Straight To Voicemail

How can companies put people at the heart of tech marketing? | Winona Rajamohan, Product Marketing Manager, Seel

Share Your Genius — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0400

In a world increasingly powered by AI, human connection remains a powerful differentiator, and that’s especially true in tech marketing. While AI is reshaping the middle of the marketing funnel, the moments that build trust, capture attention, and influence decisions are still deeply human. So how can businesses create meaningful, human-centered experiences that stand out?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey hears from Winona Rajamohan, Product Marketing Manager at Seel, to explore how businesses can put memorable human experiences at the heart of tech marketing. Winona explains why marketers should focus less on purely technical execution and instead tap into the fundamental human desires that drive trust and connection.

You’ll learn:

Why the rise of AI makes human connection even more valuable in marketing
How memorable experiences build trust and deeper customer relationships
How to balance human connection and technology across the buyer journey

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Rethinking B2B marketing in an AI-driven world
(01:00) Why AI makes human connection more important
(02:00) Creating memorable in-person experiences
(03:00) Where trust is built in the buyer journey
(05:00) A simple framework for human-centered marketing

Straight to Voicemail is for CMOs, CEOs, and Heads of Marketing in B2B tech who want insights from the people who’ve been there. Each episode centers on one big question answered like a voicemail you’ll want to play again.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Rachel Elsts Downey on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/

Follow Winona Rajamohan on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/winonarajamohan/

Seel https://www.linkedin.com/company/addseel/

What are successful companies doing to grow their brands? | Ryan Shapiro and Rachel McDougall, President and Founder, peomg

Share Your Genius — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The brands people remember rarely play it safe, and in industries where most companies follow the same path, success often comes from doing something different. So, what’s the most effective way to grow your brand?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith hears from Ryan Shapiro and Rachel McDougall, President and Founder of peomg, to discuss the strategy that fueled their growth and how prioritizing authenticity has become their competitive advantage.

You’ll learn:

How breaking industry norms can drive brand growth
Why audience value real, human brands over synthetic marketing
How authenticity helps B2B brands standout in a saturated market

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Setting the stage for meaningful innovation

(00:27) Meet the guests: The minds behind the conversation

(00:48) Why going against the industry playbook works
(01:17) Choosing authenticity over synthetic branding

(01:33) Inside peomg’s holiday campaign

(01:58) Key takeaways and final insights

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Amanda Smith on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-alexander-smith/

Follow Ryan Shapiro and Rachel McDougall on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanshapiro/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmcdougall1/

peomg https://www.linkedin.com/company/peomg/

How can companies build meaningful innovation that creates lasting impact? | Darrian Mikell, Director of Finance and Strategy, Humanly

Share Your Genius — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0400

Innovation without direction is a liability. Ideas alone don’t move the business forward. Sustainable companies know that to create real value, innovation must serve customers, solve meaningful problems, and drive revenue. So how do you build innovation that delivers lasting impact?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith hears from Darrian Mikell, Director of Finance and Strategy at Humanly, about how companies can turn innovation into tangible business outcomes. Darrian emphasizes that it starts with listening to customers and translating insights into measurable results.

You’ll learn:
• Why innovation without a clear purpose can hurt more than it helps
• How to think about innovation differently from simply growing a business
• How innovation connects directly to revenue and cash flow

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Darrian Mikell
(01:13) Innovating with purpose vs. innovation for its own sake
(01:53) Using micro-experimentation and synthesizing customer feedback
(02:51) Balancing cash constraints with incremental growth

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Amanda Smith on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-alexander-smith/

Follow Darrian Mikell on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/darrianmikell/

Humanly https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanlyhr/

How can you create a culture of entrepreneurial thinking as you scale? | Nick Smarrelli, Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship, Butler University

Share Your Genius — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

It’s a classic story: an exciting vision and a bold team making it big with their entrepreneurial spirit… and as soon as they scale, it starts to fade. Decisions take longer, everything gets bogged down in approval processes, and the culture? It turns into a cycle of meetings, endless back-and-forth, and the dreaded “we’ll follow up next quarter.” What was once a fast, agile team now feels like it’s stuck in neutral.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey hears from Nick Smarrelli, Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship at Butler University. Nick shares how to keep entrepreneurial thinking alive through growth, highlighting the importance of speed over perfection, enthusiasm as a force multiplier, and embracing risk-taking. Nick’s approach shows that scaling isn’t about avoiding mistakes but learning quickly and adapting.

You’ll learn:

Why speed is more important than perfection when scaling
How to use enthusiasm to drive culture and team engagement
Why celebrating mistakes can foster innovation and growth

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Nick
(00:15) The importance of speed over perfection in scaling
(01:00) How enthusiasm drives team engagement and culture
(02:00) Normalizing risk-taking and celebrating failures
(03:00) Why compounding small efforts leads to bigger outcomes
(04:00) How adaptability is the key to success in scaling
(05:00) The importance of learning and adapting as you scale

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights.

What are the biggest mistakes companies make when they're scaling or buying other businesses? | Andrew Thompson, Co-Founder, West2East

Share Your Genius — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Scaling a business is thrilling… until you realize you’re chasing every opportunity and losing sight of what really matters. Too many companies spread themselves too thin, making mistakes that could have been avoided with sharper focus.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey hears from Andrew Thompson, Co-Founder of West2East, about the biggest mistakes companies make when scaling or acquiring businesses. Andrew shares how success comes from sticking to a proven process and focusing on what works, not reinventing the wheel. His advice is clear: stay strategic, focus on growth, and always optimize, don’t complicate.

You’ll learn:

The importance of staying committed to your growth process
Why you shouldn’t try to reinvent the wheel when acquiring a business
How focusing on growth rather than perfection ensures long-term success

Jump in the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Andrew Thompson

(01:44) Lack of process commitment

(02:00) Over-expecting and reinventing the wheel

(02:20) Predicting success via proven models

(02:39) Protecting profitability during acquisitions

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore our big little wins newsletter for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can content improve customer experience in B2B? | Cecilia Romero, Founder and Operator, Miss 7x7

Share Your Genius — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Most B2B brands think content is just for driving awareness. But what if content could be the key to solving your biggest trust issues with customers?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith speaks with Cecilia Romero, Founder and Operator of Miss 7x7. With her background in event planning, Cecilia has mastered the art of using content to transform the customer experience. By sharing inspiration boards, behind-the-scenes insights, and process breakdowns, Cecilia helps clients feel confident and involved every step of the way.

You’ll learn:

How content creates trust before you even meet the client
Why transparency helps clients make quicker decisions
How content leads to smoother, faster customer experiences

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Cecilia
(00:12) Why content is key to building trust
(01:00) How inspiration boards help clients visualize their vision
(02:00) The power of behind-the-scenes content
(03:00) How transparency cuts down on back-and-forth
(04:00) Content’s role in setting client expectations
(04:45) How content helps align clients with your brand’s process
(05:30) Cecilia’s approach to using content for long-term client relationships

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights. https://shareyourgenius.com/blog/

Follow Amanda Smith on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-alexander-smith/

Follow Cecilia Romero on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliaromero1/

Miss 7x7 https://www.miss7x7.com/

How to Make Your Brand Content Standout in the AI Era | Jennifer Jackson, CMO, Actian

Share Your Genius — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

AI continues to change the way buyers discover and choose brands, with many turning to tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude for answers. This has made content planning and development more critical than ever. So how should brands evolve their content strategy to stay visible in the age of AI?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey sits down with Jennifer Jackson, CMO at Actian, to discuss how brands can adapt their content strategy in an AI-driven world. Jennifer shares why discoverability now depends on both human relevance and machine readability, and how brands can build for both.

You’ll learn:

How AI tools are changing the way buyers interact with brands
Why clarity and consistency matter for brand visibility
How to create content that works for both people and AI platforms

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Jennifer Jackson
(00:11) Content Strategy Isn’t What It Used to Be
(00:32) The Rise of AI Search
(00:55) Meet Jennifer Jackson, CMO of Actian
(01:58) The Big Question: Content Strategy in the Age of AI
(02:35) Less Website Traffic, More AI Discovery
(02:57) Double Down on Brand Messaging
(03:16) Writing for Humans and Machines
(04:00) Building Credibility Through Evidence

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can companies really connect with and market to blue-collar industries? | Bo Dietrick, President, Robert Dietrick Co

Share Your Genius — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Marketing to blue-collar industries often misses the mark. Many brands lean on polished messaging and big promises, only to lose trust with an audience that values clarity, honesty, and proof.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Bo Dietrick, President of Robert Dietrick Co. Bo shares how his background in creative media helped him see a gap in how blue-collar brands show their work. He explains why photography and video became essential tools for building trust with both customers and employees, and how showing real operations drives stronger connections.

You’ll learn:

Why showing real work builds trust faster than polished messaging
How visual content helps buyers understand how products actually work
What blue-collar audiences expect from honest marketing

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Bo
(00:27) Bo’s transition from media to manufacturing
(01:35) The missed opportunity in visual storytelling
(02:19) Using photography to show real operations
(02:40) How video builds trust with customers
(03:13) Why transparency matters in industrial markets
(03:20) What honest marketing looks like in practice

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What’s the key to a strong revenue marketing strategy? | Kate O’Neil, Co-Founder and CEO, Opre

Share Your Genius — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Revenue marketing gets messy fast. Multiple teams are involved, pressure is high, and results are expected now and later. In 2025, many teams are still spreading their efforts thin without a clear strategy for what actually drives revenue.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Kate O’Neil, Co-Founder and CEO of Opre. Kate has spent over 20 years building and scaling SaaS companies, including LeanKit and Salesfusion. She shares how focusing on fewer channels, especially LinkedIn, helped her generate millions in pipeline and reach senior decision makers without chasing every new tactic.

You’ll learn:

How focusing on one channel drives stronger revenue results
Why CEO led LinkedIn content can unlock inbound demand
How consistency beats perfection in revenue marketing

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Kate
(00:23) Why doing more is not the answer
(00:38) Why LinkedIn became the primary channel
(01:01) What a strong revenue marketing strategy looks like
(01:18) How CEO posting drives pipeline
(01:32) Why done beats perfect on LinkedIn
(01:56) Building a daily posting habit
(02:27) When inbound demand starts showing up
(02:45) Reaching senior buyers without demos

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you scale a brand voice across locations and teams? | Allison Barber, Senior Marketing Leader, RISE Commercial District

Share Your Genius — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Getting your brand voice right across multiple teams and locations is tough. Different leadership styles, varying locations, and mixed communication strategies can turn a clear message into a game of broken telephone. So, how do you keep your brand strong and consistent no matter where it’s heard?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith sits down with Allison Barber, Senior Marketing Leader at RISE Commercial District, to talk about the strategies that make scaling a brand voice possible. Allison shares her process for creating a brand blueprint that resonates across diverse teams, and why leadership alignment is key to maintaining consistency and trust throughout an organization.

