In this episode of the Branding Your Business podcast, Praise Santos McKenna discusses how becoming an educator can significantly elevate your brand. By positioning yourself as a thought leader, you can build trust with your audience and create marketing momentum. The conversation explores various ways to educate your audience, both for free and through paid channels, and emphasizes the importance of identifying key skills that potential clients need to learn before hiring you. Practical steps are provided to help listeners develop their educational content and engage their audience effectively.

Takeaways

• Education positions you as a thought leader.
• Building trust with your audience is crucial.
• Free educational content can lead to paid opportunities.
• Identify key skills your audience needs to learn.
• Education can create marketing momentum.
• Long-term educational content can reap benefits over time.
• Consider both free and paid teaching methods.
• Use metaphors to simplify complex topics.
• Engage your audience with practical teaching points.
• Observe successful educators to improve your style.

In this episode of the Branding Your Business podcast, host Praise Santos McKenna speaks with Christi Johnson, a compassionate business strategist and founder of the Dream Biz Lab. Christi shares her journey from a passionate young photographer to experiencing burnout while running a successful business. She discusses the importance of recognizing burnout, the support she received during her recovery, and how she learned to embrace playfulness in her work. Christi emphasizes the need for a supportive community and the significance of self-care, especially for creative entrepreneurs. The conversation highlights the importance of following one's passions and nurturing creativity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Connect with Christi:

https://christijohnsoncreative.com

https://christijohnsoncreative.com/lab

Burnout Proof Business Planner & Boundaries Toolkit: https://christijohnsoncreative.com/boundaries

View the transcript of the episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Building & Becoming Community Waitlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brand Coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (pro tip: mention this podcast and get some cool perks!)

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/brandingyourbusinesspodcas⁠⁠⁠⁠t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this final episode of our 8-part email marketing series spotlighting Flodesk, Praise Santos McKenna dives into how to measure, evaluate, and actually use your email analytics to improve your performance and deepen relationships with your audience. From open rates and CTRs to your unsubscribers (yes, we’re even talking about them), Praise breaks down what to look for and what to do with the data. Bonus tip? Use analytics to find your most loyal readers—and send them a little love note. You’ll walk away with practical steps to turn your email list into a powerful relationship-building tool that actually works for your brand.

Listen to past Email Series episodes:

Episode 1: Why Every Brand Needs An Email List

Episode 2: How To Get Your First 100 Subscribers

Episode 3: Build Your Email Sequence

Episode 4: Design On Brand Emails People Want To Open

Episode 5: Keeping Your Email List

Engaged

Episode 6: Emails That Sell

Episode 7: Why Flodesk Automations Are Your Secret Weapon For Email Success

View the transcript from this episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠here.

Check out comeplum.com/flodesk to receive 50% off your Flodesk subscription + more resources!

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@brandingyourbusinesspodcast

In this episode of Branding Your Business, Praise Santos McKenna sits down with Emmy-winning filmmaker and storyteller Daniel Mogg of Mogg Media. From working with NFL stars and Russell Wilson to directing heartfelt short films, Daniel shares the creative practices, value-driven decision-making, and resilience that fuel his work. They unpack the power of “alignment” in choosing projects, why storytelling matters for brands, and how to network in ways that feel genuine (spoiler: it’s not about business cards). Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur or a brand-builder, you’ll leave with practical tools to filter opportunities through your values and craft stories that connect.

Connect with Daniel:

https://www.danielmogg.com/.

https://www.instagram.com/danieljmogg/

View the transcript of the episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Building & Becoming Community Waitlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brand Coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (pro tip: mention this podcast and get some cool perks!)

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/brandingyourbusinesspodcas⁠⁠⁠⁠t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of the Branding Your Business podcast, host Praise Santos McKenna dives into the magic of Flodesk automations (aka workflows) to help you save time and nurture your audience on autopilot. You’ll learn what automations are, explore key workflow ideas like welcome sequences, nurture series, event reminders, and re-engagement campaigns—and discover Flodesk’s latest Spring 2025 upgrades (segment exclusions, repeatable workflows, and date-specific delays).

By the end, you’ll be ready to set up your first automation, streamline your email marketing, and focus on what you do best: building brands you and your clients love.

Listen to past Email Series episodes:

Episode 1: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Every Brand Needs an Email List⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode 2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Get Your First 100 Subscribers⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode 3: ⁠⁠⁠Build Your Email Sequence⁠⁠⁠

Episode 4: ⁠⁠Design on Brand Emails People Want to Open⁠⁠

Episode 5: ⁠Keeping Your Email List Engaged⁠

Episode 6: Emails that Sell

View the transcript from this episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠comeplum.com/flodesk⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive 50% off your Flodesk subscription + more resources!

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@brandingyourbusinesspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this heart-forward episode of Branding Your Business, Praise Santos McKenna sits down with Mike Brevik, founder of the Midwest-based branding agency CyberDogz for a soulful and strategy-rich convo. Mike opens up about his transition from corporate marketing to running a brand agency rooted in relationships, grit, and that iconic “Midwest nice.” They unpack why owning what others already see in you—your smile, your roots, your curly hair—is a branding superpower, and why relationships (not transactions) are the true growth strategy.

Mike shares agency lessons, client stories, and how side projects that just feel fun (like co-branding a motorcycle) are fueling his work in 2025. They talk consistency, personal brand resistance, and building a brand with pride—plus the secret power of asking: “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?”

Connect with Mike:

Instagram: @Cyberdogzmarketing

Website: cyberdogzmarketing.com

Podcast: Brand Retro

View the transcript of the episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Building & Becoming Community Waitlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brand Coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (pro tip: mention this podcast and get some cool perks!)

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/brandingyourbusinesspodcas⁠⁠⁠⁠t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 6 of the Branding Your Business podcast, we’re talking about something that makes most of us squirm: sales. But what if selling didn’t have to feel sleazy? In this episode, Praise shares four approachable, story‑driven strategies to help you sell through email without being salesy—using Flodesk.

We’re reframing sales as service, leaning into storytelling, softening our CTAs, and segmenting smartly. If you want to connect more deeply with your audience and turn subscribers into clients without the ick, this one’s for you.

Listen to the Roz Miller-Choice Episode about storytelling here.

Listen to past Email Series episodes:

Episode 1: ⁠⁠⁠Why Every Brand Needs an Email List⁠⁠⁠

Episode 2: ⁠⁠⁠How to Get Your First 100 Subscribers⁠⁠⁠

Episode 3: ⁠⁠Build Your Email Sequence⁠⁠

Episode 4: ⁠Design on Brand Emails People Want to Open⁠

Episode 5: Keeping Your Email List Engaged

View the transcript from this episode ⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠⁠comeplum.com/flodesk⁠⁠⁠ to receive 50% off your Flodesk subscription + more resources!

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@brandingyourbusinesspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this inspiring episode of Branding Your Business, Praise Santos McKenna chats with Mya Nichol—a social media strategist, educator, and mom—about building a life‑giving business that balances purpose, profit, and presence. Mya shares her “stacking income, stacking memories” mantra and how discovering pregnancy prompted her to redesign her business for sustainability. We dive into her 90‑day Instagram reel journey that led to growth from 2K to 10K followers, her actionable tips on hooks, bios, funnels, and time audits—and why timeless content matters more than trending tactics.

Connect with Mya at @myanichol or myanichol.com, and learn more about her IG University for personalized Instagram strategy.

View the transcript of the episode ⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠!

Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Building & Becoming Community Waitlist⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get our⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brand Coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠ (pro tip: mention this podcast and get some cool perks!)

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/brandingyourbusinesspodcas⁠⁠⁠t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 5 of our Flodesk email marketing series on the Branding Your Business podcast, we’re diving into the art of writing emails that actually get opened. Praise shares four tried-and-true tips to boost email engagement: crafting irresistible subject lines, choosing a consistent (non-spammy) send schedule, delivering value-packed content with the 80/20 rule, and using Flodesk's segmentation tools to speak directly to what your audience wants. It’s practical, doable advice that helps you connect authentically—no sleazy tactics required.

Listen to past Email Series episodes:

Episode 1: ⁠⁠Why Every Brand Needs an Email List⁠⁠

Episode 2: ⁠⁠How to Get Your First 100 Subscribers⁠⁠

Episode 3: ⁠Build Your Email Sequence⁠

Episode 4: Design on Brand Emails People Want to Open

View the transcript from this episode ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠.

Check out ⁠⁠comeplum.com/flodesk⁠⁠ to receive 50% off your Flodesk subscription + more resources!

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@brandingyourbusinesspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this transformative episode of Branding Your Business, host Praise Santos McKenna sits down with Hooman Radfar—computer scientist, startup founder (AddThis → Oracle), and CEO of Collective—to unpack the often-overlooked struggles of self-employed professionals.

They deep‑dive into why an S‑Corp tax election (aka “S‑election”) can save you ~$10K annually, when it’s worth the paperwork overhead, and how Collective is building a full suite (think: payroll, CFO resources, insurance) for service‑based solo founders.

Along the way, Hooman shares how his immigrant parents’ small business shaped his mission, the company’s people-first culture, and the Japanese principle of kaizen (continuous small improvements). You’ll walk away relieved, informed, and ready to thrive without financial burnout.

Get one month free with Collective: http://share.collective.com/PM3798

Connect with Hooman:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hooman

https://www.instagram.com/hoomanradfar

View the transcript of the episode ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠!

Join the ⁠⁠⁠Building & Becoming Community Waitlist⁠⁠⁠

Get our⁠⁠⁠ Brand Guide⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠Brand Coaching⁠⁠⁠ (pro tip: mention this podcast and get some cool perks!)

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠https://instagram.com/comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://instagram.com/brandingyourbusinesspodcas⁠⁠t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