Vibe Marketing Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/vibe-marketing Two people – Craig Brooks and Caitlin Smith – who do the work every day (one in brand design, one in marketing) dig into the real questions business owners are asking, with honesty about what actually moves the needle. 2026 93f73fb3-4ca3-5acb-8290-3155df69eacc yes Introducing Vibe Marketing en Mon, 25 May 2026 22:00:09 -0400 Mon, 25 May 2026 22:01:23 -0400 https://img.transistorcdn.com/iZ8ZN9qat4B8_JTw8YZCwKOzBZyiBDE5AMbWOA2vqgQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xZWZm/NmEwMjYwNzk0YzE3/ZTc4MmIzNGIyZWRj/MzJhNy5wbmc.jpg Vibe Marketing episodic Craig Brooks Two people – Craig Brooks and Caitlin Smith – who do the work every day (one in brand design, one in marketing) dig into the real questions business owners are asking, with honesty about what actually moves the needle. Two people – Craig Brooks and Caitlin Smith – who do the work every day (one in brand design, one in marketing) dig into the real questions business owners are asking, with honesty about what actually moves the needle.. marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights Craig Brooks No No Branded & Marketed by AI? 7 7 Branded & Marketed by AI? full d44015dc-28c2-47c6-8761-e5987f274bcc https://share.transistor.fm/s/e85aebc7 AI can build you a logo in 30 seconds. The question is whether you should let it. Craig and
Caitlin talk through what AI is actually good at in branding and marketing, where it falls
dangerously short, and how to use it as the sidekick it's built to be instead of handing it the keys
to your entire brand. Caitlin shares her 10/80/10 framework, and Craig gets real about why even
as a power user, he doesn't trust it to do 100% of anything.

What we cover:
● AI as sidekick, not replacement: why the "automate everything" pitch should make you
nervous
● The trademark trap: why you may not be able to legally own an AI-generated logo
● Caitlin's 10/80/10 rule: be heavily involved in the first 10% and last 10%, let AI accelerate
the middle
● How feeding AI your brand strategy playbook unlocks genuinely useful outputs
● Using AI to find what clients almost said: parsing transcripts for the half-finished thoughts
that matter most

The One Thing: AI will always answer you, and it will always sell you on that answer. Your job
is to bring the 20% it can't: the human creativity, the strategic context, and the final quality
check. It's a great sidekick, but it's not the stool you want to put your whole weight on.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> AI can build you a logo in 30 seconds. The question is whether you should let it. Craig and
Caitlin talk through what AI is actually good at in branding and marketing, where it falls
dangerously short, and how to use it as the sidekick it's built to be instead of handing it the keys
to your entire brand. Caitlin shares her 10/80/10 framework, and Craig gets real about why even
as a power user, he doesn't trust it to do 100% of anything.

What we cover:
● AI as sidekick, not replacement: why the "automate everything" pitch should make you
nervous
● The trademark trap: why you may not be able to legally own an AI-generated logo
● Caitlin's 10/80/10 rule: be heavily involved in the first 10% and last 10%, let AI accelerate
the middle
● How feeding AI your brand strategy playbook unlocks genuinely useful outputs
● Using AI to find what clients almost said: parsing transcripts for the half-finished thoughts
that matter most

The One Thing: AI will always answer you, and it will always sell you on that answer. Your job
is to bring the 20% it can't: the human creativity, the strategic context, and the final quality
check. It's a great sidekick, but it's not the stool you want to put your whole weight on.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> Mon, 25 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 2155 AI can build you a logo in 30 seconds. The question is whether you should let it. Craig and
Caitlin talk through what AI is actually good at in branding and marketing, where it falls
dangerously short, and how to use it as the sidekick it's built to be instead of handing it the keys
to your entire brand. Caitlin shares her 10/80/10 framework, and Craig gets real about why even
as a power user, he doesn't trust it to do 100% of anything.

