In this episode, we delve into conscious capitalism, the reduce and regenerate model, and brand growth through community building. Throughout we talk about all things creative and brand, naturally.

What began in a Brooklyn apartment has grown into a nationally recognized brand with nine brick-and-mortar locations and consistent triple-digit growth year over year. This episode dives into some of our favorite topics: mastering customer-centric thinking and using empathy as a business strategy. Oh, and the name Frank Darling, of course.

Michael and I delve into the business of building and expanding magnetic franchise brands: How to make a brand stick, how to attract operators, and ways in which to become part of a customer's multiple life stages.

In this episode, we revisit her launch of Ritual a decade ago—while she was pregnant—driven by her inability to find a supplement brand she could trust. We explore how her company challenged industry norms, treats customers as “Chief Health Officers,” leverages branding to fuel growth, and why a well-crafted brand image only matters when matched by flawless execution.

We talk about his childhood beach days in Fair Harbor, which inspired the brand’s name, how you can launch with as good as no funding, that you never own your brand - you only own your company, and how important it is to create guardrails once your brand grows up.

When I prepared for the show, I saw that his company, B-Sides, had just announced that their brand design had fallen a bit flat with consumers and that they were about to rethink it all. So here I was about to jump on a call to talk branding with Yousuf, and then that bombshell.

Needless to say, this episode has more of a brand workshop vibe to it, and I personally really enjoyed thinking through the brand on the fly and hearing Yousuf’s very smart and insightful takes on consumers, packaging, and branding. 

Jen and I talk about how today's wine consumer has changed, going through a big pivot, the challenges of being a degree separated from the end consumer, how her brand is about embodying the idea of fun, and the power of building a brand from within an organization. 

How to tell this story, the many A-HA moments across his journey and why a founder-led brand voice is crucial are all topics Brian and I dive into in this episode.

In this episode, we discuss the power of storytelling, the importance of giving customers a sense of ownership, and the smart move of repositioning something mundane into something attractive. This is a conversation not centered around wood, but around brand, with wood at its core.

It was a trip to India and a cancer diagnosis that led to her launching her startup Spring & Mulberry, a line of date-sweetened chocolate bars. After having Jeni Britton of Floura on the last episode, this is part 2 of another serendipitous series where I have two highly accomplished female founders of innovative health food brands on the show back-to-back.

This episode is filled with insights from Kathryn’s brand-building journey - from working at Unilever on building the Ragu Pasta Sauce brand, to driving brand growth at Veuve Cliquot to launching her own brand in a very poetic and decisive manner.

Today, we dive into a new chapter of Jeni's entrepreneurial journey with Floura. Floura is a next-generation fiber company that currently offers fiber bars, which she calls Fruit Crush Bars, in multiple flavors.

As was the case in my previous conversation with Jeni, this episode is us nerding out on all things branding, from focus groups to customer perception, from deriving your brand DNA to naming to organic branding. At the same time, you learn about the power of fiber. A delightful and inspiring conversation you do not want to miss.

But this is not a Let’s catch up with Till episode to check in on IDAGIO. Instead, I recently saw that he is preparing for an exciting brand launch that features none other than John Malkovich to kick things off.

The idea? Spend a month with John. Hello Genius is the brand's name, and it fosters a whole new level of mentorship, access, and community.

On this episode, Till shares his vision for the brand in his typical intellectually stimulating and curiosity-evoking manner.

Product development started in the kitchen a year ago. Today, they're in stores across New York City with e-commerce starting in December, and I can almost assure you that national distribution will follow shortly.

This is one of the very few super early-stage startup brands—BEZI has only been on the market for a few weeks—that I invited to this show. And very quickly, during this episode, you will understand why.

We talk about the power of design, data, photography, brand strategy, social media growth strategies, and so much in between. If you are a founder, a marketer, or someone working with brands, this is an episode not to be missed as it will leave you inspired and ready to push on all things 'brand.'

The brand is driven by the pursuit of mental fitness and Ben’s philosophy on branding is both refreshing and insightful. 

We talk about naming, focus groups, how brands are shaped yet set free – a lot like children are being raised – and why Rhone's Co-Founders bought out their investors to see through the next chapter of the fast-growing clothing brand.   

We talk about how his initial packaging design was hitting the mark for his ideal customer but left the rest of the country wayside, the very moment he learned that his juice would be accepted by a major grocery store chain, and how he exited the business just to repurchase it a few years later. Get ready for a highly entertaining episode with a true entrepreneur who has his heart in the right place and it shows through so many aspects of the Uncle Matt’s brand.

Frich busts into the world of corporate finance backed by a brand that could not be any more differentiated and authentic. With their fists in the air, Aleksandra and Katrin lead with transparency in an opaque space and share the truth about how one compares to their peers financially. 

The app uses social media to gather that truth while social media is at the very heart of why so many feel financially inadequate. A fascinating startup and an equally fascinating conversation filled with brand insights any founder or marketer should grab onto.

All three of Ozlo’s Co-Founders are former Bose veterans and they acquired and licensed assets from Bose to resurrect the discontinued but beloved Sleepbuds.

This episode is a fascinating conversation about building a new brand on existing IP, the fragile tension between what customers say they want and what they actually need, building a brand not on a singular product but a grander vision, how most consumer startups fail because they are not telling the right story, and how branding, in the end, is all about alignment – a simple but deep thought that we are exploring further together today.

Bumo considers itself in the business of 'parent care' and today you can learn all about the TLC she and her Co-Founder put into crafting the bumo brand very hands-on, strategic, and filled with raw authenticity.

Trust is bumo’s brand DNA, but with an audience of new parents, you show trustworthiness very differently than you would with a financial organization for example.

Listen in as we talk all things branding, but we also dive into the psychology that drives purchasing decisions, data that could point you the wrong way, and how bumo ended up with 'obsessive users' despite the many pivots in the brand’s journey.

It was a fascinating conversation and I am excited to share it with all you brand-builders, may you be a founder or a marketer or a designer: This one is not be missed, despite the subpar audio on my end given a slew of technical difficulties. Yes, this can even happen to those who have recorded 100+ episodes. Joan labeled it 'resilience' and that is exactly how I see it.

In this episode, we get to hear how Bennett’s authentic reaction to a lawsuit that could have taken the business out instead created brand buzz, helped build his tribe, and added to the company's growth. 

We dive into the idea of instilling your personal mission into your company, how listening to a team member's interactions with a customer changed the meaning of this brand's name, and how color choices can directly affect business success.

That and so much more in this delightful conversation with Dirty Dough’s Founder, stuffed with gooey insights.

Coming from a graphic design and Creative Direction background, Alex’s story and advice will resonate with a lot of you who struggle with blending art and business, who doubt yourself when going with your gut instincts rather than catering to the audience and market at all times and are afraid of combining passions to create a brand for themselves.

This episode already ranks very high on my top favorite HTM interviews ever. When founders start with a why and figure out the how and the what in the process, that’s when you know great brand stories are in the making. Don't miss this episode.

In this episode, we dive into how Marco’s background from having entrepreneurial parents - his father co-founded Logitech nonetheless - and running his startup basically from straight out of college to today has shaped the Thumbtack brand. 

As you can imagine, many insights are awaiting you in this inspiring conversation.

 Launching a quiet luxury brand seems to come with tons of added risk. What gave him the confidence to launch into the flashy fashion world without that type of branding? The answer to that, plus plentiful branding and marketing insights is what awaits you on this episode as we kick off the New Year. 

Oh, and in case you think you have not heard of Norwegian Wool, I am certain you have seen their products on HBO's hugely successful show Succession which has outfitted their cast and even mentioned the brand by name.

