Strategic Counsel by ForthRight Business

Focusing on your brand in order to build or maintain a successful business is more important now than ever. And we have unfortunately seen too many companies short change their brand given current business climates. So many excuses exist out there: 1) You will worry about brand later. 2) Brand is only for products. 3) It is what big businesses do. 4) It costs too much money. 5) To be clear, this i...

So many customer interactions have been replaced with digital and automated interfaces. When executed well, the customer appreciates the convenience and flexibility they provide aiding in purchase and re-purchase of products and services. And what’s more, businesses benefit by reducing cost and improving efficiency. But there is a downside. In this digital world, the customer experience is in esse...

 Remember the old adage, it is not what you know but who you know? Networking is fundamental to any person’s success in business - it does not matter who you are. And it isn’t always easy to put yourself out there, so in this episode, 4 Unspoken Rules of Networking, we focus on what NOT to do in an effort to get to how to network effectively, but also comfortably and authentically. This episode se...

 Influencers and partnerships can be super helpful to brands and businesses. First, they can bring instant credibility through their endorsement. Second, they have a platform of engaged fans, which can add significant reach to a brand’s message. But leveraging influencers and partners needs to be thought through strategically, as you will be making an investment here. In this episode, we give you...

We come from the opposite sides of the proverbial marketing tracks, with Anne at P&G and April at several different agencies. And though we have never worked on the same project, we do share a common truth: the best marketing work comes from the most functional teams. NOT the teams who like each other the most or get along the best, which is a common misconception. In this episode, we distill down...

Most successes and failures in business can be tied back to a leader’s ability to be aware of and manage their personal brand. Characteristics like empathy, ingenuity, and thoughtfulness are critical to bond people. If you have these as a leader, you are probably doing better than most, especially in the midst of a pandemic, where physical togetherness is limited. Now more than ever it is critical...

A partnership can be a beautiful thing when it works. But getting to the right partnership is definitely a journey. In this episode, we talk about what makes a successful partnership work (or not) through the lens of our personal experience in building Forthright People. You asked for our story and here we deliver! And in doing so, also share the top 4 steps to an effective partnership, so you can...

In this new world, many of you have taken to social channels to compensate for other channels that may have been cut-off due to COVID. Add this to the folks who were already there and now we have mass chaos. It is like LA during rush hour. And unfortunately, most businesses are getting sucked into the chaos versus rising above it and being heard. The secret to successful social channels? A brand-l...

By now you have listened to our Part 1 on Becoming a Freelancer. (And if you haven’t go to Part 1 now!) And now that you have all of the tools in place to run a business, it is time to start pitching business. In this episode, we focus on the operational and promotional aspects of starting your own business. This includes everything from the creation of your branded materials, where your materials...

Have an entrepreneurial vision?  Whether you are ready to pivot from a corporate life to hang your own shingle or maybe just looking to get into a side hustle, we are going to give the first 7 steps for getting started.  There are also a lot of companies who will charge you good money to do really simple things, which you may be inclined to do because you just don’t know.  But we want you to spend...

The ways you have generated leads in the past are likely suffering due to the pandemic. Especially if you relied on big events, foot-traffic or live patronage. Even though we are seeing signs of life, it could be a very long time before these types of events and exposure return. Which means you need to pivot. In this episode, we give you 4 lead gen strategies that are working for businesses like y...

Personal branding in business has always been important, but is arguably more so now than ever as we live out our lives and attempt to stand out on screens. In this episode, we discuss 4 reasons now is the time to work on your personal brand. We also talk through challenges of doing so across all aspects of life in an authentic way while discussing real world examples for context. And we end with...

Find yourself dreaming about doing your own thing? Being an entrepreneur takes courage and determination, but also a plan. And how do you know when it is time to pull the trigger? In this episode, we discuss 4 signs that you are ready to take the leap to being an entrepreneur. We also address some of the things we have learned on our journeys, or things we wish someone had shared with us. We end w...

Even before the pandemic, a “Google Search” was one of the first ways people would vet a business. And the first thing they looked for…a website. In today’s world, this may be the first interaction someone is having with your business. So, it better be a good one. In this episode, we reveal 4 monumental mistakes businesses make on their websites which sabotages their conversion. We also address so...