Brandidly Speaking

In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with Olivia Ormos, founder and CEO of mavn, an AI-powered creator marketing platform transforming how brands, agencies, and creators connect and collaborate. With more than 15 years of experience in marketing, events, and the creator economy, Olivia shares how she turned firsthand industry challenges into a technology platform designed t...

In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with renowned rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Deepak Dugar, creator of the groundbreaking Scarless Nose ®️ Technique.  Dr. Dugar shares how narrowing his focus to rhinoplasty helped him build one of the most recognizable personal brands in plastic surgery. From creating an exceptional patient experience to leveraging social media to educate, bui...

In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with Ani Hadjinian, co-founder of POV Beauty, to discuss what it really takes to build a beauty brand in today's creator-led landscape. Drawing on her experience in luxury beauty and her partnership with beauty creator Mikayla Nogueira, Ani shares how the traditional beauty industry differs from the creator economy, why brands can n...

How do you build a beauty brand that wins an Allure Best of Beauty Award 17 years in a row, sells a Beautyblender every 17 minutes, and scales globally without outside funding? On this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with Rea Ann Silva, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Beautyblender, to uncover the business strategy, resilience, and mindset behind one of the most iconic...

What does it take to grow as a creator while staying authentic online? In this episode, Sebas and Espe, the couple behind Two Trends, share the reality of building a platform together in today's creator landscape. From creating content as partners to navigating brand deals, audience growth, and staying true to their values, they offer an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes of a succ...

What happens when a beauty industry executive leaves New York City for Jackson Hole and realizes none of her skincare products can withstand the harsh mountain climate? In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with Alpyn Beauty founder Kendra Kolb Butler to discuss how a personal skincare problem turned into one of the beauty industry's most innovative brands. After reloca...

In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Chillhouse founder and CEO, Cyndi Ramirez, shares her journey from opening a spa in New York City to building a nationally recognized nail care brand. Cyndi discusses the creation of Chill Tips, scaling through retail partnerships, raising capital, navigating an acquisition, leading with intuition, and building a legacy brand in today's beauty industry....

On this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon takes the mic for a solo deep dive into one of social media's hottest emerging brands: Good Girl Snacks and their viral Hot Girl Pickles. If you've spent any time on Instagram or TikTok, chances are you've seen them. What started as two best friends with a love of pickles quickly grew into a brand people couldn't stop rooting f...

What if your audience is already telling you exactly what they care about? In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with Alaina Simon, Senior Client Partner at Reddit, to explore how brands can tap into the real conversations happening on Reddit to better understand their audiences. People are openly sharing what they’re interested in, what they love, what they’re buying, and w...

What do you do after building one of the most iconic beauty brands in the world? If you're Alli Webb, you start over. In this episode, Cris Gordon sits down with the founder of Drybar and Messy to unpack what really changed between building a $275 million business and launching a brand in today's creator-first world. They discuss why authenticity is becoming every brand's biggest ad...

Your personal brand is one of the most valuable assets you'll ever build, and it's about so much more than your social media presence. In this solo episode, Cris Gordon, Head of Beauty at MMC, breaks down what it really means to have a personal brand and why it matters. Whether you're a founder, executive, creator, or early in your career, these are the practical steps to start buil...

In today’s episode, Cris sits down with Olga Fleming, CEO of MMC, the communications agency helping brands earn a place in consumers' everyday lives. Olga shares why the strongest brands go beyond awareness and create meaningful rituals, becoming products and services people rely on daily. When a brand successfully integrates into someone’s routine, it transforms customers into true advocates...

What separates a business that grows from a business that gets acquired?    In this episode, Cris sits down with founder, investor, author, and "Exit Whisperer" Carrie Kerpen to unpack the real lessons behind building, scaling, and selling an 8-figure company.   Together, they discuss the biggest mistakes founders make when preparing for an exit, why visibility and PR can impact how buye...

From early-stage startups to seven-figure brands, every founder is asking the same questions: How do I grow? Where is my audience? What actually works in PR today?  In this SXSW special, we answer those questions in real time – giving founders just 5 minutes each to unlock smarter, more strategic approaches to visibility, storytelling, and growth. From scaling beyond referrals to refining your bra...

What’s the most powerful metric for your brand? Shares.  This week on Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon sits down with Jen Hayes Lee, Head of Marketing and Content at The Bump, to unpack how she’s built a brand that parents are actively recommending to one another.  From scaling one of the most trusted platforms in parenting to fostering a deeply engaged community, Jen shares how a clear understandi...

In today’s healthcare landscape, you must have both the expertise AND the ability to communicate it clearly to build genuine trust with your patients.  In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris sits down with Dr. Sheila Farhang, double board-certified dermatologist and founder of Avant Dermatology, to unpack what it really takes to build trust as a medical expert in the digital age. From growing...

What does it take to build a brand story that goes beyond surface level in the beauty industry?  In this episode, Lisa Hanna, former Miss World, global political leader, and now beauty founder, shares why understanding the entire industry is the foundation for building a brand that truly stands out.  After decades on the world stage and in government, Lisa entered the beauty industry to build some...

How do you break through in the crowded supplement market where new products are getting launched left and right?    In this episode, Bridgitte Malinson, founder of Gut Personal, breaks down how she built a cult-favorite wellness brand by blending clinical credibility with community-first marketing. From strategic PR placements to organic storytelling, she focused on building trust through earned...

You’re posting consistently, so why isn’t anyone sticking around?  Most founders think they need better content. In reality, they’re over-editing, overthinking, and filtering out the very thing that makes people care.  In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Lilliana Vazquez (former TODAY Show + E! host turned creator) shares what turns content into community, and why it has nothing to do with bein...

On this week’s episode, we sit down with Lisa Jauregui, Founder of BK Beauty, to break down how she turned audience feedback into a $25 million beauty brand.  Before founding BK Beauty, Lisa worked in advertising, became a MAC makeup artist, and later began creating YouTube makeup tutorials while raising her kids. By consistently sharing expert advice and education, she built a loyal audience that...

Finance can feel intimidating for most brand-builders and marketers but understanding the numbers might be the most powerful growth tool you have.  In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, we sit down with Chris Polakowski, Executive Director of Global Operations at MMC, to unpack the financial and operational decisions that separate busy brands from profitable ones. From understanding your P&L...

In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, we sit down with Sarah Chen-Spellings, investor & capital strategist, to talk about why understanding finances is a game‑changer for women business owners.  Sarah entered the business world at just 25 and quickly found herself in rooms where major investment decisions were being made. As a young Malaysian woman building her career, she noticed a striking...

This week on Brandidly Speaking , we’re joined by MMC’s Dr. Kavin Shah, the medical expert behind our scientific communications work. As consumers become more focused on ingredients and transparency, trust has never mattered more. Dr. Kavin, a board-certified surgeon with a master’s in public health, shares how brands can turn complex science into content that’s clear, credible, and actually drive...

In this week’s episode of Brandidly Speaking, we sit down with Aliett Buttelman, the Co-Founder of Fazit Beauty. A true innovator in the makeup application space, Fazit understands the consumer’s desire for instant confidence, and has built an entire brand around delivering it. From major sporting moments like the Olympics and the Super Bowl to music festivals like Coachella, they’ve mastered the...

Celebrity‑led brands are everywhere now, and they continue to spark curiosity, cultural relevance, and drive sales. In this episode, Kailey Bradt, CEO of Sonsie, takes us behind the scenes of leading the skincare brand founded by Pamela Anderson, and shares what it truly takes to build a brand that resonates beyond a famous name.  While Pamela provides the inspiration, Kailey explains how Sonsie i...