What we cover:
● AI as sidekick, not replacement: why the "automate everything" pitch should make you
nervous
● The trademark trap: why you may not be able to legally own an AI-generated logo
● Caitlin's 10/80/10 rule: be heavily involved in the first 10% and last 10%, let AI accelerate
the middle
● How feeding AI your brand strategy playbook unlocks genuinely useful outputs
● Using AI to find what clients almost said: parsing transcripts for the half-finished thoughts
that matter most

The One Thing: AI will always answer you, and it will always sell you on that answer. Your job
is to bring the 20% it can't: the human creativity, the strategic context, and the final quality
check. It's a great sidekick, but it's not the stool you want to put your whole weight on.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No Know Your Why Before You Network 6 6 Know Your Why Before You Network full 4150d186-0290-4444-a355-bebede8389f9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ace10167 You joined the chamber, grabbed a few business cards, maybe went to the big expo. And then... nothing. Here's the problem: most business owners treat networking like a to-do list instead of a growth strategy. Rebekah Arthur has spent over a decade at the Seminole County Chamber and now leads it as President and CEO. She sits down with us to break down what actually works when you walk into a room full of strangers and need it to turn into something real for your business.

What We Cover:

  • Why your chamber can be the team you don't have yet, especially if you're running your business solo
  • The difference between collecting contacts and building relationships that actually generate referrals
  • How to pick 3-4 events that fit your schedule and personality instead of trying to show up everywhere
  • Community as a marketing channel: why consumers choose businesses invested in their community at a higher rate than those running ads alone
  • The local SEO advantage most small businesses miss: how chamber connections and local links outperform national backlinks for businesses that serve their area

The One Thing: Know your why before you show up. The most successful chamber members, whether they have two employees or two hundred, are the ones who walk in knowing exactly what they need. Not more business cards. Not a plaque for the wall. A clear goal that tells you which rooms to be in, which people to talk to, and what "success" actually looks like for the time you're investing.

Rebekah Arthur is President and CEO of the Seminole County Chamber, a five-star accredited chamber from the U.S. Chamber and Florida's Chamber of the Year in its size category. Learn more at seminolebusiness.org.

]]> You joined the chamber, grabbed a few business cards, maybe went to the big expo. And then... nothing. Here's the problem: most business owners treat networking like a to-do list instead of a growth strategy. Rebekah Arthur has spent over a decade at the Seminole County Chamber and now leads it as President and CEO. She sits down with us to break down what actually works when you walk into a room full of strangers and need it to turn into something real for your business.

What We Cover:

  • Why your chamber can be the team you don't have yet, especially if you're running your business solo
  • The difference between collecting contacts and building relationships that actually generate referrals
  • How to pick 3-4 events that fit your schedule and personality instead of trying to show up everywhere
  • Community as a marketing channel: why consumers choose businesses invested in their community at a higher rate than those running ads alone
  • The local SEO advantage most small businesses miss: how chamber connections and local links outperform national backlinks for businesses that serve their area

The One Thing: Know your why before you show up. The most successful chamber members, whether they have two employees or two hundred, are the ones who walk in knowing exactly what they need. Not more business cards. Not a plaque for the wall. A clear goal that tells you which rooms to be in, which people to talk to, and what "success" actually looks like for the time you're investing.

Rebekah Arthur is President and CEO of the Seminole County Chamber, a five-star accredited chamber from the U.S. Chamber and Florida's Chamber of the Year in its size category. Learn more at seminolebusiness.org.

]]> Mon, 18 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 1911 You joined the chamber, grabbed a few business cards, maybe went to the big expo. And then... nothing. Here's the problem: most business owners treat networking like a to-do list instead of a growth strategy. Rebekah Arthur has spent over a decade at the Seminole County Chamber and now leads it as President and CEO. She sits down with us to break down what actually works when you walk into a room full of strangers and need it to turn into something real for your business.

What We Cover:

  • Why your chamber can be the team you don't have yet, especially if you're running your business solo
  • The difference between collecting contacts and building relationships that actually generate referrals
  • How to pick 3-4 events that fit your schedule and personality instead of trying to show up everywhere
  • Community as a marketing channel: why consumers choose businesses invested in their community at a higher rate than those running ads alone
  • The local SEO advantage most small businesses miss: how chamber connections and local links outperform national backlinks for businesses that serve their area

The One Thing: Know your why before you show up. The most successful chamber members, whether they have two employees or two hundred, are the ones who walk in knowing exactly what they need. Not more business cards. Not a plaque for the wall. A clear goal that tells you which rooms to be in, which people to talk to, and what "success" actually looks like for the time you're investing.

Rebekah Arthur is President and CEO of the Seminole County Chamber, a five-star accredited chamber from the U.S. Chamber and Florida's Chamber of the Year in its size category. Learn more at seminolebusiness.org.

