Brand Story

When Will Guidara took over Eleven Madison Park, it didn’t have a Michelin star to its name. But through a mix of genuine care, creativity, and a bit of unreasonable hospitality, the restaurant has held three Michelin stars since 2012 and was ranked number one on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. In this episode, Will shares his career journey and the valuable lessons he’s learned in bo...

Gravity Group's President, Steve Gilman, and Vice President, Lindsey Laughlin, share stories from the world of brand and marketing, bringing you insights on successful and unsuccessful campaigns, brands, and marketing tactics. In this episode, they discuss how The Shop Forward and Life is Beautiful each embody their brand purpose and lives their ‘why’. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating th...

Miyoko Schinner knows a thing or two about fighting for what she believes in. As the founder of the successful CPG brand, Miyoko’s Creamery, she’s dedicated her life to affecting social change and sustainability through veganism and activism. In this episode of Brand Story, you’ll hear from Miyoko about the battles she’s fought, the importance of standing strong in your core beliefs, and why she b...

Wade Forbes is no stranger to the art of visual storytelling. As the Chief Illustration Officer of RedTale Communications, Wade helps others tell their stories through engaging visuals, finding new ways to effectively convey messages and capture attention. In this episode, Wade shares his unique perspective on the art form and how you can better use visuals to help convey your message. We discuss...

Culture influences more than we may realize. From what we wear, who we marry, and what we support, culture is one of the most influential forces on human behavior. Yet for as often as the word is used, it’s seldom fully understood. In this episode of Brand Story, we unpack what culture is with Dr. Marcus Collins, Marketing Professor at the University of Michigan and Best-Selling Author of the book...

Gravity Group's President, Steve Gilman, and Vice President, Lindsey Laughlin, share stories from the world of brand and marketing, bringing you insights on successful and unsuccessful campaigns, brands, and marketing tactics. In this episode, they answer quick-fire questions from listeners about leadership, Threads, and myths about brand and marketing. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating t...

Gravity Group's President, Steve Gilman, and Vice President, Lindsey Laughlin, share stories from the world of brand and marketing, bringing you insights on successful and unsuccessful campaigns, brands, and marketing tactics. In this episode, they discuss lifestyle branding with YETI and the story of Disney California Adventure Park’s brand withdrawal. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating t...

Have you ever said yes to something you wanted to say no to? Vanessa Patrick hears it all the time, which is why her new book, The Power of Saying No, is here to help reshape that mindset. In this episode of Brand Story, we talk with Vanessa about the art of empowered refusal, and how saying no isn’t a rejection. She shares personal anecdotes and tips for how you can reshape your thinking and bett...

Reimagine Inclusion – a message Mita Mallick hopes we all take to heart, and also the title of her new book. As a returning guest on our podcast, Mita breaks down what inclusivity really looks like both in the workplace and our professional lives. She shares examples of real struggles she’s experienced, and provides tips to help you on your own personal journey as an ally. Because whether you were...

Gravity Group's President, Steve Gilman, and Vice President, Lindsey Laughlin, share stories from the world of brand and marketing, bringing you insights on successful and unsuccessful campaigns, brands, and marketing tactics. In this episode, they discuss some of Coke’s standout marketing campaigns and the recent Pepsi visual identity rebrand. This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrating the storie...

What makes a brand? Carolyn Walker would say it all boils down to the customer experience. As the CEO and managing partner of Response, an independent marketing agency, Carolyn develops creative solutions to help build brands and focus on long-term loyalty. In this episode of Brand Story, we hear from Carolyn about balancing brand building with performance marketing, and the impact your customer’s...

Gravity Group's President, Steve Gilman, and Vice President, Lindsey Laughlin, share stories from the world of brand and marketing, bringing you insights on successful and unsuccessful campaigns, brands, and marketing tactics. In this episode, they discuss the importance of knowing and connecting with your audience and having consistency in both your internal and external messaging. This is Brand...

