It would be an understatement to say that most companies were not prepared for the economic crisis that evolved from COVID-19. Since we can’t go back, we must move forward. What can businesses do now to revive and rebuild their brand, and how can companies prepare for future economic crises?

Richard Manders is CEO of FreeScale Coaching Systems. He works with CEOs and leadership teams to scale their business for success, with increased personal freedom. In this episode of Expert Opinion, Richard spoke with Andrea Fabbri about what businesses can do now to weather the storm, prepare for and embrace the changes to come, and why a strong brand promise is important.

Marketing practices were changing even before the coronavirus pandemic. The new situation calls for a new approach. Greater collaboration between sales and marketing teams, the need for executives to have a broader knowledge base and expertise, and a more flexible work force are common themes in both B2B and B2C marketing practices.

In this episode of Expert Opinion, Ryan Rieches is joined by Karen Hayward, author of the book, Stop Random Acts of Marketing. After 20 years with Xerox, and a number of other start-up and mid-market companies, Karen is now Managing Partner of Chief Outsiders, a firm that provides interim or part-time marketing executives to mid-market companies. The two discuss the growing frustration among CEOs, the changing roles of marketing executives, and best practices for a marketing program that is both measurable and sales-driven.

It’s been called the technology of the future. 5G – the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks – promises to be truly game-changing, transforming the way we work, learn and live.

Huawei is one of the early pioneers of the technology and also the world’s largest provider of telecom equipment.

In this episode of Expert Opinion, Huawei Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Joy Tan speaks with BrandingBusiness senior strategist, Alan Brew. The two talk about the specifics and impact of 5G technology, network expectations in the short-term, the long- term path to an intelligent network, and the world’s relationship with the technology communications giant.

For freelancers and independent contractors, working remotely is a way of life. Their relationship with the companies for whom they work is defined and understood. For those who have been forced into staying home and trying to work, finding the work-life balance has been a process. This is not only true for employees, but also the businesses that employ them.

Without the vision to see exactly how the economy will recover, businesses are re-imagining how their company work force will look when employees are allowed to return to their offices.

MBO Partners is a company providing innovative solutions to enterprise business and independent professionals. In this episode of Expert Opinion, we talk with the Founder and Executive Chairman, Gene Zaino, about the probable effects that COVID-19 will have on the future of business and the work force model.

With most Americans forced to telecommute due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we must all adjust to a new way of working and thinking.

A disruption in your regular routine likely feels uncomfortable. And things may never go back to “normal” or the way they were. To effectively communicate, collaborate and achieve cultural harmony, you need focus, preparation, and patience.

To learn the best practices of working remotely, we talked with a company that was founded with a virtual workforce over a decade ago. Chief Outsiders provides interim marketing executives to middle market companies. Managing partner and book author, Karen Hayward, discussed the importance of establishing a routine, the need to plan ahead, and ways to stay connected—and even thrive—in today’s fast-paced world.

Growing from a small shirt laundry business into a national supplier of specialty linens to the hospitality industry, family-owned GBS Linens reached a strategic crossroads. The company had expanded geographically but ultimately decided to keep their local roots and explore alternate growth opportunities. After extensive research, the executive team weighed the option to either enter the lucrative retail market or keep with their B2B roots and expand and strengthen their offerings.

In this episode of Expert Opinion, GBS president and second-generation owner Sujata Mody Kamdar shared the company’s findings from brand research, the path to a decision, and the company’s genuine commitment to both their customers and their employees.

Creating (and financing) a new company takes passion, vision, and a core idea that can be effectively branded. Our guest in this podcast is one of the most active angel investors in the country, Dave Berkus. Dave manages six early-stage investment funds and has actively participated in over 180 technology investments.

With all of his experience and success, Dave breaks down what he looks for when entrepreneurs approach him for funding. Dave also talks about the Berkus Method of Valuation and how to get to the heart of your brand story and value proposition.

Is it easy to differentiate good design from bad? What promotes great design when a creative team is designing for a brand?

In this episode of Expert Opinion, managing director of our New York office, Andrea Fabbri, sits down with two creative minds to discuss all aspects of designing for corporate brands. Chief Creative Officer Michael Dula and David Kohler, creative director in BrandingBusiness’ New York office, have over 40 years combined experience.

Placing a dollar value on a company’s brand is nearly impossible. But when preparing your business for sale – or for buyers looking to make acquisitions –brand becomes a valuable asset. Putting effort and time into developing your organizations’ brand can be a strategic play in getting the most out of the sale.

Managing Director of Keystone Capital Markets, Allan Siposs, has over 25 years of experience advising business owners on financing, business valuation, and preparing and selling businesses. In this episode of Expert Opinion, he discusses each of these topics, and how brand plays a significant role.

How important is brand to a corporate board?

How do private equity firms include brand in the value of a company?

In this episode of Expert Opinion, we talk about insights and best practices from both a brand and a business strategy point of view. Our guest Fred Thiel has global CEO experience of both private and public companies, is a private equity principle, a strategic advisor and board member.