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No The Soul vs. The Machine 5 5 The Soul vs. The Machine full 3d6539b2-e499-4ebd-a9a5-ea484f40d838 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0aada5b9 Your brand identity is the soul. Your marketing infrastructure is the machine. Neither one works
without the other, and most businesses are running on one while ignoring the other. Craig and
Caitlin break down what happens when you have a gorgeous brand book collecting dust in a
folder, what happens when you have a marketing engine with no strategic foundation, and how
connecting the two is what actually moves the needle at every stage of business.

What we cover:
● The real story of a client who spent $4,000 on a brand book but had zero marketing
execution
● Why handing your brand playbook to a marketer saves time, reduces decision fatigue,
and cuts costs
● How speed and capital work together: the two things that actually equal business
success
● A client case study: identifying one friction point in the customer journey led to 23%
growth
● Why the soul vs. machine framework applies whether you're a startup or doing millions
in revenue

The One Thing: If something in your business is frustrating you right now, whether it's lead
flow, client retention, or conversion rates, trace it back to the connection between your brand
foundation and your marketing execution. That gap is almost always where the answer lives.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> Your brand identity is the soul. Your marketing infrastructure is the machine. Neither one works
without the other, and most businesses are running on one while ignoring the other. Craig and
Caitlin break down what happens when you have a gorgeous brand book collecting dust in a
folder, what happens when you have a marketing engine with no strategic foundation, and how
connecting the two is what actually moves the needle at every stage of business.

What we cover:
● The real story of a client who spent $4,000 on a brand book but had zero marketing
execution
● Why handing your brand playbook to a marketer saves time, reduces decision fatigue,
and cuts costs
● How speed and capital work together: the two things that actually equal business
success
● A client case study: identifying one friction point in the customer journey led to 23%
growth
● Why the soul vs. machine framework applies whether you're a startup or doing millions
in revenue

The One Thing: If something in your business is frustrating you right now, whether it's lead
flow, client retention, or conversion rates, trace it back to the connection between your brand
foundation and your marketing execution. That gap is almost always where the answer lives.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> Mon, 11 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 1997 Your brand identity is the soul. Your marketing infrastructure is the machine. Neither one works
without the other, and most businesses are running on one while ignoring the other. Craig and
Caitlin break down what happens when you have a gorgeous brand book collecting dust in a
folder, what happens when you have a marketing engine with no strategic foundation, and how
connecting the two is what actually moves the needle at every stage of business.

What we cover:
● The real story of a client who spent $4,000 on a brand book but had zero marketing
execution
● Why handing your brand playbook to a marketer saves time, reduces decision fatigue,
and cuts costs
● How speed and capital work together: the two things that actually equal business
success
● A client case study: identifying one friction point in the customer journey led to 23%
growth
● Why the soul vs. machine framework applies whether you're a startup or doing millions
in revenue

The One Thing: If something in your business is frustrating you right now, whether it's lead
flow, client retention, or conversion rates, trace it back to the connection between your brand
foundation and your marketing execution. That gap is almost always where the answer lives.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No Before You Ask for Capital (Karlon Johnson) 4 4 Before You Ask for Capital (Karlon Johnson) full c4bd2a06-2159-45f1-a791-d6616d54ba97 https://share.transistor.fm/s/be2d35ca You can't invest in marketing, branding, or growth if your money isn't right. And most business owners don't realize how many funding doors they're closing before they even walk in. We sat down with Karlon Johnson from BBIF Capital, a Community Development Financial Institution that's been helping Florida businesses access capital and free consulting for nearly 40 years, to talk about what lenders actually look at, why most owners get turned away, and what to do about it.

What We Cover:

  • What a CDFI is and why the requirements are different from a bank or credit union (one year in business, credit scores as low as 600)
  • The free business consulting most people don't know exists, and why BBIF pairs it with every loan
  • Why personal credit matters more than business credit when you're trying to get funded
  • The income statement and balance sheet gap: what happens when you don't have them and why a bank statement isn't enough
  • How mixing personal and business finances quietly kills your ability to get a loan, a mortgage, or show real growth

The One Thing: Separate your personal finances from your business finances now, not when the business "gets bigger." If your personal paychecks are flowing through your business account, your financials are inflated, your tax returns look messy, and any underwriter reviewing your application is going to see red flags instead of a growing business. Get a dedicated business account, connect it to accounting software like QuickBooks, and let your numbers tell the real story.

Karlon Johnson is with BBIF Capital, Inc. He oversees lending, business consulting, and a financial literacy initiative serving business owners across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer, strategist, and entrepreneur. 

