Podcast Episodes | Life on Brand

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Gordon Ramsay’s Hell Kitchen

Episode 21: W42ST: Melting Pot and State of Mind in New York City with Phil O’Brien

by Podcast Motor | Oct 12, 2020 | Podcast Episodes, Season 3

How do entrepreneurs come up with a great business idea and find their first customers?

Today’s guest is Phil O’Brien, founder and publisher of W42ST—a hyper-local lifestyle print magazine and media brand that connects readers to the New York City experience.

Episode Highlights:

2:37 Back to Roots: Journalism first, entrepreneurialism second.
4:05 Leaving Liverpool: Choosing connection and culture of scaling NYC startups.
6:25 W42ST and Hell’s Kitchen: Why live there? Unique, different, and full of history.
10:38 Melting Pot: Creative community composed of Stonewall, Broadway, and more.
11:44 Photography Business: Communicating decision to exit and move on.
17:27 Startup Entrepreneur: Strong will to give something a go on a hunch.
20:50 Strategic Game Plan: Join the fight by finding a greenfield.
21:40 People Like You: Real people, not celebrities on cover and content inside.
22:44 Energy: Fun parts of being an entrepreneur and busy bee motivated by change.
24:05 Print Platform: Sample the menu while delivering a dying breed in a digital world.
28:41 Two Types of Customers: Reader and advertiser.
32:12 First 100 Fans: Create content, invest money, and distribute to validate idea.
33:30 Take-home and Open Rates: People get different things from different platforms.
39:10 Lessons Learned: Highest growth and hub in community.
44:03 Success: Have a smile on your face and surround yourself with people’s energy.
44:28 Moments of Doubt: Fear and delusion of rejection.
45:25 Failures: Stupidity of navigating the river of cash.
47:31 Easy and Hard Parts: Reader’s delight to advertising sales.

Links and Resources:

Phil O’Brien on LinkedIn

W42ST

Mpix

Stonewall History

Getty Images

Ninth Avenue Food Festival NYC

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Zingerman’s Cornman Farms

Episode 20: Pause On Purpose through Foodfillment with Jenny Bouchier-Hayes and Lisa Kjellström from the Reflection Institute

by lifeonbrand | Sep 28, 2020 | Podcast Episodes, Season 3

Foodfillment: Positive relationship with food to serve a larger purpose—one centered around you, your family, your broader community, and the world.

Today’s guests are Jenny Bouchier-Hayes and Lisa Kjellström, co-founders of the Reflection Institute. Its mission is to help people Pause On Purpose (POP) by focusing on one theme for a year followed by an annual retreat for fun and gain feedback.

Episode Highlights:

2:33 Savor Life Moments: Reflecting on reasons for the Reflection Institute.
3:45 Mindful Mission: Pumped about involving POP every day, every aspect of life.
7:17 Foodfillment Theme: Sensory experiences satisfy shared curiosity.
10:58 Motivation and Perseverance: Passion for demanding business transcends food.
12:38 Entrepreneurial Sisters: Exploring different things to find balance and purpose.
16:05 Stay Connected: Coach, consult, capacity for what counts—time and space.
22:11 POP: Don’t be in a rush, but disciplined and intentional as entrepreneurs.
24:28 Inline/Insync: Life balance overlaps/overflows entrepreneurial sisters’ schedules.
31:21 Event Advice: Reach out, make connections, rent space to be ready for retreat.
33:11 Charitable Foodie Community: Opportunity to promote/support products/services.
41:48 Success: Fruitful days helping others; live in present moment rather than worry.
45:12 Moments of Doubt: Right decision to explore other opportunities?
49:25 Failures: Be your true self; don’t miss human element of connection as a leader.
52:36 Easy and Hard Parts: Planning the big day vs. focusing on the big picture.

Links and Resources:

Reflection Institute

Proud Mitten Shared Kitchen

Marco Polo App

Episode 19: It Takes a Village to Raise a Successful Business from a Side Hustle with Rachel Martindale from Milk and Honey

Episode 15: Let’s Make Sauerkraut with Social Capital featuring David Klingenberger of The Brinery

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Milk and Honey on Facebook

Episode 19: It Takes a Village to Raise a Successful Business from a Side Hustle with Rachel Martindale from Milk and Honey

by lifeonbrand | Sep 21, 2020 | Podcast Episodes, Season 2

Can you imagine being bred to be an engineer, but decide to be an entrepreneur by opening a pop-up shop because baking cakes brings you joy?

Today’s guest is Rachel Martindale, founder of Milk and Honey. It’s a custom bakery based out of Ann Arbor. Besides making delicious treats and cakes, a portion of profits are donated to the Ozone House, which supports homeless youth in the community.

