Episodes

Everyone has their own favorite brands, but have you ever considered that you’re a “fan” of those products? Maggie Walsh thinks that you should. Having recently wrapped up a social media campaign for Peacock centered around the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maggie is no stranger to working with household names. As the Head of Strategy for the marketing agency GLOW, she’s tasked herself with helping clients and consumers reconsider our relationships with our go-to goods and media. In this episode, you’ll ...

CEOs wear many hats, and that’s especially true in the world of IT. So, it’s pretty appropriate Brian Strong heads up TenHats - an IT and data center firm in Knoxville, Tennessee. The name isn’t just eye-catching, it reflects the wide variety of services the business provides to its customers. In this episode, Brian recounts how the company landed on its current name during a rebranding effort. He and Chris also discuss their shared backgrounds in telecom, and they even delve into local conspira...

With a love of crunching numbers from a young age, Erin Reece always knew her future lay in finance. She spent more than a decade at corporate and public accounting firms until Erin realized it was time for a change. After seeing and experiencing the churn and burn nature of the field, she knew it was time to make a difference. Instead of letting corporate burnout get the better of her, Erin regrouped and founded Bear Financial Solutions. In this discussion, you’ll hear her break down the experi...

In this episode of "We Built This Brand," you’ll hear from Trent Anderson, the Head of Growth and Strategy at Podchaser. Trent and Chris discuss the origins and key features of Podchaser, emphasizing its role as a vital data aggregator and discovery tool in the industry. Together, they delve into the importance of entering podcasting with the right intentions, the significance of Podchaser's Power Score, and what lies ahead for the company. If you’ve ever wanted to know what goes into crunching ...

You would never know it based on his successes, but Rob Bunch didn’t begin his career in the world of marketing. In this episode of We Built This Brand, Rob takes us through his professional journey. From working finance in Florida, to nestling into the mountains of East Tennessee, he shares the winding road that made him a Senior Executive at The Leverage Group. Joins us as Rob talks about the importance of being authentic in business, the external impact of your company’s culture, and how it s...

Erika Biddix began her professional journey the traditional way, following the path of a promising student to a corporate job. In this episode of We Built This Brand, we learn how she found her true calling at a corporate meeting planners’ conference where she was inspired to help other women discover their purpose. This led to the creation of Aught—a coworking space that evolved into a thriving community for female entrepreneurs. Erika shares the challenges of starting Aught and how their missi...

Rebranding your business can be an exciting process where you reorient it into something greater than before. However, change isn’t always easy. Paul Sponcia of the IT Company knows a thing or two about change and the growing pains it can bring. In this episode, we learn the story of how he transformed CSK Technologies into The IT Company, including the reasons for the rebrand, the rebranding process, and the growth that followed. Show Highlights (3:50) Paul’s background in the IT services in...

Welcome back! In this episode, Chris explores the exciting career and entrepreneurial journey of Lori Asbury, founder and CEO of CMOco. Lori shares her journey from a journalist to a seasoned marketing executive at HGTV and, eventually, to launching her successful marketing agency. She discusses the nuances of building a business in a highly competitive industry, her strategies for embracing digital marketing innovations, and the challenges and rewards of rebranding her company. Lori also shares...

Mal Alder, the founder of Alder & Co., shares her journey in assisting small businesses and nonprofit organizations to thrive with creative marketing strategies. She recounts her work with clients like King's Family Distillery in Sevierville, detailing how she enhances their online visibility. Chris and Mal explore the day-to-day realities of managing a marketing firm, including their approach to fostering a vibrant and innovative office culture. Concluding the episode, Mal highlights the import...

In this fun episode of We Built This Brand, we chat with Kelsey Miller, the founder of 'Klosets by Kelsey.' Kelsey shares how she turned her passion for organizing and styling from a hobby into her full-time job. She explains the incredible physical and emotional benefits of having a neat and tidy space, highlighting how organization can transform our lives. To make her services accessible to a broad audience, Kelsey offers special packages tailored to fit everyone's needs. Additionally, she pro...

In this episode, Taylar Fetzner, co-host of the Creeps and Crimes Podcast, opens up about her journey with her best friend, Morgan Mounts, from sharing a fascination for spooky stories, conspiracies, and true crime to launching a successful podcast. Taylar delves into her show's beginnings, the power of a single TikTok video in attracting a vast audience, and the evolution of her podcast's appearance to mirror their authentic selves, ensuring a genuine connection with their audience. Taylar unve...

We’re joined by Victory Harbin, the creative force behind The Social Brand in this episode of WBTB. Victory takes us through her journey from art student to marketing expert, sharing the story of her business's natural growth and her passion for purposeful branding and building genuine human connections. Victory opens up about the lessons she learned from trying to scale her business too quickly during the pandemic and underscores the importance of our well-being in achieving true success. We al...

