Sweetspot Podcast

In this creative coffee break, I talk about brand blockbusters – what brands can learn from the world of entertainment.

Today, I want to recommend an exciting book that gives brands and creatives a new perspective on their business, content strategies, and storytelling: "Blockbusters: Hit-making, Risk-taking, and the Big Business of Entertainment" by Anita Elberse.

This book is a real game-changer when it comes to the strategic side of brand storytelling and investing in content. Anita Elberse explains strategies, marketing tactics, and business decisions that lead to long-term success in the entertainment industry. She writes about smart go-to-market and release strategies, investing in creative talent, or the impact of digitization.

Her book will help you to re-think the way you work with ideas and creative talent, how you will promote and release content and how to invest in your media products.

If you want to learn more about brand building, storytelling, and creating your own media products, check out my website https://sweetspot-studio.com/

Shownotes:

The book "Blockbusters: Hit-making, Risk-taking, and the Big Business of Entertainment" by Anita Elberse:

For this creative coffee break, I talk to freelance designer Martha Harms about working with creatives.

Drawing from her experience in various creative jobs, Martha shares her insights on how to get the best results and make co-creation work. From empathetic working environments and creativity killers to freedom, playfulness, and the perfect creative brief!

If you want to learn more about brand building, design, and storytelling

Shownotes:

My guest Martha Harms

Freshly brewed Inspiration, delicious news, and hot tips to wake up your brand building. This is the Creative coffee break with Marc Suess.

For this first episode, I want to start with a big question: What do you want to have been?

In day-to-day business, we are highly involved in the present. But for building a successful unique brand, you have to develop a vision. I found two inspiring ideas to help you develop a long-term vision for your brand.

If you have questions you want me to answer or ideas you’d like to share with the sweet people, you can reach out on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join me in one of my creative coffee break live sessions on those mentioned channels.

If you want to learn more about brand building, design, and storytelling

Shownotes:

Franklin Covey: Begin With the End in Mind

Max Frisch: Quesionnaire

Coffee and cigarettes - by Jim Jarmusch

Raffaela works as an expert and co-lead at a cross-innovation hub. How do you get a job like that? The answer has a lot to do with innovation itself: an expression of curiosity.

In her talk with Marc, she explains how the Kreativ Gesellschaft connects creative professionals with industry experts, to mix their expertise in the course of finding new answers and creating sustainable innovation. Hence, the cross-innovation.

Raffaela shares her thoughts on the innovation landscape in Germany, differences in creative and innovation culture, and which trends or technologies will drive innovation in the future.

A great talk for everyone who is looking to integrate new ideas and innovation into their business, and all creatives who want to engage more in the world of business.

If you want to find creative solutions and the sweetspot of your brand, check out my website.

Marc Suess talks to Graham Brown, traveling entrepreneur, owner of a brand podcast agency, and sophisticated storyteller.

Being an entrepreneur is like being a traveler. Graham is both. Living in Singapore, he founded his brand podcast agency, hosted successful shows himself, and shares a lot of wisdom about podcasts and their positive effects on brands.

Graham and Marc discuss the art of storytelling, both for personal brands and companies. From trends and marketing opportunities up to resistance and purpose.

A great episode for all entrepreneurs, creatives, and storytellers out there that don’t want to get “scared into expert mode”!

To find your brand sweetspot and share it with great storytelling, check out our website.

This episode is the second half of the conversation between Marc Suess and Dr. Thomas A. Coucoulis. After discussing confidence, stage appearance, and NLP in part 1, they dive into personal branding this time.

How to build a brand for yourself, who needs one, and which famous personal brands are worth investigating? A talk about personality, development zones, Elon Musk and the Depp-Heard-trial and why not giving a f*** is the best thing to do sometimes.

With my creative coaching, I help you to find and share your personal brand! Check out my website.

For this Sweetspot Podcast episode, Marc Suess meets Dr. Thomas A. Coucoulis. He is a coach and trainer, helping people with a confident appearance and overcoming stage fright. He is coaching business owners, performers, or people that want to overcome anxiety or develop in their field. Hence his business and stage name “Rampenpfau”, a pun on “stage hog”, but way more elegant – as the “stage peacock”.

The two talked about Thomas’ way to the stage, from being a radio and event host, his struggles, and his training with NLP to becoming the coach he is today. A conversation on how you are not your thoughts, communication skills, successful storytelling by knowing your personality, successful mindset, and the flow state.

Listen now to learn more about voice voodoo, letting go of your masks, and getting into your perfect suit.

For this Sweetspot Podcast episode, Marc Suess meets Alex Villacis, a freelance designer based in Rotterdam. After different jobs in various roles, Alex found her calling and purpose as a creative – which she today applies as a freelance designer. A talk about cultural differences between countries and industries when it comes to creative work, about problem-solving and the inclusive nature of design, and how we can’t feel numbers!

Alex also hosts and produces the podcast “Do I need school to be …” where she talks to people from different creative industries about their training and education. Based on her experience and the many talks she had, Marc and Alex discuss talent, craft, and business skills when it comes to mastering your creative profession. Marc has also been a guest on Alex’s show – listen to it here.

For this Sweetspot Podcast episode, Marc Suess meets Ryan Alford. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, Ryan founded his full-service digital agency “The Radical”. In this podcast, he talks about his own creative routines, what’s radical about his approach, and the biggest changes that happened in the biz over two decades. Even more important, Ryan shares his seven “ageless truths” about successful marketing (e.g. attention, reach, creativity – hear all seven in the episode!)

They also discuss the “science of creativity”, what creative success looks like, and of course Ryan's own podcast “The Radcast”. With his agency and his podcast, Ryan built a strong personal brand for himself. In this episode, you’ll earn how that works, what the benefits are, and how that’s connected to storytelling.

Marc and Ryan also talk about “B2H: Business to human” communication, the cultural differences between the US and Germany when it comes to creative work, and the future of marketing!

If you want to find your brand story and share it successfully, check out our website.

Check out our friends: With nothing to say Podcast

For this Sweetspot Podcast episode, Marc Suess meets Daniela Sinicropi, a freelance architect from Florence.

A little culture shock at a young age (the strangeness of the buildings, the new teenage room) which at the same time awakened her passion for interior design and architecture. Today, Daniela lives with her family in Florence and has built a career out of her own story: helping expats from the US find their dream home in Italy.

Marc talks to Daniela about the importance of architecture and spaces for self-development, the differences in the housing market between the US and Europe, and how your home or workplace is a representation of yourself.

If you want to find your brand sweetspot, check out our website.