You’ll learn:

How to build a brand blueprint that resonates across diverse teams
Ways to integrate mission and values into everyday operations
Why clear communication from leadership is critical for brand consistency

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Allison Barber

(01:09) How to Scale a Brand Voice

(01:51) Mission, Vision, and Values

(02:40) Surveying Employees and Customers

(03:29) Branding and Culture Integration

(04:05) The Role of Leadership
(04:29) Consistent Brand Messaging Across Locations

(05:07) The Importance of Respect and Alignment

(05:28) Returning to the "Why" Behind the Brand

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What’s the biggest challenge B2B CMOs face today? | Stefania Casciari Carter, CMO, Precis

Share Your Genius — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Creating content is no longer the hardest part of marketing. The real challenge today is cutting through the noise. Audiences are overwhelmed, and traditional channels are losing their power. As new "invisible channels" emerge, the modern CMO must find ways to stay visible in a crowded, fast-moving space.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith sits down with Stefania Casciari Carter, CMO at Precis, to discuss how AI is changing what marketers need to focus on. Stefania shares her insights on why distribution is now the top challenge for B2B CMOs and how brands can use AI to streamline efforts while keeping creativity and originality at the forefront.

You’ll learn:

How to navigate the emerging “invisible channels” in marketing
Why distribution should be your focus, not just content creation
How AI can support, but not replace, the human element in marketing

Jump into the conversation:
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Stefania
(01:30) Why distribution has become the CMO’s biggest test
(01:58) The rise of "invisible channels" and new marketing spaces
(02:42) How AI is changing content creation and marketing teams
(03:24) Balancing technology and human creativity in marketing
(04:30) Stefania’s approach to empowering marketing teams for the future

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Can small teams really build big-impact content strategies? | Leila Spann, Founder, enbloom Marketing

Share Your Genius — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Big teams, big budgets, big output…but does bigger always mean better? When it comes to content, small teams often have the advantage. They can pivot faster, take risks, and avoid the long approval chains that slow down innovation.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith sits down with Leila Spann, Founder of enbloom Marketing, to explore how small teams can create big-impact content strategies. Leila shares her approach to content strategy, which proves that alignment and smart systems allow even the smallest teams to punch above their weight.

You’ll learn:

How small teams can create big-impact content with limited resources
Why content repurposing is the key to maximizing output
The power of alignment over scale in content strategy

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Leila
(01:30) Why big doesn’t always mean better in content marketing
(02:45) The importance of focus and speed for small teams
(04:00) Leila’s approach to building alignment in small teams
(06:15) How content repurposing helps small teams punch above their weight
(08:00) Why strategy, not scale, should lead your content efforts
(09:20) How to create high-impact content on a limited budget

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Why is building market eminence important? | David Newman, Founder, Do It! Marketing

Share Your Genius — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The market is crowded with CEOs regurgitating safe opinions. Following this path is an easy ticket to generating content, but what use is your strategy if you just blend in with the noise? Success is about building trust by standing out as an original expert. 'Market eminence', the combination of visibility, credibility, and brand preference, helps leaders earn trust and rise above the noise.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey sits down with David Newman, Founder of Do It! Marketing, to discuss how leaders can position themselves as market experts and build strong personal brands. David, a mentor and author of Do It! Selling, shares how CEOs can embrace bold thinking, challenge industry norms, and earn the trust that fuels business growth.

You’ll learn:

How to create content that elevates your market eminence
Why CEOs should stop sharing "how-to" content and start sharing "how to think"
The importance of being a myth-buster in your industry

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from David
(01:14) The difference between fitting in and standing out
(03:05) Why “how to think” content matters more than “how to do”
(04:32) Building credibility through bold, contrarian thinking
(06:12) The importance of preparing your audience for what's next
(07:43) How market eminence drives business success

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What does a modern ABM strategy look like? | Nadia Davis, VP of Marketing, CaliberMind

Share Your Genius — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Account-based marketing is fumbling buyer expectations. Teams using outdated ABM strategies are losing trust left and right, before meaningful conversations ever start.

Today’s buyers are more informed, more skeptical, and quicker to disengage from anything that feels generic. Traditional ABM approaches focused on scale, and surface-level personalization no longer work. What is rising instead is precision. Teams that understand the full buying group, real account pain, and intent signals are the ones staying relevant and earning trust.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Nadia Davis, VP of Marketing at CaliberMind. Nadia has built ABM and revenue functions from the ground up and shares what a modern ABM strategy looks like today. She explains how account intelligence, analytics, and sales alignment help teams engage earlier, create relevance, and move deals forward faster.

You’ll learn:

How to build ABM around buying groups instead of leads
Why account intelligence outperforms generic personalization
How sales and marketing stay aligned around real buyer pain

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Nadia
(00:47) What defines a modern ABM strategy
(01:31) ICP, buyer journey, and buying groups
(02:20) Why buyers ignore generic pitches
(02:46) The role of analytics in ABM
(03:29) Finding true account pain
(04:26) Activating the full buying group
(05:00) What staying ahead with ABM looks like today

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How should brands be using data in an impactful way? | Austen Clark, Co-Founder, Adatha Group

Share Your Genius — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Brands are buried in data these days, but most of it doesn’t actually get them anywhere. It’s easy to get lost in all the numbers, especially when they don’t help you understand the people behind them. The trick? Using data with intention to really get your audience. Let’s be real, that means connecting with them on a human level.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey sits down with Austen Clark, Co-Founder of Adatha Group, to explore how brands can use data in a more human-centered way. With over 600 events under his belt, Austen has built his career on bridging the gap between data and meaningful human connections. He shares how his deep understanding of people allows him to transform marketing strategies, showing how data, when used with intention, can drive authentic relationships that fuel long-term growth.

You’ll learn:

Why connecting with people first makes data meaningful
How to turn metrics into actions that drive growth
The importance of human elements in B2B marketing

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Austen
(01:06) The human-first approach to data and marketing
(02:25) Connecting people through data in events
(04:05) Why empathy and connection matter more than numbers
(06:00) How inside jokes lead to stronger business relationships
(08:35) Using data to understand human behavior, not just numbers
(10:20) The power of face-to-face interactions in driving results

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you trust content if it’s coming from AI? | Jesse Bourgeault-Trickey, Global Deployment Manager, Happeo

Share Your Genius — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Anyone can scale up and produce content, but gaining market trust can make or break your brand’s success. Today, AI is shaping how content is created, published, and distributed at scale, and many brands are prioritizing efficiency without stopping to ask what it costs…putting their credibility at risk. The real danger is publishing faster than you can verify. AI can surface information, but it cannot validate accuracy or insight, which raises a critical question: who is accountable for what gets published? As AI becomes woven into everyday workflows, the future of content depends on whether teams can build systems that don’t just move fast, but help people trust what they’re reading.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey talks with Jesse Bourgeault-Trickey, Global Deployment Manager at Happeo. Jesse shares how organizations can trust the content they publish when AI is involved, and why verification, ownership, and communication matter more than ever. Drawing from his work helping global teams deploy digital workplaces, he explains how trust is built through systems, not shortcuts.

You’ll learn:

Build trust by pairing AI with subject matter expert ownership
Create a system to audit and verify content over time
Use internal feedback loops to surface content gaps

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Jesse

(00:09) Why speed can undermine trust

(01:06) The rise of AI in everyday content

(01:35) Trust but verify as a content framework

(02:10) The role of subject matter experts

(02:46) Finding and fixing content gaps

(03:13) What verified content looks like

(03:45) Using AI on trusted knowledge

(04:20) Keeping teams informed as content changes

(05:11) How trust is reinforced over time

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What is the secret to scaling marketing efforts? | Christie Horsman, Head of Marketing, UpCodes

Share Your Genius — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

When you enter a new market, every move hinges on one thing: whether buyers trust you enough to pay attention.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey calls Christie Horsman, Head of Marketing at UpCodes, to dig into why customer trust has to be the center of any scaling strategy. Christie shares how she approaches new markets by studying the category, understanding how buyers evaluate options, and mapping where her product fits. She explains how trust is built through people, not brands, and why thought leadership, influencer partnerships, and customer proof matter more than ever in AI driven search.

You’ll learn:

How to build trust before you build pipeline
How to research and position yourself in a new category
How to use voices, not brands, to shape buyer perception

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Christie
(00:09) Why trust decides whether your strategy works
(00:20) Why Christie understands how to scale in new markets
(01:20) The different ways to approach new markets
(01:40) How to position against incumbents
(02:16) Why trust matters more than paid ads
(03:20) How influencers and ambassadors build credibility
(04:00) Why thought leadership drives trust in AI search
(06:20) Scaling through reviews and lighthouse customers
(07:40) How trust fuels your funnel

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Why is content marketing so important? | Jimmy Girot, Director of Marketing, Intterra

Share Your Genius — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

These days, AI-generated content is everywhere: it's in your feed, ads, and even in real life. Businesses can now scale and create faster than ever, but does this content actually connect with audiences? At its core, great content is personal. No matter how much AI helps us scale, we can’t lose sight of the fact that humans are essential to creating content that resonates.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey sits down with Jimmy Girot, Director of Marketing at Intterra. Jimmy shares his insights on why content marketing is more important than ever, even as AI continues to shape the landscape. He discusses how AI can amplify human-driven content by optimizing your operations, but emphasizes that the human touch, authenticity, and emotional connection must remain at the heart of every marketing strategy.

You’ll learn:

Why human-driven content still matters in an AI-driven world
How AI can support content creation without replacing human connection
The importance of starting small and being intentional with content

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Jimmy
(00:10) The role of content in today’s marketing strategy
(01:00) Why content marketing is essential, even in the age of AI
(02:00) How to keep content human while using AI
(03:00) The power of starting small with content marketing
(03:40) Scaling content without losing authenticity

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can brands create authentic content in the age of AI? | Corey Perlman, Social and Digital Marketing Speaker, Impact Social

Share Your Genius — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

As automation grows, the brands that stand out will be the ones whose content still feels written by, and for, people.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey sits down with Corey Perlman, Social and Digital Marketing Speaker at Impact Social. Corey shares his approach to leveraging AI without losing authenticity in content. He talks about how AI can support content creation while emphasizing the importance of human input to maintain quality, relatability, and trust with your audience.

You’ll learn:

How to use AI effectively without sacrificing authenticity
Why human editing is essential for quality control
How to create content that builds trust and connects

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Corey
(00:15) Why AI can't replace human touch in content creation
(01:05) Meet Corey Perlman from Impact Social
(01:35) Using AI as a tool, not a replacement
(02:10) The importance of human editing in AI content
(02:40) Creating content that resonates and builds trust
(03:10) Practical tips for using AI in social media
(03:35) How AI can help you scale your content

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How has content truly helped drive business success? | Chelsea Lassen, Director of Content, Comms, & Storytelling, Cority

Share Your Genius — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Most marketing teams struggle to prove that content drives real business results, and without that proof, it’s often the first thing cut.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Chelsea Lassen, Director of Content, Comms, and Storytelling at Cority. With a background spanning industries from LED lighting to glamping, Chelsea shares how she turned social media into a demand engine, building relationships that drove measurable revenue impact.

