It’s one thing to make a great product. It’s another to stick it out when things get tough — and to build a culture and brand people want to be part of. 

Jackie Wachter is the co-founder of FOUNT, a company known for fine leather bags made to be by your side for years. She shares the journey from selling at a flea market to national TV to opening five locations in three states.

In this conversation, Jackie reflects on the power of listening to customers and staying true to your brand. She talks honestly about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and what it looks like to push through setbacks.  

We also get into what drives sales and growth and how she’s working to build a team culture that’s healthy and fun, even as they scale.

It’s a candid look at the uphill work of building a business — and why presence and people are at the center of it all.

FOUNT Website: https://fountleather.com/  

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/  

Do you ever feel like your ads are just lighting cash on fire?

Maybe it’s time to go back to first principles. 

Adam Bell has grown agencies and guided clients from startups to multinationals. Through it all, he’s focused on wasting less, connecting spend to revenue, and building the systems that make it all work.

In our conversation, we talk about why most ad waste happens before a campaign even starts. Adam also reflects on choosing your bets instead of chasing every trend. 

We dig into his idea of “permacultural marketing” and getting the most mileage out of every asset you create. Adam talks about how to work with what you actually have, and how to get creative when you need new content but producing it feels hard.

If you’re ready to waste less and focus on the campaigns that actually move the needle, this episode is a great reset.

Adam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonads/  

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/  

What if some of the best connections can come from the places you least expect?

In this episode, Susan Vaughn shares how she’s grown her project-based business by being thoughtful about where she shows up. She talks about building trust through connection — not by chasing every opportunity, but by choosing the ones that feel aligned.

We explore how she approaches networking as a long game. She shares the story behind a small marketing asset that pulled big weight. And we dig into what it looks like to repackage your work as new needs emerge.

Susan also reflects on how she’s built a business that leaves room for what matters — including fun, flexibility, and time with family. And yes, some of her best leads really did start in the most unexpected places.

If you’re working toward a business that supports your life (not one that drains it), this conversation is a thoughtful reminder that aligned connections, clear offers, and a little fun can go a long way.

Susan’s Website: https://projectauthority.com/ 

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/  

This episode is a look inside a business built on value, not velocity.

Todd Dawalt is the founder of Construction Leading Edge, where he helps construction business owners create more freedom, impact, and wealth through better systems.

We talk about what it looks like to thrive without building a big team. Todd shares how his CRM and systems keep things running smoothly — and how he’s shaped the business around what matters most.

He also opens up about the mindset shifts that changed the way he works, including what helped him quiet the scarcity mindset (and break out of the loop of “when I hit this goal, then I’ll be happy”).

If you’ve ever felt weighed down by traditional advice about scaling, goal-setting, or doing things “right,” this episode is a reminder that you get to run your business your own way.

And sometimes, doing less opens the door to more of what actually matters.

Todd’s Website: https://constructionleadingedge.com/ 

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/  

What if AI could help you move faster and make better decisions, without adding more noise?

Ruth Favela is the AI Marketing Manager at Tomorrow.io, where she helps a four-person marketing team support a global tech company.

In this episode, Ruth shares how her team uses AI to speed up content workflows, cut marketing costs, and focus their energy where it actually moves the needle.

We talk about how Ruth decides which tools to use. She shares what it actually looks like to scale content with a small team. And we dig into why AI is most powerful when it helps you solve real problems, not just spin your wheels chasing the newest tools out of FOMO.

If you’ve been feeling stuck between too many options and too little time, Ruth’s approach offers a refreshingly practical look at how AI can help you focus on what works.

Ruth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-favela/ 

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ 

What if the secret to smarter marketing wasn’t more ideas — but better operations?

Hayden Florom is a marketing operations analyst at Hudl, where he helps teams move faster by building systems that make campaigns smoother, results clearer, and decisions more grounded.

In this episode, Hayden shares why small teams often have an edge when it comes to marketing operations. He explains how thinking like an ops person can help you simplify your systems, get clear on your goals, and stop starting from scratch.

We get into how to define success when your audience isn’t one-size-fits-all and what it takes to make your data actually helpful. Hayden also reflects on the power of honest feedback—and what it took to get comfortable giving it.

If you’re reinventing the wheel with every campaign or thinking you may need better systems, Hayden’s ideas will help you think through a smarter way to work.

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/

Brittany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ 

What does it really mean to show up authentically in your business?

In this conversation, voice actor Danielle Famble shares what she’s learning as she grows multiple businesses.

We talk about how she’s come to recognize the difference between discomfort that’s part of growth and the kind of “ick” that signals misalignment — and how that distinction changes the way she approaches marketing.

Danielle talks honestly about perfectionism and letting go of perfect timelines. Danielle also shares how she uses tools and delegation to track what matters. And we touch on how the rise of AI is shaping her industry — and why our quirks might be the very things worth holding onto.

Danielle’s Website: https://daniellefamble.com/

Danielle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellefamble/

Danielle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellefamble

Chloë Forbes-Kindlen (Notion Workspace Specialist): https://www.businessops.co/

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/

Brittany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ 

Not everything that helps you grow can be measured on a spreadsheet.

Carli and Josh work at The Hope Venture, a nonprofit focused on fighting extreme poverty through education and health projects around the world. In this conversation, they share what it looks like to grow in two directions at once — supporting more people overseas while also helping individuals become more generous in their everyday lives.

They talk about what's changing in their approach to events, Instagram, and outreach, and why personal relationships continue to shape everything they do.

If you've been thinking about how to grow your impact without losing your focus, this episode offers a thoughtful look into what that means.

The Hope Venture Website: https://thehopeventure.org/

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ 

Artillery Media builds over a hundred websites a year — without a marketing team, an ad budget, or outbound hustle.

So what’s actually driving the growth?

In this episode, Jake Kramer walks us through how Artillery Media has quietly built a reputation through responsiveness and constantly looking for ways to add value. We talk about what it means to “stir the pot” with past clients, how basic SEO and Google reviews play an essential role, and what it looks like to be the go-to in niche communities.

Jake also reflects on growing through optimization, not just expansion — and how they’ve shaped their services around what fuels both their team and their clients.

We wrap with a conversation on AI, and how it’s not replacing the human side of their work — it’s making more room for it. If you’re looking for ways to grow that don’t involve pricey ads or marketing campaigns, this one’s for you.

Artillery Media’s Website: https://artillerymedia.com/

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/

Brittany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/

When you’re building a business from the ground up, it’s easy to feel like you have to be everywhere, doing everything.

In this episode, Dr. Rachel Huston shares what helped her early growth, how she built momentum, and why she moved away from chasing “shoulds” in her marketing. 

We talk about how she uses Instagram to teach and connect. She also shares the value of knowing your ideal client and how she involves her team in shaping the experience.

Dr. Huston reflects on what’s made it easier to grow without feeling like she’s selling — and how her definition of success has changed over time. 

If you’re feeling distracted by all the different marketing options, Dr. Huston is proof that doing great work (and knowing who it’s for) can still go a long way.

The Body Lab Website: https://thebodylablnk.com/ 

Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/