In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael sit down with Linda Richardson, a values-driven marketing executive leading Blue Stream Fiber’s expansion from Florida into Texas.

Blue Stream isn’t a traditional internet provider—they partner directly with HOAs, developers, boards, and property managers through bulk fiber agreements. That means Linda isn’t marketing to everyone. She’s marketing to the right people. And when the company decided to enter Houston, she had to build brand awareness, education, and trust from the ground up.

Linda shares how her team approached a completely new market, how Texas audiences differ from Florida audiences, why tracking data matters more than marketing opinions, and how to build true partnership between marketing and sales.

If you’re expanding into new regions, selling to multiple stakeholder groups, or trying to build a data-driven brand, this episode is a masterclass in doing it the right way.

In our conversation, you’ll hear:

Linda Richardson is a proactive, values-driven marketing executive known for leading transformative integrated marketing programs that build brands, deepen community engagement, and drive real business growth.

As the leader behind Blue Stream Fiber’s expansion efforts, Linda specializes in entering new markets with precision—aligning data, messaging, and local insight to build credibility fast. She’s known for developing systems, processes, and best practices that empower cross-functional teams, strengthen sales alignment, and deliver measurable ROI. With a career spanning leadership, strategy, media relations, and community engagement, Linda has appeared as a spokesperson on both national and local TV. She’s built a reputation for perseverance, partnership, and helping teams rise to the challenge of complex B2B decision-making.

In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael talk with Jason Gough, a 25-year marketing veteran who went from supplements and nutraceuticals to stone, surfaces, and seriously big kitchens.

After decades in traditional B2C products, Jason now leads marketing for Bedrock Quartz, navigating the unique challenge of serving both homeowners and custom home builders. Bedrock lives in that space where B2C retail, B2B relationships, and big-ticket decisions all collide—and Jason’s job is to keep the brand clear, consistent, and growing across every channel.

They dig into what changes (and what doesn’t) when you switch industries, how to brand for multiple audiences without losing your core, and why listening to customers beats guessing every time.

In our conversation, you’ll hear:

It’s a sharp, funny, practical conversation for anyone trying to grow a brand that has more than one audience—and more than one way to win.

In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael sit down with Andrew Burton—founder and President of Creekside Homes—who has spent decades turning custom home building into a brand of high-performance, beautifully designed homes in Northwest Oregon.

Andrew’s story begins on a carpentry crew in high school, evolves into building his first business at age 19, and leads into founding Creekside Homes in 2003—driven by a commitment not just to build houses, but to build homes that stand the test of time and deliver real value.

In our conversation, you’ll hear:

If you lead a service-based business, design practice, or any brand that involves complex deliverables and high trust, Andrew’s insights will help you think differently about how you build—and how you brand what you build.

What do you do when your product makes people pause, laugh—or even cringe?

In this episode, Jaci and Michael talk with Rochelle Paulet, Marketing Director for Evolve Rat and Mouse Birth Control (yes, really), about the art of branding something the world didn’t know it needed.

Rochelle shares what it takes to launch a category-defining product, manage B2B and B2C messaging at once, and build collaboration between marketing and sales that actually works. From reimagining packaging to developing proof-driven storytelling, she’s rewriting what it means to market a breakthrough.

You’ll hear:

If you’ve ever had to sell an idea people didn’t yet understand, this episode is a masterclass in courage, creativity, and clarity.

Rochelle Paulet is the Marketing Director for Evolve, a company using science to solve one of the world’s oldest problems—rodent overpopulation—through innovation instead of poison. With decades of experience in brand strategy, B2B marketing, and consumer engagement, Rochelle specializes in transforming complex, technical products into clear, compelling stories that connect.

This week, Jaci and Michael sit down with Liz Brooks, VP of Client Services at Interview Valet, to talk about how brands can use podcasting to build credibility and connection in a crowded market.

From her roots in PR to helping hundreds of brands land on the right shows, Liz knows how to turn conversation into conversion. She shares insights on storytelling, authority marketing, and the art of being a great guest (the kind hosts actually want back).

You’ll hear:

If you’ve ever wondered how to get your brand’s voice heard (literally and figuratively), Liz’s advice will help you show up smarter, sound better, and build authority that lasts.