You’ll learn:

How to turn social media into a pipeline-driving channel
Why building relationships matters more than attribution
How to use feedback loops to create content that connects

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Chelsea
(00:10) The power of content in driving business outcomes
(00:39) Meet Chelsea Lassen from Cority
(01:25) Building a social-first demand engine
(02:00) How content created 43% of inbound leads
(02:34) When brand awareness turns into real pipeline
(03:14) Why being human builds audience trust
(03:40) Creating inside jokes and feedback loops with your audience
(04:08) How long-term brand investment pays off
(05:12) Redefining content as a relationship tool

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What’s the best way to drive demand in B2B right now? | Charlie Riley, Head of Marketing, OneScreen.ai

Share Your Genius — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Digital fatigue is real. Buyers are tuning out, skipping ads, and scrolling past the messages that once worked. Online channels feel louder yet less effective, and the cost of standing out keeps climbing.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey talked with Charlie Riley, Head of Marketing at OneScreen.ai, to explore the offline strategies driving real B2B demand. Charlie shares how in-person events and out-of-home advertising help brands break through the noise, create warmer conversations, and move deals faster.

You’ll learn:

Why events create warmer conversations that move deals faster
How to use out-of-home to support digital
The reason showing up offline strengthens brand recall

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Charlie
(00:10) How digital fatigue is changing demand
(00:30) Why events matter again
(00:51) Big industry events and niche gatherings
(01:16) What shifts when you meet buyers in person
(01:41) Using out-of-home around key events
(02:20) Why buyers notice real-world ads
(02:44) The two channels driving demand in 2025

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What's a take on AI that no one is talking about? | David Nour, Founder and CEO, Avnir

Share Your Genius — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with David Nour, CEO of Avnir, to discuss the reality behind AI’s promise: it’s only as smart as the data you feed it.

He warns CMOs that “Garbage in, garbage stays.” AI can’t clean up bad data, and most B2B orgs are swimming in it. He shares how Avnir unlocks real relationship intelligence by enriching the data that actually matters. Forget automation overload. It’s time to focus on depth, not volume.

You’ll learn:

Why AI needs relationship context, not just clean data
How to calculate the value of your existing network
The danger of chasing new logos at the expense of deeper relationships

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why Rachel wanted to talk to David

(00:41) The 3 truths about AI no one is talking about

(00:47) Why clean data is the real enabler of AI

(01:21) How Avnir scores relationships to quantify trust

(02:26) The myth of more and why chasing quantity hurts strategy

(03:18) A $10M missed opportunity rooted in hidden relationships

(04:08) Final thoughts and where to learn more

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Why should brands invest in influencers? | Justin Levy, Director of Content and Social Media, ZoomInfo

Share Your Genius — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:15:33 -0500

Audience trust lives with people, not logos. That’s exactly why brands need to start investing in influencers with intention.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey talks with Justin Levy, Director of Content and Social Media at ZoomInfo, about why creator partnerships are one of the smartest investments a brand can make. With 15 years of building influencer programs, Justin breaks down how influencer relationships expand reach, deepen credibility, and unlock audiences brands can’t access on their own. He also shares how to choose the right creators, what smart cross‑platform investment actually looks like, and why starting with small, structured pilots is the fastest path to proof.

You’ll learn:

How to start small with 3–5 creators
Where to invest beyond LinkedIn
What guardrails keep creator content on-brand

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we called Justin Levy about influencer marketing
(00:09) From affiliate links to creator-led brands
(00:35) The core reason brands should invest in influencers
(00:54) Why audiences trust creators over logos
(01:24) How platform influence has evolved, and why LinkedIn isn’t enough
(02:11) Where to invest beyond LinkedIn: podcasts, newsletters, YouTube
(02:37) Why brands should start small with creator pilots
(03:05) Choosing platforms and setting smart guardrails
(03:22) The brands that wait will fall behind

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What breaks trust in brand content? | Erika Childers, Director of Content and Brand, Qualytics

Share Your Genius — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Building trust in brand content is harder than it seems, especially in a world full of quick fixes and AI-driven solutions.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith speaks with Erika Childers, Director of Content and Brand at Qualytics. With years of experience in B2B content marketing, Erika shares why trust is built in the details: through authenticity, consistency, and the human touch in every piece of content. She also discusses how brands often miss the mark when they prioritize scale over connection.

You’ll learn:

Why scaling content can actually break trust
How authenticity and consistency build lasting connections
The role of human oversight in AI-driven content

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Erika
(00:10) Meet Erika Childers and the importance of trust in content
(01:00) How scaling content can hurt trust
(01:40) Why authenticity matters more than ever
(02:10) The role of humans in content creation
(02:40) Building trust through consistent messaging
(03:20) Why people-first content wins every time
(03:50) Erika’s insights from her experience at Qualytics

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How does content help guide the buyer’s journey? | Adam Sockel, Senior Content Marketing Lead, Orum

Share Your Genius — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Most B2B teams treat content as a marketing tool, but its real job is to guide trust through every stage of the buyer’s journey.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey talks with Adam Sockel, Senior Content Marketing Lead at Orum. With 17 years in the field, Adam shares how content builds awareness, educates prospects, and strengthens customer relationships long after the deal closes.

You’ll learn:

How to use content to build trust from awareness to renewal
Why data-driven storytelling gives your brand credibility
How post-sale content deepens relationships and drives retention

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Adam
(00:10) Why emotional connection drives every buying decision
(00:31) Meet Adam Sockel from Orum
(01:00) How content builds awareness and trust
(01:41) Moving from awareness to education
(02:00) Using data to differentiate your brand
(02:41) How content supports the customer after the sale
(03:20) Building long-term trust through continuous education
(03:45) Closing thoughts from Adam Sockel

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can content help build trust for brands? | Jeff Coyle, Head of Strategy, SiteImprove

Share Your Genius — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In B2B marketing, trust is the ultimate currency…but it’s built one interaction at a time.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith connects with Jeff Coyle, Head of Strategy at SiteImprove. Jeff shares his expertise on how content can build trust throughout the entire buyer journey, from awareness to purchase and beyond. He discusses the importance of knowing your customer, delivering value consistently, and creating content that speaks to each stage of the journey.

You’ll learn:

How content builds trust by understanding the customer journey
Why consistent, value-driven content inspires confidence
How to create content that resonates across buyer personas

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Jeff
(00:18) Meet Jeff Coyle and the role of trust in B2B
(01:00) Why knowing your customer is key to building trust
(01:40) How content fits into every stage of the funnel
(02:00) The importance of consistent, valuable content
(02:40) Creating content for multiple buyer personas
(03:10) How to show expertise through your content
(03:40) Why trust must be maintained after the sale

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Why is content an important investment? | Selma Chauvin, Chief Revenue Officer, Agorapulse

Share Your Genius — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Building trust starts long before the first sales call.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with Selma Chauvin, Chief Revenue Officer at Agorapulse, to explore why content is the most valuable lever a CRO can invest in. Drawing from her experience leading global revenue teams, Selma shares how trust, education, and connection drive acquisition, retention, and expansion in modern B2B sales.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why content alignment between marketing and sales improves deal quality
How education-based content builds trust before the first conversation
Why scalable content can outperform headcount growth

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to Selma Chauvin

(01:07) Why content is the most important lever for a CRO

(01:42) How cultural differences shape the buying journey

(02:12) Building trust before sales even begin

(02:23) Aligning content with the sales message

(02:36) How content drives retention and expansion

(02:50) Selling to marketers who see through surface-level content

(03:19) The scalability advantage of strong content

(03:40) Final thoughts from Selma Chauvin

Listen to the full episode to learn how content creates connection, scales trust, and drives sustainable revenue growth.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How does content help build trust? | Stephanie Yoder, Director of Content, Rebrandly

Share Your Genius — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 05:08:14 -0400

Every brand says they want trust, but few realize how quickly the wrong content can break it.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey talks with Stephanie Yoder, Director of Content at Rebrandly. Stephanie shares how thoughtful content earns trust, why salesy messaging breaks it, and how brands can use every touchpoint to prove credibility. She also explains how branded links drive 39% higher clicks by showing audiences exactly where they’re headed.

You’ll learn:

How to write content that educates before it sells
Why understanding your audience builds long-term trust
How branded links strengthen credibility and increase engagement

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Stephanie
(00:27) Why content is a brand’s best trust-building tool
(01:00) How marketing language can break audience trust
(01:20) What people-first content looks like
(01:40) How helpful content drives stronger relationships
(02:00) The importance of giving value before promoting products
(02:20) Why branded links create trust through transparency
(02:40) How Rebrandly connects content and credibility
(02:47) Closing thoughts from Stephanie Yoder

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you build client trust from day one? | Mason Cosby, CEO, Scrappy ABM

Share Your Genius — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Trust usually peaks in the sales process and drops at kickoff. So, how do you stop the free fall?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith connects with Mason Cosby, CEO of Scrappy ABM. As a founder leading a services business, Mason has seen firsthand where trust breaks down and shares the systems his team uses to close that gap early. From internal handoffs to client comms, this conversation is packed with clarity and practical fixes.

You’ll learn:

How to introduce your team before the kickoff call
What sales teams model that delivery teams should adopt
Why daily client updates make trust easier to maintain

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to hear from Mason

(00:45) Meet Mason Cosby and the trust drop-off point

(01:34) Why delivery teams feel like strangers after the sale

(02:12) How Scrappy ABM makes internal team members visible

(02:22) Tactics for keeping trust across the handoff

(02:34) What sales teaches us about expectation setting

(03:09) A simple format for daily client comms

(03:52) The rule Mason uses to reset expectations

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you make AI content feel authentic? | Nathan Thompson, Senior Director of Product Marketing, copy.ai

Share Your Genius — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

AI can speed you up, but it can also make your content sound the same as everyone else.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith talks with Nathan Thompson, Senior Director of Product Marketing at copy.ai. Nathan shares how context, not prompts, keeps AI output on brand, how to unify voice across go-to-market, and a simple workflow that keeps humans in control.

You’ll learn:

Train AI with product, audience, and voice to personalize at scale
Use a four-step workflow to keep quality high
Onboard AI like a new hire to protect brand trust

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Nathan Thompson
(00:10) What real, human content sounds like
(00:34) Where AI helps and where it hurts
(00:54) Meet Nathan Thompson from copy.ai
(01:03) Why context beats clever prompts
(01:26) The voicemail question
(01:46) Unifying brand voice across GTM
(02:08) Strategy, draft, polish, publish
(02:45) The prompt myth
(03:21) Fixing context to personalize
(03:40) Onboarding AI like a new hire
(03:48) Closing thoughts and resources

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can healthcare brands earn trust and attention? | James Furbush, VP of Marketing, Prosperity Behavioral Health

Share Your Genius — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Getting attention is easy. Earning trust is harder, especially in healthcare, where trust can literally mean life or death.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey connects with James Furbush, VP of Marketing at Prosperity Behavioral Health. James has spent years leading go-to-market efforts in healthcare, where trust with buyers isn’t optional. Drawing from real-life moments and one memorable quote from Jurassic Park, he breaks down how to navigate the tension between visibility and credibility.

