In this Founder Voice episode, Abby sits down with Kyle Van Deusen – founder of Ogal Web Design and The Admin Bar, one of the biggest WordPress communities out there!

We get into what it takes to keep a big community from becoming a mess, how Kyle thinks about culture, and why the best ideas usually start with “I have a problem, surely someone else has this too.”

What we yapped about:

1. Kyle’s path into agency life (and why he’s now fully unemployable)
2. Building a community that feels like “we’re in the trenches together”
3. Proposal Swap and other ideas born from real problems
4. The power of “Imperfect actions”
5. Finances, margins, and keeping the tax man happy

Honourable mentions:

The Admin Bar

Ogal Web Design

Website Owner’s Manual (WOM)

Barfly community

Yoast SEO

In this latest episode of our Founder Voice series, Abby sits down with Sam Sayer, founder of Detype, to talk creativity, agency life, and what it takes to build a brand with personality that still feels credible.

Listen in as Sam shares how his creative brain works, why a proper discovery process is non-negotiable, and the real reason his content lands: it sounds like him. Not “LinkedIn influencer” him.

Also included: Jaguar lore, a famous “who stole my bum?” post, and one very real reminder that good work + consistency tends to win, even when you’re tired of the internet.

What we yapped about:

1. Sam’s path into web and brand work
2. Creativity and letting ideas cook
3. Personal brand and company brand working together
4. Writing content that connects (and doesn’t feel forced)
5. Getting writing processes down so you can scale

Honourable mentions:

DeType

Sam’s LinkedIn

Neil Giller’s LinkedIn

Key Person of Influence Scorecard

In this first episode of our Founder Voice series (exciting), Abby sits down with Hans Skilrud (Termageddon). He’s a former agency owner, educator-at-heart, and the rare person who can talk website compliance without making you feel like you’re back in school.

Hans shares the real story behind Termageddon, how they’ve built a brand with actual personality, and why good support is a bigger differentiator than most founders realise.

What we yapped about:

1. How Hans went from running a web agency to going all-in on Termageddon
2. Why using AI for legal/policy text can backfire in spectacular fashion
3. How Termageddon’s brand voice was designed to match real agency people
4. Their “treat people like humans” support approach
5. How humour + serious subject matter can work together

Honourable mentions:

Hans on X

Termageddon

Termageddon Agency Partner programme

CIPA – California Invasion of Privacy Act

The Admin Bar

Gen X were “Latchkey Kids”, growing up home alone with MTV, Sesame Street, Madonna, and Nirvana while the Space Shuttle Challenger, the stock market, and the Berlin Wall all came crashing down. These tech-savvy multitaskers are no strangers to political and economic stability, and they’ve learned to question authority, mistrust institutions, and protect a healthy work-life balance at all costs as a result. So how can we reach them as marketing pros?

Mia says:

1. Demonstrate competence, skills, and results
2. Be direct – but not bossy!
3. Prep for skepticism
4. Convenience is key
5. Make strong peer-to-peer connections

Latchkey Kids aren’t afraid of change. So, tune to find out how to show them you (or your client) are the next best step they need to take.

The Body Shop built its name on sustainability, ethical beauty, and doing things the right way. So how did it end up surrounded by so much controversy?

We’re pulling back the curtain on The Body Shop, shining a light on the times that made people pause and rethink the brand’s squeaky-clean image.

You’ll hear about:

• Why taking the moral high ground only works if you can back it up
• How leaning on borrowed ideas instead of true innovation comes back to bite
• Why the truth tends to surface, no matter how polished the brand narrative is
• What The Body Shop’s story teaches us about credibility and trust

Baby Boomers grew up balancing Barbie, colour TV, the lunar landing, and transistor radio on one hand – and the fight for Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and Watergate on the other. The doors of opportunity were opening left and right, and their ambition drove them forward, even when the stakes were high. But now that they’re retiring, what’s the best way to market to Boomers?

Mia says:

• Meet them where they are (keep the online stuff simple)
• Quality > Quantity
• Authority and trust are everything!
• Add a personal touch
• Sweeten the deal
• Peer-generated content is GOLD

If Boomers are part of your ideal audience, tune in to learn more about how to connect with them!

If your LinkedIn profile feels… fine, but it’s not really DOING anything, this episode is your new bestie. Ciara, and Riley sit down to talk about what actually makes LinkedIn work for founders and agency owners, and why “posting more” is not the whole strategy (sorry). 

What we yapped about:

• Why LinkedIn is still the #1 place for founders to generate leads
• The real reason most profiles don’t convert
• How to write a headline that shows your value straight away
• The anatomy of a convincing About section 
• Stealable LinkedIn post ideas for when you’re stuck

Honourable mentions:

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Watch recommendations:

Black Books

The Traitors Ireland

The Traitors UK

The Celebrity Traitors

All The Traitors, really

Ever wondered how a brand with all the right ingredients can still fall flat?

Today, we’re looking at the wild story of RC Cola – the underdog soda that once went toe-to-toe with Coke and Pepsi but fizzled out of the cola wars before it could properly compete.

In this episode, you’ll hear all about: 

• RC Cola’s surprising history and early innovations
• Its head-to-head battles with Coke and Pepsi
• The branding mistakes and misfires that cost them their edge
• The smart strategies that could’ve completely changed the story

Ever wondered how a brand with all the right ingredients can still fall flat?

Today, we’re looking at the wild story of RC Cola – the underdog soda that once went toe-to-toe with Coke and Pepsi but fizzled out of the cola wars before it could properly compete.

In this episode, you’ll hear all about: 

• RC Cola’s surprising history and early innovations
• Its head-to-head battles with Coke and Pepsi
• The branding mistakes and misfires that cost them their edge
• The smart strategies that could’ve completely changed the story

Should the em dash be left behind? Is it truly a red flag of AI writing?

Listen to Mia's take on her beloved em dash and why she believes that no grammar should be left behind!

What do you think, should we be leaving out the em dash or can we keep using it in our content?