You know Fabian Geyrhalter as the host of this show, but today we spin things around and have Fabian in the hot seat talking about his innovative hardware startup for audiophiles and music lovers. Trendhunter calls Toneoptic 'progressive,' Forbes 'revolutionary,' and the Financial Times 'clever.' Fabian shares the hurdles and fails, how he crafted the brand strategy and created bootstrapped journeys and experiences for his tribe, and he dives into all things branding, marketing, and entrepreneurship. An episode as unique as his company's product. Enjoy! 

Travis Rosbach founded the world’s most used water bottle brand that took the nation, and the globe, by storm: Hydro Flask. From its iconic icon – pun intended – to its many colors and varied audience, let me take you on a ride from Travis’ background as a pilot, Scuba diver, and marine captain to being presented a 99 designs logo by a pricey marketing agency to his 1-liter bottle launch that in fact held 40 ounces. It is a wild ride, it is an educational ride, it is the ride of HTM 100.

Packed with relentless optimism, a distinctive brand design, and a powerful ethos, Best Day sees its beer as a comma and not a period in your journey through the day. 

Tate and I talk about the significance of the 'best day yet' philosophy turned tagline, the process of making great alcohol-free beer, the power of simplicity in design, and how coming from the outside into an industry poses a huge opportunity to do things differently from the get-go.

Nichole and I talk about how important design was to the success of the brand, how, as a product company, being highly aware of feature creep is a must to ensure the brand does not steer too far away from its positioning and how getting outside brand help can re-invigorate the product experience.

What you get when you combine these life experiences and education is someone who has a no-bs approach to brand thinking and community building and on today’s episode, this is exactly what we dive into head-first, while also learning about the strategy in which IKEA places mirrors in their stores and how cross-border online sales should really look like. And, skip the first 10 minutes if you are not interested in us talking about the future of music since Matteo, amongst all these other things, is also a producer.

So today we talk not only omni-channel, but omni-brand. We obviously touch on brand architecture, how not to lose authenticity when acquiring and marketing a multitude of brands and we discuss the biggest challenges and best tips when it comes to brand building.

This is an important episode for any founder (especially if you are running a Shopify-enabled D2C business) as well as for any brand builder and marketer to indulge in since you are able to get the perspective of a founder, a brand-builder, and an investor all in one and the same person and in a very succinct way.

At Hitting The Mark I pride myself on bringing you as much the well-known, as the unusual upcoming, brands that find a way to make their brands stand out and the founders - not marketers - who have those stories to tell. Staff nicely personifies the latter. 

Charlie and I talk about the 99% perfect brand name, how brand-thinking is at the core of his company, and how he was able to capture the imagination of his audience – and that of Drew Barrymore – all in an organic manner and why brand storytelling will be even more important in the future of this young company.

I am certain you have seen the distinct and beautiful products pop up in your social feeds or in the media. How the brand was created, and the brand DNA that holds it all together (well that, and magnets) is what Steph shares with us in a wonderful conversation that is parts empowering and motivating for founders and parts educational for anyone in the business of building brands.

 If you run or assist a hardware brand, you owe it to yourself to listen in. If you want to build a brand that desires to lead with empathy and a user-first mentality, then this episode is also made for you.

This a fascinating proposition, one that challenges luxury brands as well as consumers to do something they used to be reluctant to do: Put trust in a discount reseller. It is also a two-sided marketplace which is always fascinating from a brand perspective as there are suddenly two stakeholders that the brand voice and image need to attract and engage. Needless to say, an episode well worth your time!

This is a story that is being written as we speak about a brand that will have its big breakthrough – very likely, fingers crossed - in the next few months and talking to Tomo about how he strategically connected the dots and piggy-backed (pun intended as Noshi has a Peppa Pig collaboration) on brands mums already trusted in order to introduce his own. A fascinating interview, one not to miss!

To an outsider, it may seem like an overly competitive area to jump into and perhaps a bit random given his software and hardware background, but there is a deeply personal story behind Better & Better and to him, all his previous work has led up to this brand.

In this episode, we talk about how Ariel’s brand and advertising background was fundamental to her ability to quickly connect with customers, the power of storytelling, and the lasting emotion that a brand experience can have on an audience.

Moving into pet telemedicine with his new brand Dutch actually does not seem too far-fetched. We talk about his new company, and all things branding, and Joe shares his story of being a refugee immigrant to ringing the New York Stock Exchange bell. An episode not to be missed!

How they set the brand up to be on its way of accomplishing that, what works and what hasn’t, and why the proof is in the cereal is what we talk about in this insightful conversation with a keen focus on brand building and product marketing. 

 Alex and I talk about the soul of a brand and how to keep it intact, his dislike of the word authenticity, the constant – which he sees as positive – struggle that drives his artisanal 'made in the US' business, and how he and his two Co-Founders created a brand that those who know came to love and even obsess over.

Yet another conversation that reminds me of why I love bringing this show to you – and why I love spreading these insights on the often intrinsic art of crafting brands people truly love.

Inspired by European coffee culture and the Bauhaus design movement the TK-01 machine is a beautiful piece of design simplicity and Sahand and I dive deep into the topic of sustainability, the perhaps misunderstood 'Made in China' brand, rituals associated with coffee, pinning down a target audience while offering a table stakes item like a coffee machine, and how to set off to build a lifestyle brand.

An absolutely delightful conversation; so pour yourself a cup, and enjoy Sahand’s insights into building a brand from scratch.

If you enjoy a tough branding challenge, if you appreciate an improbable success story, if care about the environment and animals, if you eat eggs or enjoy the taste of real meat, then listen to this episode.

As of today, JUST Egg has sold the equivalent of 300 million chicken eggs and raised more than $800 million in funding from investors like Bill Gates, Marc Benioff, and Paul Allen. It took his team 4 or 5 years to have a plant-based product that scrambled like an egg. At that point, they spent 3-4 million dollars and the taste wasn’t even there yet. It just behaved like an egg.

Josh also runs GOOD Meat, which is not plant-based, instead, it is actual meat produced from a cell in a vessel. Needless to say, a lot to discuss about branding, story-telling, and naming, and Josh dives deep into all of it, while also discussing the intricacies of giving people something they did not know they needed in the first place. An all-around edutaining conversation.

6 months ago the startup was evaluated at 5.7 billion and driven by their brand DNA of 'sabotage' the company keeps old tech devices around for longer hence positively impacting the environment. And yet they found a way to attract the large tech giants like Samsung to not fear but actually join their brand.

From how to keep your brand DNA flag raised high during expansion to how to maintain your brand’s tonality as you grow into new markets to how important a founder’s instinct is to build a global brand, this conversation with Veenay is absolute brand gold and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you.

Schiit is only 12 years old yet 7 years ago Jason already published a book detailing the eventful journey of the garage startup. Many of you know that I am now also running a Made-in-the-US product startup that plays in the audio world called Toneoptic, so after reading Jason’s book about his  brand’s incredible voyage I knew I had to have him on the show.

This is a must-listen for any company that seeks to go against the grain, anyone who believes in producing products in their home country, or those who need to be reminded that one can create a seven-figure startup out of their garage with 10k of self-funding, and of course for anyone who loves Hi-Fi. If this is not you, still listen, because this is a great one!

Nathan and I discuss if infusing brand into early-stage startup pitch decks is of importance, if a catchy or descriptive tagline suits a startup better, the power of community in brand building and we talk about Foundersuite’s Teddy Talks which involves a ginormous teddy bear. Yep, a rather varied and fun conversation that any startup founder, VC, or those working with startups should listen to. 

I have to be frank and I can cut this intro very short: I have a complete brand crush and to me, LOOP is inspirational on so many fronts that it would be silly to mention them and instead I will assume you will trust my opinion and dive right into this episode where Julie and David share the way they continue to build their ever-expanding brand upon purpose – with a twist of wit.

