On this episode of Build Better Brands, Danielle Clarke is joined by Lorna Phillip, or as she’s better know, the Birmingham Doula who has recently started Black Mamas Birth Village – a group for black pregnant women. Lorna talks about her business background and explains what it is a Doula does as well as the challenges she’s faced as a black entrepreneur.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• I’d worked in health for a long time and had two children myself, but I didn’t realise before working in a children’s centre how important people’s birth experiences were to them. They either didn’t feel supported or felt let down by the system, I heard about doulas and decided to train to become one. Doula’s support people during pregnancy, during those first few tricky weeks of having a new-born, I teach hypno-birthing to relax people very deeply for the birth, I run anti-natal courses and am a massage therapist.
• It’s hard work, we make it look glamorous on Instagram, but there’s some things about it that aren’t very glamorous. If you’re not into “birth goop” – bits running out of women – if you’re not into late nights and overnights, being awake for over 24 hours on the job – we don’t work in shifts, if that labour runs into 14 hours you can’t go home, though sometimes we work in couples – sleeping in the back of your car.
• People do drop out of doula-ing very quickly with burnout because they struggle to make it work for them. You have to have a certain amount of heart but also hustle – business sense. A lot of people come into it wanting to help and not charge. How are you going to sustain yourself if you don’t charge and don’t charge your worth so you can live too.
• Black Mamas Birth Village came off the back of Covid as black women are almost five times more likely to die in the perinatal period (just before childbirth), during childbirth and right after childbirth. It’s an informal place black pregnant women and women with small babies can sit and breathe, we do first aid courses, talk about what’s happening in their lives. We’re already at 103 women.

BEST MOMENTS

‘I want to help people have better birth experiences.’

‘Being self-employed is hard, there’s no monthly salary coming in, it’s down to you and you only. But, if it doesn’t feel like work, and it’s your passion, it’s not a job.’

‘How much [money] do you need to make your life work? I factor in my own self-care into my fee so I can look after myself so I can look after more people.’

‘It takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to raise a mother.’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Lorna is mom to two grown-ups, born in 1989 and 1993 and grandma to two gorgeous bundles born in 2016 and 2018. She had two very different births and single-handedly raised two amazingly wonderful young people

More Black women than ever are seeking out doula support for their births. To ensure that as many Black women as possible feel supported, Lorna has created a new online community called Black Mamas Birth Village where she offers information and support for pregnant Black women and mums of new born babies.

The Village is a safe space for Black women to sit a while and breathe whilst sharing information and tips for pregnancy, birth and beyond.

On the launch of Black Mamas Birth Village this year, Lorna’s 1st goal was to welcome 100 Black Women into the Village; we are now at 111 and growing!

Lorna has also included a fillable birth plan that can be downloaded for all Mamas to be.

Lorna is also a doula mentor and co-facilitator for Abuela Doulas for whom she helps train new doulas and guide them on their doula journey as they gain experience.

After spending 30+ years supporting parents and their children – first as a nursery nurse in the 1980’s and more recently as a deputy manager of a SureStart Children’s Centre – coordinating family health services, promoting and supporting breastfeeding, teaching infant massage etc; Lorna found her life’s purpose and became a doula.

As a birth and postnatal doula Lorna has supported many, very different births and although she’s passionate about all births, VBACs (vaginal birth after caesarean) and positive birth experiences after previous traumatic births are the ones that make her heart really sing. Observing a woman coming into her own power, overcoming fears whilst still allowing herself to be vulnerable is one of the most powerful and emotionally charged experiences that anybody could have.

She says: “I don’t profess to be a ‘birth geek’, I’m told it’s my experience and reassuringly calm and confident nature that moms are drawn to.”

