JK McKnight and Kelly McKnight are both experts in marketing. Kelly was creative director at Louisville’s largest advertising agency before leaving to start the city’s first digital marketing agency, Via Studio. JK founded the hugely successful Forecastle Festival and Forecastle Foundation. Today, he spends his time at Art of Impact, a festival consulting and experiential marketing agency and Brandjam, a technology startup in the festival marketing and experience space.In this episode, we talk about how building brands has changed dramatically from the early days of Kelly's career, how gen z and millennials buy 'into' brands and the importance of authenticity and impact when building your brand today.Connect with Kelly at [email protected] Connect with JK on at [email protected] more about Art of Impact at www.artofimpact.comLearn more about the Forecastle Festival at www.forecastlefest.comLearn more about the Forecastle Foundation at www.forecastlefoundation.org

Lesa Seibert is the CEO & Co-founder of Mightily, a brand marketing agency in Louisville. She is a recognized voice in the industry and loves conversations about branding which made her the perfect guest for The Brand Herald. Mightily was founded in 2013 and offers services like web design, digital-first branding, and marketing strategy. We sat down with Lesa to discuss why your logo is ‘not’ your brand, what a brand is and how important your brand is for your employees. To learn more about Mightily, visit www.mightily.com. Below is a quote about branding from their website.“Brands. They’re the expression of everything we believe in, why we do what we do, the ultimate demonstration of our culture. We’re here to help those who treasure brands. To help communicate them powerfully, effectively and in ways that compel other to feel and think” - Mightily

Kate Masewich's team calls her the glue, the conductor, the creator of magic, and the secret ingredient behind all our marketing and events. As commonsku’s VP of Marketing, Kate has not only guided the marketing efforts but orchestrated the ops behind every event: skucon, skucamp, commonsku University, and now, successfully hosting thousands of people through their virtual experiences.Commonsku was designed and created by people who understand the challenges of the industry. It continues to create community around professional development and helps distributors and suppliers grow the promo industry efficiently and sustainably. We talked about Kate's journey to becoming the VP of Marketing, the importance of building a brand and sticking to brand guidelines, and how narrowing in on systems and process is vital in the promotional products industry. Enjoy!

Eric Monks is the president of PayFWDs, a best-in-class HCM solution. They focus on offering personalized service to their clients to simplify their payroll and HR processes. Eric's main goal is to "create efficiencies that increase positive employee cultures, resulting in increased bottom lines." On this episode of The Brand Herald, we talked about Eric's commitment to individual client experience, recent updates to their brand and messaging, and what the future holds for PayFWDs!

Waleed Bahouth and Erik Anderson launched Kyndly Benefits, formally Arrow Health, in 2022. The mission of the company remains the same but the brand has been elevated to reflect their dedication to provide exceptional support to people and their unique needs. Empathy and kindness are at the center of the company’s values. Waleed and Erik both come from the health insurance industry. They are united in the mission to provide everyone access to affordable health benefits. We sat down with the co-founders to discuss the importance of the rebrand and what is next for Kyndly. Enjoy!

Jim Higdon is co-founder of Cornbread Hemp and a native of Lebanon, Kentucky. He holds degrees from Centre College, Brown University, and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Jim published Cornbread Mafia in 2012, which led to a journalism career covering Kentucky for the Washington Post and cannabis policy for POLITICO. Jim used his expertise in the hemp industry to make Cornbread Hemp a tangible CBD business with the best farmers in Kentucky. Join our host Landon Wade to learn more about Jim’s story, how writing Cornbread Mafia led to starting a hemp business and their plans for the future. To learn more about Cornbread Hemp, visit: www.cornbreadhemp.comEnjoy these articles written by Jim as well.https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/nation/how-i-went-from-outlaw-weed-dealer-to-legitimate-weed-businessperson https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/5-marketing-mistakes-made-by-cbd-brands-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Julia Block Pearson is the CEO of Stratos Creative Marketing. The Stratos Creative team has been serving clients since 2018. Their team includes web developers, designers, social strategists and ads specialists who all have one goal: to create online presences that represent their clients well AND attract their customers. Join our host Landon Wade to learn about how Julia started Stratos, how she defines brand and how they help customers tell their story and stay focused on the 'problem they solve'. To learn more about Stratos Creative Marketing, visit: www.stratoscreativemarketing.com.

Seth Lieber is the Visitor Services Manager at SoiN Tourism located in Jeffersonville, Indiana.  Southern Indiana is where the Midwest meets the south and country lanes connect with city streets.  Located just one mile north of Louisville, Kentucky, it's a wonderful place to visit friendly cities and towns where you will be treated to scenic views of the Ohio River, rolling hills and picturesque farms.  Join our host Landon Wade to learn what 'boomerang kids' are, what Seth loves about Southern Indiana and the plans to build the areas brand for the future. To learn more about SoiN, visit:  www.gosoin.comFor a quick video about Seth:  https://www.visitindiana.com/move-in/homeagain/?asset=2581-wl-d47bd85e-b1fc-4760-bb75-1895ab23e52f

Megan and Patrick Morris are the Owners of Little House Green Grocery in Richmond, Virginia.  They purchased the business 2 years ago after receiving an email about a business for sale that sounded a lot like the small grocery store they'd fallen in love with just 5 minutes from their home.  Turns out it was meant to be.  Little House exists to serve and support others. They serve customers by conveniently offering the best products emphasizing local and organic.  And they are uncompromising on quality. They are passionate about supporting local farms, makers, and artisans to give small businesses a place to sell their amazing products beyond a farmer's market or direct-to-consumer sales.  Join our host, Landon Wade to learn more about how we came to know Megan and Patrick, their journey to becoming business owners, and how they go about building their brand, from the inside out.  To learn more about Little House Green Grocery, visit www.littlehousegreengrocery.com.

Christine Tarquinio is the Vice President for Talent, Workforce & Brand Strategies at Greater Louisville Inc., The Metro Chamber of Commerce in Louisville, Kentucky.  In September 1997, Greater Louisville Inc. was formed through the merger of the Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership and the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce.  In early 1998, GLI became a strategic economic development partner with Metro Louisville Government, leading business attraction and expansion responsibilities for the Louisville area. Join host Landon Wade to learn a more about Christine and her journey back home, what brought her to GL and the brands she manages including GLI, Live in Lou and more.  For more information about GLI, visit www.greaterlouisville.com.  For more information about Live In Lou, visit www.liveinlou.com.