Nick and his 3 Co-Founders set out to launch a 'Costco meets Whole Foods' concept, which is insanely ambitious and a remarkable story given where Thrive is today. Needless to say, this conversation delivered many insights into today's Zeitgeist, technology, and consumer expectations, and it was an immense pleasure being able to talk with Nick about the way in which his brand continues to grow with a strong guiding star and our planet’s health top of mind.

Here is an entrepreneur who started off with brand-thinking and learned the business side along the way. So obviously we talk about the name, how it was derived, how to say it on TV when you can’t use the sh*t word, and how not to overdo the shit pun in her brand language. Christina discusses how authenticity and transparency played a big role in her brand’s success. We chat about how to get your brand in front of influencers and celebrities, how she moved her production to Lima, Peru where she is now empowering over 200 women as part of her team and she shares her Give A Shit program with us.

Another favorite episode of mine is now ready for your discerning ears!

To me, startups like Good Good are extremely exciting since they have to embody all the components of great brand strategy: From starting with a niche product for a niche audience - while allowing the brand name and design to survive any pivots - to shared values, a great name, impactful design, all the way to creating a tribe that the big competitors can’t steal away from you. And doing so from a nordic island.

Gardar and I talk about all of that and it is a wonderful story of accidental - as well as planned - brand success with many insights marketers and founders alike can learn from.

He sees his brand to be the MC and hands the mike over to the people who sell and love books. A mesmerizing uphill battle that you can witness him slowly winning by means of passion, dedication, and shared values between bookshop.org, physical bookstores, and last but not least book buyers that care about more than the lure of next-day shipping.

As an author, it was wonderful to have Andy on the show, but also as a brand-builder since there is a lot to be learned from how he and his team have created a disruptive and beloved brand in just two years. 

He wouldn’t say it, but I can: Satisfy is quickly developing into a cult brand and we spent ample time talking about Zeitgeist, culture, and community. 

Brice and I discuss how NFTs can be used to create access to a brand, the link between running and creativity, and how every product line starts with a story at Satisfy. 

A fascinating conversation.

I talk with Adam about how a newsletter turned into a trusted brand and a global multi-platform media monster hitting the eyeballs of more than 300 million people a month, how understanding and sticking to your brand’s DNA is key to brand growth, how emotion and data demand to co-exist, and why thinking about your brand’s legacy must inform your brand’s every action.

By unifying the words “house” and “plant,” the brand has created an entirely new cannabis experience through curated, one-of-a-kind expert insights from Rogen and Goldberg that marry perfectly with well-designed, premium Housegoods.

In this episode with Evan and Michael, we dive into the similarities of crafting a movie versus a brand, why pricing is key to positioning, how to create a welcoming brand in a misunderstood and jaded business segment, and how you can perfectly plan something yet it can still misfire. And that is in a way the challenge, but also the beauty of entrepreneurship and brand building, and I can guarantee you that you will not only gain a lot of insights into brand strategy but you will also greatly enjoy the company of these fine gentlemen on today’s show.

Intelligentsia embodies a quest for superior quality and sophisticated design, but it is furthermore about the overall impeccable brand experience that those of us who have visited one of the 15 US locations have come to expect.

Doug is a masterful brand builder and his insights from not only successfully building, but carefully expanding the Intelligentsia brand over the past 26 years is, just like the brand itself, rather illuminating.

What caught my eye about Angela's brand was how she checks off all the boxes a brand in her space should, and she does it seemingly with ease: farm-fresh small-batch organic products, cutting-edge technology, 100% non-toxic clean formulas, made locally, supporting various deserving communities, cruelty-free testing, minority-owned, et cetera, et cetera.

And Angela understands that her brand ethos is the guiding light that makes all the difference in the why, the what, and the how of her brand. A wonderful episode, also because she shares with us how the person who sued her over her brand name gave her transformational business advice.

During the pandemic, he launched his latest airline brand, Breeze, and I sat down with David to talk about what branding means to him, what makes great company culture, how a book inspired the JetBlue brand, and his preferred airline naming process (in the case of JetBlue the name was derived the Friday before a Monday launch).

Needless to say, an episode that is packed with insights from a truly amazing brand builder I believe all of us are thrilled to hear from on the subject of branding.

The brand is only a year old and its impeccable design caught my eye from day one. 

Chris and I talk about how community and authenticity are key to building his brand. And he is walking that talk as he has 1,366 shareholders to who he is reporting.

And of course, we talk about the power of design and how the big question ‘why’ should be fundamental to any entrepreneur’s journey of building their brand. 

A spirited conversation all around.

Chris and I talk about naming not only a brand, but a sport, how to create not only momentum but a movement, the latest in digital marketing, and why communication, internally and externally is key to brand success and, as usual, we touch on a lot more.

If you are an entrepreneur in the D2C space, listen in. If you are any kind of marketing professional, listen in. Much wisdom is to be gained from this conversation on how to get e-commerce traction in today's environment. 

Vicki and I discuss the weight of her brand promise, The Conscious Code, how she bootstrapped a luxury brand, how she showcases accountability by using her last name as the brand name and so much more. 

Within minutes of listening to Kara, you will understand why she became as successful as she has and why she is such an influential voice in business.

Kara shared an outpour of crucial lessons for both entrepreneurs and marketers alike, and her first book, Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters, was released last October and is now a Wallstreet Journal Bestseller. Needless to say, an episode not to be missed.

Despite its growth, Coolhaus remains true to the authentic origins of the brand: represent positive change, push the envelope for the future, and create high-quality ice cream and plant-based novelties for all to enjoy.

Coolhaus, with its quirky visual and verbal brand language, inspires the next generation of diverse founders, entrepreneurs, and creators to live out their dreams; and on today’s show, you will see just how they do it.

That vision turned into reality as swag.com had 2000% growth over the last three years, made it onto Number 218 on Inc’s Top 500 Fastest Growing Companies list, and counts TikTok, Netflix, Facebook, Amazon, Mercedes, Starbucks, Google, and Spotify as its customers. Even during this tough past year, where events were canceled and offices shut down, the brand kept growing while most promotional product companies laid low or faltered.

In the end, Jeremy's brand succeeded because he kept a razor-sharp focus on the ever-evolving customer experience. There are many brand and marketing lessons in this episode, from smart brand positioning within a commodity vertical to leading with empathy, this is an episode not to be missed.

If you were wondering if taking a political stance is the right move for your brand, or how to navigate picking up the phone to call your customers to have them help you in creating the next iteration of your offering, to thinking of your brand as an actor, this episode is full of awe-inspiring – yes, I had to go there - nuggets of brand and marketing wisdom.

And, who knows, you may even be moved to tears when you hear the brand story.

The two Co-Founders, Nick Ajluni and Nick Guillen, have a knack for brand building and now that I have tried their products, which of course in true TRUFF fashion they immediately shipped my way after recording the interview, I can attest that this is not just hot marketing; it is one unbelievably addictive, tasty, and unique product.

I am thrilled to have had them on the show to share their branding and marketing secrets with you. We had tons of fun during this interview and it is an episode I would want no one to miss out on. 

I have been a customer for a mighty long time and having this chat with Eddie was just incredibly stimulating and rewarding. We talk about how celebrity lawyer Robert Shapiro became the face of the company, we discuss the impact of assurance and how ‘brand’ is the future promise about something you can not guarantee today, how the word ‘zoom’ used to stand for LegalZoom before the pandemic hit, and Eddie shares tons of actionable brand advice for any entrepreneur, CEO and CMO alike. 

But Bonjoro is not your typical tech company – it has brand and culture at its heart. It is about creating customer love, and it is a weird brand, a fun brand, a brand that is not afraid to stand out, most probably more afraid to blend in.

Matt and I talk about the importance of branding for B2B companies, about brand copy, about creating funnels for a brand that has multiple audiences with multiple pain points, and of course, we talk about the importance of bears to Bonjoro hence Matt's unusual title.