CONTACT INFO:

Email [email protected]  IG https://www.instagram.com/black_mamas_birth_village/  FB https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackmamasbirthvillage

Website - https://birmingham-doula.co.uk/ 

Instagram - @birminghamdoula or @black_mamas_birth_village / https://www.instagram.com/birminghamdoula/ https://www.instagram.com/black_mamas_birth_village/

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people’s lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]
LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]
Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke](https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke)
Email - [[email protected]](http://www.danielleclarkecreative.com/)
Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Build Better Brands, Danielle Clarke is joined by business and relationship coach, Peter Gregory who has experience in business and building personal brands. The pair talk about the importance of putting yourself at the forefront of what you do and understanding your values.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• It took me a while to understand who I was in order to communicate better. Know thyself. If we don't understand who we are and what values are important to us and what we want out of life, when it comes to branding, it's going to be false and the true meaning is lost and customers can't get a handle on who you are and what we do.
• We need to align with the right people who are easy to work with and share the same values as us. Life's too short for drama and bad relationships.
• We see people putting on personas and wanting to become influencers, these aren't their true selves, and it will come through and people will pick up that it's false. Don't be your full self all the time – sometimes I'm grumpy – look at the genuinely positive aspects of your personality forward because at the core of it is you. It's not inauthentic, it's your brand personality.
• Avoid talking about religion on social media, steer clear of politics and don't ask if it's right to have pineapple as a pizza topic, because that's incredibly divisive! But, a small business making controversial social media posts could cause half the potential client-base to walk away, which is disastrous for small businesses and tarnishes the brand.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It's lonely being a business owner and people don't like to ask for help, but if you get the right people around you it becomes so much easier.'

‘Sometimes our drivers happen to us in our early years, and they define us. Being helped drives everything I do, I build communities.'

‘Mr T was a bouncer before he became a TV and film star. He's still his authentic self, but he built a brand around himself.'

‘The rebranding of Facebook to Meta is changing their look and distracting people, their core values haven't changed. But I don't think it's going to distract anyone now.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Check out one of both Danielle's and Peter's favourite books: Start With Why - Book by Simon Sinek https://amzn.to/3EljKWF

ABOUT THE GUEST

Peter Gregory is a proponent of working smarter, not harder, and how effective referral marketing can help achieve this. He has worked for over 20 years for some of the world's major IT outsourcing companies, leading technical teams in the deliver of worldwide IT systems.

Without personal relationships, built with other individuals around the world, Gregory would never have achieved the success he has. “It's not what you know, or who you know – it's how well you know them”. You can be very knowledgeable, or have the most outstanding product, but without people to help you then success is hard to achieve.

By understanding a client's wants and needs, conscious and unconscious, we are able to agree on suitable solutions that they can commit to achieving through proven processes. He believes we all have strengths and weaknesses and by understanding them we can use them to gain the success we deserve.

Website - https://iampeterg.co.uk/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteradriangregory/ 

Instagram - @i_am_peterg https://www.instagram.com/i_am_peterg/

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people's lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]
LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]
Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke](https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke)
Email - [[email protected]](http://www.danielleclarkecreative.com/)
Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Build Better Brands, Danielle Clarke is joined by Natalia, founder of Chai Soul to explain a little about who she is, what she does and the harrowing story of how she got there. Chai Soul is a health and wellbeing company that specialises in pop up yoga events, community yoga classes (online and in person) and retreats. Natalia is passionate about empowering people to become the healthiest, happiest versions of themselves. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• When we're younger we have routines and habits instilled in us that are both good and bad, but there's rarely ever any mention of “strive to be happy”. We know we should do certain things, but what if they don't fulfil us or are damaging? These can manifest in different ways as we get older.
• Through all my experiences in life I realised that when you start doing good things for yourself people get offended and drift away leaving you to do things by yourself, so my events are for anyone who's suffering or is at the turning point in their lives so they have somewhere to go, they can turn up by themselves and know they are welcome with no judgement.
• At least every class there's always someone who says “I never take time out to do something like this”. Before people can be the best version of themselves, they first need to choose and show up for themselves. The next step is to get people to connect with their intuition
• Have one non-negotiable for yourself every day, like going for a walk for 10 minutes or an hour, reading a chapter of a book for leisure, etc. Doing this then adding to it so you have many things for yourself during the week and you'll start to see the benefits quite quickly.