You’ll learn:

Why attention without relevance damages brand trust
How to build a long-term marketing strategy in a short-term world
When to say no to tactics that won’t serve your buyer

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to James
(00:26) Meet James and the problem of attention vs trust
(01:00) A life lesson from his mom that shaped his approach
(01:36) How trust gets broken in marketing
(02:00) Why “should” matters more than “can” in strategy
(02:20) The natural tension between trust and attention
(03:20) Where marketing needs to hold the line
(04:00) Why giving freely builds long-term trust
(04:40) The risks of chasing attention without permission

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you earn your board’s trust to gain support for your initiatives? | John E. Lepto IV, CRO, Clear Go-To-Market

Share Your Genius — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Board alignment is harder than ever. Budgets are tight, expectations are high, and every decision feels under a microscope.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Downey connects with John E. Lepto IV, CRO at Clear Go-To-Market, a buyer intelligence firm serving private equity-backed SaaS companies. With deep experience across sales, healthcare tech, and private equity ops, John shares how strategic clarity helps leaders earn trust in the boardroom even without a formal board himself.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How buyer intelligence builds credibility with executive stakeholders
What boards actually want to hear from go-to-market leaders
Why clarity is the antidote to boardroom anxiety

Things to listen for:
(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to John
(01:40) From lending to SaaS to PE-backed GTM
(02:20) What Clear Go-To-Market actually delivers
(03:00) Why win-loss is more than “why we lose”
(04:10) Why John bets on service, not SaaS
(05:20) The two converging shifts in PE and SaaS
(07:00) What trust really means in boardroom settings
(08:40) Bringing clarity to win-loss and GTM strategy
(10:15) How Clear helps clients validate or challenge assumptions
(11:30) One piece of advice for CROs walking into the boardroom

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you rebuild trust when your brand story changes? | Josh Privett, Communications Strategist and Principal Copywriter, Mantra

Share Your Genius — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

When your company outgrows its original narrative, how do you shift the story without losing your audience?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey taps Josh Privett, Communications Strategist and Principal Copywriter at Mantra. Josh discusses what it really takes to evolve your message and earn trust in the process.

You’ll learn:

Why clarity beats cleverness when it comes to brand trust
How to know when it’s time to shift your story, and what happens when you wait too long
A real-world case study of turning fear into record-breaking growth

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why brand stories blur and how truth cuts through the noise

(00:57) Rebuilding trust by narrowing your message

(02:20) How a PT clinic won by owning their unique voice

(04:11) From “fix pain” to “better you” and a 77% growth spike

(05:21) Trusting your message is a business move

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you prove ROI and win customer trust? | Mike Genstil, Co-Founder and CEO, ValueCore

Share Your Genius — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:35:53 -0400

The key to credibility in sales? A business case your customer believes in.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts-Downey reaches out to Mike Genstil, Co-Founder and CEO of ValueCore. Mike talks about the disconnect between how sellers present ROI and how buyers perceive it, and offers a practical path to closing that gap with trust and transparency.

You’ll learn:

Why proving ROI isn’t just about numbers, it’s about trust
How to turn value storytelling into a sales advantage
The biggest mistake companies make when trying to demonstrate impact

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to Mike about ROI, trust, and real-world impact
(00:25) Introducing Mike Genstil of ValueCore
(00:51) How to prove ROI and win customer trust
(01:59) Why skipping “cost of the problem” is a missed opportunity
(03:25) Building trust by letting customers adjust assumptions
(04:49) The three essentials of delivering credible ROI conversations

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What role does trust play in leadership? | Denise Healy, CEO and Co-founder, Streets2Schools

Share Your Genius — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Trust isn’t a soft skill, it’s a foundational asset.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith connects with Dr. Denise Healy, Ph.D., CEO and Co-founder of Streets2Schools and an expert in organizational psychology. With a Ph.D. in the field and decades of executive experience, she leads with empathy and strategy, building cultures where trust isn’t just a value, but an operational tool. Her approach blends radical candor, emotional intelligence, and transformational leadership.

You’ll learn:

How to define trust in a way that drives organizational alignment
Why trust is essential for innovation, collaboration, and accountability
Practical examples of “radical candor” and building reliable, transparent teams

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Why trust gets talked about but rarely operationalized in leadership
(00:24) Meet Dr. Healy: How Streets2Schools turned trust into a core business function
(01:08) Denise breaks down the definition of trust leaders must align on
(02:06) How Denise uses team feedback to steer the company
(03:13) Real examples of incentive planning and strategic retreats
(04:50) Why violating stated values kills trust fast
(05:22) Radical candor and reliability: The twin pillars of trustworthy leadership
(06:15) Denise closes with two research-backed frameworks to explore

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can teams use trust in periods of transformation? | Dr. Jennie Victoriano, Professional Development Director, Commitment2Change

Share Your Genius — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:57:13 -0400

When change hits, teams often rush to message before they’ve earned the right to be heard. Dr. Jennie Victoriano's says slow down, build trust, then speak.

What you’ll learn:

Why trust is non-negotiable for transformational leadership and marketing
How transparency, empathy, and character drive brand loyalty in times of change
What it means to “serve, not sell” when the market is uncertain

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith calls Dr. Jennie Victoriano, Director of Professional Development at Commitment2Change, to explore how trust becomes the real driver of transformation inside your org and out in the market.

Jump to the conversation:

(00:00) Why Amanda wanted to hear from Dr. Jennie Victoriano

(00:42) Dr. Jennie Victoriano explains how trust transforms both teams and messaging

(03:20) Why leading with message before trust fails

(06:05) How brands and teams build credibility

(08:15) What trust looks like in your next campaign or leadership move

(10:30) Empathy, transparency, and what consumers really want

(12:00) Dr. Jennie Victoriano's reminder that character is always revealed

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How does trust attract attention? | Gretchen Freemyer, Associate Director of Growth, Gravity Global

Share Your Genius — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Attention is currency, and trust is the ultimate growth lever.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey taps Gretchen Freemyer, Associate Director of Growth at Gravity Global where she helps B2B brands cut through noise with bold, audience-first campaigns. Her expertise spans sales enablement, brand strategy, and content design that converts.

You’ll learn:

Gravity Global’s “Fame, Admiration, Belief” framework for building brand trust
Why naming your audience’s fear is key to earning attention and action
How taking bold risks can transform B2B storytelling

Jump into the conversation:
(00:10) Gretchen frames today’s B2B landscape: attention is currency, trust is what keeps it
(00:50) The FAB framework: Fame, Admiration, Belief, and how each builds trust
(02:30) Why naming your audience’s fear is more powerful than showcasing your product
(03:35) How to spark admiration by creating bold, curiosity-driven content
(04:40) The lemur campaign: turning plumbing into a memorable B2B brand moment
(05:30) Trust starts by understanding what your audience truly cares about

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How can teams build trust to maintain consistent brand messaging? | Matt Lyman, VP of Marketing, Flosum

Share Your Genius — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Consistent branding isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s how you build trust across every touchpoint.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts-Downey taps Matt Lyman, VP of Marketing at Flosum. He zooms in on why brand consistency isn’t just about design or tone, it’s about building trust. If you’re struggling to keep your message clear across a growing org, this conversation is your playbook.

You’ll learn:

How consistent brand messaging builds trust across teams and with your audience
Why clear documentation and shared strategy are key to staying aligned
A simple shift in mindset that makes cross-functional collaboration actually work

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Why we wanted to talk to Matt Lyman about brand messaging

(00:36) Why consistency is the foundation of brand trust

(01:11) How documentation helps teams stay aligned

(02:11) Making strategies transparent and tied to business goals

(02:29) Creating feedback loops that keep messaging relevant

(03:20) What inconsistent email signatures say about your brand

(03:45) How internal trust shows up in external credibility

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you build trust that feels authentic, not transactional? | Natalie Marcotullio, Head of Growth and Product Marketing, Navattic

Share Your Genius — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

What if building trust didn’t start with the product, but with the story you tell before you ever show it?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with Natalie Marcotullio, Head of Growth and Product Marketing at Navattic. With over a decade of marketing experience, Natalie helps B2B companies build trust through transparent content, demo-led experiences, and storytelling that centers the customer.

You’ll learn:

Why most product marketing comes off as a pitch and how to make it a conversation instead
A trust-building framework to anchor your marketing in authenticity, not just ROI
How Navattic uses customer “show-and-tells” to create high-context, low-pressure demos

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) The big question: how do you build authentic trust in product marketing?
(01:00) Why storytelling always comes before product demos
(01:34) The power of founder origin stories and leading with customer voices
(02:00) Navattic’s “customer show-and-tells” - a non-salesy way to showcase value
(03:00) Natalie’s “Unique and Valuable” framework for trust-driven content

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What’s your go-to move for earning client trust early? | Melissa Bryant, Founder, 6 Degrees West

Share Your Genius — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Trust isn’t built on quick fixes, it’s earned through clear plans and flawless execution.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with Melissa Bryant, Founder of 6 Degrees West. With years of experience in rev ops and go-to-market execution, Melissa specializes in guiding companies through complex product launches, pivots, and operational challenges. Her unique approach focuses on delivering clarity and confidence, ensuring that trust is at the heart of every client relationship.

You’ll learn:Why trust is not about quick fixes but clear, actionable plans.How Melissa uses data-driven strategies and AI to align sales, marketing, and operations into a cohesive force.How to eliminate friction in client relationships to scale faster and smarter.

Jump into the conversation:
(0:00) Melissa Bryant’s secret to earning client trust from day one
(00:46) The power of a clear roadmap in building trust
(01:27) Why the first two weeks of client engagement are crucial
(02:52) Aligning teams to create trust across departments
(03:58) Leveraging AI and automation to scale faster and smarter
(04:47) Melissa’s key takeaways on trust and client partnerships

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How to cultivate trust with teams to ensure alignment? | Robin Daniels, Chief Business Officer, Zensai

Share Your Genius — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

What if the secret to high-growth execution isn’t speed but clarity?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith calls Robin Daniels, Chief Business Officer at Zensai. With two decades leading marketing at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Box, and WeWork, Robin’s learned that fast growth without alignment is just chaos. His playbook? Nail your North Star, optimize your team, then execute like crazy, with just enough agility to pivot.

You’ll learn:

Why clarity is the foundation for scalable execution
How to build alignment across large, high-stakes teams
Why Robin always leaves 30% of the roadmap open for change

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Amanda tees up the episode(00:35) Meet Robin Daniels
(01:35) Why everything hinges on clarity
(03:30) How WeWork aligned priorities and leadership direction
(04:45) Assessing and adjusting team to meet goals
(05:07) Execute fast while staying agile and focused
(06:03) The danger of rigid plans in growth

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How to build trust in a world of noise and AI? | Rachel Rizzuto, Director of Marketing, GadellNet Consulting Services

Share Your Genius — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Amidst all the AI noise, Rachel Rizzuto argues the real differentiator is still human connection.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith taps Rachel Rizzuto, Director of Marketing at GadellNet Consulting Service. Rachel focuses on combining marketing expertise with deep technical knowledge to help clients navigate the evolving role of AI.

