We Built This Brand

CEOs wear many hats, and that’s especially true in the world of IT. So, it’s pretty appropriate Brian Strong heads up TenHats - an IT and data center firm in Knoxville, Tennessee. The name isn’t just eye-catching, it reflects the wide variety of services the business provides to its customers. In this episode, Brian recounts how the company landed on its current name during a rebranding effort.  H...

With a love of crunching numbers from a young age, Erin Reece always knew her future lay in finance. She spent more than a decade at corporate and public accounting firms until Erin realized it was time for a change. After seeing and experiencing the churn and burn nature of the field, she knew it was time to make a difference. Instead of letting corporate burnout get the better of her, Erin regro...

In this episode of "We Built This Brand," you’ll hear from Trent Anderson, the Head of Growth and Strategy at Podchaser. Trent and Chris discuss the origins and key features of Podchaser, emphasizing its role as a vital data aggregator and discovery tool in the industry. Together, they delve into the importance of entering podcasting with the right intentions, the significance of Podchaser's Power...

You would never know it based on his successes, but Rob Bunch didn’t begin his career in the world of marketing. In this episode of We Built This Brand, Rob takes us through his professional journey. From working finance in Florida, to nestling into the mountains of East Tennessee, he shares the winding road that made him a Senior Executive at The Leverage Group. Joins us as Rob talks about the im...

Erika Biddix began her professional journey the traditional way, following the path of a promising student to a corporate job. In this episode of We Built This Brand, we learn how she found her true calling at a corporate meeting planners’ conference where she was inspired to help other women discover their purpose. This led to the creation of Aught—a coworking space that evolved into a thriving c...

Rebranding your business can be an exciting process where you reorient it into something greater than before. However, change isn’t always easy. Paul Sponcia of the IT Company knows a thing or two about change and the growing pains it can bring. In this episode, we learn the story of how he transformed CSK Technologies into The IT Company, including the reasons for the rebrand, the rebranding proc...

Lori Asbury, founder and CEO of CMOco, joins Chris to explore her exciting career and entrepreneurial journey. Lori shares her journey from a journalist to a seasoned marketing executive at HGTV and, eventually, to launching her successful marketing agency. She discusses the nuances of building a business in a highly competitive industry, her strategies for embracing digital marketing innovations,...

Mal Alder, the founder of Alder & Co., shares her journey in assisting small businesses and nonprofit organizations to thrive with creative marketing strategies. She recounts her work with clients like King's Family Distillery in Sevierville, detailing how she enhances their online visibility. Chris and Mal explore the day-to-day realities of managing a marketing firm, including their approach...

In this fun episode of We Built This Brand , we chat with Kelsey Miller, the founder of 'Klosets by Kelsey.' Kelsey shares how she turned her passion for organizing and styling from a hobby into her full-time job. She explains the incredible physical and emotional benefits of having a neat and tidy space, highlighting how organization can transform our lives. To make her services accessible to a b...

In this episode, Taylar Fetzner, co-host of the Creeps and Crimes Podcast, opens up about her journey with her best friend, Morgan Mounts, from sharing a fascination for spooky stories, conspiracies, and true crime to launching a successful podcast. Taylar delves into her show's beginnings, the power of a single TikTok video in attracting a vast audience, and the evolution of her podcast's appeara...

We’re joined by Victory Harbin, the creative force behind The Social Brand in this episode of WBTB. Victory takes us through her journey from art student to marketing expert, sharing the story of her business's natural growth and her passion for purposeful branding and building genuine human connections. Victory opens up about the lessons she learned from trying to scale her business too quickly d...

Andrew Ellis, the founder of U Brew Coffee Company, sits down with Chris to discuss his entrepreneurial leap into the coffee business. From the origins of U Brew to Andrew's vision for a coffee community, this episode illuminates the struggles and triumphs of starting a coffee business. Chris and Andrew then embark on an immersive coffee cupping session, giving listeners a taste of U Brew's commit...