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The salt is used in many of the world's best restaurants (great story about Noma in the interview) and it was time to sit down and talk about the concept of 'brand' with Björn, whose product I have been enjoying for a little while now.

It was a great pleasure and I hope you will enjoy Björn’s story of harvesting salt, his empathetic viewpoints on sustainability, trust, and brand purpose which should be inspirational for any brand builder, marketer, and foodie alike.

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Fast Company proclaimed “The Warby Parker of paint is here” and Nicole has just been named one of Inc’s 100 Women Building America's Most Innovative and Ambitious Businesses.

In a fascinating conversation, we dive into sustainability, physical retail experiences versus D2C, Clare’s unique brand language, and of course, the meaning behind the brand’s name, which could have easily been Nicole, but ended up being Clare. And you will get to know the very misleading and dangerous side of the paint industry.

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Further, behno’s mission is to redefine and bring awareness to the character of “Made in India”, and to set a new standard for Indian factory manufacturing that improves the quality of life and safety of women in the garment trade.

Shivam and I talk about how to move from exploiting cheap labor to creating a nurturing environment and community, how the company’s name encompasses the DNA of the brand even after pivots, the innovative way in which behno reacted to Blackout Tuesday last year, and much much more.

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Those of you listening to the show frequently know that I love to talk with founders of internationally known brands like Rotten Tomatoes and Evernote just as much as with smaller brands that are unknown to many of you, but that I feel are doing something unique in their space or with their brand.

Pampa is doing both as they disrupt the traditional flower business with a splash of color. Once you see their brand and their bouquets, you can not unsee them. That’s what happened to me as I scrolled through my Instagram feed and I stumbled upon the brand and sure enough, here we are today chatting with Emanuelle about how to stand out in a crowded space, how to navigate sustainability, and why branding is all about creating self-identification.

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Two Blind Brothers is a NYC-based clothing line that focuses on luxury casual wear. Both founders are affected with a form of macular degeneration and pledge 100% of their profits to medical research to cure blindness. And their brand campaigns and stories are heartfelt and master examples of whip-smart marketing.

In this wonderfully inspiring conversation, we talk about what happens when mission-based brands pivot once their vision is fulfilled, how brands with a deep purpose have an easier time expanding across different product categories, how their ‘shop blind’ strategy is working miracles, how underproduced brand materials often outperform polished ones and above all, if you want to get a master class in authentic brand storytelling, this is it.

And as you know me, we also go a bit off-topic as I was wondering how a great keynote speaker like Brad works a big speech without being able to rely on a confidence monitor. The lesson: Despite being partially blind he has an advantage over those with perfect vision. And that is a key takeaway for those of you living with an impairment. You can follow Brad’s lead and turn that impairment into your superpower.

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To kick off 2021, we are talking about how Patrick transitioned from running a design firm, like so many of my listeners, to running Rotten Tomatoes 23 years ago. Needless to say, the brand is still going strong and we discuss how the name and the famous Tomatometer with its counter-intuitive colors came about, how focus is key to brand success, but we also go back to his design agency days where Patrick shares an inspiring story on how the small agency won Disney as a client without having any related work in their portfolio.

A well-rounded conversation to ease into 2021, which I hope will get a Certified Fresh status too. Oh, I know, only you Rotten Tomatoes fans will get that one.

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We are chatting about how he took his entire family around the world, trying to live as closely as possible like people in poverty so he could understand his future audience’s needs, on what role branding played within the organization, the meaning of brand purpose, and the surprising story behind the brand name. Plus, Bernd takes us on his journey of pivot after pivot on his great mission to bring better education to those who need it the most.

A delightful conversation that will make you quickly understand how his passion is contagious.

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Jeanne's innovation combined with Vasa’s knack for community-building and trend-setting has led the brand to become the fastest-growing food company in California on the Inc. 5000.

We talk about the importance of foresight when it comes to creating your company name, how social media helped catapult the brand to where it is today, and how Jeanne successfully employed her entire family which is now a big part of their company culture. 

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Cole and I talk about how a blizzard and a vegan bagel dog got him into the business, why he had to re-name his brand for the Chinese market, how ‘familiarity’ is key to convincing meat-eaters to try plant-based varieties of their favorite foods, and how it took them hundreds of logos and four agencies to arrive at their very first logo – all because the brand strategy phase was missing upfront.

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Dan was running a Creative Agency but sought to pivot into offering an eCommerce product that allows for scaling instead. That was the goal, then the journey of finding an actual need to built a brand around started.

In this fascinating conversation, we talk about the power of having a very narrow positioning at first, how surrounding yourself with friends that are ambitious is a key to success and how the outrageous claim of being able to wear an Unbound shirt for 18 days without washing it was the right brand move.

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We dive into how the brand made 'summer' their DNA, how transparency with the customer is key, and why The Wall Street Journal called July ‘summer’s unlikeliest status symbol.’

We further look into the brand architecture of a startup that has big plans to become the next generation General Electric. Much to learn from these Co-Founders on how to craft a brand.

Learn more about July

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Today we go deep into how Anna created a cult-like following with a brand that was almost created by accident and how creating the actual brand platform just 4 years ago was instrumental to her growth. But, I also take this opportunity to dive into all the questions so many of us have about the industry as a whole: How much in the diamond industry is an upsell? Are lab-grown diamonds really the future? And, I am going a bit witchy, to what extend do reclaimed stones carry the soul of the deceased? Yes, I went there.

Anna was a fascinating guest. If you are an artist who wants to turn their craft into a successful brand, if you are a fan of Anna's work, or even if you are just interested in taking a peek behind the nebulous diamonds industry, this episode is for you.

Learn more about Anna Sheffield Fine Jewelry

Learn more about Bing Bang

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It’s the Financial Gym, and it all started with the name. Shannon built this brand on experience and a lot of fantastic brand gut instincts. This conversation was a complete blast and her brand may just be the type of brand that the world needs right now. 

Learn more about The Financial Gym

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Today, the Kidfresh line is available in all major U.S. supermarkets and Matt’s mission of creating better food for kids has been fulfilled. We discuss how moving just a little bit away from the core DNA of a brand might quickly result in a flop, how a pivot from retail to wholesale created brand clarity, and what happens when kids realize that they’ve been tricked into eating healthy foods all along.

Learn more about Kidfresh

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Steve and I dive into the power of listening to your customer, how he pulled off being a store inside of Whole Foods, how to create brand loyalty, and how to work with creative agencies and consultants like myself along the way to create brand focus and clarity. Much to squeeze out of this episode!

Learn more about Nekter Juice Bar

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This episode is so entertaining, so whip-smart and so important especially if you are involved in naming or branding, or in a startup, or in creating successful teams. And even if you are not, you will greatly enjoy this, because Phil is an amazing storyteller. Maybe you’d just like to know how Evernote got its iconic green elephant for a logo? Or hear why someone who hated marketing became a big believer in the power of great branding?

Learn more about mmhmm

Learn more about the reasoning behind the name, plus see the platform in action

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So many topics that are crucial to understand on a deeper level for any brand marketer or entrepreneur and Esti is an amazing person to hear it from. 

Learn more about LIV

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Today Dan runs ReGrained, a mission-driven ingredient platform that leverages technology and culinary science to transform beer waste into food. Dan is a thought-leader in food waste business models, "edible upcycling" and the circular economy for food, and he made it onto the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2018.

The consumer brand is selling supergrain puffs like hotcakes despite a pandemic-related pivot into eCommerce.

All the facets of Dan's brand is what made this a longer and deeper conversation than you are used to from Hitting The Mark, but it is for all the right reasons. 'Eat up' is the motto, listen up is where to start!