Wondering how to become a more successful leader? Jahmaal Marshall would say the key lies in self-awareness. As a certified counselor, consultant, and CEO of Listen Then Speak, Jahmaal coaches leaders on identifying their behaviors and how to lean on both their strengths and weaknesses. In this episode of Brand Story, we hear from Jahmaal about the importance of setting boundaries, the role of vul...

Gravity Group's President, Steve Gilman, and Vice President, Lindsey Laughlin, share positive stories from the brand and marketing world, bringing you insights on successful and unsuccessful campaigns, brands, and marketing tactics. In this episode, hear why Chewy succeeded when Pets.com failed, and how Liquid Death's brand position speaks to their audience This is Brand Story, a podcast celebrati...

Do you talk to people, or do you just talk at them? Karen Nicholas discusses the important difference in this episode of Brand Story. As a strategic communications professional and freelance writer, she helps others improve their communication skills to better engage with employees and ensure messaging connects. In this episode, you’ll hear from Karen about the three B’s of messaging, why stories...

Vann Graves was told early on in his advertising career — don’t fall in love with your work, respect your work. As creators, we always need to balance our visions with what the client actually needs, so being fearless and open to new ideas is paramount to finding success in the business world. As the Executive Director of the VCU Brandcenter, Vann is helping develop the next generation of critical...

Tara Horstmeyer has three tips for interacting on LinkedIn. Be real. Be relatable. Be relational. As a LinkedIn professional and the owner of Happy Worlds, Tara knows the value in building relationships, and encourages others to stop lurking and create from the heart. In this episode, you’ll hear from Tara about the opportunities for connections on LinkedIn and how to get more out of the platform...

For Laura Hutfless, starting FlyteVu was about more than just selling products. It was about inspiring change, and connecting people to a purpose. This mindset has led the company successfully even today, where they continue to build impactful partnerships and give back to the community. In this episode of Brand Story, you’ll hear from Laura about her career journey, as she shares what it means to...

Suzanne Bergmeister’s path to entrepreneurship wasn’t a straight line. After leaving the Air Force and the corporate finance world to be a venture capitalist, she took what she learned from the investing side of the table and started teaching others about the entrepreneurial world. Now as the Executive Director of the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship at James Madison University, she’s planting...

It’s no surprise that Dorie Clark’s latest book focuses on long-term strategies for your personal goals. As we all live busier and busier lives, we tend to get stuck in the now and stop thinking about where we want to be in the future. As a top communication coach and business thinker, Dorie coaches others on how to break down the busy, optimize their lives, and be more successful both personally...

As an accomplished marketer, sales leader, and subject matter expert in social selling, Steve Watt knows the ins and outs of LinkedIn. Gone are the days of aggressive sales pitches and company voices, now it’s all about individuality and connection. Steve’s work as the Director of Market Insights at Seismic is focused on these new tactics, both on and off LinkedIn, as he encourages others to lean...

Rich Cardona knows what it takes to create a successful podcast. As a global top 50 podcaster and the producer of The Leadership Locker, Brown Table Talk, and Emotional Optimism among others, Rich has built his career around helping others scale their business with podcasts. In this episode of Brand Story, he’s sharing his insights around building and growing podcasts by adding value and meeting y...

Michael Smith compares brand to a person walking into a room. What signals are they sending? How do they come across? As an accomplished brand and creative director and the current Director of Brand & Creative Content at Fountain, Michael’s extensive work with brand strategy has helped businesses find the value of their brand and build it for the better. In this episode of Brand Story, we hear...

Kelsey Dean’s approach to marketing is simple: be authentic, be transparent, be real. As the Assistant Vice President & Marketing Director at Pendleton Community Bank, she leads the marketing efforts in the company’s three regions across Virginia and West Virginia, focusing on true stories and messaging based on their company values. In this episode, you’ll hear from Kelsey about how to connec...

Claude Silver could write a book on emotional optimism, but not a lot of people are familiar with the term itself. As the first-ever Chief Heart Officer for Vaynermedia, Claude teaches others how to integrate heart into their professional lives, and in this episode of Brand Story, she’s breaking down the process and discussing the importance of leading with kindness. This is Brand Story, a podcast...