BEST MOMENTS

‘We're surrounded by people who wear burnout as a badge of honour.'

‘We can all start again at any point in our lives.'

‘I'm used to being a unicorn as a black person in financial services, but I know some aren't comfortable. You're welcome at my yoga events if you're black, overweight, a man, etc.'

‘Think about what you want people to say about your business? Are you doing any of those things now?'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The book Natalia read that really changed her mindset: 
What I Know For Sure - Book by Oprah Winfrey -  https://amzn.to/3xP5O55

ABOUT THE GUEST

Natalia grew up in the city of Birmingham in a single-parent home. As she started to get older she learned that she loved travelling, she went to university and responded well to that environment. After university she got a job in financial services and living her “best Sex In The City lifestyle” while still living with her family. 

However, this lifestyle led to weight gain which led her to do try fad diets. In her late 20s she started having difficulty eating and, while on the waiting list to be seen by the doctors, she started reading about what could be affecting her diet, but nothing seemed to help. In the end she took herself to A&E complaining of chest pains and it transpired she had a blood clot on her lung and achalasia, meaning her oesophagus wasn't working properly to move food – or even saliva – down her throat.

Having hit rock bottom, she began her path into healing and mindset, eventually returning to work where she was given a promotion. However, the illness gave her a new view on life, and she realised she wasn't fulfilled, so she looked around and took up yoga training.

Website - www.chai-soul.com 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Chaisouluk/ 

Instagram - @chaisoul | https://www.instagram.com/chaisoul/

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people's lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]
LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]
Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke](https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke)
Email - [[email protected]](http://www.danielleclarkecreative.com/)
Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Build Better Brands, Danielle Clarke is joined by agency veteran Michael Janda to discuss and share his experience of running a business, creating a brand, mentoring and training his employees to what he does now: Helping creatives figure out how to maximise their careers, to make the money they should be making and helping them reduce their stress.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The top things you should have in place if you're going to be successful are: Relationships and relationship skills – to be able to connect with other people in a way that makes them want to buy from you and that they can trust you. Understanding business fundamentals – the numbers, how to make decisions based off the analysing the data, how to price your work. Have a network of support – people who fulfil some of your tangential skills and that overlap some of your skills.
• One of the big objectives of branding is to differentiate your business from other businesses, to make you stand out and resonate with a target customer and make you unique in the marketplace. Every human is unique, no one is the same as you, we're all individually branded, let that become manifest in your business and it will become unique like you.
• I used to think “that person's killing it, their agency's so good, how did they get there?” and then I got big enough that I could go to lunch with these people and it wasn't all roses, they were having the same problems I was and my eyes opened to the fact that their outward representation said. Most entrepreneurs are the same. The reality is not the same as what they portray.
• What is the fusion between your personal brand and your business brand? Are you intentionally making your business brand a manifestation of your personal brand? Are you making yourself the face of your business brand? Someone needs to be the face of your business brand, you should be your own influencer of your businesses, don't pay someone else to sell your brand for you.

BEST MOMENTS

‘So many creatives are uber-creative, but not uber-analytical. If you're an entrepreneur, you have to tap into both sides of that. If you can't, hire someone who is to do that for you.'

‘It's detrimental to the success of your business to emulate a brand like Nike or Apple.'

‘In the end my agency was a success, but there were plenty of dark days on the road. I'm glad that phase in my life is over, but grateful to have had the experience.'

‘Say what you want about Donald Trump, but that dude was branded, he was a walking brand.'

ABOUT THE GUEST

Michael Janda is an executive level creative leader with more than 20 years of experience in both in-house creative departments and agencies working with some of the greatest brands in the world.

He founded the creative agency, Riser, in 2002. Over 13 years he led Riser to a 31% average annual profit margin. Riser was a nationally recognized agency creating high-profile work for clients including Disney, Google, ABC, Fox, Warner Bros., NBC, TV Guide and numerous other notable companies. The company's work quality and successful business practices yielded some of the most coveted awards in the industry including Webbys, FWA, Awwwards, AIGA and Addys. 