Learn more about Regrained

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I talked with Trevor only days after he took his company public, ringing the stock exchange bells via video during the pandemic. Trevor is only 38 years old and has a reported net worth of 7.2 billion dollars.

Here he is on Hitting The Mark to talk with us about the Nikola brand, which, despite not having an actual truck on the roads, is now more valuable than Ford.

Learn more about Nikola

Follow Trevor on Twitter

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Happy Socks, the immensely iconic and much-loved brand has reached 90 countries and every continent – with concept stores all around the world, from LA to Tokyo, Happy Socks can be found in over 10,000 fashion apparel boutiques.

But today Mikael is sharpening your knives! Get to know his new venture and find out what he learned from creating Happy Socks. He talked to me from Sweden about all things branding, and needless to say, his brands, and this conversation, are bigger than socks and knives.

Learn more about Knife Aid

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In fact, Verona Collection is the first modest fashion brand to be launched, featured, and sold in an American department store. Lisa is a young passionate entrepreneur driven by authenticity. I greatly enjoyed this swift interview with her about her brand’s strategy and I believe it shows.

Learn more about Verona Collection

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Danh and Bob are running LA-based Buttercloth, a brand that is a typical internet-born D2C brand, so much so that they don’t believe in experts like myself. And they told me so during my show.

The company produces what they claim to be ‘The World’s Most Comfortable Shirt,’ a slightly unbelievable claim that they are justifying to the world now. Big risks brought big rewards and bootstrapping, even on the branding level, was no showstopper to their success.

Learn more about Buttercloth

Due to COVID-19 we are no longer asking for financial support for the show, instead you can now join free mentorship group calls with Fabian to get through this together. Join here.

My chat with Tim came at a nerve-wracking time when L.A. was knee-deep in the coronavirus pandemic, but Sweet Flower seems to have been well prepared to weather the storm. There is much to learn from Tim as we not only talk about branding but also the operational challenges of running a dispensary.

Learn more about Sweet Flower

Due to COVID-19 we are no longer asking for financial support for the show, instead you can now join free mentorship group calls with Fabian to get through this together. Join here.

Sali is incredibly charismatic and you will be in for a treat as we talk about brands reacting to the COVID-19 crisis, her journey from 10-years at CISCO to becoming a fashion entrepreneur, how she created this extremely aspirational positioning for her brand, why she launched at a conference and plenty of great branding advice sprinkled throughout.

Learn more about Argent

Due to COVID-19 we are no longer asking for financial support for the show, instead you can now join free mentorship group calls with Fabian to get through this together. Join here.

Not much more needs to be said about my next guest, Catharine Dockery of Vice Ventures, who could not come on in a more timely manner than during this economic downturn where most brands suffer, but her portfolio will strive. Get ready for some fast-talking and a very authentic, hilarious, educating and at one time even shocking episode, one you should not skip. 

Learn more about Vice Ventures by following their Instagram account

Due to COVID-19 we are no longer asking for financial support for the show, instead you can now join free mentorship group calls with Fabian to get through this together. Join here.

My guest today is Sky Zone's President, Jeff Platt, who has grown the beloved indoor trampoline experience founded by his father into more than 200 franchises across the world.

I recorded my session with Jeff on March 2nd when life was still relatively normal. Fast forward to today, March 20th, where I record this introduction from a makeshift home studio and all of Sky Zone's locations are closed due to the coronavirus.

Just another example of how every entrepreneur today is faced with an unprecedented challenge. It is bittersweet to listen to Jeff, but I urge you to soak up his wisdom, to apply it to your own brand, to follow Sky Zone on social media and to add it to your list of to-do’s to visit one of his indoor trampoline experiences when we are allowed to do so.

Learn more about Sky Zone

Due to COVID-19 we are no longer asking for financial support for the show, instead you can now join free mentorship group calls with Fabian to get through this together. Join here.

She is now launching a new brand, the refrigerated BeBOLD bars.

I was beyond thrilled and honored to have Stacy on Hitting The Mark as we were talking about how politics and brands mix, what crucial branding mistakes not to make, how to spread your brand’s message and what branding means to someone like Stacy, who has sold her company for a quarter billion dollars.

Learn more about BeBOLD Bars and use the special code 'HTM' for 25% off your first order!

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Even more interestingly, in addition to his complex commercial litigation practice, he is a passionate advocate for victims of sexual abuse and has created a spinoff brand that can be found at the highly descriptive url sexualabuselawfirm.com. That brand spinoff has a very distinct, very emotional, very convincing tone of voice.

I chat with Marc about his two brands and how he tackles them from a branding and marketing perspective without confusing his clients.

Learn more about Lewis & Llewellyn

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Since then, she grew BrightStar Care into over 340 franchise locations. Ranked number one franchise by Forbes in the investment level, BrightStar Care made it onto the top 10 on the American Express top 50 fastest-growing women-led companies for multiple years in a row. And Shelly has become a leader in the world of franchise executives.

Learn from Shelly how to create a scalable brand that leads with compassion.

Learn more about BrightStar

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Her brand Milk Stork is direct, bold and loved by moms, businesses and the press alike and has been named one of the Most Innovative Companies of 2019 by Fast Company. Today, you will find out why.

Learn more about Milk Stork

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This is one of the few episodes where I feature a company that is so young that it is hard to call it a brand yet, but I can bet you that I will have them back in a few years and that based on their brand philosophy, brand name, and innovative product, they will turn into a known and beloved brand within the year.

We talk about the ups and downs (or may I say 'pitfalls') of starting a company that leads with a provocative product, name, and brand language, and how the husband-wife team stayed true to themselves throughout their entrepreneurial journey.

If you enjoyed the Liquid Death episode (catch it if you have not heard it yet!), you will not want to miss Pit Liquor. Insights and plenty of laughs are guaranteed.

Learn more about Pit Liquor

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Today we will dive into Lesley Eccles' brand experiences while chatting about her new startup Relish. It is a fascinating story with - as you may imagine - plenty of branding insights along the way. This conversation with Lesley was both an honor and a delight, as you will be able to tell since it feels much more like a chat rather than an interview.

We talk about how to build culture and instill values; about the emotional journey of running a startup; not to blindly trust data as you craft your brand; why every CEO should dedicate time to customer service calls; how to make it through the highest highs and lowest lows of entrepreneurship; how authenticity and sales should be the backbone of every successful startup, …and much more!

Learn more about Relish

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Learn more about Jeni's

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Learn more about Farmgirl Flowers

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Learn more about Base Culture

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Learn more about Brazi Bites

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• Brands challenging the norm
• The importance of people – Your tribe and your culture
• Investors' viewpoints on brand thinking
• Brand DNA - your brand in one word

And to finish it off, not-to-be-missed brand advice from these successful entrepreneurs and investors that we needed to bring back up front and center.

Show your support for Hitting The Mark, and if you have been listening and have not rated the show yet, please do so wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thank you, and enjoy!

