The Story-Driven Business podcast with Susanna Rantanen

Forget charisma. Ditch the data dump. The most powerful leadership tool isn't in your MBA textbook—it's storytelling.

In this episode, Susanna Rantanen, the world's leading modern employer branding expert, dives into why storytelling is the most overlooked yet essential skill for leaders today.

Discover how to lead with clarity, inspire trust, align culture, and boost your "Return on Inspiration"—all through the stories you tell.

💡 Featuring ideas and thoughts from masterminds such as Donald Miller, Brené Brown, Simon Sinek and Susanna from the new book Story-Driven Employer Branding, this is the mindset shift every leader needs.

🎧 Listen now and discover why storytelling isn't fluff—it's fuel.

🔗 Need to check out the show notes? Go here: modernemployerbrand.com/podcast191

👉 Grab your signed copy of the book at storydrivenemployerbranding.com
👉 Or find it on Amazon

What if your employer brand wasn't just seen… but deeply felt?

In this episode of the Story-Driven Business Podcast, I (Susanna Rantanen, the world's leading modern employer branding expert) reveal the 11 powerful steps to building an employer brand so aligned with your business mission, it becomes magnetic.

Using the Magnetic Employer Branding Method™, I'll guide you through how to:

• Transform your current culture into a Strategic Company Culture

• Make your people your loudest brand advocates without begging for reviews

• Craft a Work-to-Life Promise™ that top talent feels in their bones

• Win sustainable attention and convert it into long-term talent affinity

If your employer brand still relies on campaigns, perks, or empty values — you're not just behind. You're invisible.

🎧 Tap play to future-proof your brand.
📕 Grab the book: storydrivenemployerbranding.com

Your products don't build trust. Your people do.
And yet, most companies still pour all their brand energy into showcasing what they sell—while leaving the people who make it all possible invisible.

In Episode 189 of the Story-Driven Business Podcast, I share why the smartest, most magnetic businesses don't just brand their products—they brand people.

When you brand your people:

✅ Customers see the human value behind your service.
✅ Talent sees themselves in your story.
✅ Stakeholders see leadership that inspires long-term trust.

But when you don't…
❌ You become forgettable in a crowded market.
❌ You struggle to attract AND retain talent.
❌ You miss the chance to build authentic brand loyalty from the inside out.

This episode explores:

🔹 The business case for branding your people
🔹 What this looks like in real life (not theory)
🔹 And how this mindset is central to my Magnetic Employer Branding Method™

Listen now and rethink how your brand shows up

Shownotes with links 👉 https://modernemployerbrand.com/podcast189-brand-people-not-just-products/

What if I told you that employer branding isn't about you—it's about them? And by 'them,' I mean your talents, the people you want to attract and keep.

In today's special episode, I'm giving you an exclusive sneak peek into my brand new book Story-Driven Employer Branding: Introducing The Magnetic Employer Branding Method™.

You're about to hear the very first chapter, and trust me—it's going to change the way you think about employer branding forever.

So, grab a coffee, sit back, and let's dive in. And if you love what you hear, you can grab the full book right now on Amazon! 

(If the Amazon link doesn't work, go to Amazon and search for 'Susanna Rantanen' or 'Story-Driven Employer Branding' and you'll find this book.

Get the book and multiple freebies available for my book's buyers!

Let's get started!

How Mitgo's 90 ambassadors have made employer branding magic – with Veronika Batmanova

Ready to take your employer branding to the next level? 🤔

This episode is your ultimate guide!

Join me and Veronika Batmanova, the leader behind Mitgo's wildly successful employee ambassador program, as we uncover the exact steps that made it thrive. 🔥

Key topics we cover:

- How Mitgo engaged employees authentically (without a big budget!).

- The role of motivation, recognition, and creativity in keeping ambassadors active.

- Why platforms like LinkedIn and even TikTok are game-changers for professional branding.

💬 Watch now to hear inspiring stories, learn actionable tips, and discover why this ambassador program stands out in the crowded employer branding space.

👉 Find links to example posts here: https://modernemployerbrand.com/podcast187

Don't forget to subcribe and give us your rating if you enjoy this podcast! 

With love

Susanna

Airbus Finland Does It!

