Social Soup

Michelle gives a quick rundown of marketing essentials in 2025. She digs into best practices for websites and social media, audience segments, artificial intelligence, social impact marketing, and authenticity.

What’s YOUR take on marketing in 2025? Let us know!

Loving Social Soup? Ladle the love by subscribing, rating, and sharing it with people you know. That helps us keep the batches coming.

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

We’ll serve up more hot takes next week!

Today we’re joined by Lynne Dixon-Speller, mastermind behind the Edessa School of Fashion in Milwaukee, and Michelle’s friend of 20+ years. Lynne shares the history of Edessa, the first designated four-year fashion college in the USA with global majority (black) leadership. 

Edessa School of Fashion is named after Lynne’s grandmother, Edessa Meek Dixon. She taught Lynne how to sew, sparking her love for fashion and teaching. Lynne talks about what life and education looked like for black families over the past few generations.

Lynne shares Edessa School of Fashion’s unique approach—teaching students practical skills to prepare for the professional world outside of school. Later, she shares Edessa’s incredible events, like an upcoming fashion show honoring designer Virgil Abloh!

Sponsor and attend Edessa’s VUR•JUHL fashion show on November 8! This event highlights Edessa School of Fashion’s commitment to fostering visionary talent, embracing Black and Brown excellence, and shaping the future of fashion culture.

Get tickets for the November 8 show: https://bit.ly/48qSAhc 

Sponsor it! Contact [email protected] to be a sponsor for Edessa’s VUR•JUHL fashion show.

Check out Edessa School of Fashion: https://edessa.fashion/ 

Connect with Lynne Dixon-Speller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynne-dixon-speller-45002577/  

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

We’ll have a new flavor of Social Soup next week!

Michelle founded her marketing agency sōsh 25 years ago today in 1999. On sōsh’s golden birthday AND silver jubilee, Michelle talks about the early days of sōsh and shares 11 lessons she has learned as an entrepreneur. And lots of bonus lessons sprinkled in!

When sōsh started, social media wasn’t even a thing. We were all panicking about Y2K disasters instead of A.I. ruling the world. Marketing has evolved in so many ways since then. Ready to party like it’s 1999? We’ve got 25 years of business and life wisdom simmered into this episode!

If you want seconds of Social Soup, make sure to subscribe, share, and rate. That helps us cook up more batches!

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

Enjoy fresh Social Soup next week!

Everyone has a story, and then there’s John Graham, a self-proclaimed “badass granddad” who has ENDLESS stories! John has heard the call to adventure from a young age, joining a freighter boat crew as a teenager. He has seen war first-hand, worked for the United Nations, escaped a burning ship during a typhoon, and climbed treacherous mountains…that’s just a sample. We’re not sure what he *hasn’t* done!

John Graham is the Executive Director of global nonprofit The Giraffe Heroes Project, author, speaker, and seasoned adventurer. The Giraffe Heroes Project recognizes people who “stick their necks out for the common good,” and encourages everyone to make a difference. 

John continues to live a life of service. He shares his experiences with PTSD, finding his meaning in life, and so much more. You have to hear it to believe it. Drink up his stories!

Enjoying your Social Soup? Share it with your friends, subscribe, and rate the show. 

Check out The Giraffe Heroes Project: https://www.giraffe.org/ 

Read John Graham’s memoir, Quest—Risk, Adventure, and the Search for Meaning: https://www.johngraham.org/books/quest-risk-adventure-and-the-search-for-meaning 

Connect with John Graham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnagraham1/   

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

Join us next week for another bowl of Social Soup!

Today we chat with Gordon Coopman, owner of St_rong (“Saint Wrong”) Training. Gordon has a background in both physical fitness and psychology. He focuses on personal training for his clients, and goes deeper into long-term impacts we have on our bodies and minds.

Michelle and Gordon explore questions like…How are the mind and body tied together, and how do we motivate ourselves both mentally and physically? Why does taking a walk help us think more clearly? What do we tend to get wrong about nutrition and fitness? They also discuss vulnerability, authenticity, fitting in, and being present. Let’s get physical—and mental!

Make sure to share Social Soup around! Subscribe and rate the show, too, so we can keep cooking.