_______________________________________________

Here is who you will be hearing from on this episode:

BRANDS CHALLENGING THE NORM:

3:15 - 5:35 = Liquid Death (Mike Cessario)

5:35 - 7:13 = Wilkmazz (Sam Mazzeo)

7:13 - 8:59 = Antis Roofing (Charles Antis)

8:59 - 10:21 = &Pizza (Michael Lastoria)

10:21 - 13:02 = Charity Water (Scott Harrison)

THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE – YOUR TRIBE AND YOUR CULTURE:

13:37 - 14:11 = The Futur (Chris Do)

14:11 - 14:30 = Double Dutch (Raissa & Joyce de Hass)

14:30 - 14:36 = Journey Meditation (Stephen Sokoler)

14:36 - 15:36 = Parlor Skis (Mark Wallace)

15:36 - 15:49 = Journey Meditation (Stephen Sokoler)

15:49 - 18:18 = &Pizza (Michael Lastoria)

INVESTOR'S VIEWPOINT ON BRANDING:

18:47 - 19:35 = Angel Investor (Frank Demmler)

19:35 - 21:18 = Dormitus Brands (Mark Thomann)

21:18 - 22:26 = New Crop Capital (Chris Kerr)

BRAND DNA – YOUR BRAND IN A SINGLE WORD:

23:23 - 23:29 = The Futur (Chris Do)

23:29 - 23:31 = Rogue Brands (Raaja Nemani)

23:31 - 23:32 = 4th & Heart (Raquel Tavares)

23:32 - 23:34 = Bureo (Ben Kneppers)

23:34 -23:35 = Journey Meditation (Stephen Sokoler)

23:35 - 23:37 = Antis Roofing (Charles Antis)

23:37 - 23:38 = Beboe (Clement Kwan)

23:38 - 23:39 = Idagio (Till Janczukowicz)

23:38 - 23:39 = Charity Water (Scott Harrison)

23:39 - 23:40 = Liquid Death (Mike Cessario)

23:40 - 23:43 = &Pizza (Michael Lastoria)

23:43 - 24:04 = Bureo (Ben Kneppers)

24:04 - 24:35 = Charity Water (Scott Harrison)

24:35 - 25:01 = Idagio (Till Janczukowicz)

25:01 - 25:28 = Beboe (Clement Kwan)

25:28 - 25:53 = Rogue Brands (Raaja Nemani)

NOT-TO-BE-MISSED BRAND ADVICE:

26:26 - 26:46 = Rogue Brands (Raaja Nemani)

26:46 - 27:02 = The Futur (Chris Do)

27:02 - 27:20 = Barrel Bourbon Foods (Matt Jamie)

27:20 - 28:10 = Cameo (Devon Townsend)

28:10 - 28:22 = Tiny Beans (Eddie Geller)

28:23 - 29:23 = Double Dutch (Raissa & Joyce de Hass)

A fascinating story on how to make it in the food business while coming from a marketing background, how to utilize branding to introduce a product in a category unfamiliar to many shoppers, why crafting messaging from your heart is key, and how to juggle family and entrepreneurship.

This marks the beginning of 3 back-to-back episodes featuring female founders. All 3 of these upcoming guests succeeded in an industry with many curve-balls that is hard to make it in: the food industry. And out of sheer co-incidence, 2 of these founders happen to be Brazilian women taking the US food market by storm.

We kick it off with Raquel Tavares, the founder & CEO of Fourth & Heart, who migrated at age six to Northern California with her mother and brother in the early 80’s. She currently lives in Los Angeles and is a mother of two young boys.  Raquel is the principal creator of Tava Organics, the parent company of 4th & Heart, which also happens to currently be the 4th fastest growing Food & Bev company in the country.

If this quote by Eckhart Tolle, which appears on the Fourth + Heart web site, speaks to you (as much as it inspired me), then make sure to not miss this episode: "Life isn't as serious as the mind makes it out to be."

Links mentioned:

Fourth & Heart

Fourth & Heart on Instagram

Hitting The Mark Patreon Page

FINIEN Brand Consultancy

Happiness Won

Solving the water crisis one donation and one well at a time, Scott and his team created a brand that breaks the stereotypes of what a charity is and how a charity acts. He re-branded 'charity' while creating a beloved brand of his own.

Charity: water is a champion in brand messaging, design, and storytelling while leading with technology and innovation. A paramount episode not to be missed. 

President Obama praised Scott Harrison, and so have Arianna Huffington and Michael Bloomberg. Without a doubt, I knew he would be a charismatic and smart guest. But having Scott share his inspirational story and dive into the details of how he built the brand, and how branding was actually a crucial component of charity: water's success, went beyond my highest expectations.

Scott is the founder and CEO of charity: water, a non-profit bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in need around the world. He is also the New York Times best-selling author of Thirst, a story of redemption, compassion, and the mission to bring clean water to the world. In the 13 years since he founded his organization, charity: water has mobilized over 1 million donors around the world to fund more than 38,000 water projects in 28 countries and bring clean water to 10 million people.

He was ranked number 10 in Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in business. And in this episode you will witness why.

To get inspired, not only for the ways in which you build your brand, but for the way you live your life, give this episode a listen.

Links mentioned:

charity: water

THIRST - the book

Spring - the video

Hitting The Mark Patreon Page

As the future of music listening is streaming and streaming services aren't designed for classical music, Till is on a mission that is much bigger than his product: to save classical music from extinction in the digital age.

This fascinating conversation shines a light on how to craft exciting and compelling brand messaging and design that works flawlessly to attract audiences of all ages. 

Music to me is, and has always been existential. From when I was a little boy growing up with a concertmaster – in many of the world's most famous orchestras – as my dad, in Vienna, and constantly visiting his workplace, the famous Musikverein, to today where I am a music aficionado, an avid vinyl record collector as well as a (fairly amateur) music producer. Music is a passion, or 'addiction' as my wife would say, and a great source of joy for me.

Having Till Janczukowicz on this show was a big personal pleasure. His classical music streaming app, IDAGIO, is constantly running a fine line between catering to the young and the old, the classical novice versus the expert, and it is a fascinating branding game.

Till discusses how classical music, as a brand, was intimidating, and how he and his team are breaking that wall down, out their offices in Berlin, Germany. And how classical music's role and perception in society has changed over the years, and what role technology played in it.

We discuss how to showcase music visually, with all of its nuances, is an extremely difficult task, one that IDAGIO mastered from day one.

So many fascinating takeaways in this conversation, one that struck with me, and that should give you an idea on how deep we are diving into not only the brand discussion, but also the entrepreneurial journey as a whole: "The bigger you grow as a corporation, the more you have to bring things that are on a subconscious level to a conscious level."

A delightful conversation that truly inspired me, and I believe it will do the same for you.

To support this show, please head to Patreon.

Clement comes from the world of high-end fashion. He helped reposition the Diesel brand for America, moved to Milan to take the license back for D&G (Dolce & Gabbana), and later became the president of Net-a-Porter, the biggest online luxury retailer on a global basis.

This episode shows what can happen when you follow your heart and how a brand is being built by adding one authentic layer of story, emotion, and design on top of another.

If you look at a cannabis product by Beboe you would not think of weed, rather of art, design and fashion. This was derived through great brand thinking and design.

Clement Kwan has reached great heights of success yet decided to follow his heart and, together with Co-Founder Scott Campbell, launched a luxury brand in a segment that has not seen much sophistication before. Today, the Beboe brand has its own store within Barney's in Beverly Hills and has also carved out its own clientele.

Listening to Clement's fascinating story from growing weed in college to make tuition, to becoming an M&A investment banker in Silicon Valley, to holding the president of Net-a-Porter position and learning how he yet turned to where his heart told him to go is inspiring on many levels.

But it is also an episode about the sheer power of great design, honest storytelling and how having a deep understanding of a particular audience can make any product succeed, even in a market that did not know it was ready for it.

If you think of a roofing company, you think of small businesses that have a hard time staying in business. Lots of competition in a tough service environment with high employee turnover rates and low customer retention. One thing you would not think of is branding.

Fabian sits down with Charles Antis, a founder who has been at it for 30 years. His is not a new brand, nor one that is shockingly innovative or disruptive at all as it relates to the services it provides, but Charles Antis, founder and CEO of Antis Roofing and Waterproofing, has built a brand on the power of good a long time before it became a mainstream business etiquette and to an extent most can only aspire to.

This episode dives into how being empathetic, being adaptive, having high emotional intelligence and being a critical thinker can create a strong culture, a better planet, and an admired brand – even in commodity-type service categories where true brand thinking is rarely even being considered.