Andrew Ellis, the founder of U Brew Coffee Company, sits down with Chris to discuss his entrepreneurial leap into the coffee business. From the origins of U Brew to Andrew's vision for a coffee community, this episode illuminates the struggles and triumphs of starting a coffee business. Chris and Andrew then embark on an immersive coffee cupping session, giving listeners a taste of U Brew's commitment to their craft and community. About Andrew Ellis: Andrew Ellis is a passionate advocate for...

Dive into the fascinating world of digital innovation with Mat Micheli, co-founder and co-CEO of Viral Nation. This episode takes you on a journey from Viral Nation's roots in 2014 to its emergence as a global leader in digital and social innovation. Mat recounts his entrepreneurial ventures with Joe Gagliese, detailing their shift from a liquidation business to the forefront of social media and influencer marketing. Explore the complexities of influencer marketing, the role of AI in shaping...

Embark on a journey of digital transformation with Alex Melen, one of the masterminds behind Smart Sites. In this episode, Alex sheds light on the art of building a powerful personal brand, the intricacies of nurturing a thriving business in the tech-centric marketplace, and his innovative strategies that are shaping the future of digital marketing. Listen in as he offers a blend of insightful experiences and groundbreaking ideas, making this episode a treasure trove for entrepreneurs and mar...

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris introduces Ozzy Garner, the founder of Advirtis. Ozzy shares his startup journey, from launching his business during the pandemic to celebrating crucial milestones like finding the talent. He emphasizes the importance of learning time management skills, finding work-life balance as an entrepreneur, and his plans for the future of Advirtis. This engaging conversation offers insights into building a brand as a bootstrapped business, the value of specia...

Kelly Fletcher is the owner of Fletcher Marketing PR, an agency that has worked with brands of all sizes, from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Kelly shares why she feels business is personal, and the mindset that she’s built to overcome the setbacks and challenges of building an agency from scratch. Chris and Kelly explore how the skills for building a brand and building a business differ, and Kelly shares why it was important to her to focus on...

Brandon Bruce is the CEO and Co-Founder of Uncat, but he’s also a co-founder of multiple brands and businesses. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Brandon shares what drew him to serial entrepreneurship, and how he’s successfully scaled his approach to branding across multiple endeavors. Chris and Brandon explore the inherent risk of starting a business, and how permission-based marketing and relationship building are key when building up brand awareness. Highlights: (00:00) Intro (...

Asterios Kokkinos, a freelance creative director and copywriter who works in the advertising industry, joins me on this episode of We Built This Brand to discuss one of the most challenging and critical elements of building a brand - getting people to pay attention to you. Asterios shares how he was able to break into advertising through his stand-up comedy career, and how humor not only helps develop effective content but also drives relationships and projects forward. We discuss the risks bran...

When the KnoxDevs community heard there was not a plan for a tech conference this year, they decided to launch their own: Devmoot. This is more than just a spur-of-the-moment decision though. Devmoot is the culmination of years of community building by KnoxDevs. In this episode, Chris interviews two of the leading Devmoot (and KnoxDevs) founders, Adrian Carr and Cody Lambert, about starting the KnoxDevs community and the Devmoot conference. Adrian and Cody of KnoxDevs explain how they managed...

Zack Roskop is the owner of Knox Brew Tours and Knox Brew Hub, and while people might know him as a local craft beer expert, what many don’t realize is he’s also a natural-born marketer. On this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris and Zack discuss how Zack went from being a full-time musician with a crazy idea, to building out multiple successful businesses in his Knox Brew brand. Zack explains why his goal is to be a best friend to the local brewers in the Knoxville area, and how he has built...

Jeremy Floyd is a prolific marketer who currently serves as the Chief Communications Officer for Covenant Health, the largest employer in the Knoxville Metropolitan area. In this episode, he joins Chris for a conversation about how his career journey went from being a philosophy major, to a lawyer, to finding his lifelong career in marketing. Jeremy shares stories on why branding is so much more than the visual element of marketing a brand - to him, branding is your reputation and impacts lives ...

Get to know Gavin Baker, Founder of Baker Marketing Labs, as he joins Chris on We Built This Brand. In this episode, Gavin shares how his early experiences in social media management and running a start-up shaped his career in the world of branding. Dive into the process of taking his own company through a major rebrand and discover valuable, actionable tips for entrepreneurs building their first brand. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert and gain practical insights into...

In this episode of We Built This Brand, Chris is joined by Jess Gutman, Creative Director at Big Slate Media. Jess reveals what it’s been like to see the company grow from its early days (she’s employee #3), and is able to share unique insights on how building a brand from scratch is an ever-evolving process. If there’s one big lesson you can take away from this conversation, it’s to embrace whatever it is you’re weirdly passionate about because that’s your superpower. Jess is a self-described “...