Episode Highlights:

2:05 Education and Employment: Bred to be an engineer, but decided to open a bakery.
4:04 Joy of Baking: Do what you love, and quit your day job.
4:40 Word of Mouth: Milk and Honey started and spread by baking creative cakes.
6:14 Food Science: Make savory foods and understand the science behind recipes.
8:16 Story Behind Name: Milk and Honey evokes comfort, joy, and celebration.
12:05 Purpose-driven Pop-Ups: Why, how, and which local nonprofits to support?
15:59 Networking Tips: Reach out, connect with, and ask other businesses to partner up.
20:22 Side Hustle: What you do in the evenings after getting home from your day job.
21:52 Full-time Switch: Can’t sustain always working without enough sleep or time off.
23:09 Life/Work Balance: Make time to spend together, but stay busy.
29:55 Pop-up vs. Storefront: Why choose one over the other? Space and money.
34:00 Pop-up Pro Tips: Food entrepreneurs, it’s a great low-risk opportunity to do.
35:29 Company Culture: Seek supportive boss for flexible schedule and freedom.
39:58 Milk and Honey: Metrics/milestones focused on breaking even, don’t lose money.
43:16 Definition of Success: Do what you love and do it well.
44:45 Perfectionist Tendencies: Be proud of yourself and accept positive feedback.
46:53 Moments of Doubt: Nothing to fall back on financially by switching to full-time.
49:22 Failures: Learn how to interact with people/customers and communicate clearly.
53:05 Easy and Hard Parts: Marketing is easier than expected, but the administrative backend of running a business is tougher.

Links and Resources:

Milk and Honey

Milk and Honey Blog

Milk and Honey on Instagram

Rachel Martindale’s Email

Rachel Martindale on LinkedIn

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Small Giants Community Summit

Episode 18: Small Giants: Prioritize People and Purpose Over Profit with Hamsa Daher

by lifeonbrand | Sep 14, 2020 | Podcast Episodes, Season 2

Believe it or not, it is possible to practice being purposeful by prioritizing people over profit. It just takes a community of positive people and business leaders to impact the bottom line.

Today’s guest is Hamsa Daher, Executive Director of Small Giants. The community of businesses that believes doing good is good for business.

Episode Highlights:

2:21 Overview: Small Giants started with a book based on great, not big businesses.
3:47 Ways to identify truly purposeful leaders that connect with Small Giants philosophy.
5:00 Hamsa’s Many Hats: Small but mighty team divides and conquers everything.
7:00 Learning Languages: Left Mango’s practical conversations to expand capabilities.
8:54 Passion for People: Company culture must have clear vision, purpose, and values.
11:30 Baghdad to United States: Inspirational and varying background and upbringing.
14:34 Small Giants Community Summit: Importance of being purposeful.
17:25 Work/Life Balance: Finding right purpose generates positive energy to never stop.
22:33 Change is Good: Reflect by journaling and other ways to live a purposeful career.
27:07 Purposeful Hiring: Companies articulate screening right people to be successful.
29:33 Bottom Line: How can higher purpose potentially be a measurable metric?
31:55 Purpose for People: Purpose-driven business may not resonate with everyone.
37:03 Definition of Success: Good energy, good people, and making an impact.
37:16 Moments of Doubt: Public speaking and speaking about herself.
37:51 Failures: Take time to hire right team members to cultivate culture, align values.
40:06 Easy and Hard Parts: Connecting with and identifying leaders as Small Giants.

Links and Resources:

Small Giants Community

Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big (Book by Bo Burlingham)

Small Giants Community Leadership Academy

Mango Languages

Zingerman’s Deli

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Synecdoche Design Studio
Huck Finch

Episode 17: Do Good Work through Simultaneous Understanding with Lisa Sauve of Synecdoche Design Studio

by lifeonbrand | Sep 7, 2020 | Podcast Episodes, Season 2

Every business should follow the mantra: Do Good Work, and people will notice. How? By supporting community projects and partnerships through simultaneous understanding.

Today’s guest is Lisa Sauve, principal at Synecdoche Design Studio in Ann Arbor. Synecdoche is an award winning design-making architecture practice with more than 100 projects that merge the built environment with craft and fabrication. Lisa talks about how the studio applies its vision, mission, and mantra to select projects.

Episode Highlights:

2:15 Story Behind Name: Synecdoche means simultaneous understanding.
4:52 Real World Recession: Best reason to start a business.
8:00 Entrepreneurial Spirit: Soldering circuit boards for software engineer father.
10:11 Back-up Plans? Go back to school, teach what you know, and design lunchroom.
11:07 Side Revenue Success: False starts for six years and signing lease for space.
13:00 Mantra: Do Good Work by supporting community projects and partnerships.
16:25 Vision Statement: Elevate mindset of Great Lakes region as design hub.
16:48 Seed Money: Support community and university grants to start a project.
18:05 Ann Arbor: Great place to start a business, design, and create something new.
20:10 Projects: Say ‘no’ to stick to niche and create badass spaces that work.
20:50 Bottom Line: Ask a lot of business questions to design space and solve problems.
24:34 Perks and Performance Metrics: Design is value, not cost, to survive budget.
27:45 Client Feedback: Authentic brand experience over aesthetics.
29:10 Storytelling and Scenarios: Connect through open and unthreatening spaces.
31:00 Passion for Bathrooms: Red Herring for design shortcuts?
33:02 Inspiration: Materials stand in for scope, scalability, sliding scale/equity structure.
38:35 Synecdoche: Yes, we care. So, you’ll know when you see it.
39:30 Definition of Success: Being able to make an impact.
40:24 Moments of Doubt: What’s my role? Am I working in or on the business?
41:16 Failures/False Starts: Take risks and have no fear when there’s nothing to lose.
43:07 Easy and Hard Parts: Function as alternative practice before license to start.

Links and Resources:

Lisa Suave on LinkedIn

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