We Built This Brand

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris talks with Crystal Anderson, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at 3Headed Monster, about building bold brands in a fast-changing marketing landscape.

Crystal shares how she helped build an award-winning independent agency, why brands need to move faster, and how companies like Nutter Butter and Duolingo are finding success by taking creative risks.

They also discuss staying ahead of cultural trends, the limitations of traditional market research, and why authentic human connection still matters in the age of AI.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) Nutter Butter Comeback

(00:23) Crystal Anderson Intro

(02:43) Leaving Big Agencies

(09:31) Early Wins and Culture

(17:56) Valvoline Pitch and Fast Decisions

(26:30) TikTok Shopping QVC

(27:00) Disposable Trends Economy

(29:06) Tracking Culture Fast

(34:35) Brave Unhinged Brands

(41:07) Craft Real Life Future

Links: 

3HeadedMonster: https://3headedmonster.com/
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Your team isn't performing, your business isn't growing, and you're working harder than ever. But what if the problem isn't everyone else?

Chris sits down with Brad Farris of Anchor Advisors to explore why business growth starts with better leadership. From learning to delegate and trusting your team to navigating AI and building a brand rooted in meaningful conversations, Brad shares what it really takes to move from founder to CEO.

Because sometimes the hardest part of growing a business is getting out of your own way.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) When Teams Underperform

(01:31) Brad’s Winding Career Path

(04:44) From Doer to CEO

(12:15) Coaching Framework and Letting Go

(17:17) Starting Anchor Advisors and Naming It

(22:43) Pivoting After the Sale

(23:56) Rebrand and Nautical Identity

(26:02) From Consulting to Coaching

(28:59) Conversations Drive Growth

(33:31) Future Outlook and Wrap Up

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Social media isn’t just where brands show up anymore, it’s where customers learn, research, and decide who they trust.

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with Luke Leinberger, Global Head of Social Media at Gravity Global, to talk about building a global social strategy, bringing B2C-style storytelling into B2B marketing, and creating content that actually earns attention. They also explore how AI, changing search behavior, and evolving customer expectations are reshaping the role social media plays in building brands.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) Social Learning Shift

(00:06) Meet Luke Leinberger

(01:15) From Copywriter to Gravity

(02:52) Boutique to Global Agency

(05:23) Building a Global Social Team

(08:07) What Makes Great Social Content

(12:22)  B2B vs B2C Storytelling

(15:55) Social Media in the Sales Funnel

(19:52) Branding and the FAB Model

(26:09) AI, Regulations, and Favorite Brands

Links:
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What if better time management isn’t about doing more, but making room for what matters most?

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with Samantha Lane, founder of Origami Day, to discuss how a life-changing surgery reshaped her relationship with time and inspired her to build a business around helping others escape overwhelm.

Samantha shares the story behind Origami Day, her “Prioritize, Plan, and Protect” framework, and why doing less can sometimes be the key to living, and working, better.

Show Highlights: 

(01:35) From Workaholic to Wake-Up Call

(04:04) The Time Management Breakthrough

(08:09) Frameworks That Actually Work

(17:08) Origami Day Tools and Planning System

(25:24) Measure Time Honestly

(26:31) Science Over Planners

(27:13) Travel Buffers That Work

(28:38) Friction Beats Procrastination

(32:42) Origami Day Growth Story

(36:39) From Products to Consulting

(37:45) Delegation and SOP Systems

(39:32) Future Plans: Writing a Book and Coaching

(43:11) Brands Samantha Admires

(44:45) Where to Connect and Wrap

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On this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with FIG founder Mark Figliulo and Chief Strategy Officer Amber Higgins to talk about the intersection of creativity, data, and storytelling. They break down Fig’s StoryData platform, how data can help creatives make stronger decisions, and why effectiveness matters more than simply making creative production faster or cheaper.

They also go behind the scenes of FIG’s work with Publix, including the “Make Things Special” strategy and campaigns like “Merry Birthday” and “Best Friends.” Plus, they discuss AI’s growing role in advertising, the renewed value of craftsmanship, and why great storytelling still has a critical place in building brands.

Show Highlights: 

(00:50) Meet FIG and StoryData

(01:25) Founding FIG Origins

(03:26) Why Creative Needs Data

(17:03) Publix Make Things Special

(27:13) Christmas Cakes Legacy

(29:20) Best Friends Puppetry

(32:52) Our Pleasure Pillars

(39:44) Tropicana Next Up

(41:43) Industry Media Reckoning

(43:49) Biggest Lies In Metrics

(47:34) Brands Admired And Farewell

Links:
https://www.figagency.com/

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What if burnout has less to do with long hours and more to do with misalignment?

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with Naomi Asher, founder of The Maven Consulting, leadership consultant, speaker, and author, to unpack the real causes of burnout and why so many organizations are missing the warning signs. Naomi shares her journey from nonprofit executive to entrepreneur, explains how values alignment, conflict, and leadership development impact organizational health, and discusses how tools like the Enneagram can strengthen communication and build healthier teams. Plus, she shares the story behind her company, her book Take to the Bed and Bring Cake, and the lessons she learned while building a business rooted in purpose.

