In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Amanda Hofman, the Co-Founder and CEO of Go-To-Market, a branded merchandise studio that focuses on sustainable, beautiful design. They create custom print-on-demand swag shops for companies and brands of all sizes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Amanda’s career background before starting Go-To-Market. (01:17)

• How Amanda knew that print-on-demand was her passion. (03:45)

• How Amanda approached starting her two businesses differently. (05:31)

• Making your kids your passion project, not your business. (09:05)

• Being intentional about the money side of things early on is key. (12:12)

• How Go-To-Market came to be and how the merchandise is created beautifully and sustainably. (13:28)

• Offering choice in terms of swag is key. (16:25)

• What makes a brand meaningful is how they make you feel. (18:30)

• Disrupting the old way of doing swag. (24:55)

• How they came up with the brand Go-To-Market. (25:25)

• Why having opposite skill sets as your partner is so impactful. (28:00)

• How they’ve implemented the brand beyond the logo over time. (31:50)

• Amanda’s approach to marketing. (37:22)

• It's okay to just do the things that you're good at if it's working. (41:28)

• The most rewarding and challenging parts of business and entrepreneurship for Amanda. (49:37)

• Biggest pieces of advice for business owners just getting started and establishing their brand. (53:10)

Website: http://www.gotomarket.studio

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gotomarketstudio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/go-to-market-custom-branded-merchandise/

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Tina Ramaci, the Founder of Tiny Knot Co, a woman and mom-owned brand that provides sustainable and comfortable baby apparel and accessories, while also making a positive impact on the environment and children facing hunger. In this episode, we dive into the lessons learned from going viral and what that means for Tina’s marketing going forward. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The origin story behind Tiny Knot Co. (01:08)

• What the patent product development process of the baby bows looked like. (06:34)

• The importance of market research. (09:52)

• How Tina determined what her white space was with her brand. (12:16)

• Why the patent was so important to Tina. (14:10)

• The importance of exclusivity. (16:00)

• How Tina’s background led her to what she’s doing now. (17:17)

• How Tina came up with the Tiny Knot Co brand and idea. (19:33)

• How Tina made the charitable cause they work with part of their overall brand. (25:03)

• What happened when Tina went viral on TikTok. (29:44)

• How Tina decided to choose the strategy of engaging with her community to learn what they wanted and needed. (34:56)

• What her follower count was before going viral, when she first tried the engagement strategy. (37:12)

• You have to have tough skin if you’re going to go viral and put yourself out there on social media. (43:14)

• Finding the balance of being honest and finding a solution, without bashing others. (45:19)

• Tina’s main marketing channels and how she’s building her email list. (48:28)

• How Tina sees marketing trends when sales spike. (49:22)

• Systems Tina has in place to stay consistent. (53:54)

• Advice Tina has for those facing fears in business. (55:20)

• The importance of starting lean and doing your own marketing first. (58:30)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinyknotco/  

Website: https://tinyknotco.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Join me for a solo, off-the-cuff episode this week as I dive into some reflections from the past few weeks as I embark on my digital nomad journey and the importance of asking yourself what is REALLY important to you as you determine how to show up in your marketing. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• A little life update on my traveling journey and the challenges I’ve been facing in my own business. (02:26)

• Something I see in myself and in my clients when it comes to marketing. (04:53)

• How overcomplicating things makes marketing harder and how to find the balance. (06:20)

• The beautiful combination of art and science that makes up marketing. (07:10)

• How the resources you have on hand to help you with your marketing are really important. (09:19)

• Cutting certain resources for the sake of cutting costs can hurt you in the end. (10:42)

• The difference between cutting resources and intentionally allocating your time and energy to something else. (12:12)

• Going back to what is most important to you when getting your marketing off the ground. (15:15)

• Making it clear to your team what the expectations are and what they’re supposed to do. (18:43)

• The power of giving it 3 months before pivoting. (19:53)

• Reflecting on what’s going on for you to gain clarity moving forward. (22:22)

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Download the freebie: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/competitive-marketing-guide 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Kim Fischer, the Founder of 13 Emeralds Marketing, an SEO agency that helps businesses scale their lead generation by building SEO strategies for long-term growth. We dive into all things marketing, SEO, and the human story behind the 13 Emeralds Marketing brand. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What SEO really is and the different aspects of it. (01:50)