You’ll learn:
How GadellNet is leveraging AI efficiencies to reinvest in real, human-to-human interactions
Why value-driven content (not just clicks) builds lasting trust with stakeholders
Practical ways B2B marketers can partner with internal experts to produce smarter, faster content

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) The big question on trust in a world vying for everyone’s attention
(00:25) Introducing Rachel Rizzuto of GadellNet Consulting Services
(00:55) Doubling down on human connection in an AI-driven world
(02:02) Measuring trust through client engagement and relationships
(02:48) Using AI to create content faster with subject-matter experts
(04:28) Why humans remain essential to technology

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How Close Stands Out in a Crowded CRM Market with Chelsea Castle, Head of Content & Brand, Close

Share Your Genius — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith taps with Chelsea Castle, Head of Content & Brand at Close, as she shares how founder-led storytelling is shaping the future of B2B content.

With a background in journalism and brand strategy, Chelsea shares how her team is creating smarter content that goes beyond attention-grabbing to actually drive business outcomes. From reinvigorating Close’s content engine with its CEO to creating product stories that resonate on a human level, Chelsea breaks down what it takes to stand out in a crowded CRM market.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How Chelsea is using founder-led content to revamp Close’s brand vision
The “hivemind” approach to daily collaboration with her CEO
Why storytelling is key, even when the product isn’t “sexy”
How Close is making conceptual product series that cut through the noise

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Chelsea Castle
(01:12) Reimagining content through founder-led storytelling
(01:59) The Blueprint Series and smart content distribution
(02:28) The LinkedIn Sprint and collaborative content creation
(03:18) Turning product storytelling into compelling, human content
(03:39) The Desiree Demos series and brand-driven content innovation

How do you build trust across the entire go-to-market team? | Megan Klingaman, Director of GTM & ABM, Gravity Global

Share Your Genius — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Building trust across your go-to-market team isn’t just a strategy. It’s the backbone of your success.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey calls Megan Klingaman, Director of GTM & ABM at Gravity Global. With extensive experience leading GTM efforts both at the agency and client level, Megan talks about aligning cross-functional teams, activating multi-channel campaigns, and earning trust to drive real business outcomes.

You’ll learn:

How to create alignment between sales and marketing teams through effective trust-building strategies
The importance of tying go-to-market actions back to business goals
Real-world examples of leading go-to-market efforts

Jump into the conversation:
(01:23) Why establishing trust in go-to-market can be challenging
(02:00) How aligning GTM actions with business goals drives success
(02:51) The role of data in building trust
(03:30) Overcoming sales and marketing misalignment
(04:30) The importance of understanding lead quality, not just lead quantity
(05:02) Listening to clients’ past experiences to rebuild trust
(05:45) Tailoring GTM strategies to fit each client’s unique needs
(06:07) How Megan leverages GTM frameworks to help achieve business goals

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you build trust with an untapped consumer segment? | Matthew Mazzone, Chief Creative Officer, LSKR

Share Your Genius — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

How do you build trust with a consumer segment your brand has never tapped?

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with Matthew Mazzone, Chief Creative Officer at LSKR and a former campaign strategist. His work blends political storytelling with brand-building for major consumer brands, always with a focus on real connection over surface-level hype.

You’ll learn:

Why trust is your brand’s biggest growth lever
How to connect with untapped consumers
What creative teams can learn from campaign trail storytelling

Jump to the conversation:
(00:00) Why Matthew Mazzone focuses on building trust
(00:36) Why resonance matters more than disruption
(01:09) Matthew’s business philosophy to persuade audiences toward action
(01:26) How emotional connection drives tangible results
(01:41) Why emotional connection is the most effective path to action
(01:58) The rarity of genuine connection and lessons from influencers
(02:35) The core principle at LSKR
(02:41) The importance of values alignment
(03:51) Building campaigns that reflect the people you want to reach
(04:00) The ultimate goal of building genuine connection and trust

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What does it take to earn trust when you're offering offshore support?| Brad Stevens, Founder and CEO, Outsource Access

Share Your Genius — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Trust is the hardest thing to scale, and the only thing that makes offshoring work.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with Brad Stevens, Founder and CEO of Outsource Access, one of the fastest-growing offshoring companies in the U.S. With a focus on transparency, culture, and authentic leadership, Brad has helped hundreds of companies tap into offshore talent without losing the personal touch.

You’ll learn:

Why “doubts, fears, and concerns” (DFCs) are the biggest barriers to offshoring, and how to address them head-on
How to build trust not just with clients, but with your own employees when offshoring enters the picture
The role of transparency, culture, and human connection in making offshore teams feel like part of the family

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you build and maintain trust with your users? | D’Ana Guiloff, Community Builder

Share Your Genius — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Trust isn’t built on transactions; it’s built on presence.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey taps D’Ana Guiloff, a seasoned community builder known for creating spaces where people feel seen, connected, and engaged. Whether she’s hosting live events, sparking conversations online, or simply showing up authentically, D’Ana has built a reputation for trust that drives real community impact.

You’ll learn:

Why trust starts with showing up as a real person, not just a brand.
How to create authentic, memorable experiences that users carry with them long after the event.
The role of community and consistency in building trust that lasts for years.

Don’t miss this conversation! Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you maintain trust in a fast-growing environment? | Jeff Perkins, CEO, Soundstripe

Share Your Genius — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

When growth is fast, trust is crucial.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey calls Jeff Perkins, CEO of Soundstripe. With leadership experience at ParkMobile and Greenlight Guru, Jeff has scaled organizations from small teams to hundreds of employees while keeping trust as a non-negotiable core value.

You’ll learn:
1. Why scaling can unintentionally erode a team’s sense of connection
2. The “seven times” rule for communicating strategy so it actually sticks
3. Practical ways to create transparency, from all-hands cadence to weekly updates

Use the code “VOICEMAIL10” to get 10% off Soundstripe’s Annual Pro Plan https://sndstr.pe/VOICEMAIL10_PYU

Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

The Hack to Early-Stage Success, Anya Law, Co-Founder and CRO, PitchGhost

Share Your Genius — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

The fastest way to earn trust in a new business? Don’t sell, connect.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey taps Anya Law, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of PitchGhost, a scrappy startup turning social listening into sales intelligence for B2B marketers. Before PitchGhost, she was the end user, manually doing what her product now automates.

You’ll learn:

How Anya Law built trust before launching the product with early-stage buyers
Why authenticity beats polish when your brand is still unknown
A powerful hack for social selling in noisy B2B markets

Don’t miss this conversation if you're building something new. Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

How do you embed trust into your go-to-market motion?

Share Your Genius — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Forget AI and flashy tools, Christopher Ryan says trust is still your sharpest go-to-market weapon.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Rachel Elsts Downey connects with Christopher Ryan, founder and president of SIX Marketing. For over a decade, he's helped B2B companies unify their go-to-market functions through trust-building workshops, messaging alignment, and strategic collaboration.

You’ll learn:

Why trust is the real glue between sales, marketing, product, and CX
How Christopher uses communication styles (like DISC) to build alignment
Tactics for building credibility as an external or fractional GTM leader

Like what you heard? Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

What happens when your go-to-market motion leads with value?

Share Your Genius — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Ryan Milligan shares how QuotaPath turns ungated, value-driven content into trust and pipeline.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, Amanda Smith connects with Ryan Milligan, VP of Sales, Marketing, and RevOps at QuotaPath, about using content marketing to build trust in a saturated B2B space. From free tools to face-to-face dinners, Ryan breaks down how his team leads with value to fuel growth.

You’ll learn:

Why ungated content can outperform lead gen
How QuotaPath uses compensation expertise to earn attention
The ROI of in-person marketing in a digital world

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Ryan Milligan and QuotaPath team’s value-driven approach
(01:19): How Ryan’s team uses ungated tools to build trust with buyers

(02:28): Offering actionable compensation plan advice through content
(03:19): The role of in-person events in strengthening customer relationships

(03:54): Building long-term goodwill and trust with valuable content

Like what you heard? Follow Straight to Voicemail and explore Genius Cuts for more B2B content strategy insights.

Marketing with a Pulse with Nicole Warshauer, Marketing Expert

Share Your Genius — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith taps Nicole Warshauer, a marketing expert, about what it takes to create smarter content that builds trust, especially in complex industries like healthcare, finance, and ed-tech.

Nicole highlights her approach to content, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and simplicity. She shares her insights on how to truly understand and connect with your community, and why it's essential to create content that resonates and fosters trust at scale.

In this conversation, you’ll learn about:

The power of community-first content
How to simplify complex messaging while staying authentic
The critical role of building trust through evidence-based, human-centered content
Why patience is key in content creation and community-building

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Nicole Warshauer
(00:10) What "smart content" really means
(01:20) The importance of understanding your community
(02:45) Simplifying content without losing authenticity
(03:11) Building trust with evidence-based, human content
(04:18) The key to patience in content creation

How Brand is the Soul of a Company with Ari Yablok, Head of Brand, Island

Share Your Genius — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith connects with Ari Yablok, Head of Brand at Island, to pick his brain on the deeper meaning of brand-building.

From the beginning stages of building Island’s identity to focusing content on productivity and enablement, Ari reveals how brand strategy and content work hand-in-hand to shape a company's narrative and differentiate it in a competitive market.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

Ari’s take on how brand is the “soul” of a company
The connection between brand strategy and content creation
Why content must go beyond generic conversations to make a real impact
How Island’s content strategy focuses on productivity over traditional cybersecurity

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Ari Yablok
(01:12) The soul of a brand and its core identity
(02:49) How brand strategy drives content choices
(03:34) Differentiating Island’s voice in the cybersecurity space
(04:38) Ari’s advice on aligning brand and content strategy

A Content-Led Growth Playbook with Clay Ostrom, Founder and Brand Strategist, Map & Fire

Share Your Genius — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith connects with Clay Ostrom, the Founder and Brand Strategist of Map & Fire, to zoom in on how content marketing contributed to his company’s success.

Clay built his agency on research and positioning, using original content and thought leadership to drive growth. From long-form writing to embracing consistency on LinkedIn, he shares how clear, repetitive content has fueled his success and connected with clients.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How Clay's content strategy helped crystallize his business perspective
The role of long-form writing and repetition in content creation
The power of content to build trust and differentiate a brand in a crowded market
Why embracing content consistency can drive business growth

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Clay Ostrom
(01:11) The power of long-form content for business clarity
(02:34) Repetition and consistency in content on LinkedIn
(03:39) Differentiation through content strategy and thought leadership
(04:57) Clay’s advice on making content work smarter for your business

Building with Trust at the Core with Dustin Amrhein, CEO and Co-Founder, Revcast

Share Your Genius — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Rachel Downey taps Dustin Amrhein, CEO and Co-Founder of Revcast, to zoom in on building trust during the launch of a new product.