]]> You can't invest in marketing, branding, or growth if your money isn't right. And most business owners don't realize how many funding doors they're closing before they even walk in. We sat down with Karlon Johnson from BBIF Capital, a Community Development Financial Institution that's been helping Florida businesses access capital and free consulting for nearly 40 years, to talk about what lenders actually look at, why most owners get turned away, and what to do about it.

What We Cover:

  • What a CDFI is and why the requirements are different from a bank or credit union (one year in business, credit scores as low as 600)
  • The free business consulting most people don't know exists, and why BBIF pairs it with every loan
  • Why personal credit matters more than business credit when you're trying to get funded
  • The income statement and balance sheet gap: what happens when you don't have them and why a bank statement isn't enough
  • How mixing personal and business finances quietly kills your ability to get a loan, a mortgage, or show real growth

The One Thing: Separate your personal finances from your business finances now, not when the business "gets bigger." If your personal paychecks are flowing through your business account, your financials are inflated, your tax returns look messy, and any underwriter reviewing your application is going to see red flags instead of a growing business. Get a dedicated business account, connect it to accounting software like QuickBooks, and let your numbers tell the real story.

Karlon Johnson is with BBIF Capital, Inc. He oversees lending, business consulting, and a financial literacy initiative serving business owners across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer, strategist, and entrepreneur. 

]]> Mon, 04 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 2434 You can't invest in marketing, branding, or growth if your money isn't right. And most business owners don't realize how many funding doors they're closing before they even walk in. We sat down with Karlon Johnson from BBIF Capital, a Community Development Financial Institution that's been helping Florida businesses access capital and free consulting for nearly 40 years, to talk about what lenders actually look at, why most owners get turned away, and what to do about it.

What We Cover:

  • What a CDFI is and why the requirements are different from a bank or credit union (one year in business, credit scores as low as 600)
  • The free business consulting most people don't know exists, and why BBIF pairs it with every loan
  • Why personal credit matters more than business credit when you're trying to get funded
  • The income statement and balance sheet gap: what happens when you don't have them and why a bank statement isn't enough
  • How mixing personal and business finances quietly kills your ability to get a loan, a mortgage, or show real growth

The One Thing: Separate your personal finances from your business finances now, not when the business "gets bigger." If your personal paychecks are flowing through your business account, your financials are inflated, your tax returns look messy, and any underwriter reviewing your application is going to see red flags instead of a growing business. Get a dedicated business account, connect it to accounting software like QuickBooks, and let your numbers tell the real story.

Karlon Johnson is with BBIF Capital, Inc. He oversees lending, business consulting, and a financial literacy initiative serving business owners across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer, strategist, and entrepreneur. 

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No Building The Brand 3 3 Building The Brand full 6f445082-6c21-42e4-96c8-da0b502ab10b https://share.transistor.fm/s/77a8fe0e A beautiful website that doesn't convert is just expensive art. Craig and Caitlin get into the gap
between looking good and actually driving action, covering CTA button contrast, trust signals,
the three-second window you have to prove your site is worth someone's time, and why testing
one thing per page beats throwing every widget on your homepage at once.

What we cover:

● Why a contrasting CTA button color matters more than most business owners realize
● The grayscale hack: how to check if your design works for people who see color
differently
● Trust signals that actually move the needle: reviews, video, live chat, and knowing when
to use each one
● "World building" and why brand consistency across platforms buys you extra seconds of
attention
● The case against pop-up overload and what to do instead

The One Thing: Pull up your website on your phone right now. Can you see what you want
someone to do? If you can't, neither can they. Test one trust signal or conversion element per
page, track the results, and iterate from there.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> A beautiful website that doesn't convert is just expensive art. Craig and Caitlin get into the gap
between looking good and actually driving action, covering CTA button contrast, trust signals,
the three-second window you have to prove your site is worth someone's time, and why testing
one thing per page beats throwing every widget on your homepage at once.

What we cover:

● Why a contrasting CTA button color matters more than most business owners realize
● The grayscale hack: how to check if your design works for people who see color
differently
● Trust signals that actually move the needle: reviews, video, live chat, and knowing when
to use each one
● "World building" and why brand consistency across platforms buys you extra seconds of
attention
● The case against pop-up overload and what to do instead

The One Thing: Pull up your website on your phone right now. Can you see what you want
someone to do? If you can't, neither can they. Test one trust signal or conversion element per
page, track the results, and iterate from there.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 2429 A beautiful website that doesn't convert is just expensive art. Craig and Caitlin get into the gap
between looking good and actually driving action, covering CTA button contrast, trust signals,
the three-second window you have to prove your site is worth someone's time, and why testing
one thing per page beats throwing every widget on your homepage at once.