• How Kim got into the SEO space and started 13 Emeralds Marketing. (03:55)

• Disrupting the male-dominated SEO and tech industry. (06:49)

• Taking the data and using it in creative ways to determine what people are searching for. (09:03)

• Challenges and hesitations that Kim faces with clients when it comes to SEO. (09:30)

• The problem with those who want to get quick results and go viral. (11:44)

• How marketing is a long game, and SEO is even more so. (12:50)

• How Kim helps clients see the bigger picture and long term goal. (13:40)

• How SEO plays into other parts of marketing and the relationship with other platforms. (17:18)

• The reaction process for changing trends. (21:52)

• Why transparency and accessibility is such a core piece of Kim’s messaging. (23:57)

• How core values play into messaging and SEO. (26:42)

• Asking the important question of WHY you want to rank for certain topics. (31:36)

• Doing things in your marketing because you truly want to and want to invest in them or because you feel like you should for SEO purposes. (34:36)

• Kim’s evolution with SEO and marketing. (37:40)

• How Kim developed content around the pain points of her audience. (42:40)

• Where business owners should invest in SEO first, especially if they have a limited budget. (47:20)

• The importance of keywords and how to get started with them. (49:10)

• What to look for on your website in terms of SEO optimization. (51:44)

• How Kim approaches her own social media and marketing and what works best. (53:43)

• The biggest challenge Kim has faced so far. (55:52)

• Where Kim sees the future of SEO going. (56:14)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-fischer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/13emeraldsmarketing 

Website: https://13emeraldsmarketing.com/

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Charis Santilli, a Life Balance Coach, speaker, and owner of Charis Your Life who helps high achievers go from Busy to Balanced™ and find lasting inner satisfaction and peace of mind when their external accomplishments leave them unfulfilled. We dive into her origin story and the human story behind her incredible brand. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Charis’s origin story and how she transitioned to become a Life Balance Coach. (01:12)

• How society rewards work addiction. (07:13)

• Reconsidering her definition of success by working with a life coach. (09:48)

• What her career path looked like, how marketing played a role, and how it evolved. (12:22)

• The two frameworks of Charis’s training. (19:03)

• How marketing something creates a new opportunity for others to connect with you. (23:14)

• Deciding when it’s time to do things with your messaging and brand to get other people’s attention and emotional buy-in quickly versus when you need to do something different than the norm. (26:52)

• How to break down fears of doing things in marketing that aren’t aligned or that you're not comfortable with. (30:08)

• Balance isn’t about managing your time, but managing how you feel. (32:32)

• Tweaking your message when sharing content across platforms to appeal to different audiences. (37:48)

• Not straying too far from your brand and letting your personality shine through. (39:28)

• Making things simple in your marketing. (45:07)

• How long it took to build momentum and traction. (46:31)

• Recommitting to what you have control over. (51:30)

• The power of hidden momentum in marketing. (54:40)

Website: https://charisyourlife.com 

Get the free training: https://www.charisyourlife.com/video

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisyourlife/ 

Facebook: https://charisyourlife.com/facebook 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charisyourlife/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctBlLUfrWWq4UHkA-Q8GSg 

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Caroline Malloy, a historian, Book Coach, and the owner of The Write Malloy. Caroline helps women who dream of writing non-fiction, but have been held back from success in the past. We dive into all things Book Coaching and how Caroline got so clear in her messaging and in who she helps. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What non-fiction writing really is from a Book Coaching standpoint. (00:47)

• What inspires people to write in this non-fiction style. (02:31)

• Why Caroline chose the medium of a book to focus on in her coaching. (03:58)

• What a Book Coach is and what they do. (05:40)

• Why Caroline chose to focus on helping women in the non-fiction space. (09:12)

• Why it’s rare to see women sharing in these mediums and showing up as authorities. (11:40)

• Overcoming imposter syndrome that is holding you back from writing a book. (15:09)

• Remembering your story and why you are the authority. (18:00)

• Caroline’s journey to finding her own authority as a coach. (19:08)

• Going through the process of recognizing who you are meant to serve and narrowing your focus. (24:15)

• Finding authenticity by tightening your messaging for your ideal client. (26:58)