Show Highlights: 

(00:14) Meet Naomi Asher

(01:27) Nonprofit Roots to Consulting

(02:09) Why a PhD

(04:04) Burnout Breakthrough Story

(05:21) Three Burnout Drivers

(09:52) Stereotypes and Risky Behavior

(11:32) Training Boards and Controls

(15:49) Building Maven Consulting

(19:47) Enneagram Not a Weapon

(21:41) Leadership Tensions Reframed

(23:42) Consulting Tools for Nonprofits

(25:09) Conflict Story and Lessons

(26:18) Naming and Launching Maven

(31:21) Books Branding and Wrap Up

Links: 

The Maven Consulting: https://naomithemaven.com
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Bob Winter, Chief Creative Officer at Supergood and creator of Bud Light's legendary Real Men of Genius campaign, joins Chris on this episode of We Built This Brand to explore how AI is reshaping the creative industry. From building award-winning campaigns to leading an AI-native agency, Bob explains why human creativity remains the driving force behind great brands, and how marketers can embrace AI without losing what makes their work original.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) Human Plus AI Creativity

(00:14) Meet Bob Winter

(01:34) From Agencies to Supergood

(05:11) Journalism to Advertising

(09:44) Landing Real Men of Genius

(13:04) Client Rejection to Breakthrough

(17:02) Rebranding After 9/11

(20:18) What Makes Supergood AI Native

(24:26) Humans in the Loop

(33:24) Future Vision and Wrap Up

About Bob: 

Bob Winter is one of advertising's most accomplished creative leaders, with a career spanning some of the industry's most iconic agencies and campaigns. He has led award-winning creative work for brands including Budweiser, McDonald's, Nintendo, Altoids, Greenpeace, Ace Hardware, and Netflix.

Throughout his career, Winter has served as Executive Creative Director at Leo Burnett Chicago and Crispin Porter + Bogusky before becoming Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett Detroit. He is perhaps best known as the creator of Bud Light's legendary "Real Men of Genius" campaign while at DDB, one of the most awarded campaigns in advertising history, earning multiple Cannes Grand Prix awards and a Grand Clio.

A longtime collaborator with Whitehouse Post, the renowned international post-production company behind work for brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Adidas, Disney, McDonald's, and Porsche, Winter helped redefine the traditional creative process by developing campaigns alongside directors and production teams from the very beginning rather than following the conventional agency handoff.

That philosophy led him to found Majestic Beast in 2023, where he serves as Chief Creative Officer, creating a more integrated approach to storytelling and production in partnership with Whitehouse Post and its family of companies. Today, Winter leads all creative work for Supergood, an AI-native creative agency continuing to push the boundaries of creativity, technology, and modern brand storytelling.

Links: 

Supergood: https://gosupergood.com

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Jonathan Halley didn't set out with a master plan to build one of East Tennessee's most recognized creative agencies, but a drone, a viral video, and a willingness to say yes changed everything.

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Jonathan shares the story behind founding Big Slate Media, growing from a one-person operation into a 30+ person production company and creative agency, and what he's learned about leadership along the way. He opens up about hiring his first employee, learning to let go of control, why relationships matter more than marketing, and how coaching has made him a better leader.

The conversation also explores the future of branding in the age of AI, the launch of B-Roll Bank, Big Slate's expansion into sonic branding, including creating Regal Cinemas' new audio identity, and why authenticity is becoming a brand's greatest competitive advantage.

Whether you're building a business, leading a creative team, or navigating entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with practical insights and honest reflections from someone who's built a brand by embracing change instead of chasing perfection.

Show Highlights: 

(00:17) Meet Jonathan Halley

(01:47) Origin Story to Big Slate

(07:07) Early Growth Catalysts

(11:45) Brand Name and Scaling Up

(20:02) Big Slate Today

(21:57) Sonic Branding Wins

(23:08) New Mega Studio Move

(25:36) B Roll Bank Explained

(29:43) AI Shaping Brands

(36:56) Host Picks Orvis

(38:08) Wrap Up And Where To Connect

About Jonathan:
Jonathan Halley is a creative entrepreneur, executive producer, and founder based in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is the founder and owner of Big Slate, an integrated creative company that brings together strategy, storytelling, production, social media, advertising, and technology to help brands communicate in more meaningful and memorable ways.

Jonathan launched Big Slate in 2015 and has since grown the company from a small production operation into a multidisciplinary creative team working with regional and national brands. Under his leadership, Big Slate has developed campaigns, commercials, branded content, digital experiences, and original storytelling across a wide range of industries. His work is driven by a belief that strong creative ideas, thoughtful collaboration, and exceptional execution can help organizations build deeper relationships with the people they serve.

