Influencer Business: A podcast by Trove

In our very last episode of Season 5, we sit down with Lindsay Alesso to discuss the intricacies and tactics of affiliate marketing. Lindsay is a Senior Client Development Manager at CJ Affiliate who has worked with global brands in the travel, retail, fashion, and sportswear space on their marketing objectives to create and execute short and long-term affiliate strategies. She’s been a panelist for many affiliate events that are focused on the value of content, and has received recognition and accolades for her own work in content strategy.

Some Takeaways from our time together: 

• Platforms change and that changes the way creators interact with their followers (which is important for the brand to know)
• To understand how strong your commission structure is, ask content creators!
• Before starting any campaign, before deciding any platforms you want to activate on, Define your goals and what your KPIs are for your efforts. 

For more on Lindsay:

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

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Amy Romfo (of @thecoastal oak) is a DIY blogger and content creator based in Charleston, SC. She talks candidly about pursuing content creation full-time with three young kiddos underfoot, flipping furniture, and pursuing home construction projects, all while taking her audience along for the ride (including the flops!). In this episode, Amy and I talk through: 

• The makeup of a compelling reel
• Her reel that went viral
• The downsides of viral content
• The value of being able to reach your audience outside of social and direct them to a platform that you own
• Why you have to be prepared to change your content strategy 
• And more

For more on Amy:

@thecoastaloak

thecoastaloak.com.com

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Molly Fienning is the co-founder and CEO of Red Clay, a fast-growing, Southern food business, crafting delicious hot sauces, hot honeys and specialty salts. And when I say fast-growing, they have grown 3-4X year over year in gross revenue these past three years and have rolled Red Clay out to The Fresh Market, Whole Foods Market, Publix, Food 52 and more. Incredibly impressive! 

Prior to Red Clay, Molly was Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Babiators, one of Forbes' 100 Most Promising Companies and the leading sunglasses brand for babies & kids (with 4+ million pairs sold). In this episode, Molly shares her experience and advice for the marathon that is starting and successfully growing a product-based business. We cover: 

• The different avenues for starting a business and the one thing they all have in common
• Why the “Irrational Offer” works
• Raising capital and the different ways to view it
• Ways Red Clay pivoted quickly to reach their revenue goals during the pandemic and how they ended up surpassing them
• Her most valuable advice to early stage entrepreneurs
• ...And so much more (as always)!

For more about Molly:

@mollyfienning 

@redclayhotsauce 

redclayhotsauce.com 

@babiators  

babiators.com 

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Austin (Host) and Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

Equilibria is the premium CBD brand that you’ve likely seen scrolling through your Instagram. While still a young company (not even 3 y/o yet!), they have seen incredible growth during their lifespan, in large part due to their partnerships with content creators. Bonnie Knobloch, the Head of Business Development at Equilibria, joins us for a transparent conversation about their highly relational approach to influencer marketing. We talk about: 

• Their generous commission structure
• Why she would rather invest in influencer marketing than Facebook ads  
• Their recent advisory board and how they lean on influencers to help with efforts from product development to marketing 
• Why content creator account size isn’t everything
• Advice for brands who are just beginning to work with content creators
• ...and so much more (as always)!

Before joining Equilibria as one of their first employees, Bonnie was the Senior Director at Beauty Counter. She has 15 years in the beauty industry and is passionate about mission driven brands and products that create a cleaner, safer, and healthier society.

For more about Bonnie:

@bonnieknobloch

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

We continue our streak of a dynamite Season 5 guest line-up with Emily Chan, Director of Affiliate Marketing at Our Place (@ourplace), a kitchenware and cookware brand that believes in connections made across the kitchen table. She has played a key role in developing the affiliate program from the ground up, partnering with a large network of influencers and top tier publishers aiming to drive impactful revenue for the brand. Prior to joining Our Place, Emily was leading affiliate at DTC clothing brand, Everlane for several years.

In this episode, we discuss how Our Place approaches influencer marketing and what content creators can do to create a successful brand pitch. Emily shares: 

• What she looks for in a content creator 
• The common mistake influencers make when pitching to work with Our Place
• Why Our Place employs a multi-month campaign approach
• Advice for brands who are just beginning to work with content creators
• KPIs for a successful influencer partnership
• ...and so much more!

