Branding Your Business

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

In this episode of Branding Your Business, Praise Santos McKenna walks you through how to add your brand identity into your Flodesk emails for a cohesive and clickable inbox experience. You'll learn how to upload logos, colors, fonts, and brand info, pick templates that fit your vibe, and build emails that feel undeniably you. Plus, she shares simple tips for keeping consistency across your website and email and ending each message with a clear call-to-action that serves your audience (and your goals!).

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

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

On this episode of Branding Your Business, Praise sits down with Adam Nathan, co‑founder of Almanac and Blaze.ai, to unpack why small teams and solo creators are rebuilding trust—one consistent action at a time—and how AI tools can help them scale marketing without burnout. This episode dives into Adam’s journey from the White House, Apple, and Lyft to launching Blaze, which grew to 1M+ users in a year by giving teams what they need: lightning-fast, agency-level content for $49/month. 

Get Blaze CEO Adam Nathan's cheat codes to building and growing a $150M company in your inbox every week with Startup Tycoon. Powered by Adam's experience shipping product to millions, raising $46M, and hyperscaling to $7M+ in revenue in 15 months with only 25 people.
Subscribe here: ⁠https://www.startuptycoon.com/

Try Blaze.ai’s 7‑day free trial: blaze.ai

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 Branding Your Business, we’re diving into the unsung hero of email marketing: the welcome sequence. I’ll show you how to create one in Flodesk that not only delivers your freebie, but also introduces your brand, builds trust, and gets people excited to hear from you. We cover what to include, when to send it, and why this moment matters so much.

Listen to past Email Series episodes:

Episode 1: Why Every Brand Needs an Email List

Episode 2: How to Get Your First 100 Subscribers

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-to-heart episode of Branding Your Business, Praise sits down with Erin Perkins, the powerhouse behind Mabely Q and champion of accessibility in the business world. Erin, who is deafblind, shares her story of leaving corporate life to build a business rooted in inclusion—not just the buzzword kind, but the kind that makes real impact. 

From the origin story of her heartfelt brand name to practical tips on color contrast, alt text, and why your Instagram graphics might not be reaching everyone, Erin brings wisdom, humor, and soul. Whether you're a small biz owner or a seasoned entrepreneur, you'll walk away inspired (and with an action plan). Visit mabelyq.com to learn more, and don’t miss Erin’s Successible education platform for hands-on learning.

View the transcript of the episode HERE!

Connect with Erin:

https://www.instagram.com/mabely_q/

https://www.mabelyq.com/

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, Praise Santos McKenna unpacks an often-overlooked part of branding—sound. Yup, that’s right, we’re double tapping into how brand sound shapes connection, memory, and even brand trust. From the unexpected White Lotus theme switch-up to the magic behind Netflix's “ta-dum,” we talk about how sound helps brands stick in our brains and our hearts. Plus, we explore how to evolve your brand’s identity without losing what already works. Whether you're a creator, small business owner, or building a personal brand, this episode helps you think beyond visuals and start designing for the full sensory experience.

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

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@brandingyourbusinesspodcast⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of the Branding Your Business podcast, Praise sits down with David Leventhal, the founder of Playa Viva—a regenerative resort on Mexico’s Pacific coast—and co-founder of Regenerative Travel. Together, they dive into what it means to run a values-driven, eco-conscious business, how listening deeply can shape your entrepreneurial path, and the mindset shift from sustainability to regeneration. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to build a mission-led brand that genuinely transforms communities, ecosystems, and even your own legacy, this is your invitation to listen in.

Learn more at https://playaviva.com and https://regenerativetravel.com.

Connect with David over on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leventhald

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

How do you grow your email list from zero to your first 100 subscribers—without feeling spammy or sleazy? In this second episode of our email marketing mini-series, Praise breaks down the exact steps to make it happen: from identifying your niche audience and their pain points to crafting a lead magnet that actually works (think: Canva PDFs, pose templates, exclusive discounts). You’ll also learn the key places to promote your opt-in so that people actually sign up. Whether you're just getting started or need a refresh on your strategy, this episode gives you the practical tools to build an email list that grows your business.

Need an email platform? Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk: comeplum.com/flodesk

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠@brandingyourbusinesspodcast⁠⁠⁠

What do international conflict mediation and brand strategy have in common? According to brand visibility expert Chloé Nwangwu—everything. In this episode, Praise Santos McKenna sits down with Chloé to explore how being under-recognized isn’t just a feeling—it’s systemic. From cognitive biases like the "reciprocity gap" to the difference between differentiation and distinction, Chloé breaks down the psychology of brand visibility, especially for brands often left out of the conversation. If you're a small business owner, creative, or underdog with something powerful to say, this episode gives you the mindset and tools to finally be seen.

Resources mentioned by The Brand Scientist: https://resources.nobiworks.com/praise

Connect with Chloé:

https://www.nobiworks.com/nerdlist

https://www.nobiworks.com/codex/winning-the-mind-war

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

https://www.instagram.com/nobiworks/

Learn more about Brand Coaching over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠comeplum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

(pro tip: mention this podcast and get some cool perks!)

Connect with Praise:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@comeplum⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@brandingyourbusinesspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