Guest Bio:

Liz Brooks is the VP of Client Services at Interview Valet, the industry leader in podcast interview marketing. With a background in public relations and a career spent amplifying thought leaders, Liz helps brands turn conversations into credibility and visibility into value. Under her guidance, Interview Valet has connected hundreds of executives, authors, and entrepreneurs with high-impact podcasts, bridging the gap between earned media and authentic storytelling. When she’s not behind the mic (or the strategy board), Liz is a champion for helping B2B marketers find their voice and use it well.

In this episode, Jaci and Michael Russo sit down with Zach Schleien, CEO and Co-Founder of Filteroff, the video speed dating app changing how people meet and connect online.

Zach shares how building authentic relationships, whether in love or in business, comes down to one thing: authenticity. From creating a more honest dating experience to building multiple successful brands, Zach’s story is a masterclass in how to earn trust in a filtered world.

They discuss what it takes to brand for connection, why human matchmaking beats algorithms, and how the same principles behind meaningful relationships apply to meaningful marketing.

You’ll hear:

If your brand is more “swipe left” than “love at first sight,” Zach’s insights will help you rethink how to create real relationships that last.

This week, Jaci and Michael sit down with David Feinman, Co-Founder and CEO of Viral Ideas, to talk about the art (and science) of video that actually gets watched.

From building The Zombie Run in college to leading a global video-editing agency today, David’s entrepreneurial journey is all about turning big ideas into scalable systems without losing creativity. He shares how Viral Ideas has grown from a $200 experiment into a seven-figure operation—and why the best videos don’t just look good, they make you feel something.

You’ll hear:

Whether you’re leading a marketing team or just tired of making videos that fall flat, David’s insights will inspire you to rethink what “viral” really means.

Guest Bio:
David Feinman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Viral Ideas, a Philadelphia-based agency that makes creativity simple, impactful, and scalable. With a decade of experience building ventures, from organizing a national 5K “Zombie Run” in college to producing thousands of videos for brands like eBay and Johnson & Johnson, David knows how to blend storytelling with systems. Today, his global team helps companies transform raw footage into scroll-stopping content at speed, all while keeping the heart of the story intact.

In this episode, Jaci and Michael Russo sit down with Charlie Grinnell, CEO of Right Metric, to unpack how marketers can stop drowning in data and start using it to make smarter decisions.

Charlie shares how Right Metric helps brands cut through the noise, focusing on what people do rather than what they say. From uncovering the hidden truths in customer behavior to leveraging AI responsibly, this conversation blends strategy, creativity, and humor (yes, even about insurance ads).

You’ll hear:

Whether you’re building a brand from scratch or leading campaigns in a noisy marketplace, Charlie’s perspective will help you move past guesswork and into informed, strategic decisions that actually connect.

Guest Bio: Charlie Grinnell is the CEO of Right Metric, a strategic research company that helps marketing teams make smarter, data-driven decisions. With a background spanning digital strategy, marketing analytics, and leadership, Charlie is passionate about turning overwhelming amounts of data into actionable insights. He’s worked with brands across industries to help them see past the clutter, focus on what matters, and drive results with clarity and confidence.

In this special creative team takeover episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Michael Russo steps in with brandRUSSO’s designers and developers for a candid conversation about the role of design in branding—and why it matters more than ever.

They delve into the invisible impact of design, why people often only notice when it’s bad, and how brand touchpoints (from logos to typography to campaign visuals) shape the customer experience. The team also weighs in on the controversial Cracker Barrel rebrand, explores how AI is changing the design landscape, and emphasizes why shortcuts or templates can’t replace authenticity and craftsmanship.

Listeners will walk away with insights on:

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of brand building, this episode offers a raw, creative perspective from the people who design, code, and craft it every day.

In this special host-only episode, Michael and Jaci Russo pull back the curtain on what’s really holding brands back—and it’s not just budget or competition.

From the dangerous “If we build it, they will come” mindset to the overreliance on social media as a silver bullet, they explore why so many marketing efforts fail to connect. They also delve into the critical role of touchpoints, the underestimated value of internal culture, and why every team member—regardless of their title—is part of building the brand.

Key themes include:

Whether you’re running a large enterprise or a small business, this conversation will challenge how you approach branding and customer experience.