This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone out there trying to build an effective marketing strategy but feeling stuck in the outdated funnel mindset.

I’m sharing what I’ve been talking about with clients (and thinking about constantly): how today’s buyers actually behave. They’re doing their own research, bouncing between channels, and making decisions on their terms—not following some perfect linear path we mapped out.

Tune in for real advice on how to meet your buyers where they are, build foundational content that works, and create brand awareness that actually leads to results.

➡️ Here’s the episode I mention with They Ask, You Answer author Marcus Sheridan: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/marcus-sheridan 

• Podcast: They Ask, You Answer: a content strategy that actually works w/ author and serial entrepreneur Marcus Sheridan
• Podcast: Activating the buyer’s journey w/ Michael Ray and Stephanie Roland, lead strategists at Accelity (Pt. 2)
• Podcast: Influence: 6 ways to persuade your prospects to buy

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to build a marketing plan that actually walks the walk through every stage of the buyer’s journey.

In part 2 of our conversation, I chat with Stephanie Roland and Michael Ray, lead strategists at Accelity, to map out what it really takes to create marketing that works from first impression to closed deal, and beyond. 

We dig into what marketers need to consider at each phase of the buyer journey—from building awareness campaigns that actually resonate (spoiler: it starts with empathy, not asks), to guiding your audience through the consideration stage with smart, targeted strategies. They explore how trust and proof points play a critical role in influencing decisions, how to tailor your approach to emotional versus tactical buyers, and how to create low-lift but high-impact conversion moments. 

From aligning with sales to crafting transparent demos, this episode is packed with ideas you can use to start building a marketing plan that connects—and converts.

Michael is the Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity, where he's spent almost four years helping companies build interconnected marketing and advertising strategies that build brands and deliver leads. With more than fifteen years of strategy and advertising experience, he works to build innovative and creative, data-driven strategies for clients and also specializes in tracking, reporting, and optimization of their campaigns. 

Stephanie is the Brand and Marketing Director at Accelity, specializing in brand strategy. She’s partnered with clients across non‑profit, B2C, and B2B sectors, and most of her B2B work—until recently—focused on B2B SaaS. Her core focuses include brand strategy, content strategy and advertising strategy, ensuring every campaign tells a compelling story and delivers results.

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LinkedIn – Michael

LinkedIn – Stephanie

• Podcast: Crafting a strategic marketing blueprint w/ Michael Ray and Stephanie Roland, lead strategists at Accelity (Pt. 1)
• Podcast: The step-by-step process of a successful rebrand w/ Abby Bruckner & Michelle Breen, lead creatives at Accelity (Pt.2)
• Podcast: Why most marketing programs fail

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

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This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who’s tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall with their marketing—and wants it to finally stick.

My guests are Michael Ray and Stephanie Roland, lead strategists at Accelity, who approach marketing from two different but equally valuable angles—performance and brand. We dig into what it really means to build a marketing plan from the ground up, how to align with your sales team, and why brand is the foundation every business needs before launching anything new.

We also cover what to do when you’re the whole marketing department (hi, solopreneurs), how to handle unrealistic expectations from the C-suite, and why investing in a plan now saves you from scrambling later.

P.S. Check out Part 2 next week for a refreshingly honest convo about marketing that balances art with science!

Michael is the Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity, where he's spent almost four years helping companies build interconnected marketing and advertising strategies that build brands and deliver leads. With more than fifteen years of strategy and advertising experience, he works to build innovative and creative, data-driven strategies for clients and also specializes in tracking, reporting, and optimization of their campaigns. 

Stephanie is the Brand and Marketing Director at Accelity, specializing in brand strategy. She’s partnered with clients across non‑profit, B2C, and B2B sectors, and most of her B2B work—until recently—focused on B2B SaaS. Her core focuses include brand strategy, content strategy and advertising strategy, ensuring every campaign tells a compelling story and delivers results.

Website

LinkedIn – Michael

LinkedIn – Stephanie

• Podcast: What if we launched a buzz-worthy campaign? w/ Michael Ray, Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity
• Podcast: Rewriting the relationships between sales, marketing and buyers w/ Chris Heard, CEO of Olive
• Podcast: Can marketing replace sales?

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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Want to show up more confidently and make your voice heard in business? This episode’s for you.

In this episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship, I’m talking about how your voice is something you build over time through observation, preparation, and asking the right questions.

Whether you're early in your career, quiet in meetings, or just figuring out how to contribute in a room full of big shots, we all start somewhere. I share what it was like to navigate finding my own voice when I first entered the consulting world working with high-powered execs, and how I learned that speaking up isn’t always the first step—it’s listening with intention.

Tune in to hear why asking smart questions can be more powerful than having all the answers, and how being prepared and curious is the first step toward making your voice heard.

Shout out to my son Arri for editing this episode. 💛

• Podcast: Succeed at work by embracing your identity & power w/ Tricia Montalvo Timm, business leader, author and speaker
• Podcast: Genuine connection & straight talk w/ Amy Volas, Founder & CEO, Avenue Talent Partners
• Podcast: How do I overcome imposter syndrome?

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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My guest is Kison Patel, founder and CEO of DealRoom and host of the M&A Science Podcast. We talk about why you should start thinking about your exit long before you’re ready to sell, how to build relationships with potential acquirers, and what really goes into valuing your business. Kison shares the biggest mistakes founders make during M&A—and what to do if a deal falls through.

Make sure you tune in for practical tips on prepping your business for sale and asking the tough questions that protect your team and your legacy.