Dustin brings years of experience in global customer experience and now leads the way in fostering relationships with early customers at Revcast.For him, trust is not just a value but a practice grounded in transparency and honesty.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

Why trust is the cornerstone of building strong customer relationships
How transparency shapes the customer experience and helps navigate the uncertainties of a new product
The power of giving back and making connections, no strings attached

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Dustin Amrhein
(01:19) Building trust through transparency and honesty
(02:14) The balance between feedback and product roadmap
(03:09) How giving back strengthens relationships
(04:01) Dustin’s leadership approach in creating customer trust

The New Trust Equation with Daniel Roth, President and Founder, PangeaEffect

Share Your Genius — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

To build a culture that performs, start by building one that trusts.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Rachel Downey connects with Daniel Roth, President and Founder of PangeaEffect, to see what it takes to foster trust in high-performing teams.

Daniel brings wisdom from years of leading teams through high-stakes moments and shares why trust isn’t just a value, it’s a practice. The key is clarity, consistency, and connection at every level of the organization.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How trust is built through clarity and accountability
Why psychological safety is the cornerstone of performance
How frontline voices accelerate buy-in and change
The real role of AI in human-centered leadership

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Daniel Roth
(01:19) The power of clarity and consistency in building trust
(02:14) Purpose, buy-in, and standards that drive performance
(03:09) Navigating AI while staying human-first
(04:01) Daniel’s guiding principle for leadership and team culture

Building Content That Converts with Keara Dowd, Senior Manager of Content Marketing, Clutch

Share Your Genius — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

To create a content strategy that delivers, focus on working smarter, not harder.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith connects with Keara Dowd, Senior Manager of Content Marketing at Clutch, to explore how Clutch has evolved its content strategy to deliver value across every stage of the funnel. Keara shares how they’ve transformed from SEO-driven basics to becoming a trusted authority in their industry. The key? Repurposing content intentionally, meeting their audience where they are, and aligning content with key business goals.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How Clutch’s content strategy has shifted to build authority across key service areas
Why content marketing is central to Clutch’s holistic SEO strategy
The role of influencer lists in driving traffic and engagement
Practical ways to repurpose content for different audience segments

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Keara Dowd
(00:12) Why content has always been central to Clutch’s strategy
(01:02) How Clutch uses content to build topical authority
(02:35) Repurposing content to reach diverse audiences
(03:19) How influencer lists drive new traffic and engagement

Why Smart Content Still Wins with Amy Osmund Cook, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Fullcast

Share Your Genius — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

To build a brand that grows, start by telling a story that sticks.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith connects with Amy Osmund Cook, Co-founder and CMO of Fullcast, to find out why content isn’t just a part of the strategy - it is the strategy. With a PhD in Communication and experience across startups to enterprises, Amy breaks down how content fuels revenue, scales brand trust, and powers inbound success.

Her philosophy? Repurpose intentionally, lead with story, and let content do the heavy lifting.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How Fullcast uses content to drive inbound growth
Why narrative is foundational to business strategy
Practical ways to repurpose content for maximum ROI

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Amy Osmund Cook
(00:10) Why story is the foundation of strategy
(01:15) What content ROI looks like at Fullcast
(01:57) How ebooks and blogs drive pipeline
(02:23) Repurposing content for SEO and lead gen

Leveraging Short-Form Content for B2B Success with Corrina Owens, GTM Advisor

Share Your Genius — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

To create content that connects, start by thinking like a media company.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith taps Corrina Owens, GTM Advisor and content strategist, to break down how brands should approach media strategy today. Corrina explains why content must reflect how audiences consume: mobile-first, social-native, and scroll-stopping. Her take? Every piece should hook quickly and guide your audience to deeper engagement.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How Gen Z consumption habits are reshaping B2B content
Why subreddits should be part of your strategy
What it means to build content that earns attention, not just impressions

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Corrina Owens
(01:18) Why media strategy starts with social behavior
(01:47) Creating hook-driven content like a media company
(02:05) Using tools like Plot to map trends
(02:35) Living where your audience lives: subreddits and beyond
(02:53) Staying relevant in real-time

Making Product Marketing Human with Jeff Chase, Director of Brand and Product Marketing at Vitally

Share Your Genius — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Imagine turning case studies into interactive experiences that actually drive conversions.

In this episode of Straight to Voicemail, host Amanda Smith connected with Jeff Chase, Director of Brand and Product Marketing at Vitally. Jeff shares how his team is making content smarter by transforming customer stories into interactive product tours. Jeff creates content that connects emotionally, reduces friction in the buying process, and builds trust with prospects.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

How persona-driven narratives power smarter content
The shift from feature-focused to story-first marketing
Using interactive product tours to increase buyer confidenceJump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Jeff Chase
(01:19) Smarter content starts with the persona
(02:28) Turning stories into interactive case studies
(03:19) Building trust through customer narratives
(03:54) The impact of tailored content on the buying journey

How Does a Scandal (like Theranos) in the Media Impact Your Ability to Raise Money? [with Ellen Williams]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 11:28:00 -0500

Imagine trying to raise money in instrument science during the Elizabeth Holmes scandal.

That’s exactly what happened to Ellen Williams.

She’s the VP of Business Development at Exum Instruments, who developed an actual mass spectrometer box that can give you the full periodic table of anything you test in a matter of minutes, without using a full lab’s worth of equipment and a staff full of PhD chemists. So when her company was trying to raise funds, they ran into a few stumbling blocks along the way because people couldn't get Theranos out of their brains.

How do you navigate that? What can you do when there’s a scandal in the media related to what you’re trying to do? Ellen says it comes down to being able to listen and adapt. Listen to the episode for her full story.

Link up with Ellen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott-williams/

Check out Exum Instruments: https://www.exuminstruments.com/

Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Replay: What Are the Core Tenets of Storytelling for Long-Lasting Brands? [with Voiceflow's Kristin Hillery]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 09:19:00 -0500

In this replay episode, As Rachel is investigating what makes the best brands the best as she grows her own company and brand. What makes brands stand the test of time?

Enter Kristin Hillery, Head of Brand and Content at Voiceflow. She’s been crafting and strategizing brand-defining content for over a decade.

Her answer? Take inspiration from what left an impression on you as a kid. Even (or especially?) if that impression is left by a talking toaster. Tune in to the episode to find out what she means.

Link up with Kristin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinhillery/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Are the Most Common Mistakes B2B Brands Make When Launching a Media Strategy? [with Devin Reed]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to another episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. As we're all exploring and redefining what it means to build a brand with a media-led strategy, Rachel asks the most innovative people she knows for their thoughts and questions to help us all create better, human, intentional content. (This is a special series part of the TACK Network. For more about that, click here.)

Devin Reed, content creator, author, founder of The Reeder, and Head of Content at Clari, left Rachel a message: what are the most common mistakes B2B brands make when launching a media strategy? And why do people always forget that these marketing efforts actually have the end goal of making sales?

Rachel says the answer is simple: we need to stop thinking about “making a big splash” and settling for gimmicks + entertainment. Authenticity, consistency, and depth in relation to your key audience are actually what drives impact (re: sales, to Devin’s point).

Link up with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/

Check out The Reeder: https://thereeder.co/

This is a special episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. Check out more as a part of the TACK Network here: https://tacknetwork.com/voicemail-with-rachel-creator-s-edition

Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Does a Media-Led Strategy Solve for Founders & CEOs? [with Devin Bramhall]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 04:00:00 -0500

Welcome to another episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. As we're all exploring and redefining what it means to build a brand with a media-led strategy, Rachel is asking the most innovative people she knows for their thoughts and questions to help us all create better, human, intentional content. (This is a special series part of the TACK Network. For more about that, click here.)

Devin Bramhall, Growth Advisor, former CEO, and podcast host, left Rachel a message: what can a media-led content strategy solve for the busy, not-involved-enough-in-marketing CEO or Founder? Why should they start a podcast or something similar?

Rachel says the answer is simple: communication with your buyer and with your team is made easier with this type of strategy. And doesn’t every leader want to communicate with both their buyer and their teams more often and more clearly? Press play for her full breakdown.

Link up with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/ Listen to Don’t Say Content: https://www.dontsaycontent.com/

This is a special episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. Check out more as a part of the TACK Network here: https://tacknetwork.com/voicemail-with-rachel-creator-s-edition

Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Why Should You Be Thinking About People-First Audio Strategy? [with Nikki Lewallen Gregory of People Forward Network]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Welcome to the first episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. As we're all exploring and redefining what it means to build a brand with a media-led strategy, Rachel is asking the most innovative people she knows for their thoughts and questions to help us all create better, human, intentional content. (This is a special series part of the TACK Network. For more about that, click here.)

So to kick us off, CEO and Founder of People Forward Network, Nikki Lewallen Gregory left Rachel a message about how the power of podcasting can do two major things for your business: accelerate growth and fuel culture. As a founder of a podcasting business herself, she’s got so many strategies to share when it comes to how podcasting can achieve those outcomes. And Rachel leaves us with a question—how are you thinking about audio in a media-rich world? Because it’s never just a podcast.

Link up with Nikki: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/ Check out People Forward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/

This is a special episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. Check out more as a part of the TACK Network here: https://tacknetwork.com/voicemail-with-rachel-creator-s-edition

Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Maintain Motivation for Continued Growth? [with Element Three’s Joe Mills]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0400

How do you maintain motivation when you’re bored? What can you do to help stay engaged in working towards your goals?

Rachel turns to Joe Mills, sales leader at Element Three, for his strategies for keeping his motivation and drive for progress in high gear.

Rachel and Joe dive into the topic of maintaining motivation and finding the drive to keep growing, even after achieving goals. Joe shares his insightful perspective, emphasizing the importance of balance and variety in activities. He explains that mixing performance, training, and recovery is crucial for staying interested and fulfilled. Too much time spent on one aspect can lead to burnout or boredom. Joe draws parallels between his professional life, where he sees sales calls as performances, and his personal life as a fitness enthusiast.

Press play to discover how to keep the wheel of motivation spinning smoothly by finding the right mix of practice, performance, and recovery.

Link up with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemillse3/

Listen to 1,000 Stories: https://elementthree.com/resource_types/podcast/

Listen to Double Shot: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/double-shot/id1662370657

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Does Creative Excellence Look Like? [with Element Three’s Reid Morris]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:28:00 -0400

While nothing is perfect, how close can you get? In your work product or in life.

Rachel turns to Reid Morris, Sr. Marketing Manager at Element Three to answer this question. His high standard for video and podcasting content alone inspired her to ask this question (check those out below).

But what seems like an inquiry into how perfectionistic we should be turned into how we can constantly be working toward leveling each other up, not just our work product. Tune in for some thought-provoking reflections on creative excellence.

Link up with Reid: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidmorris/

Listen to 1,000 Stories: https://elementthree.com/resource_types/podcast/

Listen to Double Shot: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/double-shot/id1662370657

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Choose Your Own Adventure? [with Share Your Genius’s Jackie Yafremava]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Are you team choose-your-own-adventure? Or team go where life takes you?

