Around the Ladder: Finding Your Brand Voice in a Crowded Market with Laurel Carpenter

In this inspiring episode of Around the Ladder, host Erika Steinberg sits down with Laurel Carpenter to explore her unconventional career journey from nonprofit leadership and social work to thriving as a brand strategist and copywriter. Laurel shares how pivotal moments, unexpected challenges, and a willingness to pivot led her to co-found Pearl Consulting NYC with her partner, Charles Herold. Together, they help purpose-driven entrepreneurs discover and articulate the magic in their message. Key Topics & Highlights: Career Pivots and Defining Moments: Laurel recounts her transition from social services to entrepreneurship, sparked by a pivotal experience in a challenging work environment and encouragement from her network to pursue her entrepreneurial instincts. Building a Business from Scratch: The story behind Pearl Consulting NYC’s launch, starting with a single client, and how Laurel and Charles turned a guest blogging experiment into a full-time business. Leveraging Transferable Skills: Laurel discusses how her background in social work-especially skills like interviewing, relationship-building, and technical writing-proved invaluable in branding and copywriting. Partnership Dynamics: Insights into Laurel and Charles’s complementary working styles, blending journalistic rigor with people-focused networking and business development. Navigating Challenges and Pivots: The realities of losing major clients, building a client base through networking groups like BNI, and adapting service offerings in response to market changes and the pandemic. The Evolution to Branding and Messaging: How client needs and market trends led to the creation of their signature “Reveal Your Brand” process, focusing on helping clients differentiate themselves in a crowded, often AI-influenced marketplace. AI in Copywriting: Laurel’s nuanced take on using AI as a tool for amplifying original brand voice-not for replacing it-and the importance of human creativity and specificity in messaging. Client Personas and Targeting: Why fleshing out detailed, psychographic client personas is essential for effective branding, and practical tips for entrepreneurs on interviewing clients to refine their messaging. Staying True to Your Niche: The importance of working with clients and industries that align with your strengths and passions, and letting your brand language both attract and repel to ensure the right fit. Memorable Quotes: "It was an experiment that ended up turning into a full-time business. It's been six years and I haven't looked back." "AI is never going to substitute for a creative human brain... I'm really pro original creative thought, especially when it comes to branding." "Let the language both attract and repel clients for you-better to know before you start working with them." About the Guest: Laurel Carpenter is a brand strategist and copywriter dedicated to helping coaches, creatives, and consultants turn generic copy into powerful, specific messaging that reflects their values and drives business growth. As co-founder of Pearl Consulting NYC, she partners with her husband, Charles Herold, blending their backgrounds in journalism, social work, and creative storytelling. Connect Laurel: Connect with Laurel on LinkedIn  Pearl Consulting NYC Enjoyed this episode? Share it with your network and subscribe for more stories of unique career journeys. Have feedback or a guest suggestion? Reach out to the Around the Ladder team!