In this episode, we're joined by Evan O'Brien, founder of Slake Marketing. With over a decade of experience helping startups and small businesses, Evan shares his digital marketing and business development expertise. He discusses creating authentic brand connections, breaking through stagnation, and aligning marketing efforts with business goals. Get ready for valuable insights on standing out in today’s competitive market.

~ The clearer we can communicate, the more effectively we can serve our clients and help them achieve their vision.

In this episode, we are joined by Devin Concannon, Partner at Golden Digital, a digital marketing master who expertly merges creativity with technology to elevate eCommerce businesses. With over a decade of experience and a background in teaching digital marketing at the General Assembly, he brings invaluable insights to the table. In this conversation, he discusses effective strategies for motivating teams and retaining clients in a competitive market.

In this episode, we're joined by Tyler Sticka, Co-owner, Partner, and Creative Director at Cloud Four. With experience leading teams in both a stealth startup and at WE Communications, Tyler's unique design process, blending hand-drawn sketches and interactive prototypes, sets him apart. In this conversation, he touches on effective consultation strategies, the collaborative learning approach, and the evolving landscape & challenges in web design.

Discussion points -

• What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 2:47

Show notes - 

• I feel like it's better to spread that workout, be transparent, and give peeks behind the curtain along the way. Take this as an opportunity to guide the customer, guide your client, and guide your stakeholders through the process so they understand how to participate in it. 4:12

Myth Busted - Designers work in isolation, creating solutions magically, and revealing a finished product dramatically.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylersticka/ 

Company website: https://cloudfour.com/

Show Credits - 

Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan

In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Gapinski, Partner and President of Huemor, a master of user-centered design and crafting immersive online experiences. Jeff's insights into user behavior and his ability to design websites that resonate with target audiences have contributed to his agency's success in helping businesses achieve remarkable results. In this conversation, he discusses the motivation behind global expansion and strategies for consistently generating leads.

Discussion Points -

• What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 1:34

Show notes -

• I didn't initially plan on running this large-scale business. I started with a passion for a creative skill, and over time, that creative skill evolved into a fully-fledged company. 4:53

Myth-Busted - Having dogs in the office is always amazing and super convenient.

Links -

Show Credits -

In this episode, we are joined by Fred Pike, the Managing Director and GA & GTM Practice Lead at North Woods Digital. He is a seasoned expert in analytics, an accomplished presenter, and a dedicated educator who has crafted numerous online courses for beginners. In this conversation, he discusses practicing Google Tag Manager in his agency and strategies for forecasting business growth challenges.

Discussion Points - 

• What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 6:32

Show notes - 

• The more I dove into GA and GTM, the more I realized we should be doing this for our clients. They need to understand what's happening with their website, and they need to be tracking those meaningful user interactions. And so, it just grew into a practice eventually. 10:31

Myth Busted - Anyone can effectively use Google Tag Manager without proper knowledge

Links -

In this episode, we're joined by Javier Santana, Co-Founder at Launch, a trailblazing Digital and Creative Services agency. Javier seamlessly merges innovation and experience to drive businesses toward his goals. Alongside his professional pursuits, he contributes to the advisory board of the Atlanta Community Food Bank's Hunger Walk Committee and co-hosts the illuminating webcast, SpeedBumps Live. In this conversation, he imparts wisdom on agency relationship management and impactful cross-level communication.

Discussion Points - 

• What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 5:19

Show notes - 

• The reality is that you have to genuinely be a good client partner when working on projects, whether they're valued at $200 or involve simple tasks. You just need to be someone who is willing to listen and ensure that you provide the proper guidance for your customers or clients. 7:01

Myth Busted - "If you build it, they will come” - Just creating something will make customers come to you automatically. 

Links -

Discussion point -

• What is some sort of myth bogus strategy and misconception? What do you want to set the record straight on? 7:22

Show notes - 

• Recently, I heard a quote that I was really trying to take to heart: "If you want to move fast, do it alone; if you want to go far, do it with a team." That's he kind of approach that we take when we are working on projects. 8:21

Myth-Busted - Adding more engineering resources to a project will automatically speed up progress. 

Links -

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottlock/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottlock

Company website: https://www.infernored.com/  

Show Credits -

Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan

Produced by Bobby Soni 

Edited by Priyanka Sharma 

Content by Yashika Neekhra and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by, Khaiersta English, the Founder & Product Design Lead at Flower Press Creative Studio, LLC. With 25 years of expertise in digital product design and engineering, she has crafted apps, websites, and experiences for an impressive clientele, including industry giants like Visa, Adobe, and Nike. From Creative Director to UI/UX Designer and Content Strategist, she is a versatile powerhouse, skilled in early research, prototyping, team management, and client relations. In this conversation, she highlights the value of the "discovery" process in product design and effective upselling strategies for long-term client relationships. 

Discussion Points - 

• What sort of bogus strategy or misconception do you want to set the record straight on? 2:27

Show notes - 

• We go through a process called discovery. Discovery is a planning phase, where you undertake stakeholder interviews, map out the assistant design, assemble a prototype, and test it with end users to see if the product direction is valid. That is a paid phase of work. 3:11

Myth-Busted - 

Sales professionals or agencies do not get paid for the planning phase of the sales process

Links -

Twitter:https://twitter.com/theflowerpress 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/khaiersta 

Company website: https://www.theflowerpress.net/ 

Clutch: https://clutch.co/top-service-providers/women-owned 

Show Credits - 

Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan

Produced by Bobby Soni 

Edited by Priyanka Sharma 

Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Monica Langin, the President of Visionary. With nearly three decades of work experience, Monica is known for her direct communication and problem-solving skills. Originally from a delightful town in southwest Iowa, she has dedicated 20 years to Visionary, progressing from a project manager to her current role as President. In this conversation, she discussed the importance of building strong client relationships, overcoming challenges during COVID-19, and the process of hiring and evaluating cultural fit during recruitment.

Discussion Points - 

• What's some sort of bogus strategy, or misconception, do you want to set the record straight on? 1:34

Show notes -

• It's (visionary day) is a very important day, from my perspective, because it's a tool that I have leveraged to bring people back together. 13:43

Myth-Busted - Midwesterners ride cows to the school. 

Links -

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-langin-40ab607/ 

Company website: https://visionary.com/ 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/monicalangin/?hl=en 

Show Credits - 

Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan

Produced by Bobby Soni 

Edited by Priyanka Sharma 

Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Meg Schlabs, Co-founder & Creative Director at Wizardly, a visionary brand strategist specializing in creative branding and design services. With a background in copywriting and a passion for creativity, Meg crafts captivating brand positioning and design, leaving a lasting impression on clients and their audiences. She values partnership and trust, navigating the challenges and successes of building a business together. In this conversation, she talks about brand positioning, traditional A/B testing, and partnering with family members in a business.

Discussion Points - 

• What sort of bogus strategy, or misconception do you want to set the record straight on? 4:08

Show notes - 

• We use a combination of research on the target audience and brand positioning. And I believe that every business is scaling into something at any given moment. 5:44

Myth Busted - There is a perfect logo or brand position for companies. 

Links - 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-schlabs-7a7714b1/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/megschlabs 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megaustinschlabs/ 

Company website: https://wizardly.co/ 

Show Credits - 

Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan

Produced by Bobby Soni 

Edited by Priyanka Sharma 

Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj