Brand & Banter

For Chelle Neff, owner of Urban Betty Salon, it started with eight years of barely surviving, hoping payroll would clear, and realizing that hustle alone was not a strategy.

In this episode, we get into how Chelle transformed Urban Betty from booth rental chaos into a three-location, experience-led brand doing $6.3M in revenue. She breaks down exactly what she spent on marketing last year, what actually paid off, and what she would never do again. We talk about the operational structure that changed everything, the level system that created stability and career paths for her team, and the marketing lessons every service-based business needs to hear, especially if you are investing money without tracking what is actually driving new clients.

This conversation walks through the real work behind scaling a service business. From rebuilding culture and systems to treating marketing like a strategic investment instead of a guessing game, Chelle shares what it really takes to grow a brand that people trust, talk about, and keep coming back to.

Urban Betty SalonUrban Betty Instagram: @urbanbetty

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Thanks for listening and remember, behind every bold brand is a story worth bantering about.

Substack → https://theamandashuman.substack.com/

Instagram → https://instagram.com/theamandashuman

After an abrupt end to Season One, I wasn't sure this podcast would come back.

It's been almost a year since our last episode aired, and to be honest, I put off recording this opener for a while because I wasn't sure how I wanted to frame this next season.

Season 1 didn't end with a big announcement. It ended because something inside the business shifted, and I had to choose where my energy went. The podcast (as much as I love it) wasn't the thing that could stay at that moment.

In this episode, I'm sharing what changed and what ultimately made me come back to it. Season 2 (or Issue Two) is built differently, with a biweekly rhythm and a Substack companion that lets us go deeper and stay in conversation beyond the mic.

It feels more aligned. And more intentional. And I'm excited to build it with you!

Substack → https://theamandashuman.substack.com/

Instagram → https://instagram.com/theamandashuman

In this bonus episode, I spill how a single, no-agenda coffee chat landed me two speaking gigs with no funnel, no fancy pitch, just showing up as myself. If you need a reminder that the best opportunities don't come from your inbox, but from being in the right room and making genuine connections, this one's for you.

Want more behind-the-scenes, high-impact marketing moves? Join my insider email list at carrylovedesigns.com/podcast.

What do you do when you're launching a product in a saturated category with no budget, no team, and zero brand recognition? You get scrappy—and that's exactly what Michael Franco is doing with Carne Shabu, a new Mexican-style beef jerky brand out of Austin, TX.

In this episode, Michael shares how he's building buzz with content-first marketing, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and saying yes to every opportunity (even random bookshelf pickups that turn into influencer collabs). We talk about what's actually worked to drive sales, what hasn't panned out, and why content is his not-so-secret weapon. If you're building a product-based brand and figuring it out as you go, this episode is full of real talk and practical insight—plus a reminder that the best ideas often start in your own kitchen.

Links mentioned: Try the jerky: carneshabu.com TikTok that caught Amanda's eye: Watch here Follow Carne Shabu on Instagram: @carneshabu

What does a $2 stock price, a brand crisis, and the auto parts industry have to do with brilliant branding? Everything.

In this episode of Brand & Banter, Jamie Schwartzman, founder of Flux Branding, unpacks how a rebrand of Motorcar Parts of America (MPA) took them from rock bottom to a $38/share comeback. We go beyond logos and color palettes to talk about the strategy behind brand perception, the power of subtle shifts, and how storytelling (yes, even in the automotive world) can change everything.

🔗 Learn more about Jamie's work at fluxbranding.com 🧪 Try the free Brand Decoder tool: https://fluxbranding.com/brand-personality-quiz/ 💌 Want a 1:1 Brand Blueprint? Email [email protected] and mention Brand & Banter.

In this week's bite-sized bonus episode, we're breaking down a fast food launch that looked a lot like an Apple event—and racked up tens of millions of views in the process. Plus, what brands like Will Smith (yes, the actor) are doing with creators that you need to steal.

If you're looking for smarter ways to launch, partner, and create buzz without a mega budget, this one's for you.

📅 Want our team to help bring that idea to life? Book a free consultation at carrylovedesigns.com/contact. Let's build your next brand moment.

In this episode, Chloe Makhani of Casaléna dishes out how she transformed a space into an immersive, character-driven experience that guests want to return to again and again. We talk about experiential hospitality, evolving your marketing with your brand, and why storytelling isn't just a vibe—it's a revenue driver. From streetwear-level fandom to lavender cocktails and personalized postcards, Chloe proves that every detail matters when you're building something magnetic. This one's for the founders blending soul with strategy.

Follow along: Instagram & TikTok – @casaelena.la Learn more about Avondale Equities – avondaleequities.com

What does it take to build a brand that people don't just buy into but rep like a lifestyle? Lan Ho, founder of Fat Miilk, joins Brand & Banter to break down exactly how she turned a coffee startup into a cultural movement. From guerrilla marketing and pop-ups to launching a rebrand that changed everything, Lan shares the lessons (and hard truths) of scaling a business while staying true to your roots.

In this episode, we cover: ☕ How Fat Miilk made Vietnamese Robusta coffee mainstream 🎨 Why branding is more than aesthetics 🛍 The smart way to price a premium product while keeping it accessible ⚡ The secret to turning first-time customers into brand superfans

Whether you're a founder, brand builder, or coffee lover, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss.

🔗 Links mentioned in the episode:

• Fat Miilk's Website
• Follow Fat Miilk on Instagram
• Truffl Agency (Fat Miilk's Branding Team)
• Last Crumb Episode (Mentioned for branding inspiration)

Today, we're talking about Diet Coke's comeback—how the once-iconic brand is shaking off outdated perceptions, doubling down on marketing dollars, and making waves with a fresh campaign. And of course, I'll share some takeaways for brands of all sizes, including what you can steal from their strategy.

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Diet Coke Commercials

In this episode of Brand & Banter, I sit down with Ellen Yin, founder of Cubicle to CEO, to talk about the art of revenue stacking—aka, how to get paid multiple times for the same work. She shares her strategy for turning one revenue stream into three, why licensing your expertise is an untapped goldmine, and how she's leveraged brand partnerships to build a media empire.

If you've ever felt stuck on the hamster wheel of constantly selling, launching, and marketing just to stay afloat, Ellen's approach will change the way you look at monetization.

If you love tactical, real-talk money conversations, this one's for you.

Links Mentioned: 🔗 Cubicle to CEO Podcast: https://www.cubicletoceo.co/podcast 🔗 Amanda's Episode on Cubicle to CEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfVs2jlASFw 🔗 Paid to Create Program: https://ellenyin.com/paidtocreate 🔗 Follow Ellen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missellenyin 🔗 Book Your Free CLD Mini-Audit: https://carrylovedesigns.com/