Award-winning employer branding gets regular contributions from employers at the Helsinki and Jyväskylä offices.

How did they succeed so quickly, in just six months without zero campaigns?

We spoke with Maiju Karppinen, HR Business Partner at Airbus Finland, who in her role, owns employer branding in the Finnish subsidiary.

Our conversation covers the award-winning employer branding strategy process, challenges faced, feedback received, and the impact of winning an award on the organisation.

What we believe to be especially interesting to you is how Maiju has managed to engage so many Airbus employees in employer branding work. She shares her experiences and insights, providing valuable lessons for listeners.

Tune in to this new episode on Building a Modern Employer Brand Podcast with me, Susanna Rantanen, co-hosted by Nora Nykänen!

Hi there,

It's been a while since I last podcasted or created video content on YouTube, as I've been finalizing the draft of my upcoming book for the past couple of months.

I'm back with a shorter bonus episode, the first one of the series I call Life, As It Happens.

I hope you like it! 

Susanna

If you are growing an appetite for an employer branding career path, this episode will continue to tickle your fancy, like the previous two episodes on our Nora's employer branding career journey.

In this week's Building a Modern Employer Branding podcast episode, Nora and I speak with Maiju Karppinen about her employer branding career path, what inspires her and how she juggles her HR Business Partner role aside from working weekly in employer branding.

Maiju works for one of our clients, Airbus Defence and Space Finland. Us three have worked together closely since early 2023 when we first created their employer branding strategy based on the Magnetic Employer Branding Method™️.

In August 2023, the three of us formed an employer branding team and Nora and I have supported Maiju in building, learning and maintaining a consistent employer brand marketing process with pretty outstanding results and impact.

We discuss Maiju's career path into employer branding, how she juggles all her responsibilities while maintaining weekly employer brand marketing chores and what it feels like working so closely with an external employer branding agency.

🔗 If you want the text version or watch the video version, jump right here >

Or type modernemployerbrand.com/podcast185 on your browser if the RSS link does not work.

Connect with Maiju Karppinen at Airbus Finland on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maiju-karppinen/

Connect or follow me on socials:

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rantanensusanna

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

Check out also Employer Branding Agency Emine's blog: https://emine.fi/blogi/

This part 2 episode of the Building a Modern Employer Brand podcast concludes my conversation with my employee and colleague, Nora Nykänen, on her growth journey to an award-winning employer branding professional.

We talk about the three tips she shares as advice to someone wanting to build an employer branding career like hers.

In this episode, Nora and I discuss her three must-know tips for anyone looking to build a stellar career in employer branding.

Think of it like getting a masterclass from Yoda but with less green and more sass!

🔑 Key Highlights:

1. 360 view of the company, its people and the talent market: You must understand your "product" and your competition, know your key selling points and what benefit employer branding can create for the business.

2. Thirst for knowledge: Being curious enough to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving field.

3. Nora on how she maintains her employer branding knowledge on top of the game.

Intrigued?

Trust us; you'll want to grab your headphones, settle in, and soak up these invaluable insights.

Are we connected yet on socials?

Connect with me:

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rantanensusanna

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

Connect with Nora:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-nykänen-740687b8/

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

What if you were awarded as the Employer Branding Professional of the Year?

Wouldn't that be pretty amazing for you, your career, and your life?

Today, I'm going to introduce you to our own star, Nora Nykänen, who works with me and my husband here at Employer Branding Agency Emine in Helsinki, Finland.

She was recently awarded as the Employer Branding Professional of the Year 2024 (agency) at the Finnish Magnet Employer Brand Awards.

In this week's and next week's episodes of the Building a Modern Employer Branding podcast, Nora and I will discuss her career and growth as an employer branding professional of the year.

• Nora's backstory

• How she EB-dated us for years before joining our agency

• How the Magnetic Employer Branding Method™️ has helped Nora to grow as an employer branding professional

• What has been elementary in supporting her growth and success as an employer branding professional

• Nora's three tips on building a magnetic employer branding career

Connect with Nora:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-nykänen-740687b8/

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

Connect with me:

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rantanensusanna

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

Share this episode with someone who you think would enjoy hearing Nora's inspiring employer brand career story!