the other person's not in, and also, again, the work from home has really helped. I think it's helped many companies realize that, oh, we didn't lose productivity, and oh, this gives us more flexibility to have more work-life balance, and we haven't seen a drop in productivity. I think that's been of the nicer outcomes of COVID. ROB: How are you handling work from home? Is everybody home? Is there still an office? Do people come in anywhere at any particular time? How are you thinking through that? SUE: We feel like for our culture, to maintain a good culture, it's still good to have a building and a place where we can be. So we work two days a week in the office and three days a week from home. But sometimes people don't work in the office for the work because they may have a project that they really want to concentrate on, they don't want the distraction of office. But I think naturally now, the days in office become more meeting-oriented days. It's naturally flowed that way, and then the other days are more work days. I feel like it's been less distracting than when we were in every day. ROB: So, it adds a little bit of predictability, less Swiss cheese on people's schedules of meeting, work, meeting, work, meeting, work. But it also sounds like it's a little bit more of a norm rather than a rule in terms of how many days in the office per week. SUE: Yeah, we don't really use rules here in that fashion. [laughs] We're all here on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, try to get in. And people do. And I think people do like that balance because it orients you to be here and to be able to have meetings together and see each other, and then it's balancing to be able to work from home the other three. ROB: That's good. It's always interesting to hear the different ways that people are handling this. But I do think there's value – if you're going to still hire people and have people in a certain geography, it seems like being in the office sometimes matters. Otherwise, why not just hire somebody somewhere else? Which then you're also competing with everybody everywhere else for talent. SUE: Right. I think that's so true. It is really interesting to us how everybody's handling this whole thing and how it's evolving. It is true you can hire people remotely anywhere these days, and that's a good thing. It can be good and bad. I don't think we would be opposed to hiring somebody out of Fort Wayne, but it does sometimes get more challenging when you're trying to put everything up on a board. I mean, you can Zoom some of that. I think everybody's making it work, but there is a camaraderie. Actually, we do have someone who works out of Fort Wayne at this point and comes in every other week for a couple of days. That's great because you still get to see them. But everybody will handle it differently, I'm sure. ROB: Yeah. It's very, very interesting. I have a friend who just took over as president of an existing agency, and she lives in Atlanta, and the agency is in Knoxville. I think she's going to be up there every other week. It really depends on the age and stage of life. I think her children are grown, college-bound. Flexing life here and there is a better fit for different people at different times. But I think picking a lane – you've picked a lane for your team, and you let them know what the expectation is – that really helps versus what we see in the news where Apple's still trying to get their people to go to the office, but every time they try to get them to go to the office, they complain, a couple of people quit. It becomes this whole fits and starts, and “what are we doing here?” We ended up hiring primarily – during COVID was a lot of our growth, so we ended up being a distributed team without trying. We have folks everywhere from Florida to Georgia to California to now Canada. You know what lane you're in. You pick it, and people who will gravitate towards that will be your tribe, I think. SUE: I think so, too. It's really how you treat each other and how the culture is developed and how you respect each other. That's where people want to work. Location almost doesn't matter anymore. Many of our vendors are all over the U.S. We work with companies for photography, all over. Also video, also web development. You just try to pick the best vendors that you work well with, that you understand their quality level or their style. ROB: Yeah. Sue, when you look ahead, when you're looking at the future of Britton Marketing & Design, you're looking at the future of marketing and design in general, what gets you excited? What should we be looking for? What's coming up? What's going to be our exciting future? SUE: I think for us, we still just love telling a great story about a great brand that people have worked hard to develop and have put their heart and passion into. That'll just never get old, looking at someone's journey of developing an idea and then making it work. That is still really possible in the U.S., and I think that's always an exciting thing for us: to take that beautiful idea, brand that they've developed, and then really illuminate it. Give them a nuanced creative that shows it for what it really is, the heart and soul of somebody's idea, and then really laying that over a really wonderful marketing matrix where you've looked at the most inexpensive yet most effective way for them to go to market, and then how they reach the people who would really like this, who they can really respond to, to make their quality of life better. Also, the conscientious capitalism piece of it. What are people doing? How are they giving back? How are we as a community helping each other grow and be successful? I think whatever form that takes, it's always still going to be a really exciting journey from a marketing standpoint. So many people think of marketing and think, “Oh, they're just trying to sell me something.” No, that's not what we do. That's not what we get up for. It's really a lot more layered than that. ROB: Yeah, you loop it all the way back to the paint conversation. I feel like when I see paint advertising, a lot of it is about creating ideas of what's possible, it's about how you make people feel, it's about a combination of pride and hospitality. And maybe I'm making some of that up, but I think about it more on those levels. I'm not looking for a material datasheet comparing one paint to another. Maybe somebody in an industrial application is, but when I'm thinking about my home, my office, you're not showing me a picture of a bucket most of the time. SUE: Right. It's really your interaction with that brand – how does that brand make you feel about the products they have, the color ranges they have, the names? We had a project with Benjamin Moore years ago where we named a whole set of paint colors, and that was super fun for the team. They really loved that. Like some people will only buy paint that's the name of a food, like whipped cream or chocolate or something like that. It's funny what influences people. ROB: How did you come up with these