What we cover:

● Why a contrasting CTA button color matters more than most business owners realize
● The grayscale hack: how to check if your design works for people who see color
differently
● Trust signals that actually move the needle: reviews, video, live chat, and knowing when
to use each one
● "World building" and why brand consistency across platforms buys you extra seconds of
attention
● The case against pop-up overload and what to do instead

The One Thing: Pull up your website on your phone right now. Can you see what you want
someone to do? If you can't, neither can they. Test one trust signal or conversion element per
page, track the results, and iterate from there.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No Your Marketing Ally, Aerial Robinson 2 2 Your Marketing Ally, Aerial Robinson full e28626cf-6e67-46e4-9218-3a01dde561a1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/b5310e8b Spectrum is the company you pay for internet. Spectrum Reach is the company that can put your brand in front of the exact household you're trying to reach, and it might cost less than your lunch. Craig and Caitlin sit down with Aerial Robinson, who manages over a million dollars in ad campaigns for local businesses, to find out what data-driven marketing actually looks like when you're not working with a Fortune 500 budget.

What we cover:

  • The $25 truth: what a 30-second Fox News commercial in your zip code actually costs (Craig guessed $8,000)
  • Why the biggest mistake businesses make before launching a campaign is ignoring their website infrastructure
  • Streaming vs. cable: how household-level targeting gets your ad in front of a business owner and skips the house next door
  • The "Pay It Forward" program: Spectrum Reach matches your ad spend one-to-one for new clients
  • Inside the Seminole County Chamber's Business Alliance Council: how 75-100 business owners show up monthly at Rock and Brews to grow together

The One Thing: You don't need a massive budget to run real, targeted marketing. What you need is a strong digital presence to send people to, a clear picture of who you're trying to reach, and the willingness to start small and local instead of spraying money across an entire metro. The infrastructure comes first. The visibility comes second.

Aerial Robinson is a media consultant and advertising account executive at Spectrum Reach, and chair of the Business Alliance Council at the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce. Find her on LinkedIn or at the BAC's monthly lunch and learn, fourth Friday of every month at Rock and Brews in Oviedo.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist. New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.


]]> Spectrum is the company you pay for internet. Spectrum Reach is the company that can put your brand in front of the exact household you're trying to reach, and it might cost less than your lunch. Craig and Caitlin sit down with Aerial Robinson, who manages over a million dollars in ad campaigns for local businesses, to find out what data-driven marketing actually looks like when you're not working with a Fortune 500 budget.

What we cover:

  • The $25 truth: what a 30-second Fox News commercial in your zip code actually costs (Craig guessed $8,000)
  • Why the biggest mistake businesses make before launching a campaign is ignoring their website infrastructure
  • Streaming vs. cable: how household-level targeting gets your ad in front of a business owner and skips the house next door
  • The "Pay It Forward" program: Spectrum Reach matches your ad spend one-to-one for new clients
  • Inside the Seminole County Chamber's Business Alliance Council: how 75-100 business owners show up monthly at Rock and Brews to grow together

The One Thing: You don't need a massive budget to run real, targeted marketing. What you need is a strong digital presence to send people to, a clear picture of who you're trying to reach, and the willingness to start small and local instead of spraying money across an entire metro. The infrastructure comes first. The visibility comes second.

Aerial Robinson is a media consultant and advertising account executive at Spectrum Reach, and chair of the Business Alliance Council at the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce. Find her on LinkedIn or at the BAC's monthly lunch and learn, fourth Friday of every month at Rock and Brews in Oviedo.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist. New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.


]]> Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 1834 Spectrum is the company you pay for internet. Spectrum Reach is the company that can put your brand in front of the exact household you're trying to reach, and it might cost less than your lunch. Craig and Caitlin sit down with Aerial Robinson, who manages over a million dollars in ad campaigns for local businesses, to find out what data-driven marketing actually looks like when you're not working with a Fortune 500 budget.