Dive into the fascinating world of digital innovation with Mat Micheli, co-founder and co-CEO of Viral Nation. This episode takes you on a journey from Viral Nation's roots in 2014 to its emergence as a global leader in digital and social innovation. Mat recounts his entrepreneurial ventures with Joe Gagliese, detailing their shift from a liquidation business to the forefront of social media and i...

Embark on a journey of digital transformation with Alex Melen, one of the masterminds behind Smart Sites. In this episode, Alex sheds light on the art of building a powerful personal brand, the intricacies of nurturing a thriving business in the tech-centric marketplace, and his innovative strategies that are shaping the future of digital marketing.  Listen in as he offers a blend of insightful ex...

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris introduces Ozzy Garner, the founder of Advirtis. Ozzy shares his startup journey, from launching his business during the pandemic to celebrating crucial milestones like finding the talent. He emphasizes the importance of learning time management skills, finding work-life balance as an entrepreneur, and his plans for the future of Advirtis. This engagin...

Kelly Fletcher is the owner of Fletcher Marketing PR, an agency that has worked with brands of all sizes, from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Kelly shares why she feels business is personal, and the mindset that she’s built to overcome the setbacks and challenges of building an agency from scratch. Chris and Kelly explore how the skills for build...

Brandon Bruce is the CEO and Co-Founder of Uncat, but he’s also a co-founder of multiple brands and businesses. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Brandon shares what drew him to serial entrepreneurship, and how he’s successfully scaled his approach to branding across multiple endeavors. Chris and Brandon explore the inherent risk of starting a business, and how permission-based marketing and...

Asterios Kokkinos, a freelance creative director and copywriter who works in the advertising industry, joins me on this episode of We Built This Brand to discuss one of the most challenging and critical elements of building a brand - getting people to pay attention to you. Asterios shares how he was able to break into advertising through his stand-up comedy career, and how humor not only helps dev...

When the KnoxDevs community heard there was not a plan for a tech conference this year, they decided to launch their own: Devmoot. This is more than just a spur-of-the-moment decision though. Devmoot is the culmination of years of community building by KnoxDevs. In this episode, Chris interviews two of the leading Devmoot (and KnoxDevs) founders, Adrian Carr and Cody Lambert, about starting the Kn...

Zack Roskop is the owner of Knox Brew Tours and Knox Brew Hub, and while people might know him as a local craft beer expert, what many don’t realize is he’s also a natural-born marketer. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris and Zack discuss how Zack went from being a full-time musician with a crazy idea, to building out multiple successful businesses in his Knox Brew brand. Zack explains...

Jeremy Floyd is a prolific marketer who currently serves as the Chief Communications Officer for Covenant Health, the largest employer in the Knoxville Metropolitan area. In this episode, he joins Chris for a conversation about how his career journey went from being a philosophy major, to a lawyer, to finding his lifelong career in marketing. Jeremy shares stories on why branding is so much more t...

Get to know Gavin Baker, Founder of Baker Marketing Labs, as he joins Chris on We Built This Brand. In this episode, Gavin shares how his early experiences in social media management and running a start-up shaped his career in the world of branding. Dive into the process of taking his own company through a major rebrand and discover valuable, actionable tips for entrepreneurs building their first...

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris is joined by Jess Gutman, Creative Director at Big Slate Media. Jess reveals what it’s been like to see the company grow from its early days (she’s employee #3), and is able to share unique insights on how building a brand from scratch is an ever-evolving process. If there’s one big lesson you can take away from this conversation, it’s to embrace whate...

Branding is a powerful tool that creates lasting impressions on individuals. Although people may only see ads and logos, creating a successful brand takes time, effort, and creativity. We Built This Brand is a podcast that delves into the process of building a brand by interviewing founders, marketers, and creators who have successfully created powerful brands. Through this podcast, listeners will...