Explore Gordon’s business. St_rong Training: https://saintwrong.com/ 

Check out Gordon’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Saintwrong 

Connect with Gordon Coopman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-coopman-670694a7/  

Follow Gordon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saintwrong/ 

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

Ladle up more Social Soup next week!

Victor Varnado joins us today—owner of a tech and media company called Supreme Robot. He’s also a comedian, performer, game designer, and cartoonist for The New Yorker!

Victor opens us up to the realm of gamification in business! He created a service called High Score Host that allows businesses to gamify email collection. Victor also creates custom promotional games for different companies that feel true to the brand. He shares the opportunities gamification provides, and how companies can use it. Victor and Michelle also chat about how to create valuable content and services people truly want. Later, they discuss the importance of art and love in life, and why they reject hustle culture. Ready to get into the game? Hit play!

Care for more Social Soup? Subscribe, share, and rate our show. That helps us keep the soup on.

Play games and win prizes on High Score Game Arcade: https://play.highscoregamearcade.com/ 

Explore Victor’s company, Supreme Robot: https://supremerobot.com/ 

Victor also created a gamified email collection service called High Score Host: https://highscorehost.com/ 

Connect with Victor Varnado on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorvarnado/⁠  

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

Join us again next week at the Social Soup table for another bowl!

We’re joined by Matt Dorner, Economic Development Director for Milwaukee Downtown BID #21. 

Matt and Michelle dive into the importance of social connections in cities, investing in our communities, and the science (and art!) of city planning. They also chat about where Milwaukee once was, and where it’s going. One of Matt’s projects is the MKE Dog Park—a much-needed public dog park in the heart of Milwaukee that maximizes a currently under-utilized city space under the freeway. Matt shares why Milwaukee is a hidden gem, along with other current and potential future city improvement projects. 

Subscribe and share Social Soup. That helps us whip up more batches!

Connect with Matt Dorner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-dorner-39a97533/ 

Check out MKE Dog Park: www.MKEDogPark.com 

Explore Milwaukee Downtown: www.milwaukeedowntown.com 

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

Come back next week for more Social Soup!

Today on Social Soup: Andrew Feller, Wisconsin-based commercial and editorial photographer!

Andrew and Michelle tackle the subject of determining pricing for business projects. They discuss how they navigate the struggles of clients not understanding certain service costs. Andrew also talks about the power of saying no as a professional and why to highlight your favorite types of work in your portfolio. How do we create picture-perfect client relationships? Plus: trendy words Andrew and Michelle can’t stand. ;)

Like our flavor? Great! Then share, subscribe, and rate Social Soup! 

Connect with Andrew Feller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fellerandrew/ 

Check out Andrew’s photography portfolio: www.andrewfeller.com  

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

Join us next week for fresh soup!

In this episode, we get deep with Colby Wegter, owner of Autonomy Agency, a firm that helps marketing agencies thrive.

Colby and Michelle chat about authenticity, building genuine connections, and burnout. Colby shares his innovative method for reaching out and connecting with fellow professionals on and off digital platforms. He also talks about his experiences with burnout—and how he navigated through it. We’re serving all kinds of interesting morsels. Hope you’re hungry!

Care for seconds? Subscribe, share, and rate Social Soup! 

Connect with Colby Wegter on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colbywegter

Check out Colby’s company, Autonomy Agency: autonomyagency.com

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

We’ll see you next week to serve more Social Soup!

Today we chat with Michael Diettrich-Chastain, founder and CEO of Arc Integrated. Michael is a leadership coach, speaker, and author of CHANGES.

He and Michelle talk about personal growth, change, and how approaches to mental wellness have evolved over the years. They dive into questions like…Do small towns create small thinking? Why should we question tradition? How do you find the right therapist for you? They also discuss organizational psychology and why introspection leads to great leadership. Let’s dig in!

The best way to support Social Soup is to subscribe, share, and rate our show! 

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mdiettrichchastain/ 

Read Michael Diettrich-Chastain’s book, CHANGES: arcintegrated.com/changes/   

Check out Arc Integrated and the CHANGES assessment tool: arcintegrated.com/cards/ 

Read Michael’s book recommendation, Longpath: goodreads.com/book/show/59678829-longpath 

Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠ 

Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠  

More Social Soup next week!