What we cover:

  • The $25 truth: what a 30-second Fox News commercial in your zip code actually costs (Craig guessed $8,000)
  • Why the biggest mistake businesses make before launching a campaign is ignoring their website infrastructure
  • Streaming vs. cable: how household-level targeting gets your ad in front of a business owner and skips the house next door
  • The "Pay It Forward" program: Spectrum Reach matches your ad spend one-to-one for new clients
  • Inside the Seminole County Chamber's Business Alliance Council: how 75-100 business owners show up monthly at Rock and Brews to grow together

The One Thing: You don't need a massive budget to run real, targeted marketing. What you need is a strong digital presence to send people to, a clear picture of who you're trying to reach, and the willingness to start small and local instead of spraying money across an entire metro. The infrastructure comes first. The visibility comes second.

Aerial Robinson is a media consultant and advertising account executive at Spectrum Reach, and chair of the Business Alliance Council at the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce. Find her on LinkedIn or at the BAC's monthly lunch and learn, fourth Friday of every month at Rock and Brews in Oviedo.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist. New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.


]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No Bare Bones Brand Strategy 1 1 Bare Bones Brand Strategy full 548c227d-d384-4ad8-9349-4d4532289b6b https://share.transistor.fm/s/b868a02b You don't need a 50-page brand book to start a business. You need a logo, consistent colors,
consistent fonts, and the guts to go. Craig and Caitlin break down exactly what a brand
foundation looks like when you're just getting started, why messy starts are not only okay but
encouraged, and how a few smart decisions early on can save you thousands down the road.

What we cover:
● Why most founders overthink branding and underthink consistency
● The three building blocks every startup needs before anything else: logo, color palette,
typography
● How to use AI to pressure-test your color and font choices (even on a zero budget)
● The "brand thesis" concept: documenting your messy start so a strategist can hit the
ground running later
● Why trying to cram your entire business story into a logo is the most common branding
mistake

The One Thing: Even if your brand is rough around the edges, if it's consistent, you remove
friction points that cost you business. Consistency beats perfection every time.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> You don't need a 50-page brand book to start a business. You need a logo, consistent colors,
consistent fonts, and the guts to go. Craig and Caitlin break down exactly what a brand
foundation looks like when you're just getting started, why messy starts are not only okay but
encouraged, and how a few smart decisions early on can save you thousands down the road.

What we cover:
● Why most founders overthink branding and underthink consistency
● The three building blocks every startup needs before anything else: logo, color palette,
typography
● How to use AI to pressure-test your color and font choices (even on a zero budget)
● The "brand thesis" concept: documenting your messy start so a strategist can hit the
ground running later
● Why trying to cram your entire business story into a logo is the most common branding
mistake

The One Thing: Even if your brand is rough around the edges, if it's consistent, you remove
friction points that cost you business. Consistency beats perfection every time.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 2282 You don't need a 50-page brand book to start a business. You need a logo, consistent colors,
consistent fonts, and the guts to go. Craig and Caitlin break down exactly what a brand
foundation looks like when you're just getting started, why messy starts are not only okay but
encouraged, and how a few smart decisions early on can save you thousands down the road.

What we cover:
● Why most founders overthink branding and underthink consistency
● The three building blocks every startup needs before anything else: logo, color palette,
typography
● How to use AI to pressure-test your color and font choices (even on a zero budget)
● The "brand thesis" concept: documenting your messy start so a strategist can hit the
ground running later
● Why trying to cram your entire business story into a logo is the most common branding
mistake

The One Thing: Even if your brand is rough around the edges, if it's consistent, you remove
friction points that cost you business. Consistency beats perfection every time.

Craig Brooks is CEO of Clarity Creative Group. Caitlin Smith is a brand designer and strategist.
New episodes dropping soon. Follow Vibe Marketing wherever you listen to podcasts.

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No Introducing Vibe Marketing 1 1 Introducing Vibe Marketing trailer d7a1a33b-5099-4422-a640-bbf823612a59 https://share.transistor.fm/s/2853d2c9 Welcome to Vibe Marketing, the podcast with two people who do the work every day (one in brand design, one in marketing) dig into the real questions business owners are asking, with honesty about what actually moves the needle. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

]]> Welcome to Vibe Marketing, the podcast with two people who do the work every day (one in brand design, one in marketing) dig into the real questions business owners are asking, with honesty about what actually moves the needle. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

]]> Sun, 05 Apr 2026 16:19:11 -0400 Craig Brooks Craig Brooks 58 Welcome to Vibe Marketing, the podcast with two people who do the work every day (one in brand design, one in marketing) dig into the real questions business owners are asking, with honesty about what actually moves the needle. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

]]> marketing, business, entrepreneurship, brand design, advice, insights No