For more on Emily:

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

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Trove Partner Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

We’re already nearly halfway through Season 5! Up until now, we’ve talked with content creators, product-based businesses, a social media strategy expert, and a director of influencer and brand partnerships at a major affiliate company. All amazing guests! And we’re continuing that trend with today’s guest. 

In this episode, we’re sitting down with Jackie Thomson, a partner at Leapfrog PR to talk about what, exactly, a PR agency can do for brands and the value they bring to that partnership. We talk about:

• •  The multi-faceted, personalized PR approach Leapfrog implements

• •  The simple but very important questions to ask brands at the beginning of a partnership

• •  How long it takes to see the success of working with a PR firm and what that investment looks like

• •  How brands know they’re ready to hire a PR firm like Leapfrog

• •  ..And so much more!

Jackie has extensive experience and wide-ranging interest in fashion and lifestyle brands that drives Leapfrog’s expertise in the fields of fashion, interiors, retail and wellness. She promotes both established brands and new talent, and through her wide network, adeptly organizes events that connect entrepreneurs, influencers and designers around the US. Beyond traditional PR, Jackie enjoys honing brand strategy, creating content for owned media and directing market positioning with long-term clients. 

For more on Jackie:

@jtthomson

www.leapfrogpr.com

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork)! CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Corinne Travis, the Director of Influencer & Brand Partnerships at CJ Affiliate joins us on the podcast to dive into affiliate marketing...its value, what it looks like at CJ, and how to approach it successfully (as an influencer and brand). We talk about what brands look for in sponsored influencer campaigns, the power of using data to pitch to brands, and so much more!

As the Director of Influencer & Brand Partnerships at CJ Affiliate, Corinne helps influencers maximize monetization through affiliate and demystifies influencer marketing for top tier brands. She created, and now leads, the successful VIP Campaign solution at CJ after noticing brands and influencers were consistently looking for ways to create meaningful long-term partnerships. Corinne brings incredible experience and valuable insight into the content creation and affiliate landscape.

For more on Corinne:

@corinne.travis

https://www.linkedin.com/in/corinne-travis-57197b3/

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Long-time content creator Ashley Brooke (of Ashley Brooke Designs) talks candidly about her path to reinvention and what it means to run a small business as a content creator. For anyone curious about what it looks like to treat a blog as a business and what it means to be a good influencer partner for brands, this is for you! 

AshleyBrooke.com is a creative brand and lifestyle blog dedicated to celebrating life’s big moments and every day adventures. For more than 10 years, Ashley has worked to create a space on the internet that provides a breath of fresh air, beauty, and inspiration with content that is equal parts aspirational and accessible. 

For more on Ashley:

@ashleybrooke

ashleybrookedesigns.com

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Sisters Neely and Chloe Burch of the accessories line Neely and Chloe join us to talk about the early days of building a product-based business, their very successful first ever special collaboration launch with a well-known influencer, and how they’ve found success in partnering with influencers to bring their brand to life in a different and unique way. 

For those unfamiliar with the brand, Neely and Chloe designs are understated and timeless, meant to be worn season after season. The silhouettes and craftsmanship of their pieces are simply stunning and everything is created with the consumer in mind. 

For more on Neely and Chloe:

@neelyandchloe

neelyandchloe.com

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.

Kelly Stumpe of The Car Mom (@the_car_mom) talks about all the things in this episode!...Her vision and mission for The Car Mom, her accidental influencer status, and her explosive growth. She grew from zero to 140k+ on Instagram in just one year and over 1M YouTube views in less than 6 months! Through honest car tours from a mom’s perspective and car-related content, Kelly empowers people to make more informed car purchasing decisions. Kelly is sharp, authentic, hilarious, and totally relatable. She’s also part of Gush & Grow’s talent roster. But becoming The Car Mom hasn’t come without challenges. Kelly talks openly about the wins and surprises that have come with having influence. 

For more on Kelly:

@the_car_mom

thecarmomofficial.com

For more about Trove: 

@trovebusiness 

www.trovebusiness.com

For more about Gush & Grow:

@gushandgrow

www.gushandgrow.com

A big thank you to our season's sponsor, CJ Affiliate (@cjnetwork). CJ is the affiliate network of choice for influencers and content creators. Through CJ you can get direct access to over 4,000 top brands, with the support, tools, and data to make your dream partnerships a reality. Learn more at cj.com/trove.