In this Brand Retro episode, Mike talks with author C.J. English about brand storytelling—and how personal journey, identity, and intention shape an author brand. They explore what it means to build a recognizable voice, clarify your brand connection, and use your platform to create real impact.

Highlights

• Being a storyteller - 1:00
• What exactly is her author brand - 2:42
• Branding herself - 3:30
• Reading about everything - 4:28
• Maintaining the focus - 8:36
• Deciding to go in that direction - 14:58
• What happened when she started to write - 20:34
• Pieces of advice for potential writers - 25:25

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• https://www.turtlemountainanimalrescue.org/
• Connect with CJ English:
• [email protected]
• https://www.amazon.com/C.J.-English/e/B00WAGV4C0%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

In this Brand Retro "Brand Spotlight" episode, Mike sits down with Sarah West, founder of Light Consulting & Coaching, to talk about the leap into entrepreneurship and what it takes to build a coaching brand with clarity and purpose. They cover the shift from corporate life to business ownership, how to define your mission, and how to make confident decisions as you build your next chapter.

Highlights

• A description of the company - 1:00
• Making the best decision possible - 3:41
• Her story - 8:00
• Changing her mindset as a leader - 9:42
• Starting her business - 9:58
• Living with fear - 12:06
• Finding more information about her company - 16:41
• What she wants in a client - 19:14
• Having an online course - 19:47

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• Connect with Sarah West:
• [email protected]
• https://lightconsulting.co/

In this Brand Retro "Sizzle Word" episode, Mike explains Calibrate—the practice of hitting reset, stepping back, and evaluating what's working (and what isn't) in your brand and business. He shares how calibration helps you connect the dots, find gaps, and make smarter decisions that keep your brand moving forward.

Highlights

• A believer in coaching - 0:23
• What is calibration for Mike - 1:17
• Taking time to think - 2:18
• Things change too fast - 2:44
• A process of constantly calibrating - 3:37
• Calibrate your direction - 4:34

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]

In this Brand Retro Brand Spotlight episode, Mike sits down with legendary comic creator Dan Jurgens to talk about personal branding, creative identity, and the story behind their connection. They explore how brand and reputation are built over time, how creators can position themselves, and what it means to build a career with staying power.

Highlights

• Dan's perspective about his website - 2:20
• Wanting to help people - 4:48
• It was a fun project - 6:08
• Consuming comics - 9:39
• This world is changing so much - 17:11
• The concept of a website - 17:49
• The Brand Retro Podcast for Mike - 19:35

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• Connect with Dan Jurgens:
• [email protected]
• https://danjurgens.com/

In this Brand Retro "Sizzle Word" episode, Mike breaks down Uniqueness—what it really means to stand out, how to stay authentic, and why creativity is essential in branding. He also shares why you don't always need to look far to find what makes your brand different—you often already have it.

Highlights

• Being a business coach - 0:35
• Being unique and creative is essential - 1:17
• We do not have to look much further than ourselves - 2:16
• What makes your brand unique - 2:42
• Think about what are your core beliefs as a company - 3:47
• The uniqueness perspective - 4:42
• Making your company unique! - 4:49
• Being different is not a bad thing - 5:17

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]

In this Brand Retro episode, Mike and Katie Jenison explore how to find real inspiration—the kind that connects to a person or a brand—and how to turn that inspiration into motivation you can actually use. They unpack how to think differently, stay on track, and create something truly unique for your brand.

Highlights

• People that inspire Mike - 1:29
• Why he finds some people inspirational - 2:43
• Talking about Steve Jobs - 6:06
• Finding something that is unique to you - 8:12
• Surround yourself with people that think the same as you - 8:42
• Find different ways to be unique - 9:48
• What makes them successful - 12:17
• Having a unique vision - 18:24
• Reading leadership books - 19:12
• It is okay to fail - 23:49
• Bigger brands - 28:54
• Brands that teach - 34:48
• Examples of good brand success - 39:50

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• Connect with Katie Johnson
• [email protected]

In this Brand Retro "Sizzle Word" episode, Mike breaks down what Next Level really means—how to identify the tools you already have, how to get more out of them, and how to approach marketing with smarter strategy and stronger execution. It's a practical mindset shift for leveling up your brand without overcomplicating the process.

Highlights

• Talking about sizzle words - 0:28
• Two sizzle words for Mike - 1:22
• Trying to be the best - 2:28
• We have to do more, have a next level mindset - 4:33
• Deliver beyond expectations - 5:42
• Creating the next level - 6:23

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]

In this Brand Retro episode, Mike and Katie Jenison define brand storytelling—what it is, why it matters, and how it applies to your brand in the real world. They unpack how storytelling supports branding, why it takes time to understand your message, and how to tell your story in a way that builds connection and trust.

Highlights

• How storytelling applies to branding - 1:39
• It takes time to understand your brand - 2:57
• Telling the story of your brand - 3:46
• Consistency as a piece of the puzzle - 9:32
• Using the brand retro mindset - 12:37
• Tell your story: that's the whole point - 13:49
• Tools that you can use to tell your story - 16:43
• Finding brands that inspire you - 20:47
• Creating connection and recognition - 21:59
• There's a part of storytelling failure - 28:01
• Be yourself and find inspiration - 39:56

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• Connect with Katie Jenison
• [email protected]

In this Brand Retro episode, Mike and Katie Jenison break down what it takes to build a successful blog—why blogging works, how to create valuable content, and how to make sure your message actually lands with your audience. If you want long-term brand growth through content, this is your starting point.

Highlights

• Why blogs are great - 1:53
• The importance of creating value and content - 3:43
• You want your message to be received - 4:55
• You need to have a plan - 8:31
• The importance of your social marketing - 11:20
• Spending time generating content - 13:52
• Finding your voice and content - 19:13
• What's the process? - 20:44
• Finding the best keywords and phrases - 26:00
• Why emails are great - 28:27
• Figuring out your goal - 29:38
• Being authentic when you are writing the content - 33:35
• Be honest with yourself - 35:41
• Choosing a content management system - 36:59

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• Connect with Katie Jenison
• [email protected]

In this Brand Retro episode, Mike and writer Katie Jenison break down personal branding vs corporate branding—what a personal brand really is, why it matters, and when building one becomes essential. They cover the core differences, how to think about positioning, and how to decide if a personal brand is the right move for your goals.

Highlights

• What a personal brand is - 1:41
• A personal brand and a corporate brand - 1:53
• Being in the right place and time - 2:38
• Why do you want to build a personal brand - 5:56
• Defining your target audience - 9:00
• What to do to create a personal brand - 11:24
• Different reasons to build a personal brand - 18:53
• Building audience and content - 21:01
• Expecting instant results - 29:14
• Finding your audience - 30:45

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Brevik:
• http://www.cyberdogzmarketing.com/
• [email protected]
• https://www.cyberdogzltd.com/
• Connect with Katie Jenison
• [email protected]