• Overcoming the fear of only speaking to a small group of people. (29:16)

• Finding your unique authenticity in the book writing space. (35:00)

• Holding onto your voice in book writing and in marketing. (37:47)

• Bridging the gap from using your unique voice freely and getting too much in your head when writing. (39:10)

• What Caroline has wanted to instill in The Write Malloy brand. (42:04)

• Finding the limitations your audience may be feeling. (47:16)

• The biggest challenges Caroline has faced in business. (48:48)

• How being present is brand awareness. (50:32)

• Caroline’s vision for The Write Malloy. (51:45)

• Caroline’s advice for those who envision themselves writing a book. (53:40)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewritemalloy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewritemalloy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewritemalloy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thewritemalloy

Website: https://thewritemalloy.com/

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Alexa Hoffman, the founder of Alevan Botanica, a holistic company rooted in aromatherapy and Ayurveda. We dive into how she shifted from the career path of fashion design and how her yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices led her to pivot her career and enter the wellness space. She shares more about the joys and challenges of running a direct to consumer business, embarking on finding wholesale partners, and doing her own marketing. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Alexa transitioned from the design space to wellness. (00:34)

• How Alexa has prevented potential burnout as a business owner. (02:34)

• How Alevan Botanica came to be and how she infused her experience into it. (04:07)

• How she got into creating custom products. (05:16)

• The difference between her corporate role and current role as a business owner. (06:07)

• How she incorporated her experience in her branding and messaging. (06:53)

• The process of being a direct to consumer business and sharing what’s inside the products. (07:58)

• How she's infused her core values in the messaging. (10:50)

• Being clear and transparent about the products and benefits in the messaging. (12:01)

• How the wellness industry has transformed and how that impacts consumers. (14:51)

• A brand's responsibility in the wellness space and how Alevan Botanica approaches this. (16:13)

• Creating community inside the brand and company. (18:41)

• What works in terms of education and sharing knowledge in your marketing outside of the immersive experience. (20:53)

• Using polls to create content that your audience wants to see. (23:04)

• How Alexa worked through confidence challenges and showed up online. (27:20)

• How Alexa chose her marketing channels and platforms and blocked out the pressure to do other things. (29:38)

• Finding joy through marketing. (33:03)

• Pinpointing sales made when there is growth in her marketing efforts. (34:05)

• The personal journey of doing all of her own marketing and creating. (35:44)

• The most challenging aspect of running her business. (37:21)

• Testing different ways to make sure the messaging is clear. (38:40)

• How the marketing shifts as she extends the business in other areas, like spas. (41:50)

• Finding the right wholesale partners. (45:00)

• How she tracks trends and uses that data to make decisions. (46:50)

• The most positive aspect of this business experience. (49:00)

•  

Instagram: www.instagram.com/alevanbotanica

Website: www.alevanbotanica.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Leslie Stevens, the CEO of The Cultivated Vision, a company that helps service-based entrepreneurs get consistent clients without the pressure to post on social media. We dive into all things social media and the unpopular opinion of why you should stop using social media in your marketing as your sole way to get clients. Leslie believes in the power of being an impact maker over an influencer to build a successful online business.  

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Leslie’s background in dietetics, branding, and marketing. (00:40)

• How Leslie knew it was time to take the leap and shift into branding. (03:30)

• Why she started teaching people that there’s another way to market and be successful outside of social media and influencing. (05:00)

• Where Leslie started finding authentic connections outside of social media. (07:07)

• The power of making strategic partnerships. (09:58)

• How Leslie overcame the fear of putting herself out there as an introvert. (11:57)

• Leslie’s Client Connection Method and how it works. (14:38)

• The most important piece of the Client Connection Method. (19:02)

• Building your confidence and not comparing yourself to others. (20:32)

• Finding what feels natural for you in building connections. (21:01)

• Building your business on a foundation that feels good and building from there. (22:39)

• What the benefits of social media are and how you can use it in your business. (26:47)

• Using social media in a different way, as a research tool and a way to connect. (29:17)

• Using social media for brand awareness instead of just for conversions. (31:55)

• Where Leslie sees The Cultivated Vision going in the future. (34:35)