names? Did you do research with consumers on their responses to these names? How did you get to the answer on that one? SUE: It was kind of a high-end line of paints that had different layers of pigments in them. The team would get together and – yeah, they didn't really research. They just knew what the goal of the name should be in terms of a style, in terms of what they needed to imbue. So, they would come up with a range of names, a couple of names for each color, and then the company would look at them and pick them. Since then, we've worked with other paint companies – some of the very prominent, and they don't like us to talk about it too much because they like us to just be quiet about it. And that's okay, because we do a lot of work with them. But it really is about the paint names; it's about how you talk about the paint, like you said, envisioning their new space or home and how it makes their home better. Paint is difficult for people to choose, so making it easy for people to select paints and pre-curating some for them is all really important. ROB: And I understand them wanting to take the center stage. That's what every client wants. That's what most people want. They want to be in the Story Brand metaphor. In the Hero's Journey, they want to be the hero and they want you to be the guide, that you help them be the hero. That's what we end up being there for when we're on the services side, I think, so it's hard to even market ourselves and show other potential clients how we can also be a good guide for them rather than using another client's story to be the hero. SUE: That's really true. It's funny; we really feel very successful at helping other brands illuminate what they are and what they do, and it has always been a struggle for us to do a good job of that about ourselves. I think we're a little humble, too. Midwest, you know. ROB: That's right. There is that Midwestern humility. Sue, when people want to find and connect with you and with Britton Marketing & Design Group, where should they go to track you down? SUE: They can go to our website, which is just bmdg.com, as in Britton Marketing & Design Group. They can send an informational email to us and we'll call them back. Or they can just email me as well, which is sue@bmdg.com. ROB: Excellent. Was it difficult getting a four-letter dot-com domain? SUE: We were surprised that it was not. That's why we snagged it. ROB: [laughs] Well, excellent. Sue, thank you so much for coming on, for sharing your journey. Congratulations on everything you have done, and we look forward to seeing so much more ahead. SUE: Thanks, Rob. Thanks for your time and for the conversation. I think we can all help each other by having these kinds of conversations. We all learn from everything we hear and read, right? ROB: So much, Sue. Thank you. Be well. SUE: Thank you so much. ROB: Thank you for listening. The Marketing Agency Leadership Podcast is presented by Converge. Converge helps digital marketing agencies and brands automate their reporting so they can be more profitable, accurate, and responsive. To learn more about how Converge can automate your marketing reporting, email info@convergehq.com, or visit us on the web at convergehq.com.

Guests Michela Bedard of PERIOD. and Claire Coder of Aunt Flow discuss important menstrual health issues. With 50% of the population menstruating, it is shocking to see the degree of inequities that still exist. This podcast episode is intended to raise awareness and instill a sense of urgency about menstrual health equity and why having a shared language around “normal” periods is critical. **Thank you to Myovant Sciences for sponsoring this episode.** We cover the following menstrual health issues: Why menstrual health equity is important and why inequity still remains How menstrual health equity differs across race, gender, and socioeconomic statuses The negative societal impact of menstrual health inequity and how equity can positively impact us all The role each of us can play to advance the menstrual health equity movement “In the United States, eight states have passed legislation requiring middle schools and high schools, sometimes elementary schools, to offer free period products in the bathroom, not the nurse's office in the bathroom. And why that matters is if you think about what happens in the bathroom versus the nurse's office. Bathrooms are for natural bodily functions. You go to the nurse's office when you're sick.” - Claire Coder, Aunt Flow “Policy follows culture. We're starting to see culture change. We're starting to see social media deal with menstruation and starting to see more femtech companies pop up. We're seeing Claire's Aunt Flow company be successful. We're seeing hundreds of PERIOD. chapters being formed every year. But the policy implications haven't really caught up yet. They're just starting to.” - Michela Bedard, PERIOD. Resources: Spotify Podcast Playlist on Women's Health Foundations and Menstrual Health Learn about Menstrual Hygiene Day If you liked this episode and you're feeling generous, don't forget to leave a review on iTunes or Spotify! And be sure to: Follow Fempower Health on Instagram for updates and tips. Tell 2-3 of your friends about this episode!   **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for information purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions.  **Contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links** About Michela Bedard Michela Bedard, Executive Director of PERIOD., is committed to building a better future. She believes that every person deserves dignity and the chance to be seen for their full humanity.    Michela brings nearly two decades of experience in program management, fundraising and advocacy within non-profit, corporate, political and civic organizations. From big-picture creativity to day-to-day operations, Michela produces strategic partnerships and develops robust networks to strengthen organizations and movements seeking to tackle systemic inequality.    In addition to her work with PERIOD., Michela currently serves as Chair of the Board of Rahab's Sisters, a Portland non-profit serving marginalized women or those whose gender makes them vulnerable. She also serves on the Governing Board of the Episcopal Bishop of Oregon Foundation, the Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety, and on committees within Portland Public Schools.   Michela holds a master's degree in Public Administration and a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California.  About Claire Coder Claire Coder (Forbes 30under30) is the founder and CEO of Aunt Flow. On a mission to make the world better for people with periods, Aunt Flow stocks organizations with tampons and pads. Coder launched her first company at age 16, designed a bag for Vera Bradley that sold out in 24 hours, and has her own line of GIFs. The 24-year-old Thiel Fellow has been featured in TeenVogue, Forbes, and starred in TLC's Girl Starter Season 1. When she is not jamming out to Macklemore, she is teaching Zumba classes.