The Brandsmiths Podcast

Amy and Hilary talk to Alexis Harwood, the owner of Helen’s Bottle Shop in Manchester, MA, about fundamental changes she’s making to her relatively new (and very magical) natural wine shop, driven by the pandemic. Other business owners weigh in on what they feel reluctant to return to, thanks to a slowed-down, at-home, we-do-things-differently-now... life. Also with: Paula Mallis of WMN Space, Laura Kleinheinz of Docuvitae, Billy Goldberg of The Buckeye Group and Brian Sims of One World Schools.

Amy and Hilary respond to listener questions. What to do when Instagram makes you irritable; how to establish a genuine (but less conversational) voice on social media; how to evaluate a designer versus developer when approaching a website; and opinions galore, as usual.

Her popular Instagram feed @atcharlotteshouse attracts sponsors like Lowes and Home Depot, who love her colorful DIY content and distinctive, hilarious voice. From refinishing old chairs to making a decorative mirror out of oven bake clay, Charlotte Smith combines unexpected materials to reveal design-savvy results - and brings viewers along every step of the way. But Charlotte, the sole talent behind the power tools, knows she could be doing more for her decade-old brand, which she admits was DIY’d. Her business model, like most successful content makers, relies on engagement and traffic to support advertising revenue - all of which she gets - but her metrics pale next to others in her category. She knows her brand needs some TLC in order to grow. In this work session, Hilary and Amy focus on Charlotte’s website and brand as a whole, making a clear distinction between Charlotte, the person, and At Charlotte’s House, the brand.

Alyn Kalach, the co-founder of 2b, a Miami non-profit that supports emerging artists, calls Amy and Hilary to get clear about messaging as part of revamping the organization’s website. She and her partners have gotten hung up with translating their mission – not only turning it into accessible copy that speaks to different audiences, but also because they are native Spanish speakers and English can feel….clumsy, and less poetic. Listeners will get a quick mission statement tutorial, inspiration on how to use a mission to inform other parts of a brand (like logo and overall brand identity) with some surprising takeaways that can be applied to any company. This episode proves that clarity around mission creates efficiency and creativity everywhere else.

Ameann DeJohn checks in with Amy and Hilary in the first of the “Circle Back” series - where a guest reports back with an update. Did The Brandsmiths advice (actually) work? How? What changed? In this episode, the Clarisma Beauty co-founder talks about how rearranging the brand’s positioning shifted almost everything about the way they communicate, package, merchandise, and sell their products. We workshop a tagline and offer a strategy for how to use it more effectively.

Everyone needs a nerd, yet no one is (really) looking for one. How should this tech founder enroll consumers in a membership model when they’re used to paying for support only when something breaks?

Leo Knight calls Amy and Hilary (bourbon in hand) with a situation that needs to be addressed prior to moving into his vision of franchising. Leo thinks Neighborhood Nerds would be so much more successful if only customers would break up with the break/fix model of tech support and move to a membership model; he figures the problem must be about ‘education’. But is that the only issue?

The Brandsmiths get busy giving feedback about what it means to create a new category, how to ‘date’ a business before settling down, why Neighborhood Nerds may be harnessing the wrong message, and why what an owner wants and what customers perceive that they need are often two different things.

Amy and Hilary go behind the scenes at the Newport Folk Foundation - and talk the future of the festivals. Executive Director Jay Sweet shares the bigger vision for the iconic Newport Folk and Newport Jazz festivals. These three day music gatherings are anything but average - they sell out in 8 minutes, attract the best, most celebrated names in independent country, folk, jazz and independent music and bring a history of integrity and loyalty - pretty much unlike any other festival on earth. With so few independent music festivals left, Jay is one of the last leaders standing in a field of mega-music monoliths.

Warning: mature content. Hilary and Amy talk to the hugely successful owners of Jenette Bras, a five-location, by-appointment-only bra shop in Los Angeles, known for their exceptional service and fit. This husband and wife team are introducing a line of 'night' wear and kink – a more provocative collection of under-wear. They've come to The Brandsmiths to stress test the new brand's name and the messaging to go with it, so that it can live in the same family as Jenette Bras.

Amy and Hilary take the mystery out of brand for master framer Keith Grayhorse. The Los Angeles craftsman calls in to ask a reasonable question, one that resonates with anyone who is mystified by the idea of branding or wonders if it is worth the effort. The Brandsmiths took the opportunity to talk through what branding really is (not what you may think) and how Keith’s digital marketing outlets – his website and Instagram – could be better used to showcase his brand. On this show: social media strategy, branding explanation and application. Got a question yourself? Hit us up at [email protected] - you could be a guest!

Amy and Hilary work session with Seattle coffee guru Deming Maclise.

How can Caffe Vita evolve... without alienating the OG’s?

Seattle’s favorite restaurateur phones in from the road where he’s shuttling between his 8 successful restaurants and handful of independent coffee shops. Caffe Vita (his secret favorite child) has gone through an ownership transition – and not everyone was in the mood for change. This is a great example of a business with a strong brand DNA (and loyal following), who could be leveraging it in an even more strategic way. Local hero (and Soundgarten’s favorite barista in the 90’s), Deming embodies the wisdom of a humble – but highly strategic – leader. On this show: Brand DNA, brand essence, positioning, culture as brand, ownership transition.