In addition to Big Slate, Jonathan is the founder of B Roll Bank, a media technology company developing private, AI-powered tools that help organizations organize, search, and unlock the value of their video and content libraries. The platform is designed to make large media archives more accessible, useful, and secure by connecting directly to an organization’s existing storage infrastructure.

Jonathan is also the owner of Marble City Studios, a production and creative facility in Knoxville designed to support commercial productions, photography, podcasts, events, education, gear rentals, and the broader creative community. Through Marble City Studios, he hopes to create a premium destination for production in East Tennessee while helping attract more ambitious creative work to the region.

Across each of his ventures, Jonathan is passionate about building creative businesses, developing talented people, creating strong company cultures, and expanding opportunities for filmmakers, artists, entrepreneurs, and storytellers. He is especially interested in the intersection of creativity, leadership, technology, and community development, and in exploring what it takes to build companies that are both ambitious and deeply human.

Jonathan’s work and leadership have been recognized through honors including the Knoxville Chamber Pinnacle Young Entrepreneur Award, Knox.biz 40 Under 40, and VIP Knoxville’s 50 Under 50. He lives in Knoxville with his wife, Cassie, and continues to invest his energy in building companies, developing people, and helping shape the future of the creative industry in East Tennessee.

Links: 

Big Slate Media – https://bigslatemedia.com

HumblePod – https://humblepod.com

We Built This Brand – https://webuiltthisbrand.com

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with Brad Scott, Founder and Principal of Applied Design, to explore how a rebranding project for the Braille Institute led to the creation of Atkinson Hyperlegible, an award-winning typeface designed to improve readability for people with low vision.

Brad shares his journey from interior design to leading branding initiatives for organizations like Grand Central Terminal and the World Trade Center, while discussing the principles of universal design, the future of AI in creative work, and why great branding is about solving real human problems.

Whether you're a designer, marketer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about the intersection of creativity and accessibility, this episode offers valuable insights into building brands that truly make an impact.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) Universal Design Mindset

(00:21) Meet Brad Scott

(01:50) From Interiors to UX

(05:51) Why Start Applied

(11:48) Building Hyperlegible

(30:15) Smithsonian Recognition

(31:09) Hyperlegible Next Upgrades

(33:07) Variable Font Explained

(35:59) Universal Design Benefits

(38:09) Applied Design Future Wrap

About Brad Scott: 

Brad Scott has always believed that design is more than aesthetics, it carries personal, cultural, and emotional meaning. As co-founder of Applied Design, he has spent more than two decades helping organizations solve complex challenges through thoughtful, strategic design.

Throughout his career, Brad has partnered with leading organizations including Accenture, Eli Lilly, and the World Trade Center Redevelopment project, guiding teams to create meaningful brand experiences that inspire action and drive results.

Brad co-founded Applied Design with Craig Dobie on the belief that design has the power to create lasting cultural and societal impact. The pair first worked together at Landor Associates, where they helped shape the identities of iconic brands and organizations such as Verizon, the World Trade Center, and the Central Park Conservancy. Earlier in his career, Brad developed his expertise at imc2, an internet marketing and advertising agency, and Clear Ink, an internet strategy, technology, and design firm.

Beyond the studio, Brad is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in business and society. He has spoken at conferences and symposiums across Australia, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, sharing his perspective on branding, design, and innovation. His work and insights have been featured by the Associated Press, Salon, WIRED, and HOW Magazine.

Brad's contributions to the design industry have earned international recognition, including a Clio Award, a British Design & Art Direction Pencil, and a Gold Lion at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. Through every project, he continues to demonstrate how thoughtful design can transform brands, shape culture, and make a lasting impact.

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In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris sits down with Mary Walker to talk about the hidden business side of nonprofits. From fundraising strategy and board leadership to navigating crises like COVID and government funding delays, Mary shares practical lessons on building sustainable organizations that can truly make an impact. Plus, hear the incredible story behind her family’s century-old Knoxville automotive business and how it inspired Leafspring.

Show Highlights: 

(01:47) Marys Career Path

(06:36) Leafspring Focus

(11:40) Fundraising Systems

(18:57) Boards And Change

(32:48) Knoxville Car Market

(34:12) Watermelon Sales Stunt

(37:51) Nonprofit Reserves Strategy

(42:34) Starting Nonprofits Right

About Mary Walker: 

Mary Walker is the owner and principal of Leaf Spring LLC, a consulting company that specializes in helping non-profits INTENSIFY THEIR IMPACT through more efficient and financially favorable processes. She is passionate about nonprofit success and works to elp her clients in the areas of revenue development, fraud prevention, board growth, strategic planning, and general business practices. Before this, Mary served as the Director of Development at the Knoxville Museum of Art. She has worked previously in strategy, marketing, and finance in international corporations and in her family's automotive businesses. She earned her bachelor's degree from the Jniversity of Tennessee and her MBA from Vanderbilt University. Mary has served on several local non-profit boards and currently teaches in a nonprofit graduate certificate program at the University of Tennessee.

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