This is where Charles Antis comes in, who founded his namesake company Antis Roofing & Waterproofing in 1984 and soon thereafter started to inject it with personality and the stigma that it needed to be bigger than just the service offering he provided. Charles himself turned into a conscious capitalist, who has donated every single roof installation of every single home built by Habitat Orange County since 2009 and was honored with the American Red Cross Corporate Hero Award.

This is the story of a roofer who turned into a leader in corporate social responsibility and who sees himself as a futurist. Charles shares with us how leading with cause will shape an amazing corporate culture (Antis has a 93% employee retention rate) and drive new business, all while giving real meaning to what you do.

Take a breather and let your mind wander, away from the Donald Trump and Boris Johnson world on the outside, to start looking within, because here's a thing you don't see mixed very often: meditation and branding. And on this episode, we see the two blend together effortlessly and authentically since Stephen listened to his friend Simon Sinek's advice and asked the question 'why?' at the onset of his new venture, and a great brand foundation derived from it.

It is not an easy task to stand out amongst the many mindfulness apps – from Headspace to Calm (which is valued at $1 billion) – while creating a brand that does so in an authentic manner. But Founder and CEO Stephen Sokoler and his team at Journey Meditation did just that, and mainly through the use of imagery (cleverly branded by use of color) featuring members of their tribe, from staff to teachers, shown in everyday life poses rather than sitting with their eyes closed, meditating.

The Journey LIVE meditation app is an experiment in community creation, which is at the heart of branding. Stephen shares with us how he crafted a brand around human connection and why a brand's meaningful foundation is essential for any successful launch. Now, close your eyes, take a breath, and hit that play button. Once you are done, and you realize that you'd like to meditate to an actual class, hit the app store and search for Journey LIVE to get on the path of finding your inner zen.

Launching into the water business with a brand named Liquid Death, while getting $2.3 million in funding from the likes of Michael Dubin, of Dollar Shave Club fame, and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, is nothing but a genius brand move and the more you listen to Mike (who is an alumn of my alma mater, ArtCenter College Of Design), talk about his brand, the more you will adjust your own point of view on branding and marketing. So go ahead and go punk rock with us and 'murder your thirst' for an insanely inspiring episode.

When I heard about a water brand called Liquid Death that comes in tallboys, reminiscent of beer cans, that behaves like a death metal band, that boosts insane (and insanely great) copy and imagery, and on top of it is 100% mountain water from the Austrian alps, I had to reach out to Co-Founder and CEO Mike Cessario to make some sense of it all, to the extent that is possible.

By now I assume you have visited the Liquid Death web site and you got a taste of what you are in for. This is a story about a Creative who comes from the advertising and branding world, who spent his career creating brand stories for greats like Netflix and Gary Vee, and found that it was time to create his own story, his own brand. And it had to be authentic, good for the planet and crazy as hell.

If you want your head blown (I do have to use some Liquid Death lingo here) and hear about how his idea was crafted, why people go crazy over it and how his waters help kill plastic bottles along the way, all while poking major fun at marketing, and, yes, branding, as a whole, give this episode a listen. If you like what you hear you can grab some Liquid Death waters on Amazon or you can jump back onto the Liquid Death web site and join their Country Club, but you will have to sell them your soul first. True story.

When your employees and customers alike start tattooing your brand mark onto their bodies, you know that you've been growing a special kind of brand. Full of energy and wisdom, Michael is sharing the stories and recipes behind &pizza's brand success with you on this whirlwind of inspiration we call Episode 16.

I first learned about Michael Lastoria when his brand, &Pizza, has been named one of the world’s 50 Most Innovative Companies the second time in a row by Fast Company. Diving deeper into what at first glance would seem like a commodity-type business (we are talking about selling pizzas here after all) soon turned into the discovery of a brand that succeeds through heart & soul, coupled with tech & innovation.

Michael sees himself as the human-first entrepreneur. A CEO and co-founder of & Pizza, now 36 locations throughout the east coast, Michael has championed his employees whom the brand calls its tribe. It's not only the face of the brand, but it's the core of the business. & Pizza pays a fair and livable wage, and Michael has been a vocal member of the fight for state and federal minimum wage increases. Lastoria believes in building a brand first and a business second so that the brand is not just a momentary phenomenon, but an essential part of culture. & Pizza is the manifestation of that belief.

You can follow the brand @AndPizza and Michael on @_Lastoria.

I chat with 28-year old Devon Townsend, who quit Microsoft, became a viral Vine comedy star and yet he ended up creating Cameo, a platform that lets you book personalized video shoutouts from your favorite athletes, actors, and entertainers. His 60+ employee strong company, which has received 15.8+ million in funding to date, dispatches over 1,000 videos a day and signed up well over 10,000 celebrities, from Ice-T to Kevin O’Leary and from Charlie Sheen to Snoop Dog who are all happy to send you or your loved ones a personal message anywhere from 5 Dollars up to 2,500 bucks a pop.

Cameo was one of TIME Magazine's 50 Most Genius Companies of 2018 and Devon was named to Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list this year, yet he is happy to connect with you via e-mail if you have any feedback for him.

Devon and I discuss creating a delightful and transparent brand, the obstacles of naming and how to craft an authentic visual and verbal brand language that people will freak out over and scream and laugh and cry. Yes, all of the above is possible with Cameo.

I sit down with my lawyer (indeed!), who has not been my lawyer before I invited him onto my show. I came across their site, wilkmazz.com, after hearing Sam speak in an interview and it took me only a few split seconds to know that I have to get him onto this podcast. I believe in a brand being authentic, and direct, and as simple as being bold sounds, it takes a special personality and lots of guts to actually pull it off and to pull it off successfully, and the partners at this San Diego law firm sure pulled it off.

Sam and I talk about why they have a bold and authentic brand, how it helps and where it hurts.

An episode that any bold entrepreneur and marketer should dive into and learn from when they need a good kick in their behind to take some bold moves.

To connect with Sam, hit him up at holler@wilkmazz.com or visit the ever so intriguing 'anti-law-office' law office brand at wilkmazz.com

Fabian sits down with Chris Kerr, the Chief Investment Officer at New Crop Capital, who has nearly 30 years of leadership experience with startups and venture capital investing. He has spent the last decade focused on impact investing with a concentration on the plant based foods sector.

We recorded this episode the day after Beyond Meat hit the stock market. The brand is a poster child of Chris Kerr's investment portfolio, and it also is an industry daring darling. And what went well beyond the wildest expectations with stock trading at nearly triples from the original IPO price the day after, this episode is filled with enthusiasm and learnings that go well beyond one brand.

An episode any entrepreneur should digest as we discuss the importance of naming, how you can build a company around a brand and how a startup needs to test, test, test, and then test again.

You can learn more about Chris via the New Crop Capital site.

Fabian talks with a founder who is doing his part in keeping the ocean clean, and he's doing it through his brand that is selling skateboards, sunglasses, surfboard fins, and Jenga games. Ben Kneppers is a co-founder of Bureo, an emerging B Corp focused on creating innovative solutions to ocean plastic pollution.

Through the team's initiative, Net Positiva, Bureo has created Chile's first ever fishnet collection and recycling program. Net Positiva provides fishermen with an environmentally sound end-of-life solution for their fishing gear, while Bureo receives highly recyclable raw materials to create innovative products that bring net positive solutions to the world.

Remarkable in many ways. Ben shares his insights on how to get strangers to believe in and act upon your vision, how Patagonia got involved with his brand, how collaboration is part of his brand's success story, all the way how to score a major PR story on CBS Evening News without spending a dime and so much more.

You can dive into the Bureo universe via their site or Instagram account.

Fabian talks with Mark Wallace for whom skiing has always been the driving force in his life. It took him from Saddleback to Park City and then all over the world as he lived the dream as a semi-pro ski racer. Mark learned the nuances of ski building during a job at a Boston construction firm, dedicating countless hours during nights and weekends. He started Parlor with two friends in an abandoned funeral parlor in Cambridge, honing the science and art of ski building.