Jackie Yafremava, Head of Delivery Services at Share Your Genius, left Rachel a voicemail seeking advice on transitioning from a mindset from the latter to the former. So how does Rachel choose her own adventure? She shares her insights on prioritizing personal goals and emphasizes regularly revisiting and refining them in this episode. One important takeaway? It's not selfish to set goals and map out where you want your life to go. It's your's, after all! Tune in to gain valuable insights on intentional living and goal setting from Rachel's advice and Jackie's candid questions.

Link up with Jackie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-yafremava-58825a236/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Traits Do Successful Founders Have in Common? [with Qualifi’s Darrian Mikell]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Founders’ stories captivate us. We love hearing about bringing a new idea to life. But it’s not always easy.

As Rachel was reflecting on her own founder’s journey, she called up her friend, co-founder and CEO of Qualifi, Darrian Mikell, and asked:

What traits do successful founders have in common? And how do those traits shape your thought leadership strategy?

His unique POV on what to do with the lessons you learn from leading and growing is simple but impactful: share it.

Link up with Darrian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrianmikell/

Listen to Rachel’s founder story (Part 1 of 3) here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rachel-downey-and-the-first-million-part-1/id1555762235?i=1000588299274

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How to Balance Screen Time as a High Performer and Parent? [with Amplify Logistics’s Matthew Zarzycki]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

If you listen to this podcast, you’re probably a high performer. You’re working towards something. You have goals. You work hard. (You probably play hard too.)

But we can’t do the big things without discipline. And we can’t invest in what matters most if we can’t figure out how to put our phones down and put work away.

So what can we do?

Rachel turns to COO of Amplify Logistics, Matthew Zarzycki to answer this question for us. He’s a dad, a COO, a board member, and more. Tune in for his tips on sustainably being attached AND detached from your devices.

Link up with Matthew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewzarzycki/

Rachel’s performance coach, David Gorsage: https://campdavidllc.com/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What are the Core Tenets of Storytelling for Long-Lasting Brands? [with Voiceflow's Kristin Hillery]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

As Rachel grows her own company and brand, she’s often investigating what makes the best brands the best. What makes brands stand the test of time?

Enter Kristin Hillery, Head of Brand and Content at Voiceflow. She’s been crafting and strategizing brand-defining content for over a decade.

Her answer? Take inspiration from what left an impression on you as a kid. Even (or especially?) if that impression is left by a talking toaster. Tune in to the episode to find out what she means.

Link up with Kristin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinhillery/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Define and Effectively Communicate Your Thought Leadership? [with Tegrita’s Brandi Starr]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 08:05:00 -0400

Brandi Starr is COO of Tegrita, who hosts the Revenue Rehab podcast. She met up with Rachel at a recent event, and left her a voicemail—how do you define your thought leadership strategy? And how do I bring my own thought leadership to the table when I’m the interviewer on my show to help my expertise shine?

Rachel has 5 steps to help hone in on your thought leadership strategy, and some solid tips for bringing that into your podcast. It starts with asking really good questions.

Listen to Revenue Rehab: https://www.revenuerehab.live/ Link up with Brandi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandistarr/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Are Download Spikes Driven by Ego or Genuine Engagement? [with Share Your Genius’s Jillian Hoefer]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 05:09:00 -0400

Are downloads a sign of podcast success? Or is the attention we give them driven by ego?

Rachel turns to Jillian Hoefer, Share Your Genius’ Strategic Lead and Creative Director to set the record straight: downloads are a metric of performance, but not necessarily an indicator of success. So what do we mean by that? What constitutes true success for your B2B podcast? Tune in to hear her answer. And if you want more of the discussion around this topic, Rachel and Jillian recorded their phone call discussing podcast success. It's the episode right before this one, titled You Shouldn't Care About Downloads.

Link up with Jillian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianmacnulty/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

You Shouldn’t Care About Downloads [a Phone Call with Share Your Genius’s Jillian Hoefer]

Share Your Genius — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Spurred on by an article spouting that downloads are the best metric to track when it comes to podcast success, Rachel Downey turns to Jillian Hoefer, Strategic Lead at Share Your Genius for not only a voicemail, but an entire phone call (that she recorded) to dive into this discussion.

And spoiler—they believe downloads are vanity metrics.

Rachel and Jillian explore the importance of understanding your existing audience, tracking valuable interactions, and focusing on specific call-to-actions to promote your podcast. Plus, a successful content experience is all about creating connection with your audience—which is key in any business.

Whether your preferred medium is podcasting or not, their discussion on what real success looks like can be useful for any content strategy. Press play to go beyond the vanity metric and dig into what we base our Share Your Genius strategy on.

Link up with Jillian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianmacnulty/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do Brand and Culture Intersect? [with Cast & Crew’s Alex George]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0400

What happens when a brand has a really good culture and a really good brand? What kind of impact can they have? What’s the intersection there?

Rachel turns to content strategy expert, Alex George. Alex has led brand and digital marketing strategy for powerhouse brands—think Meta, PayPal, Huffington Post, and Tech Crunch in collaboration with global consumer brands like General Mills, Unilever and Coca-Cola. He currently looks after brand strategy and growth for Cast & Crew, a leading payroll-, accounting- and HR solutions partner for the film, tv, streaming, and live entertainment industries.

His answer? The sky is the limit. Corporate brands may get a bad rap, but they can influence culture at scale for the better. Press play to hear his take.

Link up with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexjgeorge/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What are the Core Tenets of a Successful Brand Strategy? [with Anum Hussain]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

What are the core tenets of a successful, long-term brand strategy?

Rachel turns to content strategy expert, Anum Hussain. Anum is a content leader with 12+ years of experience at the intersection of marketing, media, and entrepreneurship. From building HubSpot's early content playbooks to running an AI news startup to becoming the first content marketing leader at Reforge, she’s an expert at developing content strategy, understanding audiences across multimedia formats, and leading cross-functional teams through change seasons.

Her answer to the question? It comes down to focus and simplicity. If your brand leaves people with more questions than answers, you’re doing it wrong. Press play for Anum’s real life examples from her time at Hubspot and her own startup, Below the Fold.

Link up with Anum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anumhussain/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Where Do You Find Creative Inspiration? [with Share Your Genius’s Sarah Duvendack & Kassidy Zurbuch]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 05:20:00 -0400

What do you do when your creative juices have pretty much dried up?

When you need a jolt of creativity and new ideas, what do you turn to? Share Your Genius’s own Sarah Duvendack and Kassidy Zurbuch left Rachel a voicemail to get her opinion. Rachel’s shortlist:

Reading fiction books
Consuming content in different forms than where you create
Seeking out conversations with other creatives

Press play to hear why and how these became Rachel’s go-to creativity-inducing activities.

Link up with Kassidy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidy-zurbuch-167926245/

Link up with Sarah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-duvendack-b897751b8/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Define Career Success? [with Share Your Genius's Kassidy Zurbuch]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

This might be one of the hardest questions we’ve posed on this podcast, and none other than our host, Rachel Downey, is here to answer it.

Kassidy Zurbuch, Show Manager at Share Your Genius, reached out to ask how do you define success in your career, and to dig deeper—how does that relate to the career ladder?

It’s not always about titles and money, but what creates a career you’re really proud of? And at what level do you find that? Rachel finds meaning in the skills she learns and the people she works with and for. Now press play to hear why.

Link up with Kassidy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidy-zurbuch-167926245/

Read Forming Storming Norming Performing by Donald B. Egolf

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

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How is AI Transforming B2B Podcasting? [with Casted's Lindsay Tjepkema]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 05:20:00 -0400

AI is taking the world by storm—increasing efficiencies, speeding up processes, and so much more. So how is it impacting creatives, customers, and the market overall? Where do we go from here?

So Rachel reached out to Lindsay Tjepkema to ask just that. Lindsay is the Co-Founder and CEO of Casted—the first Amplified Marketing Platform and only podcast solution for B2B marketers—so she knows a thing or two about leveraging tech to create connections.

Lindsay says the brands that are more human are the ones who will win. Tune in to hear how she thinks AI fits into that winning lineup.

Link up with Lindsay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytjepkema/

Check out The Casted Podcast: https://podcast.casted.us/public/5/The-Casted-Podcast-52134

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Does “It’s Never Just a Podcast” Mean to You? [with Devin Bramhall]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Our host, Rachel Downey, deals in podcasts every day. If you follow her, you’ve heard her say “it’s never just a podcast”. It’s a call to think bigger about your media strategy. But what does that mean to others? And is Rachel correct in her thinking?

So she asked Devin Bramhall, marketing advisor and host of Don’t Say Content. And she says that media-first strategies are the future of brand-building.

Devin has spent over 15 years growing B2B Saas companies through community-led strategy. She is the former CEO of Animalz, the leading content marketing agency for B2B Saas companies, where she 3x’d revenue in 2 years to nearly $12M, and the co-host of Don't Say Content, a popular podcast for marketing leaders. She is also the former Executive Director of Boston Content, the largest community for content marketers in Boston, where she 2x’d membership in 2 years, and founder of The Master Slam, a poetry slam-style debate about startups and tech.

Now press play to hear her full answer.

Link up with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/ Listen to Don’t Say Content here: https://www.dontsaycontent.com/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Does “It’s Never Just a Podcast” Mean to You? [with Margaret Kelsey]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 25 May 2023 05:00:00 -0400

If you've been around our host, Rachel Downey, you’ve heard her say “it’s never just a podcast”. It’s a call to think bigger about your media strategy. But what does that mean to others outside of Share Your Genius? And is Rachel correct in her thinking?

Enter Margaret Kelsey, a marketing industry vet.

She’s spent a decade building scalable, effective marketing programs—and teams—for B2B SaaS companies like OpenView and Appcues. She now advises founders on how to do the same.

So what’s her take on “it’s never just a podcast”? It starts with the fact every business needs to focus on brand and distribution, and the fact that podcasts help do both of those things extremely well and extremely authentically.

Link up with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-kelsey-104abba/ Her website: http://www.margaretkelsey.com/ Listen to Don’t Say Content here: https://www.dontsaycontent.com/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Incorporate Movement Into Your Everyday? [with Lara Heimann, LYT Yoga]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 18 May 2023 05:00:00 -0400

”Movement is fuel.” - Lara Heimann, LYT Yoga Founder and CEO

As a high performer, incorporating movement into your day can be a struggle sometimes. We’re balancing lots of goals, lots of daily tasks—how can we make sure our health is still an important piece of our day?

Rachel turns to Lara Heimann, creator of the LYT Yoga Method to answer the question.

Listen to LYT here: https://lytyoga.com/blog/category/podcasts/

Link up with Lara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-heimann-8a556b13/

Follow Lara: https://www.instagram.com/lara.heimann

Check out LYT Yoga: https://lytyoga.com/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What Makes a Pitch Stand Out? [with Matt Naylor, Flow Studios]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 11 May 2023 05:00:00 -0400

It’s one thing to create great content, it’s a whole other thing to create great content with mass appeal. We’re talking about pitching to the big brands (think Netflix, Hulu, etc).

So what takes a pitch to that next level? Rachel turns to Co-Founder of Flow Studios, Matt Naylor. He’s pitched and sold series to both of those big brands we mentioned and co-founded an Emmy-nominated and Clio-winning creative studio. His answer to this question will have you thinking about how to bring your content to life.