Kison Patel is the Founder and CEO of DealRoom, an M&A lifecycle management platform designed for buyer-led M&A and recognized twice on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list. He also founded M&A Science, a global community offering courses, events, and the top-rated M&A Science podcast with over 2 million downloads.

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Podcast

• Podcast: Choosing a billion-dollar mindset w/ Suneera Madhani, Founder & CEO of Worth AI
• Podcast: How to change the change-resistant w/ Bob Gaydos, CEO of Pendella
• Podcast: Learning what’s on the other side of failure w/ serial entrepreneur Chris Harder

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by the idea of launching (or re-launching) a brand and doesn’t know where to start.

My guest today is Michael Ray, our Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity. Michael and I discuss how to build buzz before a launch, what makes a campaign theme stick, and why launch day isn’t nearly as important as you think. We also cover how to set meaningful goals, maintain excitement long after the big day, and test your way to better results.

Make sure you tune in for practical advice on how to launch something new in a way that builds real momentum—and keeps it going.

Michael is the Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity, where he's spent almost four years helping companies build interconnected marketing and advertising strategies that build brands and deliver leads. With more than fifteen years of strategy and advertising experience, he works to build innovative and creative, data-driven strategies for clients and also specializes in tracking, reporting, and optimization of their campaigns.

Website

LinkedIn

• Podcast: The step-by-step process of a successful rebrand w/ Abby Bruckner & Michelle Breen, lead creatives at Accelity
• Podcast: The #1 question you must ask yourself: what if I could?
• Podcast: Bold brand, big moves: Why we relaunched our business w/ Jenny Weeden, President of Accelity

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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There’s a lot of talk lately about hustle culture—glorifying long hours and non-stop work as the only path to success. That kind of mindset just doesn’t fly with me (or my team).

In this episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship, I’m sharing how we approach growth, motivation, and momentum without burning people out. I talk about how we’ve built a values-driven team at Accelity, from quarterly conversations that go beyond performance reviews to the ways we recognize wins, share praise, and make learning part of the culture.

If you’re trying to grow your team without grinding them down, this episode is for you. There’s a better way to build, and it starts with how you lead.

• Podcast: Bad leadership habits
• Podcast: Above vs. below the line
• Podcast: Prioritizing, delegating & asking for help: answering your questions

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who’s navigating the ups and downs of building a startup during unpredictable market conditions.

My guest today is Kyle York, co-founder, CEO, and managing partner of York IE VC firm that focuses on investing in pre-seed and seed-stage companies. Kyle and I talk about the mistakes companies are making right now, what to do if you're looking to raise money and the ways that your company might be bleeding cash that you don’t even know about. 

Make sure you tune in for actionable tips on how founders can stay steady through uncertainty, avoid overcorrecting, and make smart financial decisions that support long-term growth.

Kyle York is the co-founder, CEO, and managing partner at York IE, an advisory and venture capital firm focused on helping technology companies scale. With a team of over 200, he partners with entrepreneurs, operators, and investors to build impactful, lasting companies in B2B SaaS. Throughout his career, Kyle has championed growth in product, go-to-market, and finance strategies, prioritizing strong teams, customer satisfaction, and enterprise value.

Website

LinkedIn - Kyle

LinkedIn - York IE

• Podcast: Optimizing cash flow with Ryan Calton, CEO of RC MKE
• Podcast: Getting in front of investors + funding underrepresented founders w/ Alex Chompff, angel investor and serial entrepreneur
• Podcast: How did I go from $0 to 7-figures without funding?

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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Too many companies pour money into marketing but stop short of making the bold moves that truly set them apart.

In this episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship, I’m diving into why playing it safe won’t get you real results—and why calculated risks are key to real growth.

I share some behind-the-scenes insights from my own brand work, including a story about a client who came to us for a simple messaging refresh... but what they really needed was a full rebrand. I talk about why we’re often so resistant to change, the dangers of blending in, and how shifting your perspective can lead to bigger, better opportunities.

Tune in to hear why standing out matters, how to know when it’s time for a change, and six questions I use to challenge my own thinking (and my clients’) when hesitation creeps in.

If you’ve been playing it safe—at work or in life—ask yourself: what’s really holding you back?

• Podcast: How to change the change-resistant w/ Bob Gaydos, CEO of Pendella
• Podcast: Embracing intellectual humility w/ Dave Hersh, Founder & CEO of In Tandem
• Podcast: Taking calculated risks

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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In part two of our rebranding journey, we’re continuing the conversation with Michelle Breen and Abby Bruckner as they walk us through the details of the rebrand process. 

Abby and Michelle share how we approached the creative aspects, from gathering team feedback with surveys to developing mood boards and selecting the final direction for our brand.

Make sure you tune in to hear how we navigated the rebrand, why we chose a vibrant and bold mood, and how we customized every detail to ensure the final product truly reflects our company's identity.

Plus, we share key questions to ask yourself before rebranding, and how to decide whether a full overhaul or a simple refinement is the right choice.

Abby is a designer at Accelity, creating digital content that brings brands to life. She uses visual storytelling to make marketing more engaging, clear, and memorable.

Michelle is a Strategic Copy Manager at Accelity, helping companies craft clear, compelling messaging. She specializes in turning complex ideas into stories that connect with the right audience.

Website

LinkedIn – Abby

LinkedIn – Michelle

• Podcast: Why (and when) to rebrand your business w/ Abby Bruckner & Michelle Breen, lead creatives at Accelity (Pt.1)
• Podcast: Bold brand, big moves: Why we relaunched our business w/ Jenny Weeden, President of Accelity
• Podcast: Marketing & sales strategies to fill your pipeline in Q1

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

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