We discuss his company's focus and dedication to the sport and its tribe, how far the brand is able to take the important brand traits of customization and personalization and how Parlor leads with authenticity.

If you are, just like me, into skiing or snowboarding, this episode is a must. If you like to learn more about connecting with your tribe or honing in the art of customization, this is a must-listen for you as well.

You can learn more about Parlor via parlorskis.com, or as Mark showcased his approachability, you can just call him up, "anytime" at 413-884-4747.

In this episode, we talk with Frank Demmler, who can take credit for 500 companies, some 10,000 jobs, and $1 billion of investment capital. For over 30 years he has been an investor, advisor, and educator in Pittsburgh's technology-based entrepreneurial community, which hardly existed when he first started but has grown to be one of the most active and desirable entrepreneurship hubs today.

We dive into two of the companies he assisted, Automated Healthcare, which deploys robots in hospital pharmacies and has been acquired by McKesson for $65 million, and clothing brand Modcloth. He shares Modcloth's startup story from college sweethearts to putting a few clothes online for sale to turning into a beloved brand that innovated especially through the power of crowdsourcing.

Much to absorb in this episode, especially if you are interested in leveraging the power of your tribe.

You can connect with Frank via LinkedIn.

Talking with the de Haas twin sisters about their brand of premium mixers: How they managed to build a beloved brand at a young age (all while finishing their masters degrees and having started careers in finance).

We talk about their story from idea to bottle to shelf, the advantages of having a co-founder, how the brilliant name Double Dutch came about (yes, it all happened at a bar), how the brand's fun copy has come together organically over the years and why Joyce and Raissa (who made it onto the Forbes 30 under 30 list this year) wish they would have paused and created a more cohesive visual and verbal brand when they saw initial interest in their products.

You can learn more about Double Dutch and see where you can get your mixers for the perfect cocktail at www.doubledutchdrinks.com

In this episode, we dive into influencer marketing with Colin Szopa, who created a brand for fitness influencers to connect in deeper ways with their tribes.

We debunk the myth that influencers are Prima Donnas to work with, learn about how personal brands support each other versus compete with each other on the same digital platform as well as the art and science of crafting a meaningful and descriptive name for the app store.

You can find Plankk Studio in the app store if you are ready to sweat it out with some of the biggest names in fitness.

In this episode, we break new ground with Eddie Geller, a startup founder who is well beyond his brand's IPO. His app has accumulated a staggering three million users, yet many of you may have never heard of it because he has a very targeted appeal: Young parents and their parents.

We talk about the difficulty of marketing across generations, creating a brand name that can be used as a verb, and how going against users' expectations may turn into your startup's most important feature.

Learn more about Tinybeans; and also check out this episode's sponsor, Mister Maginsky, a startup that is changing men's underwear forever. 

Mark is an entrepreneur who is dedicated to both relaunching iconic dormant brands as well as investing in early-stage consumer packaged goods companies, focused on better for you products. His fund, Spiral Sun Ventures and his brand revitalization company, Dormitus Brands, are currently collaborating on reinventing the soda brand Slice as a "better for you" beverage.

This episode is full of branding and startup nuggets that no entrepreneur or marketer should miss out on. This episode is full of branding and startup nuggets that no entrepreneur or marketer should miss out on. Mark has been doing this for a while and gained an enormous amount of knowledge and his passion is contagious.

You can learn more about the new Slice, reach out to him via LinkedIn or ask me for his personal e-mail and I am happy to facilitate an introduction. We will soon announce a way Mark asked my listeners to participate in the new Slice brand definition. Stay tuned by following us on Instagram as it involves some free product samples while being part of informing this re-birth of an iconic brand.

Maxwell created his company while in college as a requirement from his parents. Fast forward and he appeared on Shark Tank and flopped.

Today Maxwell is successfully running an array of disposable bed sheet brands that are available internationally.

He shares how changing the brand name was a game changer for his startup, why the .com still reigns supreme, how carefully crafted words will lead to sales, and how he learned to persevere regardless of how often you hear the word 'no' along the journey – "Just get to that word quicker."

You can learn more about his products at Peelaways.com or reach out to him directly via LinkedIn.

I made a promise to myself to never feature a client - or former client - of mine on the show, but I am good with sprinkling in an entrepreneur now and then who I also call my friend. Today is such a moment and I am sure you will all appreciate that I did so. I personally am always delighted to talk with him, learn from him and be the critic he never asked to have.

If you are a founder, marketer, designer or just a curious human being, this episode is not to be missed as it clearly shows us why Chris Do, and his online platform, The Futur, have such a fanatic following and why the company is seeing 300% growth year over year.

Chris shares his insights on how his passion project turned into a small phenomenon (hint: teaching is the best form of marketing), why you should put your media buy budget towards content strategy instead, if it is dangerous to be the face of your brand, how important data really is in marketing (hint: it may not be quite what you thought), why culture is more important than branding (amen!), why copying is OK – sometimes even strategically sound – and of course: What branding means to him. And…so much more, hence we nicely doubled on time in this special episode.

To see what his company, The Futur, is up to, visit their YouTube channel for a start.

Today you are in for a treat. A mouthwatering treat that sadly will remain a verbal-only treat to you and me as we will spend this episode with an innovator in a segment a lot of us would love to dive right into: Kentucky Bourbon.

If you're a foodie, if you like soy sauce or bourbon, perhaps both, or if you run an F&B business, this is an episode to indulge in. Matt created a brand that is rooted in a romantic story; a story of place, taste, and craftsmanship. A story that created a company that continuously grows between 38-50% a year yet each of the 5,000 gallons of their soy sauce are still being meticulously hand-numbered.

You can peruse Bourbon Barrel Foods' products via their site.

Dr. Ginger Price was a leading Cosmetic Dentist for over 30 years. In 2014 she created a unique line of coconut oil oral care products that are all natural, delicious and fun to use. She saw not only a gap in the market as far as coconut oil toothpaste was concerned, but also noticed that there were no brands with a female founder in the industry. 

Founders creating physical products, even more so if they are consumable, and even more so if they have to show provable results, sure are fascinating!

Dr. Ginger's story from a swift idea to a working formula, design and actual consumers picking up a tube of toothpaste in stores around the US is surprising and uplifting.

Listen to Dr. Ginger Price and her brand of oral care products, which will soon be seen at Target and Whole Foods stores around the country.

You can learn more about her company and products through below links:

Dr. Ginger's website

Dr. Ginger's Instagram

For the podcast deal to get Fabian's book 'Bigger Than This – How to turn any venture into an admired brand' for $6, click here.

Raaja is the Co-Founder of Rogue Trading Company (the parent company to Rogue Advising, MarketerHire, and Rogue Brands).

Previously, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Bucketfeet (a D2C, artist-designed footwear brand). Bucketfeet was acquired in 2017 by Threadless.

We dive into his factory-direct platform and how brand strategy has affected his recent company launches as well as his time launching and scaling the successful footwear marketplace Bucketfeet.

Fabian Geyrhalter talks to Raaja Nemani on this inaugural episode of Hitting The Mark.

Raaja is the Co-Founder of Rogue Trading Company (the parent company to Rogue Advising, MarketerHire, and Rogue Brands).

Previously, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Bucketfeet (a D2C, artist-designed footwear brand).

Bucketfeet was acquired in 2017 by Threadless.

We dive into Raaja's factory-direct platform and discuss how brand strategy has affected his recent company launches as well as when he was scaling the successful footwear marketplace Bucketfeet. Branding went far beyond the image and was tremendously important to Bucketfeets' positioning, sales as well as company culture.

Select companies Raaja co-founded that are being discussed in this episode:

Rogue Brands

Bucketfeet

You can connect with Raaja via LinkedIn.