The subject we get into in this episode is around defining what a Brand Machine is.

This is a concept I use as a working metaphor to teach micro businesses about the mechanism which they can design and build to support them in spinning all those skills plates which they need to, inside their business.

If you listened to the episode I did on my Three Amigos, you’ll know about three of those spinning plates already: Brand, Marketing and Sales. In that episode I talked about how you can build an architecture or framework around you to help you to leverage those different skills at the right time, to the right people.

Your Brand Machine is that framework or architecture.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

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All episodes are video recorded, so you can watch them on the website show notes, or on YouTube.

I talk about a subject which is highly linked to your reputation as well as the value of your brand…and that is the NAME you have chosen for your business.

I decided on this topic for this episode because in the space of a few weeks I had quite a few people within my business community asking for feedback on whether they should change their brand name.

This is not an easy question to answer, because there are a few variables to consider and hence – this episode to dig into that.

My business consultancy background is in franchising so, for me, I will always ask questions around your intellectual property, length of time in business and your reputation.

I reckon this episode will give you some aspects to chew on if you are thinking about changing your name. Don’t make a rash decision about it, listen to this first.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

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All episodes are video recorded, so you can watch them on the website show notes, or on YouTube.

This is a topic that you may “go light” on in your early days of starting your business however, as you get further down your business journey, you realise that: LIFE IS SHORT.

Prepare yourself for an episode which is (hopefully) going to stop you in your tracks and make you re-evaluate putting off making those changes in your business that you have been quietly shoving to the bottom of your to-do list. You know the ones.  

As a micro business it's crucial to stay focused and be efficient with where you spend your time and attention. You only have YOU and, perhaps a handful of people to help, and waaaay less resources (than bigger businesses) - to maximise your output. 

In this episode I share a simple exercise to help you to really soak up what it is that you want in your future, so that you can be honest with yourself about what REALLY needs to change in your current day to day…and really shouldn’t be put off any longer. Its practical – I promise.

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Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

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All episodes are video recorded, so you can watch them on the website show notes, or on YouTube.

We talk about what its like for a predominantly service-based micro business entrepreneur to completely change their business to a product-based business (unrelated to their original business).  

To help me unpack this topic, I’ve invited a long-time business friend Tracey Powiesnik to join me. She openly shares what it was like to create a business which was a complete 180 degree turn on what she was used to doing as a trainer and consultant. Her product was something that she designed and created to help her solve a problem at home (because she couldn’t find anything on the market).

Tracey is a highly qualified and experienced L&D trainer and consultant and now is also an award-winning pet product business entrepreneur.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Tracey has a strong entrepreneurial background in running her L&D consultancy and training business, working with individuals and teams from businesses in the hospitality, education and professional institutions. Her specialism is using emotional intelligence frameworks to drive engagement and maximise performance.

In 2019, she designed an innovative new pet product called the No Fuss Fill, which has led to her focussing much of her time on her pet business which is gaining traction fast, and has picked up both industry and entrepreneurship awards.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube.

Big topic this one! I walk you through three of the many hats you wear in your business: Branding, Marketing and Sales. I feel like these get all meshed together for micro and small businesses, and in the end …you are not very clear which role you are plating and when. This seriously impacts your effectiveness in each of this arena on a day-to-day basis.

Your long-term momentum can be affected if you don’t gain clarity about which of these roles you are playing in your business…and if you are not great at one or two of them – how are you overcoming that?

In this episode I share my definition of these three roles, and use my metaphor of The 3 Amigos. I’m hoping you will better understand the difference in function and purpose between these 3 hats you wear, and also – you will clearly choose which hat you are putting on, based on the job or task in front of you.

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Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

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All episodes are video recorded, so you can watch them on the website show notes, or on YouTube.

We talk about what service-based micro businesses can learn from the planning that goes into putting on a show at an entertainment venue. We focus on the ‘experience’ of engaging and holding an audience’s attention and moving them through the journey.

To help me unpack this topic, I’ve invited David Ventura to join me. David is a Key Account Management specialist who spends his time sharing the virtues and depths on relationship management (with fellow team members, suppliers, partners and clients).

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David is an author and consultant specialising in Key Account Management and is a psycho-dynamic executive coach supporting driven chief execs seeking to enhance their personal and commercial relationships.

He has worked across telecoms, security and hospitality sectors and is especially fond of his time spent in the entertainment industry. He spends his time sharing the virtues of building profitable partnership-based relationships through active listening, flexible thinking and planning key emotive moments into experience journeys.

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

I talk about the 4 growth methods I usually advise micro businesses to plan their focus around. I have found, in my experience, that growing can be more of a painful ache than an exciting adventure. Yes, there are enjoyable parts to it, but really – for a micro business, growing hurts.

In this episode I share the 4 ways or methods by which I see micros modelling ‘growth’ or shifting their business up a level …to head into the future. I find that IF you can get your head around a method or way that actually looks and feels more like YOU, and what you want to do, then actually shifting and shaping for the future feels a lot better, and you build a better business too.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

We discuss the challenge that many people struggle with, when they jump the employment ship: who am I (if I’m not doing ‘this’ job?); and what do I know that makes me valuable to others?

To help me unpack this topic, I’ve invited Alison O’Leary to join me. Ali is a Career Coach specialising in career change to facilitate life change.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Ali hails from an impressive corporate background working for over 20 years in London in the Communications and Marcoms industries.

Today she runs her own life coaching business, www.livetrue.co.uk, specialising in career change to facilitate life change. She is an ‘Ideal Life’ advocate and the designer of the Work Wonderland™ process, her own proprietary way of helping people to place their unique strengths, gifts and passions at the heart of their decision-making and planning.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

In essence this is a hero's welcome to you - one and all! I give you a quick background to who I am, and why I'm the person to listen to and to guide you along the conversations and discussions to come on the show.

I also explain why the show is for micro businesses, who I identify those people as and what I have experienced their particular, unique challenges to be. More in-depth conversations and discussions on their challenges is what we dig into, in the show.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in value propositions, the product eco-system sitting inside brand strategies.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work, and spends the majority of her time running her group programme, teaching micro businesses how to transform their expertise into a moment-building brand machines.

All episodes are video recorded, so you can watch them on the website show notes, or on YouTube.