On this episode of Build Better Brands, Danielle Clarke is joined by agency veteran Michael Janda to discuss and share his experience of running a business, creating a brand, mentoring and training his employees to what he does now: Helping creatives figure out how to maximise their careers, to make the money they should be making and helping them reduce their stress.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The top things you should have in place if you're going to be successful are: Relationships and relationship skills – to be able to connect with other people in a way that makes them want to buy from you and that they can trust you. Understanding business fundamentals – the numbers, how to make decisions based off the analysing the data, how to price your work. Have a network of support – people who fulfil some of your tangential skills and that overlap some of your skills.
• One of the big objectives of branding is to differentiate your business from other businesses, to make you stand out and resonate with a target customer and make you unique in the marketplace. Every human is unique, no one is the same as you, we're all individually branded, let that become manifest in your business and it will become unique like you.
• I used to think “that person's killing it, their agency's so good, how did they get there?” and then I got big enough that I could go to lunch with these people and it wasn't all roses, they were having the same problems I was and my eyes opened to the fact that their outward representation said. Most entrepreneurs are the same. The reality is not the same as what they portray.
• What is the fusion between your personal brand and your business brand? Are you intentionally making your business brand a manifestation of your personal brand? Are you making yourself the face of your business brand? Someone needs to be the face of your business brand, you should be your own influencer of your businesses, don't pay someone else to sell your brand for you.

BEST MOMENTS

‘So many creatives are uber-creative, but not uber-analytical. If you're an entrepreneur, you have to tap into both sides of that. If you can't, hire someone who is to do that for you.'

‘It's detrimental to the success of your business to emulate a brand like Nike or Apple.'

‘In the end my agency was a success, but there were plenty of dark days on the road. I'm glad that phase in my life is over, but grateful to have had the experience.'

‘Say what you want about Donald Trump, but that dude was branded, he was a walking brand.'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Michael Janda is an executive level creative leader with more than 20 years of experience in both in-house creative departments and agencies working with some of the greatest brands in the world.

He founded the creative agency, Riser, in 2002. Over 13 years he led Riser to a 31% average annual profit margin. Riser was a nationally recognized agency creating high-profile work for clients including Disney, Google, ABC, Fox, Warner Bros., NBC, TV Guide and numerous other notable companies. The company's work quality and successful business practices yielded some of the most coveted awards in the industry including Webbys, FWA, Awwwards, AIGA and Addys. 

In 2015, Michael sold Riser to a competing Utah marketing agency named Eli Kirk where he became one of four partners at the agency and its Chief Creative Officer. Following the acquisition he orchestrated a rebrand of the agency as EKR, which has acquired new notable clients including Google, National Geographic, ABC, Intel and Netflix.

In addition to his experience managing creative and marketing teams, Michael is the author of the 2013 book, Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff They Don't Teach You In Design School, But Should. The book's success has resulted in opportunities for Michael to be a keynote speaker at AIGA, Advertising Federation and University events across the nation, as well as at HOW Design Live in Atlanta in 2016 and Boston in 2018, the headline speaker at the 2018 Behance Portfolio Review in Moscow and a keynote speaker at a national event for Mercedes-Benz.

Website - https://michaeljanda.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/morejanda/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/morejanda

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morejanda

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMtMijHO1MVzw_Mjkh7_amw 

Books: The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing: Price creative work with confidence

Anatomy of a Design Proposal 

Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff they don't teach you in design school, but should

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER. Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people's lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]
LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]
Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke](https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke)
Email - [[email protected]](http://www.danielleclarkecreative.com/)
Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

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