• The biggest challenges she’s faced along the way with her method. (37:57)

• The most enjoyable part of building The Cultivated Vision. (40:20)

• The biggest piece of advice for people just starting out and building connections. (41:57)

Connect with Leslie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliestevens1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlesliestevens/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/llauck2/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecultivatedvision

Website: https://thecultivatedvision.com/

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Welcome back to part 2 of my special, off the cuff episode of The Edge Effect podcast where I’m joined by Krista Roubos, the founder of Krista Roubos Marketing, a marketing agency for female founders. Today, we’re continuing our unhinged marketing conversation and shedding light on some overlooked areas and challenges that arise within marketing so you can determine the best way forward. We’re spilling it all, including how to protect yourself from shady business and marketing pitfalls and so much more. Be sure to tune into our first episode before diving in!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why marketing can’t be one single touchpoint. (01:32)

• Acknowledging different touchpoints and maximizing them to get engagement. (02:30)

• Tactics vs initiatives. (03:40)

• Building a strategy for how you can attack using your system and tactics. (05:20)

• The importance of setting a solid foundation for your marketing. (09:05)

• Asking yourself what you have the capacity to sustain in your marketing efforts. (13:02)

• Figuring out how to implement on your own until you’re ready to hire. (14:25)

• What our role as marketing experts and agencies really is for business owners. (15:47)

• The importance of the dynamic and communication between the client and marketing expert. (19:42)

• What female founders are most often looking for in their relationship with a marketing expert. (21:17)

• The importance of meeting the client where they’re at. (22:54)

• Why feedback and pushback is a good thing. (24:32)

• How marketing relies on collaboration. (25:57)

• Creating an environment where women feel valued, respected, and welcomed. (30:08)

• Where your brand comes into play in your marketing and how to create a realistic interpretation of what you’re bringing to the table. (34:17)

• Finding your voice and leaning into it, because that’s what people will remember. (37:27)

• How to actually describe a strategy, as it’s often an overused term. (40:47)

• The many nuances that impact a strategy. (45:35)

• An all-inclusive strategy for your business holds value for the long-term. (46:59)

• Where to start when you are ready to start honing your marketing. (51:27)

Connect with Krista:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-roubos/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaroubos/

Website: https://kristaroubos.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this special episode of The Edge Effect podcast, I’m joined by Krista Roubos, the founder of Krista Roubos Marketing, a marketing agency for female founders. Today, we’re doing things a little different and going completely off the cuff as we dive into the ugly truths of marketing. We’re talking about it all… the good, bad, and everything in between. It’s our hope to shed some light on some of the overlooked areas and challenges that arise within marketing so you can determine the best way forward for your unique business. Stay tuned to next week’s episode to catch part 2 of our conversation!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Krista’s career background and how she encourages women to be welcomed. (01:57)

• How she created a marketing space where women are valued and encouraged. (08:07)

• The difference between marketing to your audience and creating a brand for your audience. (11:58)

• Why reversing the lens and looking at the brand from the customer’s perspective is the goal. (12:34)

• How to know when you’ve really won with your marketing. (13:57)

• How to cut through the noise and stand out online. (16:45)

• Creating a space for people to go into with your brand. (20:35)

• Many women’s experience of being talked down to and ignored in the business and marketing world. (25:14)

• Switching the norms and solving the problems in the marketing world to create a different experience based on valuing the marketer. (27:36)

• The problem of the “hush hush” marketing attitude. (29:27)

• The lack of transparency in many marketing agencies. (35:04)

• Presenting metrics in a way that your client will understand. (35:35)

• How marketers often overcomplicate things. (38:32)

• How many marketers talk a big numbers game, but lack accountability. (43:05)

• Why marketing is difficult to attribute to direct sales. (44:15)

• Why marketing that’s done well won’t have immediate returns. (46:35)

• The cycle of marketing and how advertising works into it. (51:12)

• How to track marketing when it’s composed of every single experience that a person has with your brand. (52:51)

Connect with Krista:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-roubos/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaroubos/

Website: https://kristaroubos.com

Brand Example: Planet Fitness: The Genius of Target Marketing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzkQp9lWdWQ

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultiveightcomms

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultiveightcomms/

Visit our website: https://www.cultiveightcommunications.com/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.