In 2015, Michael sold Riser to a competing Utah marketing agency named Eli Kirk where he became one of four partners at the agency and its Chief Creative Officer. Following the acquisition he orchestrated a rebrand of the agency as EKR, which has acquired new notable clients including Google, National Geographic, ABC, Intel and Netflix.

In addition to his experience managing creative and marketing teams, Michael is the author of the 2013 book, Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff They Don't Teach You In Design School, But Should. The book's success has resulted in opportunities for Michael to be a keynote speaker at AIGA, Advertising Federation and University events across the nation, as well as at HOW Design Live in Atlanta in 2016 and Boston in 2018, the headline speaker at the 2018 Behance Portfolio Review in Moscow and a keynote speaker at a national event for Mercedes-Benz.

Website - https://michaeljanda.com/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/morejanda/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/morejanda

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morejanda

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMtMijHO1MVzw_Mjkh7_amw 

Books: The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing: Price creative work with confidence

Anatomy of a Design Proposal 

Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff they don't teach you in design school, but should

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER. Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people's lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]
LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]
Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke](https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke)
Email - [[email protected]](http://www.danielleclarkecreative.com/)
Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this introductory episode your host, Danielle Clarke explains how this podcast will help anyone that wants to know how to build better brands for their businesses know where to start and how to do it, as well as what to expect from the upcoming episodes. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• I want listeners to this podcast to be business owners, especially small business owners in the health, wellness and fitness space, because experience has taught me that a lot of small business owners don't feel like they deserve a good brand, let alone a better brand.
• I can see the positive impact that focusing on health and wellbeing can have on yourself and your business. The two go hand-in-hand. Amazing things will happen and if more people focused on those things the world would be a happier place.
• When I started focusing on me, on eating right, going to bed at the right time, getting enough time asleep, drinking enough water I really notice the difference. It's like night and day and things got better and it allowed me to have a better business and brand and be a better boss.
• I want to show people that if you have a “why” and you care you can start a brand, you've just got to back yourself and make it happen and you can have a positive impact on people's lives.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Anyone that wants to help and improve themselves and other people's lives are pretty amazing.'

‘Me and some friends started a school magazine and it was really exciting. I still get that buzz helping others in the business world.'

‘This podcast isn't about me, I'm here to help you.'

‘You don't have to be as big as Nike to start to focus on your brand.'

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and Business Owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including Škoda, Gtech, UK Biocentre, UK Mail and GIRLvsCANCER Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people's lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | [https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/]
LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/]
Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  [https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke](https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke)
Email - [[email protected]](http://www.danielleclarkecreative.com/)
Website: www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

A hybrid podcast combining interviews, conversations and solo talks about branding and business. The Brand better podcast is to inspire small business owners and help them realise that they don't have to be Nike to have a great brand, and the sooner they start focus on making it better, the sooner they can improve their lives and the lives of others. I'll be talking to experts in the branding field as well as business owners in the health, wellness and fitness space. We'll be talking about why your brand starts with you and why becoming a better version of yourself, by looking after yourself is the first thing to do to make your brand better. Branding is how you present your best self to your audience consistently.

ABOUT THE HOST

Danielle Clarke is a Brand and Marketing Consultant, University Lecturer and business owner.

Since 2006 Danielle has provided brand design and marketing support for clients including ŠKODA, Gtech, UK Biocentre, Healthful Mind Clinic and GIRLvsCANCER Danielle is committed to helping brands that want to have a positive impact on people's lives. She spends her time consulting and working with business owners to help them attract and retain their best customers.

Insta - @danielleclarkecreative | https://www.instagram.com/danielleclarkecreative/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-clarke-creative/ 

Twitter - @D4nielleCl4rke |  https://twitter.com/D4nielleCl4rke

Email - [email protected] 

Website - www.danielleclarkecreative.com

This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.