Listen to Milkless: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/milkless-dads-investigating-legendary-fatherhood/id1681137694

Link up with Matt here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-naylor-96130a4/

Check out Flow Studios here: https://flowstudios.com/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Should Brands Be Thinking About Video Strategy? [a Phone Call with OpenView’s Meg Johnson]

Share Your Genius — Fri, 05 May 2023 05:00:00 -0400

[If you haven’t listened to the voicemail pod with Meg Johnson, scroll back (1 episode) and listen to that first.]

Introducing phone calls with Rachel. Because sometimes you just need a full conversation.

After Meg Johnson (Head Producer at OpenView) left Rachel a message on how brands should be thinking about video strategy, they got back together and recorded their entire conversation for us. From metrics of success to brand affinity strategy, Meg deep dives the importance of thinking through the bigger picture (and strategy) behind your video strategy. Or really any marketing effort.

She drops a few Mean Girls quotes, shares some of her favorite resources, and will leave you inspired to create great content.

Link up with Meg here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/redheadmeg/

Subscribe to her newsletter here: https://sorryimissedyou.substack.com/

Check out OpenView’s video content here: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenViewVenture

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Should Brands Be Thinking About Video Strategy? [with OpenView’s Meg Johnson]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 04 May 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Video content has been and continues to be a powerful tool in the brand and creator’s tool belt, from video podcasts to social media and beyond. But how are big brands thinking about video? And how do you use it strategically to get closer to your goals?

Enter Meg Johnson—head producer at OpenView, an expansion-stage venture capital firm. She’s got her hands in all kinds of media at all times, including her own email (and audio) newsletter. Listen in to hear her POV on video strategy.

Link up with Meg here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/redheadmeg/ Subscribe to her newsletter here: https://sorryimissedyou.substack.com/ Check out OpenView’s video content here: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenViewVenture

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

[Replay] How Do You Learn to Bet on Yourself? with Threefold's Gretchen Schott

Share Your Genius — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 09:43:00 -0400

On this replay episode, we’re throwing it back and flipping the script. Gretchen Schott, CLO of Threefold and Host of Made for Impact, listened to Rachel’s mini-series on Scared Confident called The First Million—an intimate look at how she built Share Your Genius from 0 to $1M. Inspiring Gretchen to ask, how did you learn to bet on yourself?

Press play for Rachel’s answer.

For the podcast that inspired Gretchen’s question - listen here: https://tiffanysauder.com/scared-confident/takeover-rachel-downey-and-the-first-million-part-1/

Link up with Gretchen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Listen to Gretchen’s podcast, Made for Impact: https://www.growthreefold.com/made-for-impact

Have a question for Rachel to find the answer to? Leave her a voicemail:

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Why Should Brands Invest in Storytelling? [with PDA’s Michael Heller]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Next up in our brand storytelling mini-series, Michael Heller. He’s the CRO of PDA, with a background that makes his current role all the more interesting. He’s a lawyer, founder of Vessel Media, and brilliant at inciting creativity, change, and community. The work he’s done as part of PDA has led the charge on many of the largest campaigns—the number one dance trend on TikTok as one of them. So Rachel asked him—why should brands be investing in storytelling?

Link up with Michael here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xhellerx/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Why Should Brands Invest in Storytelling? [with WeTransfer’s Tara Goutermout]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0400

If you’re here, we imagine you find storytelling just as important, powerful, and useful as we do. So why should brands invest in it? WeTransfer’s WePresent won an Oscar for their short film, The Long Goodbye, so they know a thing or two about how storytelling impacts people AND business. So Tara Goutermout, WeTransfer’s Brand Strategy Director, is here to answer Rachel’s question—why should brands be investing in storytelling?

Link up with Tara here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taragoutermout/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Spot Talent? [with BLASTmedia's Lindsey Groepper]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Finding the right (and best) talent is a talent all on its own. And Lindsey Groepper knows how to do it—she’s grown her award-winning B2B PR agency (BLASTmedia) exponentially over the past few years. And to her, finding the best talent isn’t always among the people with the most relevant and extensive experience.

Press play to hear her strategy to finding the best and brightest to grow your teams.

Link up with Lindsey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseygroepper/

Listen to Saas Half Full here: https://saashalffull.com/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Strengthen Your Creativity Muscle? [with Share Your Genius' Katie Mills]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Ever been busy and felt like you aren’t feeling as creative as you could be?

Share Your Genius’s own Marketing Lead, Katie Mills jumps in to ask Rachel exactly that question. So listen in for Rachel’s 3 practices to boost your creativity when you need it.

Link up with Katie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemills11/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Get Really Good Feedback? [with Share Your Genius' Jillian Hoefer]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Ever received feedback that didn’t really help you? Or the feedback you received wasn’t even really feedback?

We’ve flipped the script this episode—Share Your Genius Strategic Lead and Producer, Jillian Hoefer, asks Rachel to find the answer to the feedback question. She’s got 2 pieces of advice that will help you get better feedback.

Link up with Jillian here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianmacnulty/

Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts (like Jillian)? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How to Show up When Feeling Intimidated? [with BLASTmedia's Lindsey Groepper]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0500

You saw the title, now enter Lindsey Groepper: BlastMedia’s President and, as Rachel calls her, a total baddie. She exudes confidence and clarity—so how does she do it? And yet, there has to have been a time when she felt intimidated. How does she get back to her confident self? In this voicemail, she breaks down her process and gives out her #1 confidence tip.

Link up with Lindsey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseygroepper/

Listen to Lindsey’s podcast, SaaS Half Full: https://saashalffull.com/

Have a question for Rachel?

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Learn to Bet on Yourself? [with Threefold's Gretchen Schott]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500

We’re flipping the script for this episode. Gretchen Schott, CLO of Threefold and Host of Made for Impact, leaves Rachel a voicemail. She listened to Rachel’s mini-series on Scared Confident called The First Million—an intimate look at how she built Share Your Genius from 0 to $1M. Inspiring Gretchen to ask, how did you learn to bet on yourself?

Hear Rachel’s answer.

And for the podcast that inspired Gretchen’s question - go here. https://tiffanysauder.com/scared-confident/takeover-rachel-downey-and-the-first-million-part-1/

Link up with Gretchen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Listen to Gretchen’s podcast, Made for Impact: https://www.growthreefold.com/made-for-impact

Have a question for Rachel to find the answer to?

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Build Confidence? [with Clari's Devin Reed]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Where does your confidence come from? And how do you get more of it?

Devin Reed is a LinkedIn content creator, content strategy consultant, and Director of Content and Thought Leadership at Clari. The man oozes confidence—as he should—he is slaying his professional goals with gusto. So Rachel is asking, where does his confidence come from? And what tactics help him keep his confidence up? Tune in to find out.

Link up with Devin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/

And sign up for The Reeder here: https://thereeder.co/

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Can You Become Disciplined? [with Uncovered's Jim Brown]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500

In balancing her strengths and weaknesses, Rachel has found discipline is something she’s lacking. So what processes can she put into place to help her out? And who can she turn to point her in that direction?

Enter: Jim Brown. Jim is the co-founder and CEO of Uncovered, a software platform used for solving cold cases of murdered and missing people, and someone Rachel categorizes as unapologetically disciplined. So how does he do it?

Jim’s got 3 practices to help you stay focused, get ish done, and spend time where it matters.

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

Can Personal and Company Brand Coexist? [with Clari's Devin Reed]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Devin Reed wants to make one thing very clear: personal brand > company brand. Devin is the Director of Content and Thought Leadership at Clari and an Advisor and Writer at The Reeder. And it's safe to say that he's a master of merging personal and company brand. Rachel is in awe of the way Devin shows up online—not only for his personal brand, but also seamlessly and authentically for his company brand. So as she reflects on how she can grow both her own brand as a founder, and the Share Your Genius brand in the marketplace, she knew he was the guy to turn to.

Link up with Devin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/

And sign up for The Reeder here: https://thereeder.co/

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

How Do You Start Doing and Stop Waiting for Permission? [with Uncovered's Jim Brown]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Rachel has noticed something about herself. She lives in the tension of wanting to get sh*t done while also wanting to make people happy along the way. (Relatable, right?) Which leaves her with the burning question: Can both exist?

Enter: Jim Brown. Jim is the co-founder and CEO of Uncovered, a software platform used for solving cold cases of murdered and missing people, and Rachel's first business partner at Share Your Genius. And the one who introduced her to the power of podcasts.

As Rachel suspected, he's got a no-BS answer that will leave you thinking hard about your inner circle.

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Want more from Rachel and her crew of content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts

What’s the Magic Mix of Revenue and Profitability For a Growing Business? [with Element Three's Tiffany Sauder]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500

What is the balance between chasing revenue or profitability for a growing service business? The focus here can determine the trajectory of the company’s ability to grow sustainably.

The opportunities to try new things are endless when it comes to growing and expanding. Well, this is what Tiffany Sauder (CEO of marketing consultancy, Element Three) says. On this voicemail, you’ll learn how to sort through these decisions.

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here: https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

How Do You Surprise and Delight Without Throwing Your Process For a Loop? [with Element Three's Tiffany Sauder]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0400

As your business is evolving and new ideas flow, how do you incorporate them into your offerings?

Consistently leveling up can be a challenge, especially if it means upending your processes every time. Rachel gives Tiffany Sauder, fellow CEO and owner of Element Three, a top Indianapolis marketing agency, a call for her best advice on how to incorporate your new and valuable ideas into what you deliver.

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here: https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

How Do You Get the Green Light for Your Big Ideas? [with Modern Health's Jeremy Briggs]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 08:41:00 -0400

A favorite practice for Rachel and the Share Your Genius team is “imagine if…”—meaning imagine the big things we can do and create together, for our clients and our own teams.

Sometimes this practice can lead to big, fresh ideas that need a little help getting over the finish line. We need leadership’s buy-in.

Enter Jeremy Briggs, Executive Producer at Modern Health, a health and wellness platform creating really exciting things for mental health and wellness in the workplace.

Listen in to hear Jeremy’s best practices for making big ideas come to life.

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here: https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

How Can I Create Sustainability When There's Too Much Out of My Control? [with Element Three's Tiffany Sauder]

Share Your Genius — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Some weeks are rough. Plain and simple. Kids are sick. Husband out of town. Too many meetings. You can’t keep your head on straight and you don't show up for your business or your family the way you want.

Rachel is having one of those weeks. So, she calls her friend and mentor Tiffany Sauder— founder and CEO of Element Three and the queen of “sustainably living a life of ‘ands’”—to ask the question: how can I build sustainability into my messy weeks?

Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here: https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel

Introducing Voicemails with Rachel

Share Your Genius — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:48:00 -0400

Rachel Downey is a millennial founder, executive producer, and CEO. And she has lots of questions. Join Rachel as she sets out to ask her toughest questions about leadership, life, and honing her craft to some of the most inspirational people she knows. Have a question? Rachel will find the answer. Ask it here: https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel