The Brand ON! Show

Brand alignment isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a daily battle. The moment you let trends, internal politics, or knee-jerk reactions dictate your brand, you start drifting. And drift kills. Confused teams, lost customers, diluted messaging—it all adds up to irrelevance. Your brand’s core promise isn’t up for negotiation. Lock in your North Star, audit relentlessly, and lead with discipline. Don’t just chase what’s trending—build what lasts. Take control now—audit your brand, cut the noise, and make sure to keep your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:10 Unintentional MorphingBrandon Coleman Jr: Unintentional morphing is pothole number seven… Morphing usually means a deliberate transformation, a strategic pivot that you orchestrate, but unintentional morphing, that's a natural, unwanted drift that can spin your brand out of alignment before you know it. It's not a loud crash. It's a slow leak driven by performance pressure, a race to outpace rivals, fear of missing out on the next big thing, or chasing shiny market trends. 00:02:18 Drift DriversBrandon Coleman Jr: Drift drivers, the force is pulling you off course, unintentional morphing doesn't need a villain, just momentum… Sales dips, so you tweak the vibe to fix it. Fast competition heats up, you bolt on a new feature to one of them. FOMO, “Fear Of Missing Out”, kicks in. Something new is hot. AI is buzzing better. Jump aboard. Trends are tempting too.00:03:39 Mixed MessagesBrandon Coleman Jr: Here's one. I had a hospital client who couldn't figure out what was going wrong... They had opened up a nurse assistance line by phone for pregnant mothers to give advice… The problem was one of the nurse operators had her own story. She liked to tell prospective patients, and ultimately, she was sending these new patients to their biggest competitor. Yikes. If your own people can't nail down your story, your brand's fractured fairy tale, that's for sure.00:04:42 Inconsistent DeliveryBrandon Coleman Jr: Delivery is a promise... In my book, I tell the story of a fried chicken chain that started serving fried fish. Many customers got confused and bailed. Inconsistent delivery breeds doubt. Doubt kills opportunity.00:06:15 Chasing TrendsBrandon Coleman Jr: Shiny objects seduce because they promise edge. FOMO is a hell of a drug. Trends fit, but only if they sync with your soul can they fit more for hype and your opposer, not a player number five, leadership, blindness, the drift that you don't see. The scariest part, you might not notice it till it's too late. 00:09:45 Keys to SuccessBrandon Coleman Jr:  Dodge these potholes with your eyes wide open. Hire smart, bet hard, train tight, talk straight, step back from your forest, ditch the committee, and lock your promise in stone. Markets don't wait, and customers don't guess, and they sure as hell don't accept your excuses. They'll roll with a brand that's clear, consistent, and gutsy. So check your tires, grab your wheel, and drive your brand where it's meant to go.

Trying to make everyone happy? Congratulations—you’ve just built the most forgettable brand in the room. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr breaks down why great branding is never done by committee. From clueless stakeholder input to family drama and employees resisting change, Brandon exposes how brands get watered down into meaningless jargon and mediocrity. Real leadership means making bold, market-driven decisions—because at the end of the day, great brands don’t try to please everyone, they stand for something. If your brand is stuck in “safe mode,” it’s time to shake things up and make it Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:00:52 Everyone’s Got an Opinion!Brandon Coleman Jr: God so loved the world that he did not send a committee. He sent one. Compromising to please others is a common road hazard capable of destroying your tires, your wheels, and making your brand car wobble. Everyone's got an opinion, especially family and partners. Advisors, friends, board members, employees, and random influencers all weigh in like the next Don Draper in Mad Men.00:01:53 Never By CommitteeBrandon Coleman Jr: Great branding is never done by committee. Input is fine, even encouraged, but keep it at that input, let it morph into a group project, and you're begging for mediocrity.00:02:27 The Expert EpidemicBrandon Coleman Jr: The first pothole is the expert epidemic. Everyone's a critic. Like we mentioned, thanks to technology, everyone thinks they're a branding pro. Your cousin's got a logo sketch, your buddy's got a tagline, your barber's got vibes… Everyone's an expert till you call their block.00:04:15 The Compromise Conveyor BeltBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two is stakeholder pressure, the compromise conveyor belt. Look, I get it. I've been in front of 1000s of them, boards, investors, partners. They'll lean on your heart… Boards might push safe names from their corporate days, or investors might demand a little flash over substance. It's not malice, it's just perspective. But if you go too far, your brand becomes a Frankenstein of their agenda. It’s not your vision; pressure's a slow grind.00:06:36 The Emotional Family MinefieldBrandon Coleman Jr: Dad had a dream. He had built a dream, and he dreamed of the legacy with his son following through. The son, zero interest.. Dad saw heritage, the son saw shackles, we wrestled it out. It was a long project, but the brand finally clicked. It united them. It brought them all together. 00:08:10 Employee PushbackBrandon Coleman Jr: Employees can derail alignment, too, and today's workforce is a new beast. They demand voice, purpose, emotional, savvy, saving the world. They demand it all. 00:09:31 The Committee ConundrumBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five, the mediocrity spiral, death by committee. Committees breed mediocrity. We talked about it up front, at the top of the show. Pleasing everyone sands down your edges. Your brand goes from Sharp to shapeless. Universities are hotbeds of committees and compromise, which generate a plethora of misaligned brands within their walls. Everyone's worried about what everyone thinks. 00:12:10 The Committee ConundrumBrandon Coleman Jr: Markets. Don't reward consensus. They reward guts. Lead and they'll march or they'll limp off. It's your call. Just remember, compromising to please others is not a brand alignment strategy.

Some entrepreneurs start off with the wrong brand or business concept. Many don’t realize how critical beginning with the right brand is. It is the foundation of your business. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr breaks down why most entrepreneurs screw this up—rushing through branding, trusting the wrong people, or inheriting a mess they’re too nervous to fix. A bad brand won’t just slow you down—it’ll cost you millions. Brandon shares real-world cases where businesses went from stuck to skyrocketing just by getting their brand right. If you’re coasting on a “good enough” brand, you’re leaving money on the table. Tune in, get real, and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:00:42 The Fifth PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: There are seven potholes that will absolutely sink your brand. These are the ones I've seen for over 50 years, and they continue day by day. I get to witness them. Pothole number five is the wrong brand concept. The starting or growing a business is a juggling act; engineering, production, finance, HR, and brand often get shoved to the back burner.00:01:37 A Brand in ShacklesBrandon Coleman Jr: I once asked a new client how he picked his company name. He shrugged and said, Well, Brandon, we'd hit a wall brainstorming…. When we finally tackled it, realigning the brand kicked the elephant out. Their business didn't just grow. It detonated. It blew up. The wrong concept had been a shackle. The right one was rocket fuel to their profits.00:04:21 The Blind Leading the BlindBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two is amateur input. The blind leading the blind. Most branding help isn't expert. It's convenient that kid with a brand-new marketing degree, green, not seasoned. They mean well, the convenient local firm. They might be the one if you live in the right place, or they might just turn graphics and AI can spit out marketing fodder for their presentation, but they usually can't align your brand online gigs. It’s a hit or miss, usually a miss. 00:05:58 Inherited BaggageBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three, inherited baggage, the hand me down, headache, not every brand's your baby. Acquire a company or join one, you might inherit a concept that's DOA, dead on arrival, a name that's dated, a vibe that's off, a position that's muddled. You didn't choose it, but you're stuck selling it. 00:07:40 Performance Must Match PromiseBrandon Coleman Jr: Mismatched foundations. Crash hard. Performance has to match the promise. Branding is a megaphone, not a miracle. If the concept is broken, just don't waste your time.00:09:00 Priority Number OneBrandon Coleman Jr: The wrong brand concept isn't just a misstep, it's a pothole that can absolutely destroy your alignment, sink you entirely: rushing your picks, trusting amateurs, inheriting clunkers, or building on unstable sand… The right way to lead is to treat brand alignment as priority number one, not an off-afterthought. That's why real brand alignment leadership comes from the top.00:11:23 The BottomlineBrandon Coleman Jr: Sometimes, the most obvious thing gets right past you. Sometimes you're driving that beautiful, fast car so quickly down the road that you're just avoiding the potholes, and you're so used to it, you're just ducking and dodging and diving them, and you're not realizing that the road you're driving on is not that smooth. You're just hitting them and bonking them and moving all around them.

Your brand’s biggest threat? It might be you. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr tackles the brutal truth—personal pride and past success can quietly wreck your brand. From business owners clinging to bad logos because “family made it” to leaders too smug to pivot, Brandon exposes the ego traps that stall growth. Just because something worked before doesn’t mean it will work forever. If you’re too proud to hear the hard truth, your brand’s already in trouble. Tune in, drop the ego, and keep your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:23 Personal Pride and SuccessBrandon Coleman Jr: Personal pride and success get us all. It snares us all. There's a thrill in claiming brand marketing or ad ideas, especially when they're splashed across a public stage. It's our brush with Hollywood, if you will.00:02:48 Blinding You to the ObviousBrandon Coleman Jr: Pride blinds you to the obvious. If it's not unique, it's not a brand. This pothole runs deeper, business owners. Maybe your daughter sketched your logo, or your son dreamed up your name, or your spouse coined the tagline. That's called cocktail chatter. 00:03:19 Answering a Loaded QuestionBrandon Coleman Jr: An oil field CEO, and that guy was worth millions; his daughter designed the logo… I took a breath, and I said, Sir, your baby's ugly, and you need to change it. Now he laughed. He laughed. Threatened to fire me. Then hired me. And we crushed it together. Pride's a pothole, but it's navigable with honesty.00:04:40 The Ego RushBrandon Coleman Jr: Number one's called the ego rush. Chasing the spotlight. Pride's a drug. Seeing your idea in lights is a hit. It's not just vanity. It's validation. You're not a cog. You're a creator.00:05:43 The Ego RushBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two, the I did it bias over evaluating your own work. I have done that. Success breeds a bias. If it's mine and it's winning, it must be perfect. Psychologists call this the IKEA effect. You love what you build, flaws and all. God knows their stuff's flaw.00:07:09 The Sentimental SnareBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three is family ties, the sentimental snare. When your brand's a family affair, pride makes it stickier. Your kid's doodle, your spouse's brainstorm, it's not just a logo or name, it's love.00:08:20 The Complacency CurseBrandon Coleman Jr: The complacency curse… success is a pothole when it makes you smug. You're profitable, busy, proud, loud. Why mess with it? Struggling leaders beg for new ideas. Successful ones shrug it off. If it ain't broke, bye. But fine, it isn't at its peak.00:09:19 Winning The Wrong Game Brandon Coleman Jr: Number five is misdefining success, the joy gap. Success isn't just revenue, it's joy. Are you thrilled to lead? Are your customers raving fans? Are they hooked on a seamless experience they can't stop sharing? That's the brand alignment jackpot. But pride skews the metric. If you're smug about profits while your team dreads Mondays and clients grumble, you're winning the wrong game. 

Your business is your baby—but what if your attachment is suffocating its growth? In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr takes a hard look at the “Owner’s Forest,” where entrepreneurs get so deep in the woods they lose sight of their brand’s bigger picture. From overconfidence and emotional blind spots to ignoring market signals, he breaks down why being too close can be a brand’s biggest liability. If you think you’ve got branding handled, this episode might just prove you wrong.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:59 Introducing The Owner’s ForestBrandon Coleman Jr: After decades of working with these owners. The pattern is clear. Their closeness to their baby, their company is their biggest pothole. When you've poured everything into a vision, years of late nights, endless debates, personal sacrifices, it is damn near impossible to step back and see it objectively.00:03:06 Entrepreneurial Tunnel VisionBrandon Coleman Jr: Number one is entrepreneurial tunnel vision. I call it the dreamer's blindfold. Entrepreneurial tunnel vision is like crawling into a cave of your own making. You birth an idea, you nurture it and obsess over it, every detail. How it'll play out consumes you.00:04:18 Stepping BackBrandon Coleman Jr: Stepping back isn't just hard, it's unnatural. We don't blame you for it, but you got to change it, because without that shift, your brand's misalignment can be even worse as it hits the market.00:04:37 Emotional AnchorBrandon Coleman Jr: When your business is your baby, detachment is a pipe dream. You've named it, you fed it, you watched it grow. Every scratch and scar is personal. That intimacy clouds your judgment. You can't see the brand as your customers do, because you're living inside of it.00:05:52 OverconfidenceBrandon Coleman Jr: Entrepreneurs always know what to do. They just don't do it. You built a ten-million empire. You invented a widget that's changing lives, that success convinces you that you're a branding genius too. Why wouldn't it? You've cracked harder codes than a logo or a tagline, right? Wrong. Branding is a different beast.00:07:29 Resistance to FeedbackBrandon Coleman Jr: Tunnel Vision builds a fortress. Feedback bounces off like arrows. You know your market, you know your product. You know your vibe better than anyone. So when an outsider says this isn't working, it's personal. You dig in not because they're wrong, but because admitting it means you're questioning your entire journey.00:09:09 The Growth CeilingBrandon Coleman Jr: Extrapolating a solo triumph into a scalable model takes new eyes, market shifts, customer vibes, competitive threats, but you're still staring at the trees you planted in the forest.

External vendors can be a game-changer—or brand killer. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr exposes the potential negative impact external marketing vendors can have on your brand. From sales-driven agendas to short-term thinking, outside vendors often serve their own bottom line first, leaving your brand misaligned and off-track. Brandon breaks down how to keep vendors in check, align incentives, and protect your brand from becoming just another case study in what not to do. Tune in and take control before your brand pays the price.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:05 Introduction to Pothole #2Brandon Coleman Jr: External marketing vendors can absolutely crater your brand alignment, just as badly as your internal teams and sometimes worse.00:01:47 Importance of External MarketersBrandon Coleman Jr: Please tell us, working with external marketers, how do we do it… I saw this firsthand on a recent rebranding project I did for a $20 million company. It was a beast of a project, new name, new look, new TV, radio campaign, new social strategy, new website, revamped internal process… All launched in just four months. The brand snapped into alignment, and the results were electric.00:03:16 Vendors Will Sell You The MoonBrandon Coleman Jr: Vendors will absolutely sell you the moon, but most have zero skin in your brand's game. More than anything, external marketing vendors want to sell you something, and your brand pays the price if you're not careful.00:05:41 Missing The Bigger PictureBrandon Coleman Jr: [External Marketers], they don't live your brand day to day. They didn't sweat the rebrand like my team did for that $20 million client, agonizing over every pixel, every word, to nail down the alignment. Without that ownership, they're less invested in your big picture.00:06:41 Out of FocusBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three is short-term focus, chasing quick wins. Vendors love a fast hit, something they can point to and say, We did that, a media buy that spikes impressions, a social blitz that trends for a day, a website tweak that boosts clicks, a Facebook post that encourages likes. These wins look good on their pitch deck, but they often clash with your true long-term brand alignment.00:08:19 No Silver BulletsBrandon Coleman Jr: Number four is pride in the playbook, this one-size-fits-all trap. Vendors often come with a signature move, their proven formula. Everybody in the insurance industry is running an ad in this episode or on this current production of the magazine. Everyone's in there. You mean, you're not gonna be in it? They're itching to stamp your brand on it, and that is so irrelevant for you.00:09:50 Aligning PrioritiesBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five are misaligned incentives. You know, everybody else's win isn't yours; vendors' incentives rarely match your brand's goals. You want loyalty, equity, and legacy. They want renewals, upsells, and testimonials. A design firm might churn out a gorgeous logo that wins them awards. Believe your audience… More revenue and more clout don't mean your brand's alive or thriving.

Your internal marketing team should be your brand’s biggest asset—but sometimes, they’re the ones throwing it off track. In this episode of The Brand On! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr dives into the first major pothole that wrecks brand alignment: internal marketers who, without realizing it, make decisions that dilute or misalign the brand. From the paycheck trap to the rookie rut, Brandon unpacks the subtle ways marketing teams can sabotage brand consistency—sometimes with devastating consequences (remember Bud Light 2023?). Tune in to learn how to keep your team BRAND ON! and out of the danger zone.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:04 What Are Potholes?Brandon Coleman Jr: Potholes. In your car, they take it out of alignment. You hit just one pothole at speed, and your car begins to wobble, drive bumpy roads consistently, and your car will struggle to perform at its best. Likewise, your business hits potholes for various reasons, and they will take your brand out of alignment.00:01:53 The First PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number one brand alignment pothole, the one you expect the least, internal marketing employees. That's right, this pothole could fill an entire book… At first glance, it's hard to swallow that your brand's biggest enemy might be your own internal marketing person or team, but it's true, especially in entrepreneurial enterprises.00:06:09 The Second PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr:  The second big pothole is the pride of authorship, and it's rampant in the marketing and internal employees want the program to be their idea. They want their name on it to be your hero… They'll run through walls to put their stamp on something that wins your favor, even if it's the wrong move or brand.00:07:29 The Third PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three, lack of relevant experience. We'll call it the rookie rut. We're all rookies at one time. But here's the reality: many internal marketers simply lack the experience to steer a brand.00:09:10 The Fourth PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number four, tactical tunnel vision strategies, blind spot. Most internal marketers aren't strategic thinkers; they're tacticians. They thrive on execution, posting to Instagram, blasting emails, running ads. That's their comfort zone.00:10:34 The Fifth PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five, short tenure, the talent turnover trap. I've talked about it for five decades. Marketing people don't last long.00:12:51 Fix for the Talent Turnover TrapBrandon Coleman Jr: So what's the fix? Align their incentives with your brand success. Think equity or performance bonuses. Compare them with an external strategist who will call it like it is.

One year, one mission, one powerful message: keep your Brand ON! In this special anniversary episode, Brandon Coleman Jr. launches the first-ever Brand ON! Award, honoring businesses that live and breathe alignment at every touchpoint. After a rigorous review process — from nominations to unannounced visits — the winner is revealed: Houston’s legendary Taste of Texas. For nearly five decades, the Hendee family has delivered flawless hospitality, faith-driven service, and a brand experience that never misses. Brandon shares their inspiring story and challenges listeners to follow their lead. Excellence isn’t optional — it’s the standard. Tune in and keep your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Check out the Taste of Texas!Website: https://www.tasteoftexas.com/restaurant/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:00:45 The Right Way to Start Your Day!Brandon Coleman Jr: I've got to have a sip of that amazing Lavazza Italian dark roast coffee. Love that rich flavor. Thank you, Lavazza.00:01:26 Only For Those Committed to ExcellenceBrandon Coleman Jr: Creating a brand and bringing all your customer engagements into alignment to maximize your potential is a daunting task and requires a relentless commitment to excellence.00:02:07 What It Means To Be Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr: Picking our first-ever winner was important to me because I wanted it to be representative of the meticulous level of brand alignment I believe it takes to be your very, very best. … Upon selection of the winner, we then visited the business to honor their accomplishment.00:02:51 Difficult But NOT ImpossibleBrandon Coleman Jr: Our winner comes from the restaurant world. If you've had the opportunity to read my book brand on you know, I believe restaurants are one of, if not the most, difficult businesses to bring into and keep in the delivery of your brand. 00:03:36 Brand ON! For 48 YearsBrandon Coleman Jr: Our first-ever recipient of the Brandon award has nailed it. They have gotten it right for 48 years, and the winner is Taste of Texas, owned by Edd and Nina Hendee and the Hendee family… Taste of Texas delivers the finest Texas hospitality, and you know it from the moment you arrive, whether that's on their website or walking through their big wooden doors of the restaurant, a venerable Texas Museum, rich with the sights, sounds, smells, flavors, and attitudes of the great state itself.00:05:12 Tune In to Edd and Nina’s StoryBrandon Coleman Jr.: What makes Taste of Texas Great? Edd and Nina Hendee started it from the ground up. They met while waiting tables at the old Steak and Ale in Houston back in the 70s, and they had a dream. Their whole story is amazing, and you will hear it soon when they join me for an upcoming episode of the Brand ON! show.

Corporate giants have fallen — Enron, Kodak, Lehman Brothers. Trust in big brands is gone. So where do people look now? At you. Brandon Coleman Jr reveals why personal branding is no longer optional. Every online search, every LinkedIn post, every first impression is shaping how the world sees you — and whether they choose to work with you. With practical tips, clear archetypes, and 50 years of branding wisdom, Brandon shows how to build an authentic presence that attracts opportunity. Forget hype — this is about credibility, clarity, and character. Your personal brand is already speaking. Tune in to this episode and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:07 Power of Personal BrandingBrandon Coleman Jr: Capturing your essence and opening up your authenticity to the world is a whole other skill set to a select few.00:02:24 Define Your PurposeBrandon Coleman Jr: Why are you here? What are you about? What makes you identify what you stand for, your expertise, and the value you offer? Clarify your niche, whether it's career, expertise, a hobby, a unique perspective, a really weird personality, whatever it is.00:02:51 Know Your AudienceBrandon Coleman Jr: Know your audience… who's your audience? Who does that brand have to parlay to? Who does that brand have to resonate with? Research who you want to reach, understand their needs, their preferences, and platforms, and what they like.00:04:27 Make Content Worth ConsumingBrandon Coleman Jr: Produce valuable content, share your insights, your tips, your stories. I don't care if you make donuts. Tell people how to make the best donuts. Become that expert, become that authority. Write a book about it. Showcase your expertise.00:05:09 Engage, engage, engage!Brandon Coleman Jr: Engage with your community, produce that valuable content first, and then engage with your community. Respond to their comments on your stories, join in conversations, and network with others in your niche. Engagement builds trust and loyalty, and they see that you're real.00:06:04 Show Up Authentically and ConsistentlyBrandon Coleman Jr: I think this is the most important one: be authentic and consistent. Stay true to your values and maintain a regular posting schedule. Authenticity fosters trust, and consistency builds recognition. Don't think you can always say what you think people want to hear. They'll read through that you need to be honest.00:07:50 Your Brand Makes or Breaks YouBrandon Coleman Jr: Your personal brand is important, whether you just graduated from college or whether you're running a successful company. Get your personal brand in alignment and enjoy the natural momentum it creates for your life and your business.

What do people see when they Google you? In today’s world, your personal brand is your first handshake — and Brandon Coleman Jr says it’s either helping or hurting you. With trust in institutions fading fast, people trust people. Brandon explains how to define your brand persona, stay authentic, and manage your digital footprint so opportunities find you — not pass you by. This isn’t about self-promotion; it’s about clarity and credibility. Your story is already being told online. Are you in control of it? Brandon’s advice: stop leaving your reputation to chance and turn your personal Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:47 The Face and Heartbeat of the BrandBrandon Coleman Jr: Our society has shifted its trust to believing in people first, and business brands are a distant second. Therefore, it is incredibly important for entrepreneurs to pay close attention to their personal brands, since they are the face of most small businesses. Not only are they the face, but quite often, they're the heartbeat, the spirit, the persona that permeates the culture of the brand.00:03:22 Check Your Online PresenceBrandon Coleman Jr: In our new social landscape, many of your prospective customers, your current customers, employees, and other stakeholders will be judging you and your business online long before they ever meet you in person.00:04:29 Social Media MattersBrandon Coleman Jr: You want to make sure you intentionally put your authentic human self out in front of your social media endeavors, as opposed to treating them like bothersome afterthoughts.00:05:04 Craft a Genuine Personal Brand StoryBrandon Coleman Jr: If your personal brand story is told and shared in such a way that it adds trust and credibility to your enterprise, then the power of your personal brand will significantly expand. Take time to craft a story that is a genuine expression of what you are all about.00:06:25 The AltruistBrandon Coleman Jr: Here are several personas used when labeling personal … the altruist, and they're focused on helping others and contributing to their community, often through acts of kindness and dedication to others’ well-being. You've seen them, the careerist who prioritizes personal advancement and status within their industry, often sharing relevant information to raise their industry standard.00:07:20 The ExpertBrandon Coleman Jr: The expert is built on demonstrable knowledge, skills, and authority in a specific subject or field, the personality centered on one's individual, unique values, unique qualities, lifestyle, and personality traits.00:08:55 Your Brand Makes or Breaks YouBrandon Coleman Jr: You have a personal brand, and that personal brand either drives your success or adds to your failures.

Small details make or break brands. Brandon Coleman Jr shows how bad parking damaged a $50M healthcare provider’s patient experience, off-brand music sent a restaurant’s guests headed for the doors, and free candy at the counter made a gym look like a joke. His message: every detail speaks for your brand — whether you notice it or not. If you’re sloppy with the “little things,” you’re eroding trust and leaving money on the table. Brandon gives listeners tools to audit their customer journey and fix the cracks — because great brands aren’t built solely on big slogans or glossy campaigns. They’re built one small detail at a time. Tune in and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:18 Start the Day Right With Lavazza CoffeeBrandon Coleman Jr: That great Italian roast, I just love the deep, rich flavor. It's the best I've done in my coffee quest. They're a great team member of mine, and I hope you get the chance to experience them soon. I absolutely love it. Thank you, Lavazza.00:02:05 Attention to Detail is Everything!Brandon Coleman Jr: The truth behind great brands is they pay attention to the details, the little things - the things you may think no one is noticing or nobody cares about.00:02:40 Great Things Come in Small PackagesBrandon Coleman Jr: Great brand alignment initiatives do think of everything. Even the smallest thing can make the biggest difference, whether it's a visual, a sound, a sight, a smell, a link, a post, a graphic.00:05:00 How NOT to do Business(Consulting for a multi-million dollar healthcare provider)Brandon Coleman Jr: A worker in the pay booth brings forth a bad attitude and gruffly says, “That'd be $15,” not, “How are you today? How was your appointment?” Nothing, just “That'd be $15.” That's why they needed a proctologist. That was not the way to send a patient back out into the world.00:05:36 Doubling Your Business(Consulting for a multi-million dollar healthcare provider)Brandon Coleman Jr: We came up with a strategy of growing their new patient numbers by encouraging every existing patient to just refer one new patient, just one. That's called doubling your business almost overnight, and it worked.00:06:38 Brand Off RestaurantBrandon Coleman Jr: Not once have I decided to go eat some Texas comfort food and want to hear MC Hammer. We left before ordering. That's brand off.00:07:34 Tootsie Rolls in a Workout Center, Brand OFFBrandon Coleman Jr: How can you take them seriously about their services? Come on, man, tootsie rolls in a workout center? What do the little things say about you and your craft?

Everyone’s asking Google how to get brand alignment right—but here’s the truth: Google’s answers are a good start, but aren’t enough to build a brand that actually wins in the real world. In this episode, I take the top eight questions business owners are typing into the search bar and give you the no-fluff, field-tested answers in addition to what you find online. We’re talking clarity, consistency, customer trust, and the one thing that ties it all together—alignment between what you promise and what you deliver. If you want to stop guessing and start growing, this is your crash course. Let’s get you Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:53 Why Do Brand Alignment?Brandon Coleman Jr.: Why do brand alignment? Well, increased customer trust, increased loyalty, improved marketing and sales results. According to Google, these are the first answers, and I agree with them. Your customers can identify better with you when you're when your brand is in alignment.00:03:46 Get the Full PictureBrandon Coleman Jr.: Step away from your own brand, or the brand that you run for an organization. You say, “Oh, I know exactly how people feel, exactly what they think”, because you have bias. I don't care who you are; you've got bias in it, so removing yourself from that bias is extremely difficult. That's why you need that outside perspective from wherever you trust it. But it makes, it makes a big, big difference that, you know, people seek ways to establish their core values, differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, and brand alignment does that.00:06:30 Turn Your Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr.: Number Four question asked the most is, “How can I ensure consistency across all brand touch points?” Well, first and foremost, go grab Brand ON!, read the book, and in the back, you get a free QR code that gives you two free tools from my website. One of them has been developed over 50 years. It is called the brain drain. Those are the 200 questions. You heard me right, those are the 200 questions I asked clients at the start of every brand alignment project.00:07:32 Consistency is Key in Brand AlignmentBrandon Coleman Jr.: If you want to ensure consistency across all interactions, it goes from your website, your social media, your packaging, your service. It's crucial across the whole thing. You can't miss any of it. Something may not be important to you, but may be the single most important thing to your customers. So go do these exercises. They're incredibly powerful.00:08:36 Doubt Kills AlignmentBrandon Coleman Jr.: Doubt is the killer, and doubt creates lack of trust, which is the ultimate killer of brand alignment. You don't want to lose that trust, so don't create doubt. Make sure your brand is in alignment.00:10:36 Gather Feedback and Evaluate!Brandon Coleman Jr.: People need strategies, [and you do that] by collecting feedback from all different sources, not just your customers or your clients, but your employees, your family, people that know you, stakeholders, and you balance them. You don't listen to any one of them more than the other. Balance them out and get a rounded picture of what you're hearing.00:13:30 Consistency Creates RelationshipsBrandon Coleman Jr.: When a customer sees the link between all their perceptions and all of your delivery points and all your touch points, then you build long-term relationships because they trust you, because you're consistent in your messaging and in your delivery and in your methodology. So you become a part of their life.

What kind of entrepreneur looks at the Texas heat and says, “Let’s grow olives”? Jim Henry, that’s who. In this episode of The Brand ON Show, Brandon Coleman Jr sits down with the founder of Texas Olive Ranch—a man who ignored every expert, defied the climate, and built a bold, honest brand from the dirt up. From frozen trees to adulterated markets, Jim’s story is a masterclass in grit, family legacy, and brand integrity. If you’re building something the world says can’t work, this one’s for you. Tune in, take notes, and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Jim HenryJim Henry is the founder and CEO of Texas Olive Ranch, a pioneering olive oil producer in Texas. With a background in international buying for Pier One and previously owning an air conditioning business, Jim transitioned to agriculture by establishing a 67-acre olive ranch with 40,000 olive trees near Laredo. Despite challenging Texas climate conditions, he persevered in creating a successful olive oil brand that now supplies major retailers like HEB and Kroger. A descendant of Wisconsin dairy farmers, Jim has been instrumental in developing Texas's olive oil industry, working closely with Texas A&M University and the Department of Agriculture. His commitment to producing "honest olive oil" and maintaining high-quality standards has made Texas Olive Ranch a respected name in the culinary world.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-henry-5617637 Website: https://texasoliveranch.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/txoliveranch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texasoliveranch ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:03:25 Strength in DefianceJim Henry: It's the strength of the brand, the name, Texas, and then Olive Ranch. It's difficult to grow olives in Texas because it's not like the San Joaquin Valley or the Mediterranean. We don't have the ideal weather, but I just felt strongly that Texas should have an olive industry.00:12:40 Never Give UpJim Henry: You just can't give up. I think ranchers and farmers are the world's biggest optimists, because they deal with the weather, they deal with pricing, they deal with tariffs, they have to walk all kinds of things. So, you know, it's just fortitude and determination.00:17:25 Insane OptimismJim Henry: Then we had to decide whether to be either bigger or give up on the project. And like an insane person, I went out and bought the ranch and planted 40,000 trees. I can't really tell you exactly why, but I thought it would work. I just thought it would work, and then it did. And it worked really, really well for 10, 12 years until we started having weather issues.00:24:55 Real Extra Virgin Olive OilJim Henry: There's virgin olive oil. Which really isn't very good. And then there's Lamantea or cooking oil, which is terrible. And so there really is only one extra virgin olive oil. But just as a side note, if you take extra virgin olive oil and you flavor it, you've adulterated the oil. So basically, you can no longer call it extra virgin.00:26:40 Promise Wrapped in a DeliveryJim Henry: You just can't put a bad product out, or you're not going to have a good reputation, so we're very careful about what we put in our bottles.00:37:35 Be Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr.: Out of all the clients that call us in over the years, they didn't call us because they were failing. That happened very few times. People called us in, Jim, because they said, we just know there's so much more here, and we're not maximizing our potential. 

The Over-Abundance of Marketing ProfessionalsEntrepreneurs and business leaders are having a fit trying to find the best branding and marketing help for their companies. The global transformation from traditional media to digital media has created more sub-specialty niches than most can keep up with. Many of those niche workers are siloed off and work in a space without real collaboration toward a united brand strategy. Cell phones and AI essentially eliminate the barrier to entry for a service provider to claim they are a marketing expert and research finds less than 2% of them are capable of truly guiding your business. Tune in today and learn how this impacts your business and what you should do as a next step.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)0:05:00 Talent Silos in MarketingBrandon Coleman Jr: "These micro-niche areas within the digital marketing space have created a marketing industry landscape full of silos where self-proclaimed marketing experts bury themselves to carve out their piece of the pie."0:08:30 AI and Marketing ProfessionalsBrandon Coleman Jr: "With a good prompt engineer, AI can make you a great writer, and no client will ever know that you created their marketing content in 30 seconds, even though you bill by the hour."0:10:15 Marketing as an Exciting IndustryBrandon Coleman Jr: "Marketing is a fun industry and a rather exciting career, but fun and excitement don't necessarily make one fit for leading entrepreneurs in the direction of their business."0:12:55 No Barriers to EntryBrandon Coleman Jr: "Anyone with a cell phone can have AI generate a quick graphic, snap a photo, add some words, and call themselves a marketing expert."0:15:30 Choosing the Right PartnerBrandon Coleman Jr: "Think about this: even in the year 2000, before the digital media world blew up, only about 2% of the top talents in marketing and branding strategy were truly brilliant and capable of bringing you game-changing counsel."0:17:45 The Cost of False StartsBrandon Coleman Jr: "False starts are way more expensive than you might imagine."0:21:00 Aligning Your BrandBrandon Coleman Jr: "Invest time to understand what your brand could look like in perfect alignment, why it would be so powerful, and why you need to work with the right partner to get you there."

When leaders pass the mic to trendy marketing and tune out their brand truth, disaster follows. In this episode, Brandon Coleman Jr exposes the billion-dollar blunders of brands like Jaguar and Bud Light—case studies in how chasing cool can cost you your credibility. From tone-deaf campaigns to abandoned brand DNA, Brandon sounds the alarm on what happens when politics, poor leadership, and marketing collide. If you’re responsible for your brand’s future, this one’s a must-listen. Because in business, you don’t get points for being provocative—you get results for being real. Tune in, take notes, and keep your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:07 Blinded by Politics and EgoBrandon Coleman Jr: 50 Years of brand strategy consulting, I've seen so many brand campaigns crash. The worst? When politics—ego, agendas, or fear—hijack decision-making, hijack common sense. When you're the leader, the buck stops with you.00:02:08 Burning Car CrashBrandon Coleman Jr: Jaguar… they ditched their sleek luxury vibe for a futuristic, woke, minimalistic campaign that doesn't even feature cars, and has whipped up a massive, fiery online debate that spilled over into politics, the evening news, and culture wars, and hey, maybe that's their goal. They just want attention. It's got everyone talking about them, that's for sure. The problem is no one's saying anything nice. The offensive campaign has destroyed sales. They have plummeted 96% since launching six months ago. 00:03:50 Ignoring the Audience’s TruthBrandon Coleman Jr: Then there's Bud Light's 2023 campaign misstep, they partner with a controversial figure, transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, aiming for inclusion but missing strategic clarity. The backlash was swift. Boycotts cost them over a billion in sales. That's a B billion, and a big chunk of market share they still haven't climbed out of it. It wasn't about the message. It was about ignoring the audience's truth.00:04:48 It’s All About TruthBrandon Coleman Jr: The Bud Light situation serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of understanding consumer perceptions, managing brand message, messaging effectively, and navigating sensitive social and political issues. Again, one word, folks on the cap, truth. It's all it's about truth.00:05:15 Don’t Chase Trends, Chase TruthBrandon Coleman Jr: These failures show what happens when politics creep in for mega brands, it's leaders dodging responsibility, delegating to CMOs or agencies who chase trends or agendas over truth.00:06:09 No One Is ImmuneBrandon Coleman Jr: Small entrepreneurial brands, you're not immune. Say you're a local coffee shop chasing a viral TikTok trend to seem woke or cool. If it doesn't match your cozy community vibe, your regulars will ditch you. I know several small retail shops that jumped on a political hashtag to boost reach, they lost half their followers in a week.00:06:45 Only One First ImpressionBrandon Coleman Jr: Your job is not to worry about everyone's feelings and try to please all of them when creating your brand campaign. If your agency presents crap, tell them so. If your marketing director brings you crap, rain on them; if your designer sends you stuff that a monkey could have created, give them bananas. It's your brand, and you only get one shot to make a great first impression.

Want to blow your budget, frustrate your team, and stall your brand’s momentum? East, just be a terrible client! In this episode of the Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr flips the script with a tongue-in-cheek breakdown of six surefire ways to sabotage your success. From ghosting your team to micromanaging their every move, this guide hits all the wrong notes—for all the right reasons. If you’ve ever wondered why your last brand project fizzled out, this episode’s your mirror. Tune in, laugh a little, learn a lot, and whatever you do, don’t be that client. Get ready to turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:00:10 Flipping the ScriptBrandon Coleman Jr: Most of you don't want to be a terrible client, but many of you are. Yep, we're flipping last week's wisdom to show you what not to do when working with brand strategists, ad agencies, or freelancers. Buckle up for some truth bombs and a few laughs.00:02:07 The First 30 DaysBrandon Coleman Jr: Successful marketing and branding relationships are won and lost in the first 30 days. A big part of that depends on what kind of client you are.00:02:50 Always Have a GoalBrandon Coleman Jr: Want to drive your agency or brand consultant nuts? Show up with no clue what you want to do, skip the brief, ignore my brain drain, dodge questions about your audience, and say, “just make it cooler.”00:03:52 Setting Up For SuccessBrandon Coleman Jr: We're setting up for success. So we will work directly. We will save wasted time, energy, and effort. We will work together. But let's set out those expectations up front. It's a lot like a marriage. The better job you do of alignment on the front end, the better the overall experience will be.00:04:16 Great Clients Don't MicromanageBrandon Coleman Jr: If you really want to stink, micromanage everything like it's your job, hover over every small detail, demand daily updates, and constantly rewrite their work. Nothing screams terrible client like crushing your team's creativity.00:05:50 Be PresentBrandon Coleman Jr: Nothing makes an agency, design artist, firm, or consultant feel worse than you going dark. [To be a terrible client], ignore their emails, miss a meeting, leave your team hanging.00:06:15 Use Payment as an IncentiveBrandon Coleman Jr: If you really want to screw it up, don't pay your bills on time. In fact, clients made it a priority to pay us on time, or many times pay us in advance. They really kept our attention. They got our best work. I know that sounds rather trite, but that's how the world works. Use paying your obligation as an incentive, not a threat.

Most people talk about hiring the right team, but few talk about how to be the right client. In this episode, Brandon Coleman Jr. flips the script, revealing how great outcomes start with great partnerships. Want world-class results? Stop hiring eagles and treating them like turkeys. From writing a crystal-clear one-page brief to giving feedback that fuels—not frustrates—this is a masterclass in client leadership. Because real success isn’t just about choosing the right expert—it’s about showing up like one yourself. If you're ready to be the kind of client top performers fight to work with, press play and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:00 Delicious Lavazza CoffeeBrandon Coleman Jr: I'm diving into a cup of Lavazza coffee. I love that rich flavor of a great cup or two or three of Lavazza to start my day, that great Italian roast, the best I found in my coffee quest. And hope you get a chance to experience them soon.00:02:15 Ditch the TurkeysBrandon Coleman Jr: You can't soar with eagles if you're working with turkeys. Our previous episode gave you insights into selecting the best brand consultant or marketing firm for your business. Ignore it at your own peril. Turkeys can't fly, and there are far more turkeys in the brand consulting and marketing world than there are eagles.00:03:10 Truth Saves DollarsBrandon Coleman Jr: This is not about people's feelings. I'm not advocating for being a jerk, because that doesn't work either, but you will save an immense amount of time and money if you speak the truth, whether it's in your selection process, or what the real problems are facing your company. Be honest about the working style of the person on your account. There's no time for missteps, so you must lovingly speak about difficult things.00:04:03 Spell Out SuccessBrandon Coleman Jr: Brand strategies aren't aren't fortune tellers. Before you sign that contract, spell out what success looks like to you. Are you after a strategy refresh, more leads, more sales, or a full brand overhaul? What are you really after?00:05:18 Great Clients Don't MicromanageBrandon Coleman Jr: Great clients don't micromanage, but they don't ghost either. Give your team creative freedom. After all, you you hire them for their skills, but check in regularly with questions or feedback. I always insisted on a minimum from my agency side, a minimum of a weekly meeting to review project touch points.00:06:53 Dealing with CreativesBrandon Coleman Jr: A quick tip working with anyone in a creative field, from a graphic designer to a web designer to a creative strategist, always, always, always point out the positive about their approach or their design, and how you understand what they were thinking and how even some cases it might work, but for you it doesn't. Creatives usually have very, very thin skin, and you don't want them curling up in a ball and pulling away from your project.

Brandon Coleman Jr exposes the brutal truth: most so-called “brand strategists” aren’t strategic at all. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how to separate the real deal from the résumé fluff. Want someone who’s moved markets, not just pixels? Ask the right questions. Demand case studies. Expect measurable results. Because when your brand’s at stake, charisma without competence costs you more than money—it costs you momentum. Discover how to hire a REAL brand strategist to turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:16 Asking the Big QuestionsBrandon Coleman Jr.: I want to add an internal brand strategy person to my team. How do I know if I'm interviewing the best person? How do we know if they can perform? That's the big question.00:02:12 Spotting Overhyped “Strategists”Brandon Coleman Jr.: The challenge here is that many brand people claim glory for projects where they were only partially or minimally engaged in brand strategy, people, and marketing people. They do it all the time.00:03:40 Find REAL LeadershipBrandon Coleman Jr.: Review their portfolio and their case studies, just make sure they are their case studies. Not that I worked on a team that did or I was part of, but I led. I made the decision. I called the shot. I told the owner this. I challenged what they wanted to do.00:05:32 Experience is the Best TeacherBrandon Coleman Jr.: You want somebody who's got multiple levels of experience and can talk about projects from all walks of life with scope. Did they address big challenges? Ask them, was it a family challenge? Was it personal? What was the biggest problem in the company, not just that we didn't have brand awareness?00:06:34 Setting the DirectionBrandon Coleman Jr.: The most important thing you do for your team, your ball club, is set the direction with clarity, with integrity, with truth, and you have someone you trust. Are you interviewing someone you trust who will stand there with you and take those arrows, because it will take arrows to do it right.00:07:28 Results That WorkBrandon Coleman Jr.: I had one client that was $100k a year in revenues, and we drove them to $35 million. Those are results that work. Show me where that comes from. How did that happen? What did you have to tell them? What did they have to go through? How long did it take to ask specific project questions during the interviews? Explore and probe.00:09:12 Brand Alignment Pays DividendsBrandon Coleman Jr.: I don't care if they cost three times more than you're expecting; if they will knock a brand alignment out of the park, you will pay for it many times over, and the process will be a whole lot more enjoyable.

R Blank didn’t just start a company—he built a brand with a mission most people didn’t even know they needed. In this episode of The Brand ON Show, Brandon Coleman Jr. unpacks how SYB (Shield Your Body) is turning scientific credibility into consumer trust by tackling the invisible risks of EMF radiation. No scare tactics. No fluff. Just real products, rooted in real research, solving a real problem. From rejected trademarks to Amazon strategy to acquiring a digital well-being brand, R shows what it takes to lead with purpose—and keep your Brand ON.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow R BlankR Blank is the CEO of Shield Your Body, whose mission it is to Make Technology Safer. With hundreds of thousands of customers in over 30 countries, and having been interviewed on platforms ranging from ABC television to ElectricSense, R is an internationally followed expert on issues of EMF, health and safety. He was inspired to create SYB when he co-authored the best-selling book, ‘Overpowered’, with his father, Dr. Martin Blank, one of the world’s leading EMF scientists. He has degrees from Columbia University and UCLA.Website: https://shieldyourbody.com | https://bagby.co ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:40 Defining EMFR Blank: EMF stands for electromagnetic frequency, also called electromagnetic radiation. It's a form of energy that's created by electrical and magnetic forces, as the name suggests… Everything that runs on power, like electrical grid or even batteries and anything that communicates wirelessly, like you said, cell phones and Wi Fi, all these forms of EMF. We call them non-ionizing EMF. 00:07:00 Battling Misleading ScienceR Blank: In fact, one of the parts that I am really proud of are the two chapters on the business aspects of EMF science. So it's not just an overview of what the science tells us. It's also a deep dive into how the corporations are manipulating the science, right? … there's a lot of that money going into the research, and so they're, they're kind of flooding the zone with misleading science. … even governments recognize that there are dangers to this type of radiation.00:17:01 Solutions, Solutions, SolutionsR Blank: I didn't have to worry about making people problem-aware, because the people finding me were already problem-aware, and I just had to give them confidence that the solution was a good one.00:18:28 Building TrustR Blank: EMF protection is a niche that is filled with a ton of snake oil and and there's absolutely no regulations about it. And they'll say, buy this pendant, and your whole body is protected. Or buy this stone, or buy this cream, and everything's fine. And so building a trust that we know what we're talking about and our stuff really does what it claims it does, that is critical.00:20:13  Science-Driven ProductsR Blank: In terms of building trust through the website, we have always tried to make prominent the lab testing data, because my products offer EMF protection, that is called shielding. What that means is it actually blocks and deflects radiation, which means you can measure how effective it is at blocking and deflecting radiation. 00:25:25 Complimentary CompaniesR Blank: A lot of people use their phones as an alarm clock. So if you're telling them, keep your phone out of the bedroom, they'll say, I need it for an alarm clock. And I say, “No, here, use this instead.” It helps push the message, the key message of shield your body, without talking about EMF radiation at all.

In this episode of BeatiDudes, Brandon Coleman Jr brings what he’s known for: no fluff, just truth about what it takes to build a brand—and a life—that delivers. Brandon breaks down why brand alignment isn’t about logos or catchy names. It’s where your promise meets your delivery at every touchpoint. From turning a small-town Christmas attraction into a multi-million dollar success to navigating setbacks with prayer and integrity, Brandon shows what happens when faith fuels strategy. This isn’t theory. It’s an action. Want a brand—and a life—that stands for something? Tune in, get intentional, and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow The BeatiDudes PodcastEpisode Link: https://www.thebeatidudes.com/episode/brand-on-for-christ-brandon-coleman-jr-episode-229 Website: https://www.thebeatidudes.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-beatidudes/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtjzmqtBTNaZpzTEhiJPYFw Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/TheBeatiDudesPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatidudes/ ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:06:15 Order Brand ON! The BookBrandon Coleman Jr: We are looking at the new book “Brand ON!”, which was blessed yesterday to receive a silver award from the Non-fiction Writers Association, and it is an Amazon Best-Seller - not bad for a couple of months on the market… We're very, very blessed. First Book.00:09:04 The Essence of Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr: Brand ON! is when you exceed that. Brand ON! is when you create a wow factor, when you create that surprise that the customer was not expecting… It just creates a lasting value that catapults the financial worth of organizations and brands.  A brand is a promise wrapped in a delivery and brand alignment, just making sure you deliver that day in and day out and don't miss a beat.00:16:24 Standing Out in the Brand IndustryBrandon Coleman Jr: It's a fun business that I've been in for 50 years- challenging. You have to be willing to be the best of the best in the brand world. You have to be willing to speak some really hard truths. Trust me, I've had enemies out there because they didn't hear what Jack Nicholson said, “you can't handle the truth.”00:29:16 Raised in a Family of FaithBrandon Coleman Jr: I was brought up in a family of faith. I'm blessed. I've had a dad who's a Hall of Fame high school basketball coach in Houston, and was strong to the faith, also my mom, and just the whole family. 00:37:04 A Message From GodBrandon Coleman Jr: We were developing the first Greyhound racetrack in Houston, in LA Mart, Texas, right outside of Houston. It's a multi-million dollar deal… We worked for two or three days putting together a proposal, starting to get ready. And God just like I remember sitting in front of the fireplace and at night praying for the presentation before the holidays, and God said, “Everything about a greyhound racetrack is about taking poor people and old people scamming their money from them, and having them spend it in ways. I don't want them spending it.”00:47:24 She’s The OneBrandon Coleman Jr: I'm married to an amazing, amazing one, one of the few women to ever be named a distinguished alumni Texas A and M, awesome. She was the first female chairman of the 12th Man Foundation. She's beautiful. She was a diamond darling. And her heart and her love for the Lord's way bigger than all that.00:53:14 What It Means to be a GrandparentJeff Schiefelbein: As a grandparent, you're giving a promise that shows up in the delivery.

You’ve got questions about brand alignment—Brandon Coleman Jr has straight answers. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon tackles the top five questions he hears from entrepreneurs all over the world. What is brand alignment? Why does it matter? How long does it take? Is there a shortcut? And most importantly, are you the one holding your brand back? With five decades of no-fluff consulting under his belt, Brandon lays it out plain: alignment isn’t a tactic, it’s a business strategy. Want trust, growth, and market impact? Start by asking better questions—and turning your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:25 Where Perception Meets RealityBrandon Coleman Jr: The top five questions entrepreneurs ask about the power of brand alignment, number one: What is brand alignment? Brand alignment is where perception meets reality throughout the entire customer journey. Remember that a brand is a promise wrapped in a delivery. So that includes everything related to your enterprise and how it relates to your market. 00:03:16 Getting Close CountsBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two, why is brand alignment important? ... Remember, brand alignment is the one element of branding that has not changed in 50 years, and in my opinion, never will. That is the cause. It is about the holistic approach to presenting every single facet of your enterprise in a way that meets or exceeds your market's expectations. Few can accomplish it, but getting close counts.00:04:44 Aligned Brands Earn MoreBrandon Coleman Jr: People enjoy buying from brands that feel right, that make it easy, that encourage you to engage, and in the end, aligned brands see faster revenue growth and increased profitability.00:05:00 Do I Need To Be An Expert?Brandon Coleman Jr: Number three, how do I begin assessing my own business's brand alignment without paying a big-time professional brand strategist? … Sometimes founders get lost in their own forest, and they can't see what's really going on with their brand. That's very common. In fact, I would estimate 50% of my clients over the last 50 Years knew the answer. They just needed clarity and confirmation.00:07:14 No Silver BulletsBrandon Coleman Jr: Number four, well, I'll get this question a lot. What is the silver bullet to getting your brand into alignment? Well, first, there is no silver bullet, no one-size-fits-all. 00:07:59 Alignment Takes TimeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five, how long does it take to get my brand into alignment? Well, typically anywhere from 3 to 18 months, depending on the complexity and size of your enterprise and the challenges ahead. Who's leading your project is the most important decision you'll make.

In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr cuts through the noise and breaks down the one thing separating forgettable businesses from unstoppable brands: alignment. Not logos. Not color palettes. Alignment—where your promise and your delivery match at every customer touchpoint. Brandon introduces a simple but powerful 8-question quiz to help you spot where your brand stands: Brand ON!, almost there, or way off. This isn’t theory—it’s strategy that drives trust, loyalty, and serious profit. Most entrepreneurs already know what to do—they just need to stop getting in their own way. Take the quiz. Own your gaps. Turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:34 The Essence of Brand AlignmentBrandon Coleman Jr: What is brand alignment? It isn't just a buzzword, it's not a trend, it's not a marketing fad. In fact, it's the only part of branding that hasn't changed in 50 years.00:04:26 Why Brand Alignment MattersBrandon Coleman Jr: Brand alignment matters. Let me give you just four basic reasons why. [First], brand alignment matters because it is the key to differentiation. [Second], brand alignment gives you a competitive edge because so few are in brand alignment. Third, brand alignment builds trust and loyalty when you deliver on your promise. And fourth, brand alignment creates an emotional connection with your stakeholders.00:05:00 Take the Brand Alignment QuizBrandon Coleman Jr: So let's find out if your enterprise is Brand ON! or brand off. It's time to take my brand alignment quiz. Now, if you're out on a jog or whatever right now, or into some boat fishing, you can go to the front of my website anytime and take this eight-question quiz. It's easy!00:05:33 Take the Brand Alignment QuizBrandon Coleman Jr: Eight statements, rate yourself. Number one, our brand story is engaging… Number two, our brand message is crystal clear… Number three, our customer experience is flawless… Number four, our customers consistently refer others to us… Number five, our brand delivers on its promise… Number six, our team members represent our brand… Number seven, our brand inspires others… Last but not least, number eight, our brand is in perfect alignment. 00:08:26 The Magic of being Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr: I served on 1000s of brand limit projects, and in that time, realized most clients didn't come to me because they were failing. They came to me because they knew something was missing. They wanted to maximize their profitability, their potential, their impact. They wanted that magic.00:09:15 Don’t Just Survive, Thrive!Brandon Coleman Jr:  Aligned brands stand out in a crowded market. They don't just survive the revolution, they lead it.00:10:03 Grab the Brand ON! bookBrandon Coleman Jr: Okay, the quiz was great, a quick way to begin the discussion. But if you really want to know if your brand is in alignment, or how much work you have to do, get a copy of my book Brand ON!... I put two valuable tools in the back of that book, free of charge. For those who buy the book, there's a QR code in the back that'll set you up with these two documents. One's called the brain drain, and the other is the brand alignment checklist.

Shawn D. Nelson didn’t just build a couch—he built a brand with backbone. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr unpacks how a bean bag turned into a $700M company by rejecting planned obsolescence and designing products that evolve with the customer. Lovesac’s philosophy? “Design for Life.” No fluff. No waste. Just smart, modular innovation backed by brand alignment from top to bottom. If you think branding is just logos and taglines, think again. This is strategy, simplicity, and staying power—all rolled into one. Tune in and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Shawn NelsonShawn D. Nelson is the author of Let Me Save You 25 Years: Mistakes, Miracles, and Lessons from the Lovesac Story. He is the founder and CEO of the Lovesac Company, which designs, manufactures, and sells furniture such as modular couches and bean bag chairs. Nelson holds a BA in Mandarin Chinese from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in Strategic Design and Management from Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City, where he later became an instructor. About his enterprise, Lovesac:Lovesac’s greatness lies in its Designed for Life (DFL) philosophy—a radical departure from traditional consumer goods. Unlike conventional furniture that adheres to planned obsolescence, Lovesac builds products meant to last a lifetime and adapt to changing needs. This approach isn’t just about sustainability; it’s about redefining the relationship between people and the products they buy.The modular Sactionals, which are washable, changeable, and rearrangeable, embody this ethos. Lovesac’s business model embraces simplicity, quality, and long-term value, rejecting industry norms of seasonal collections and wasteful product cycles. Lovesac offers a masterclass in brand alignment through purpose-driven business strategies. The company’s success is rooted in a clear, consistent mission: inspiring consumers to “buy better, so they can buy less.” By aligning its operations, product design, and marketing around this principle, Lovesac has built an authentic brand that resonates deeply with customers .Website: https://shawndnelson.com/ ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:11:02 Building a BrandShawn Nelson: If you really are out to build a brand, right, which is the moniker for this podcast, it has to resonate with humans at an emotional level, in a way that it transcends the features and benefits of the product.00:13:18 Lovesac’s PurposeShawn Nelson: We have a purpose to inspire humankind to buy better stuff so they can buy less stuff, and that's what motivates people to work here. That's what motivates us to keep inventing and trying to make the best stuff that people can, 10 years into the future, be like, “dang. Who knew when I bought this couch that it would do all this cool stuff down the road?” But the thing that we are aspiring to as a business is our mission, as we call it, different from our purpose, and that's to build the most loved brand in America.00:13:18 Lovesac’s MissionShawn Nelson: At Lovesac, you are free to live, and what that means is it obviously stands on the shoulders of this design for life, ethos - stuff that lasts forever, because it can, right? But what does that do for you? It makes you free to live. You can kick your feet up, yourshoe, your wine, throw the dog on there, change a baby’s diaper. Just don't scold your kids for, you know, eating popcorn on the couch. You're just free to live.

Most people don’t need another dream—they need a plan. In this episode of The Brand On! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr., talks with Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation about cutting through the hype and building income streams that actually work. No lottery schemes. No or viral fantasies; just smart, tested moves, rooted in your own strengths and what the market actually wants. Whether you’re trying to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck grind or build something bigger on the side, this episode shows you how to take the first step—and turn your hustle and your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Nick LoperNick Loper helps people earn money outside of their day job. He's an author, online entrepreneur, and host of the award-winning Side Hustle Show podcast, which features new part-time business ideas each week. As Chief Side Hustler at SideHustleNation.com, he loves deconstructing the tactics and strategies behind building extra income streams.Best known for The Side Hustle Show, Nick is passionate about finding creative ways to earn extra income and sharing them with others. He speaks on podcasting, audio branding, and audience growth—skills he’s mastered while building a top business podcast.Website: https://www.sidehustlenation.com Podcast: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/podcastqr Facebook Group: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/fb ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:03:41 Getting Paid Outside of WorkNick Loper: I love talking about the idea of, you know, quote, unquote, passive income, or time leveraged income. And that's, that's where I spend all my time. I don't get paid while I'm working, so I get paid while I'm not working.00:07:01 Work Smarter, Not HarderNick Loper: We had a guy who was repairing motorcycles in his garage.. He set up the camera in the corner of the garage, filming himself doing the repairs. Builds up the YouTube channel, starts selling these full engine rebuild videos as a digital download, digital product, and by the time that we connected, he's like, I'm making more money from the digital side than I am from these little project bikes.00:09:51 Introducing The Side Hustle ShowNick Loper: For The Side Hustle Show, and maybe this is best, worst, and only podcast dedicated specifically to this unique brand of entrepreneurship, where it's like, hey, you don’t have to go in and quit your job and be an entrepreneur who jumps out of the airplane and figures out how to build their parachute on the way down.00:21:39 The Side Hustle Show’s Unique BrandingNick Loper: This is a brand of genuine curiosity, showcasing how did you come up with that idea? How did that work? How'd you figure out how much to charge for that? How'd you get your first customers right? That's what drove the show 12 years ago. It's still what drives it today is this genuine curiosity and excitement around creative ways to make extra money.00:28:14 The Perfect Side HustleNick Loper: I think the biggest challenge is getting people off the sidelines to pick something... There's this myth of the perfect side hustle, right?... I think the perfect side hustle is the one that you're excited enough to take that first step on, even if you don't know steps two through 10.00:35:54 The Power of a Personal BrandBrandon Coleman Jr: The power of a personal brand and where people find you first, and how that emulates all the way through… if they don't believe in you, they're not gonna believe in that company. And personal brand is just absolutely paramount.

Great brand alignment is part art, part science, a whole lot of common sense —and 100% essential for business success. In this episode, Branding legend Brandon Coleman Jr reveals proven strategies that top-performing brands use to stay aligned and avoid the pitfalls of self-proclaimed “experts.”Whether you're launching a startup, scaling a business, or rebranding an established company, this episode will equip you with the insights to Turn Your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)(00:00:04) Introduction(00:02:59) Brand Alignment: Art, Science, or Common Sense?(00:09:30) The Three Elements of Brand Alignment(00:10:47) The True Brand Alignment Leader(00:15:40) Outro 0:02:59 Brandon Coleman Jr"Is brand alignment art, science, or common sense? When I reflect on five decades of leading 1000s of branding initiatives... I guarantee you I would use common sense every single time."Keywords: brand alignment, common sense branding, branding experience0:03:48 Brandon Coleman Jr"If it doesn't make common sense to your customer, it doesn't work. You can't explain it away. Customers don't have the time or the tolerance for you to explain your brand."Keywords: customer perception, brand clarity, frictionless branding0:04:05 Brandon Coleman Jr"If any part of your brand—whether it be the product, service, naming, packaging, marketing, website, location, signage, advertising, social media—doesn't make immediate sense, then it creates a friction point."Keywords: branding execution, CX friction, visual identity0:05:00 Brandon Coleman Jr"You can give me a win or you can give me excuses, and I don’t want your excuses."Keywords: brand leadership, accountability, winning mindset0:08:55 Brandon Coleman Jr"Remember, it’s rarely a good strategy to try to be everything to everybody. Know what you are great at and align your brand accordingly."Keywords: brand focus, niche branding, strategic positioning0:09:38 Brandon Coleman Jr"Art represents your story, your look, and your feel... Science leads the measurement of your productivity, efficiencies, and execution... but nothing is more critical to your livelihood than the common sense you use to align your brand."Keywords: brand storytelling, data-driven branding, brand alignment strategy0:11:05 Brandon Coleman Jr"My favorite brand alignment leader for small to medium businesses is you—the entrepreneurs themselves. You have the intuition and common sense that helped you launch the business in the first place."Keywords: entrepreneurial branding, leadership, brand intuition

The Most Influential Brand Alignment StrategyGratitude is not only part of a virtuous life—it’s also the single most influential brand alignment strategy. When used as the foundation of your values-driven branding and emotional brand experience, gratitude fosters enduring customer relationships and strengthens brand loyalty. By integrating the energy and enthusiasm of genuine appreciation into your company culture and customer experience (CX), you create a deeper emotional connection that drives customer lifetime value and long-term profitability. Gratitude isn’t just a nice gesture—it’s a powerful, strategic advantage that improves the lives of all your stakeholders.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON!! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr————Transcript (with chapter marks)0:01:50 Brandon Coleman Jr"Being grateful should be at the core of your CX customer experience. If you want to differentiate yourself and establish your brand as a trusted partner, how often do your clients, customers, donors, or patient base feel genuine appreciation."Keywords: (CX strategy, gratitude marketing, customer appreciation)0:02:25 Brandon Coleman Jr"If you want to differentiate yourself and establish your brand as a trusted partner, how often do your clients, customers, donors, or patient base feel genuine appreciation."Keywords: (emotional connection in branding, customer loyalty, gratitude in business relationships)0:05:07 Brandon Coleman Jr"When was the last time you thanked your customers?"Keywords: (client appreciation, customer loyalty building, gratitude in marketing)0:07:49 Brandon Coleman Jr"When you get in front of your customer, simply tell them how much you have appreciated all of their past business and that you just wanted to stop by and say thank you."Keywords: (customer retention, authentic branding, gratitude touchpoint)0:09:41 Brandon Coleman Jr"Client acquisition is expensive and resource-consuming. Wouldn't you be better off spending more of those resources showing genuine appreciation to your existing clients?"Keywords: (client retention strategy, ROI of gratitude, customer loyalty tactics)0:10:00 Brandon Coleman Jr"It amazes me how many businesses use the same old methodologies of appreciation that don't really come across as genuine appreciation simply because they are so commonplace."Keywords: (authentic customer experience, gratitude branding, stand out with appreciation)0:10:46 Brandon Coleman Jr"I have encountered a sizable number of what I consider mediocre leaders who don't put gratitude at the forefront of their business."Keywords: (grateful leadership, brand culture, values-based leadership)

Just like the very best championship-level athletes, entrepreneurs are responsible for leading their team, and their brand, to victory. Whether you were blessed with the gift of situational awareness and can see the whole business playing field at once, or you need guidance and support to align your brand, understanding the imperative need of leadership in a brand alignment initiative is critical. Building a truly aligned brand is no easy feat - it requires courageous leadership, clear communication of your vision, and meticulous attention to detail across every customer touchpoint. In this episode, brand legend Brandon Coleman Jr shares the essential leadership elements to help you become a brand alignment superstar and lead your organization to new heights of trust, loyalty, and long-term success. Get ready to turn your Brand ON!!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON!! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr

In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr digs into the powerful story of Jim Keyes—former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster—who proves that education isn’t just a credential, it’s a launchpad. From humble beginnings to leading billion-dollar turnarounds, Jim shares how learning, reinvention, and personal brand shaped every chapter of his success. This isn’t theory—it’s lived experience. Whether you're building a business or building a life, Jim makes it clear: change equals opportunity, and education is freedom. Tune in, take notes, and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Grab a copy of Jim’s book “Education Is Freedom” Link: https://www.amazon.com/Education-Freedom-Future-Your-Hands/dp/B0CH6X6BVB ————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Jim KeyesJim is a global business leader, philanthropist, educator, artist, musician, commercial pilot, and modern renaissance man. He is the former CEO of two internally recognized Fortune 500 companies, 7-Eleven, Inc, and Blockbuster, Inc. His other business interests cover a broad range of industries including retail, consumer products, technology, new space, energy, and advanced nuclear. He sits on several public company boards and serves as a board adviser to a venture capital firm and a number of start-up companies. Website: https://www.jameswkeyes.com ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:48 The Apollo InspirationJim Keyes: It started with personal experience. I grew up in a world where opportunity was the farthest thing from my scope of vision. No one in my family went to school... I was inspired by the Apollo program and guys like Buzz Aldrin walking on the moon. And I looked at them and said, you know, here are ordinary guys doing extraordinary things, and what made this possible for them? And it was education. And it was a pretty simple formula. It was like, well, if they can do it, I can do it. 00:06:39 Education is FreedomJim Keyes: There's no such thing as done with learning, and I literally doubled down on the idea that the more I learned, the more I can do, and applied it in my career, and it really paid off in spades.00:10:11 The Million Dollar QuestionJim Keyes: Most of us have to, at some point, apply for a job. And the very first thing that they're going to ask you when you apply for a job is, “Where did you go to school?” It's pretty simple. It's all about differentiation. Now, if you're cut out of that mold as an entrepreneur, and you think you can make it on your own without the credentialing, go for it.00:19:42 Convenience, The Japanese WayJim Keyes: 7-Eleven Japan really set the stage. And then I give them all the credit in the world for reinventing the whole concept of convenience and using technology to really be cutting edge on what they could do. People in America have a hard time imagining this, but restaurant-quality sushi is available at 7- Eleven three meals a day there.00:30:07 It’s Not Coffee, It’s ExperienceJim Keyes: (On Starbucks) The coffee, at the end of the day, wasn't the difference. It was the experience that people had. They felt good about the environment. They felt good about the other people in the store. It was an experience that they were selling well beyond just the coffee.00:36:18 Be Your Own CEOJim Keyes: The future is in your hands. If you embrace change, you can be CEO of your own life.

In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr teams up with business strategist Michael Neeley to break down what most entrepreneurs miss: branding without strategy is just noise. They dive into solopreneurs, rebranding for scalability, and how over-branding can kill your message. From exit strategies to podcast cover designs, this is a masterclass in building a business that lasts. The biggest takeaway? If you’re branding without clear objectives—or holding onto a name that doesn’t serve you—it’s time for a change. Drop the ego, use common sense, and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Michael NeeleyMichael Neeley is a seasoned podcasting expert with a diverse background. As a 7-figure entrepreneur, Michael speaks around the world mentoring and training visionary entrepreneurs. He is also the founder of The Infinite List – the #1 Lead-Generation and List-Building Membership Community in the World, and a highly trusted resource in the industry. Infinite List, Lead- -Generation on AutoPilot, When branding matters and when it does not.Website: https://infinite-list.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelKNeeley/   YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Infinite-List247 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelKNeeley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neeleymichael/ __________Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:35 Foundation of a BrandBrandon Coleman Jr:  If your strategy is out of whack, I don't care how good your brand is, it's worthless.00:08:25 Everything Has an ObjectiveMichael Neeley: One of the things that I do as a business strategist is I always tell people, what is the objective of every little thing you do, it has an objective. 00:16:27 Your Ego May be Deariling Your BrandMichael Neeley:  Sometimes people's egos get involved, and they like to think that they're more well-known than they really are… Who are you preaching to? Are you preaching to the choir? Are you preaching to an audience that has never heard of you?00:27:33 Be of Service to Succeed Michael Neeley:  When it’s your own business—and I get it, there are those out there who are just in it to get rich quick, trying to make a buck, and they're not here to serve or be of service in the world, amen—but we’re here to be of service. We love what we do. We love our clients. And our business is our life, too.

Brand alignment isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a daily battle. The moment you let trends, internal politics, or knee-jerk reactions dictate your brand, you start drifting. And drift kills. Confused teams, lost customers, diluted messaging—it all adds up to irrelevance. Your brand’s core promise isn’t up for negotiation. Lock in your North Star, audit relentlessly, and lead with discipline. Don’t just chase what’s trending—build what lasts. Take control now—audit your brand, cut the noise, and make sure to keep your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:10 Unintentional MorphingBrandon Coleman Jr: Unintentional morphing is pothole number seven… Morphing usually means a deliberate transformation, a strategic pivot that you orchestrate, but unintentional morphing, that's a natural, unwanted drift that can spin your brand out of alignment before you know it. It's not a loud crash. It's a slow leak driven by performance pressure, a race to outpace rivals, fear of missing out on the next big thing, or chasing shiny market trends. 00:02:18 Drift DriversBrandon Coleman Jr: Drift drivers, the force is pulling you off course, unintentional morphing doesn't need a villain, just momentum… Sales dips so you tweak the vibe to fix it. Fast competition heats up, you bolt on a new feature to one of them. FOMO “Fear Of Missing Out”, kicks in. Something new is hot. AI is buzzing better. Jump aboard. Trends are tempting too.00:03:39 Mixed MessagesBrandon Coleman Jr: Here's one. I had a hospital client who couldn't figure out what was going wrong... They had opened up a nurse assistance line by phone for pregnant mothers to give advice… The problem was one of the nurse operators had her own story. She liked to tell prospective patients, and ultimately, she was sending these new patients to their biggest competitor. Yikes. If your own people can't nail down your story, your brand's fractured fairy tale, that's for sure.00:04:42 Inconsistent DeliveryBrandon Coleman Jr: Delivery is a promise... In my book, I tell the story of a fried chicken chain that started serving fried fish. Many customers got confused and bailed. Inconsistent delivery breeds doubt. Doubt kills opportunity.00:06:15 Chasing TrendsBrandon Coleman Jr: Shiny objects seduce because they promise edge. FOMO is a hell of a drug. Trends fit, but only if they sync with your soul can they fit more for hype and your opposer, not a player number five, leadership, blindness, the drift that you don't see. The scariest part, you might not notice it till it's too late. 00:09:45 Keys to SuccessBrandon Coleman Jr:  Dodge these potholes with your eyes wide open. Hire smart, bet hard, train tight, talk straight, step back from your forest, ditch the committee and lock your promise in stone. Markets don't wait and customers don't guess, and they sure as hell don't accept your excuses. They'll roll with a brand that's clear, consistent and gutsy. So check your tires, grab your wheel, and drive your brand where it's meant to go.

Trying to make everyone happy? Congratulations—you’ve just built the most forgettable brand in the room. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr breaks down why great branding is never done by committee. From clueless stakeholder input to family drama and employees resisting change, Brandon exposes how brands get watered down into meaningless jargon and mediocrity. Real leadership means making bold, market-driven decisions—because at the end of the day, great brands don’t try to please everyone, they stand for something. If your brand is stuck in “safe mode,” it’s time to shake things up and make it Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:00:52 Everyone’s Got an Opinion!Brandon Coleman Jr: God so loved the world that he did not send a committee. He sent one. Compromising to please others is a common road hazard capable of destroying your tires, your wheels and making your brand car wobble. Everyone's got an opinion, especially family and partners. Advisors, friends, board members, employees, and random influencers all weigh in like the next Don Draper in Mad Men.00:01:53 Never By CommitteBrandon Coleman Jr: Great branding is never done by committee. Input is fine, even encouraged, but keep it at that input, let it morph into a group project, and you're begging for mediocrity.00:02:27 The Expert EpidemicBrandon Coleman Jr: The first pothole is the expert epidemic. Everyone's a critic. Like we mentioned, thanks to technology, everyone thinks they're a branding pro. Your cousin's got a logo sketch, your buddy's got a tagline, your barber's got vibes… Everyone's an expert, till you call their block.00:04:15 The Compromise Conveyor BeltBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two is stakeholder pressure, the compromise conveyor belt. Look, I get it. I've been in front of 1000s of them, boards, investors, partners. They'll lean on your heart… Boards might push safe names from their corporate days, or investors might demand a little flash over substance. It's not malice, it's just perspective. But if you go too far, your brand becomes a Frankenstein of their agenda. It’ss not your vision; pressure's a slow grind.00:06:36 The Emotional Family MinefieldBrandon Coleman Jr: Dad had a dream. He had built a dream, and he dreamed of the legacy with his son following through. The son, zero interest.. Dad saw heritage, the son saw shackles, we wrestled it out. It was a long project, but the brand finally clicked. It united them. It brought them all together. 00:08:10 Employee PushbackBrandon Coleman Jr: Employees can derail alignment too, and today's workforce is a new beast. They demand voice, purpose, emotional, savvy, saving the world. They demand it all. 00:09:31 The Committee ConundrumBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five, the mediocrity spiral, death by committee. Committees breed mediocrity. We talked about it up front, at the top of the show. Pleasing everyone sands down your edges. Your brand goes from Sharp to shapeless. Universities are hot beds of committees and compromise, which generates a plethora of misaligned brands within their walls. Everyone's worried about what everyone thinks. 00:12:10 The Committee ConundrumBrandon Coleman Jr: Markets. Don't reward consensus. They reward guts. Lead and they'll march or they'll limp off. It's your call. Just remember compromising to please others is not a brand alignment strategy.

Some entrepreneurs start off with the wrong brand or business concept. Many don’t realize how critical beginning with the right brand is. It is the foundation of your business. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr breaks down why most entrepreneurs screw this up—rushing through branding, trusting the wrong people, or inheriting a mess they’re too nervous to fix. A bad brand won’t just slow you down—it’ll cost you millions. Brandon shares real-world cases where businesses went from stuck to skyrocketing just by getting their brand right. If you’re coasting on a “good enough” brand, you’re leaving money on the table. Tune in, get real, and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:00:42 The Fifth PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: There are seven potholes that will absolutely sink your brand. These are the ones I've seen for over 50 years, and they continue day by day. I get to witness them. Pothole number five is the wrong brand concept. The starting or growing a business is a juggling act, engineering, production, finance, HR, and brand often get shoved to the back burner.00:01:37 A Brand in ShacklesBrandon Coleman Jr: I once asked a new client how he picked his company name. He shrugged and said, well, Brandon, we'd hit a wall brainstorming…. When we finally tackled it, realigning the brand kicked the elephant out. Their business didn't just grow. It detonated. It blew up. The wrong concept had been a shackle. The right one was rocket fuel to their profits.00:04:21 The Blind Leading the BlindBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two is amateur input. The blind leading the blind. Most branding help isn't expert. It's convenient, that kid with a brand-new marketing degree, green, not seasoned. They mean well, the convenient local firm. They might be the one if you live in the right place, or they might just turn graphics and AI can spit out marketing fodder for their presentation, but they usually can't align your brand online gigs. It’s a hit or miss, usually a miss. 00:05:58 Inherited BaggageBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three, inherited baggage, the hand me down, headache, not every brand's your baby. Acquire a company or join one, you might inherit a concept that's DOA, dead on arrival, a name that's dated, a vibe that's off, a position that's muddled. You didn't choose it, but you're stuck selling it. 00:07:40 Performance Must Match PromiseBrandon Coleman Jr: Mismatched foundations. Crash hard. Performance has to match the promise. Branding is a megaphone, not a miracle. If the concept is broken, just don't waste your time.00:09:00 Priority Number OneBrandon Coleman Jr: The wrong brand concept isn't just a misstep, it's a pothole that can absolutely destroy your alignment, sink you entirely: rushing your picks, trusting amateurs, inheriting clunkers or building on unstable sand… The right way to lead is to treat brand alignment as priority number one, not an off-afterthought. That's why real brand alignment leadership comes from the top.00:11:23 The BottomlineBrandon Coleman Jr: Sometimes, the most obvious thing gets right past you. Sometimes you're driving that beautiful, fast car so quickly down the road that you're just avoiding the potholes, and you're so used to it, you're just ducking and dodging and diving them and you're not realizing that the road you're driving on is not that smooth. You're just hitting them and bonking them and moving all around them.

Your brand’s biggest threat? It might be you. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr tackles the brutal truth—personal pride and past success can quietly wreck your brand. From business owners clinging to bad logos because “family made it” to leaders too smug to pivot, Brandon exposes the ego traps that stall growth. Just because something worked before doesn’t mean it will work forever. If you’re too proud to hear the hard truth, your brand’s already in trouble. Tune in, drop the ego, and keep your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:23 Personal Pride and SuccessBrandon Coleman Jr: Personal pride and success get us all. It snares us all. There's a thrill in claiming brand marketing or ad ideas, especially when they're splashed across a public stage. It's our brush with Hollywood, if you will.00:02:48 Blinding You to the ObviousBrandon Coleman Jr: Pride blinds you to the obvious. If it's not unique, it's not a brand. This pothole runs deeper, business owners. Maybe your daughter sketched your logo, or your son dreamed up your name, or your spouse coined the tagline. That's called cocktail chatter. 00:03:19 Answering a Loaded QuestionBrandon Coleman Jr: An oil field CEO, and that guy was worth millions, his daughter designed the logo… I took a breath and I said, sir, your baby's ugly, and you need to change it. Now he laughed. He laughed. Threatened to fire me. Then hired me. And we crushed it together. Pride's a pothole, but it's navigable with honesty.00:04:40 The Ego RushBrandon Coleman Jr: Number one's called the ego rush. Chasing the spotlight. Pride's a drug. Seeing your idea in lights is a hit. It's not just vanity. It's validation. You're not a cog. You're a creator.00:05:43 The Ego RushBrandon Coleman Jr: Number two, the I did it bias over evaluating your own work. I have done that. Success breeds a bias. If it's mine and it's winning, it must be perfect. Psychologists call this the IKEA effect. You love what you build, flaws and all. God knows their stuff's flaw.00:07:09 The Sentimental SnareBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three is family ties, the sentimental snare. When your brand's a family affair, pride makes it stickier. Your kid's doodle, your spouse's brainstorm, it's not just a logo or name, it's love.00:08:20 The Complacency CurseBrandon Coleman Jr: The complacency curse… success is a pothole when it makes you smug. You're profitable, busy, proud, loud. Why mess with it? Struggling leaders beg for new ideas. Successful ones shrug it off. If it ain't broke, bye. But fine, it isn't at its peak.00:09:19 Winning The Wrong Game Brandon Coleman Jr: Number five is misdefining success, the joy gap. Success isn't just revenue, it's joy. Are you thrilled to lead? Are your customers raving fans? Are they hooked on a seamless experience they can't stop sharing? That's the brand alignment jackpot. But pride skews the metric. If you're smug about profits while your team dreads Mondays and clients grumble, you're winning the wrong game. 

Some brands chase trends. The best ones build legacies. In this special St. Patrick’s Day episode, Brandon Coleman Jr goes to Ireland and explores the remarkable story of Molly Gallivan—a whiskey-making widow who turned adversity into opportunity during Ireland’s Great Famine. Her ingenuity and resilience laid the foundation for a brand that still thrives today, thanks to her descendants’ commitment to authenticity, storytelling, and unforgettable customer experiences. This is more than Molly’s  history—it’s a masterclass in brand-building that stands the test of time.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Stephen O’SullivanStephen O’Sullivan is the passionate steward of Molly Gallivan’s Cottage & Traditional Farm, dedicated to preserving his family’s legacy and sharing Ireland’s rich cultural history. In 1997, he and his wife, Frances, saved the historic cottage from development, transforming it into a thriving heritage destination. Through meticulous restoration and immersive experiences, Stephen has brought Molly Gallivan’s story to life, attracting international recognition while maintaining the site’s authenticity. Committed to sustainable tourism and storytelling, he ensures that every visitor steps into a living piece of Irish history, blending tradition, hospitality, and entrepreneurial spirit.Website: https://mollygallivans.com/ Email: [email protected]  ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:56 Origins of Molly Gallivan’sStephen O’Sullivan: While her children were still young, her husband passed away, so Molly had to come up with some means to support her family… she became famous for making her own whiskey. We call that Poitín. It's the original Irish whiskey made from potato.00:04:48 Saving Molly Gallivan’sStephen O’Sullivan: At that time, there was a developer buying this property, and he wanted to knock down the cottage, and build two modern holiday homes here. So initially, we just bought it to save it and to protect it.00:07:27 Restoring historyStephen O’Sullivan: The first thing we did was, really, we preserved the cottage, the farm, and the broken down barn. We had to repair the thatch roof. It took maybe a year, 18 months of preparation.00:10:24 Marketing Molly Gallivan’sStephen O’Sullivan: Well, we got our word out through, mainly through Fáilte Ireland Tourism Organization. At the start, we were very lucky to have Samantha Brown, from the travel channel, a very nice person in the program, which was aired in the state for many years.00:11:45 Molly Gallivan’s is Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr: We looked at your website, mollygallivans.com, and it is fantastic. You've done a great job. And it is, it is part of your culture. And one of the things my wife and I noticed about pulling up to the place, obviously the look, you just go, Wow. What a cool Irish brand, because that's what Ireland is known for, the stone cottages, the thatch roof, the fireplaces, all those warm things.00:14:30 Molly Gallivan’s Customer ExperienceBrandon Coleman Jr: That's the customer journey. The customer experience is fabulous, and you include everything from hiking trails, which give you some of the most breathtaking views in the world, and places to sit and warm up and have a drink.00:19:05 Brand PerfectionBrandon Coleman Jr: It's hard. It takes work to strive for perfection, to be totally Brand ON!, to be Brand ON!, acclaimed is what we call it when you're over and above, searching for that perfection so you don't have a customer go out unhappy.

Your business is your baby—but what if your attachment is suffocating its growth? In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr takes a hard look at the “Owner’s Forest,” where entrepreneurs get so deep in the woods they lose sight of their brand’s bigger picture. From overconfidence and emotional blind spots to ignoring market signals, he breaks down why being too close can be a brand’s biggest liability. If you think you’ve got branding handled, this episode might just prove you wrong.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:59 Introducing The Owner’s ForestBrandon Coleman Jr: After decades of working with these owners. The pattern is clear. Their closeness to their baby, their company is their biggest pothole. When you've poured everything into a vision, years of late nights, endless debates, personal sacrifices, it is damn near impossible to step back and see it objectively.00:03:06 Entrepreneurial Tunnel VisionBrandon Coleman Jr: Number one is entrepreneurial tunnel vision. I call it the dreamers blindfold. Entrepreneurial tunnel vision is like crawling into a cave of your own making. You birth an idea, you nurture it and obsess over it, very detail. How it'll play out consumes you.00:04:18 Stepping BackBrandon Coleman Jr: Stepping back isn't just hard, it's unnatural. We don't blame you for it, but you got to change it, because without that shift, your brand's misalignment can be even worse as it hits the market.00:04:37 Emotional AnchorBrandon Coleman Jr: When your business is your baby, detachment is a pipe dream. You've named it, you fed it, you watched it grow. Every scratch and scar is personal. That intimacy clouds your judgment. You can't see the brand as your customers do, because you're living inside of it.00:05:52 OverconfidenceBrandon Coleman Jr: Entrepreneurs always know what to do. They just don't do it. You built a ten million empire. You invented a widget that's changing lives, that success convinces you that you're a branding genius too. Why wouldn't it? You've cracked harder codes than a logo or a tagline, right? Wrong. Branding is a different beast.00:07:29 Resistance to FeedbackBrandon Coleman Jr: Tunnel Vision builds a fortress. Feedback bounces off like arrows. You know your market, you know your product. You know your vibe better than anyone. So when an outsider says this isn't working, it's personal. You dig in not because they're wrong, but because admitting it means you're questioning your entire journey.00:09:09 The Growth CeilingBrandon Coleman Jr: Extrapolating a solo triumph into a scalable model takes new eyes, market shifts, customer vibes, competitive threats, but you're still staring at the trees you planted in the forest.

External vendors can be a game-changer—or brand killer. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr exposes the potential negative impact external marketing vendors can have on your brand. From sales-driven agendas to short-term thinking, outside vendors often serve their own bottom line first, leaving your brand misaligned and off-track. Brandon breaks down how to keep vendors in check, align incentives, and protect your brand from becoming just another case study in what not to do. Tune in and take control before your brand pays the price.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:05 Introduction to Pothole #2Brandon Coleman Jr: External marketing vendors can absolutely crater your brand alignment, just as badly as your internal teams and sometimes worse.00:01:47 Importance of External MarketersBrandon Coleman Jr: Please tell us, working with external marketers, how do we do it… I saw this firsthand on a recent rebranding project I did for a $20 million company. It was a beast of a project, new name, new look, new TV, radio campaign, new social strategy, new website, revamped internal process… All launched in just four months. The brand snapped into alignment, and the results were electric.00:03:16 Vendors Will Sell You The MoonBrandon Coleman Jr: Vendors will absolutely sell you the moon, but most have zero skin in your brand's game. More than anything, external marketing vendors want to sell you something, and your brand pays the price, if you're not careful.00:05:41 Missing The Bigger PictureBrandon Coleman Jr: [External Marketers], they don't live your brand day to day. They didn't sweat the rebrand like my team did for that $20 million client, agonizing over every pixel, every word, to nail down the alignment. Without that ownership, they're less invested in your big picture.00:06:41 Out of FocusBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three is short-term focus, chasing quick wins. Vendors love a fast hit, something they can point to and say, we did that, a media buy that spikes impressions, a social blitz that trends for a day, a website tweak that boosts clicks, a Facebook post that encourages likes these wins look good on their pitch deck, but they often clash with your true long-term brand alignment.00:08:19 No Silver BulletsBrandon Coleman Jr: Number four is pride in the playbook, this one size fits all trap. Vendors often come with a signature move, their proven formula. Everybody in the insurance industry is running an ad in this episode or on this current production of the magazine. Everyone's in there. You mean, you're not gonna be in it. They're itching to stamp your brand on it, and that is so irrelevant for you.00:09:50 Aligning PrioritiesBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five are misaligned incentives. You know, everybody else's win isn't yours, vendors' incentives rarely match your brand's goals. You want loyalty, equity, and legacy. They want renewals, up sales, and testimonials. A design firm might churn out a gorgeous logo that wins them awards. Believe your audience… More revenue and more clout, don't mean your brand's alive or thriving.

Your internal marketing team should be your brand champions—but sometimes, they’re the ones throwing it off track. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr dives into the first major pothole that wrecks brand alignment: internal marketers who, without realizing it, make decisions that dilute or misalign the brand. From the paycheck trap to the rookie rut, Brandon unpacks the subtle ways marketing teams can sabotage brand consistency—sometimes with devastating consequences (remember Bud Light 2023?). Tune in to learn how to keep your team BRAND ON! and out of the danger zone.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:04 What Are Potholes?Brandon Coleman Jr: Potholes. In your car, they take it out of alignment. You hit just one pothole at speed, and your car begins to wobble, drive bumpy roads consistently, and your car will struggle to perform at its best. Likewise, your business hits potholes for various reasons, and they will take your brand out of alignment.00:01:53 The First PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number one brand alignment pothole, the one you expect the least, internal marketing employees. That's right, this pothole could fill an entire book… At first glance, it's hard to swallow that your brand's biggest enemy might be your own internal marketing person or team, but it's true, especially in entrepreneurial enterprises.00:06:09 The Second PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr:  The second big pothole is the pride of authorship, and it's rampant in the marketing and internal employees want the program to be their idea. They want their name on it to be your hero… They'll run through walls to put their stamp on something that wins your favor, even if it's the wrong move or brand.00:07:29 The Third PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number three, lack of relevant experience. We'll call it the rookie rut. We're all rookies at one time. But here's the reality, many internal marketers simply lack the experience to steer a brand.00:09:10 The Fourth PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number four, tactical tunnel vision strategies, blind spot. Most internal marketers aren't strategic thinkers, they're tacticians. They thrive on execution, posting to Instagram, blasting emails, running ads. That's their comfort zone.00:10:34 The Fifth PotholeBrandon Coleman Jr: Number five short tenure, the talent turnover trap. I've talked about it for five decades. Marketing people don't last long.00:12:51 Fix for the Talent Turnover TrapBrandon Coleman Jr: So what's the fix? Align their incentives with your brand success. Think equity or performance bonuses. Compare them with an external strategist who will call it like it is.

Too many solopreneurs and small agencies are stuck in the trap of overworking and undercharging, making it harder for them to help entrepreneurs. Pia Silva flipped the script. In this episode of The Brand ON! Show, we get real about why branding is a challenge to so many small firms and their clients. Pia breaks down how she built a brand that attracts bold clients, why “free proposals” are a waste of time, and how to charge what you’re actually worth so you can take care of your clients. Plus, a wild rebranding story that made even Merrill Lynch take notice. If you want to scale smart, not struggle, hit play.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Pia SilvaPia Silva is the founder of No BS Agency Mastery where she teaches 1-2 person branding agencies to scale to $30k months without employees. She’s a TEDx speaker, host of The No BS Agency podcast, and the author of Badass Your Brand.No BS Agencies is the only training program for 1-2 person branding agencies looking to scale profit and freedom without employees. We teach a unique model of Lead Products and Intensives, ensuring every client interaction reinforces your expertise. Your process—from the first call to ongoing engagement—should establish you as a leader. We’ve built ours to do just that, making clients feel heard, seen, and valued—insights that apply to any service business.Website: https://www.nobsagencies.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pialovesyourbiz/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pialovesyourbiz  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pialovesyourbiz   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/piapiasilva/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pialovesyourbiz    Pia book: Badass Your Brand  https://go.nobsagencies.com/podcast-gift-audio-book/ ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:09:08 Edgy Branding that Makes a DifferencePia Silva: Some people would go, why wouldn't you want to be Best Of All Design? .. Our clients see us, and they smile. They get it. They want more. And I thought we were going to attract a lot of really edgy businesses. Totally wrong. We attracted lawyers, financial planners, all of these really straight-laced industries who wanted what we had. 00:11:22 Daring to be Different WorksPia Silva: The owner said to me, I can't say that, that's not appropriate. And I kind of pushed her. I said, But, but you want to be different. You have to actually be different. You can't just say we're different, but we look exactly the same and sound exactly the same. 00:22:02 Charging What You’re Worth…if You’re Worth ItPia Silva: For people who feel too insecure in the first couple of times to charge for it because you're really not sure if it's worth it, then I would say “Hey, pay me. And if at the end of this you don't feel like it was worth the money, I'll refund it, no questions asked.”00:24:05 Charging What You’re WorthBrandon Coleman Jr: here's the deal, we're gonna charge you 350k or give us 10% of your growth, and you have no upfront money. Try that on a client one time. I promise you every single time, they'll take the fee. We'll take the fee we did. We did it hundreds of times, and it's because we know we're gonna knock it out of the park.00:29:01 Defining a Badass BrandPia Silva: When I wrote my book, badass your brand, I defined a badass brand as opposed to a regular brand. I defined a badass brand as having two critical characteristics… One it magnetically attracts ideal clients and actually repels everyone else… And two, you can charge more than the competition and still win the business. 

Most people think branding is just about a slick logo and a catchy name. Wrong. This episode of The Brand ON! Show gets real with Jacob Cass—brand strategist, designer, and the guy who went from making logos to shaping entire businesses. We’re diving into why branding is more than aesthetics, how to spot when a brand is off, and what it takes to build one that actually works. Plus, the cautionary tale of a fried chicken place that lost its way (and lost Brandon as a customer). Want to make sure your brand stays ON? Hit play.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Jacob CassJacob Cass is a multi-faceted brand designer, strategist, educator, podcaster, and business coach. As the founder of JUST Creative, he has helped businesses—from global giants like Disney and Nintendo to small and medium-sized brands—stand out through branding, strategy, and design. With over 17 years of experience, a Bachelor of Visual Communication, and a Brand Master Certification, Jacob’s work has earned numerous awards and over 80 million website views. He co-hosts the JUST Branding Podcast, runs the Exponential Creatives coaching community, and recently launched The Brand Builders Alliance™, a membership program designed to empower brand builders. His insights have been featured in TEDx, Entrepreneur, and Forbes, and Yahoo! recognized him as the Best Brand Coach.Website: https://justcreative.com/ Media Contact Page: https://justcreative.com/contact-me/media Branding Briefcase (Free Bundle): www.brandingbriefcase.com Brand Builders Alliance Membership: www.JoinBBA.com ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:03 Jacob Cass’ Background and AchievementsJacob Cass: I was a graphic designer for many years that turned into a focus on logo design, and then that turned into identity design and then into brand strategy. And then from there, I kind of transformed into a coach for creatives and helping them level up as well.00:04:33 Jacob Cass’ Learning About StrategyJacob Cass: And then someone introduced me to brand strategy, and that's where my head blew off… I did not know anything about brand. I was like, I was just doing the surface level stuff. However, if you really want to work strategically and grow a brand from the ground up in a much more nuanced way, that's where strategy comes in.00:09:26 Jacob’s Company - Just CreativeJacob Cass: My firm, Just Creative, has a mascot called Pinky, a low-poly 3D flamingo. Our saying is 'Stand the flock out.' It’s not just a tongue-in-cheek phrase but about standing out authentically in the marketplace. The flamingo makes our brand memorable. I didn’t have it from the beginning—it’s a recent, natural progression.00:19:51 Client Success StoriesJacob Cass: A recent client, an executive coach, was brilliant at her job but had a brand that didn’t reflect it. Her company, EMR Consulting, even had an acronym she didn’t know the meaning of. Through workshops, we discovered her fiery personality, but 'Fiery' felt too harsh. Instead, we landed on 'Bright and Brilliant'—a name that resonated so deeply, she cried. The new identity, with bold yellow branding and a sun logo, now stands out in a sea of corporate blues and grays, making her unforgettable."00:34:10 Client Success StoriesBrandon Coleman Jr: A business gets one mind space amid the 10,000+ brands we see daily. To stand out, you must find and reinforce a single defining element—like we did for our clients—through every touchpoint of your brand.

Brandon Coleman Jr teams up with Jeremy Miller, president of Sticky Branding, to drop powerful insights on how brands thrive—or dive—in today’s cutthroat market. Hear Jeremy’s story of rebranding his family business to survive the 2008 recession, sparking a career as a global branding expert. Together, they tackle customer connection, the evolution of sales and marketing, and how AI is shaking up branding. Jeremy shares his game-changing Sticky Branding framework and previews his "Simple Clarity" course—60% off with code "BrandOn." Don’t miss this chance to sharpen your brand’s edge and own your market!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Grab the chance to discover Jeremy’s game-changing Sticky Branding frameworkstarting Feb 3: Simple Clarity: Get Customers to Instantly Understand and Want Your Brandhttps://maven.com/stickybranding/simple-clarity Use PromoCode “BRANDON” for 60% off.————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Jeremy MillerAbout Jeremy Miller:Jeremy Miller is the president of Sticky Branding. He shows organizations of all sizes how to stand out, attract customers, and grow remarkable brands.Jeremy is a globally recognized branding expert, and the bestselling author of Sticky Branding and Brand New Name.Jeremy’s path into branding wasn’t traditional. He fell into it out of necessity. After watching his family’s business nearly hit rock bottom, he was forced to take a hard look at the way the company was run and at their industry as a whole. And in 2013 Jeremy sold his family’s business to focus exclusively on what he does today: build brands.Sticky Branding: Making your brand your most valuable sales asset. Website: https://stickybranding.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremymiller/ ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:03:57 Jeremy Miller’s BackgroundJeremy Miller: My dad gave me the best advice of my career, and it's been transformative ever since. He said, “It's not about the business you've built, it's about the business you're building. What are we going to build next?”00:10:01 The Evolution of Branding 1Jeremy Miller: Positioning is the most action oriented topic of marketing and branding possible. It's not about what you say. It's about what is the actions and intent that you take to assert yourself, to own the niche that you want to play in00:10:01 The Evolution of Branding 2Brandon Coleman Jr: You are Brand On! Jeremy, you nailed it. Because branding and marketing are not the same. They are not and the tactics change daily. Branding, brand alignment is evergreen. The tactics in marketing are not.00:17:20 The Importance of Customer Intimacy and RelationshipsJeremy Miller: Customer intimacy, I think, is truly where you can differentiate your business, because when your customers know you, like you and trust you, they'll call you first. They'll choose you first. 00:27:04 The Role of Marketing and Sales in Branding Jeremy Miller: 55 year old sales guys used to be put out to pasture. Now they are in incredible demand. I'm hiring them constantly now because they can do something that a Gen Z millennial sales person cannot - just simply on experience.00:38:08 Jeremy Miller’s Final ThoughtsBrandon Coleman Jr: Take that one. Take a nice whiskey by a fireplace. You sit there and contemplate on that one, because everything about what you do upfront, sales, marketing, whatever packaging, production is your promise, but at the end of the day, it's that customer experience, and you've got to deliver it.

Philip VanDusen has spent 30 years transforming brands from forgettable to iconic, and today, he’s dropping the playbook. On The Brand ON! Show, Brandon Coleman Jr digs into Philip’s no-fluff approach to branding that’s helped Fortune 100 companies, SMBs, and solopreneurs alike. You’ll learn why your brand strategy must dictate every move your business makes, how design drives results (not just aesthetics), and the steps to maintain consistency at every touchpoint. Want your business to stand out and succeed? Stop guessing and start listening. Tune in now and turn your Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Philip VanDusenAbout Philip VanDusen:Philip VanDusen is branding consultant serving SMBs and entrepreneurs based in New Jersey, USA. As a thought leader, Philip shares his expertise in marketing, design and entrepreneurship on YouTube to his 295k subscribers, in the Brand Muse newsletter, the Bonfire mastermind community and on the Brand Design Masters podcast.Philip has lead creative teams in both global branding agencies and global corporations — serving as VP of Design for PepsiCo and Old Navy and Executive Creative Director at the iconic branding firm Landor Associates. Past clients include a host of the Fortune 100.Website: https://www.philipvandusen.com  Newsletter : https://www.philipvandusen.com/muse  Bonfire: The Mastermind Community For Established Creative Proshttps://philipvandusen.com/bonfire  Brand Design Masters Podcast https://podcast.branddesignmasters.com/subscribe   Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/philipvandusen   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipvandusen/  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@philipvandusen    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philipvandusen.agency/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipvandusen/   ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:04:26 Brand Alignment: Sharing the MistakesBrandon Coleman Jr: I have done the same thing in my book, in trying to capture 50 years of brand alignment experience, it's not about design. It's not about telling them how to do your logo… [it’s] the little things that make a difference for a company to take off.00:06:35 Brand Alignment: Working with Small Businesses Philip VanDusen: I love the fact that working with smaller companies, I could do a brand strategy project and the graphic design branding, identity project, and it would be on their website and across their products in six months. .  00:07:47 AI and Brand VoicePhilip VanDusen: We're moving into an age of the super hyper-importance of brand voice. It is probably the one of the easiest differentiators in terms of how you communicate with your target audience.00:12:23 Branding: Beyond LogosPhilip VanDusen: The thing that small businesses struggle with the most is the difference between branding and marketing, and they think that branding is when you're advertising, or branding is how you're going to market, how you're publicizing.00:14:34 Branding: LogosPhilip VanDusen: So when people are thumb scrolling by you at 90 miles an hour, and they see a color, or they see a logo or they see a typeface that they can know it's you immediately, and it's I talk about the three R's, it's being recognized, remembered and revered.00:14:34 Personal  Branding and Personal Brand WheelPhilip VanDusen: That's an area where AI can actually be very powerful for small companies, because they can do trend research. They can do trend prediction. They can do consumer insights, digging in at a level that's never been seen.

Everyone wants to know why an author writes a certain book. For Brandon Coleman Jr, it is all about caring and sharing. In this episode, he tells you why he wrote his much-anticipated book, Brand ON! He shares how God inspired him to help those who may, or may not, have access to great brand counsel. Learn why he believes his sole purpose is to help you achieve yours and how you can benefit from his many free resources. Learn why after five decades leading thousands of strategic branding projects, he wholeheartedly believes brand alignment is your most valuable asset. Help Brandon continue to help others by buying his new book today!!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexOrder Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks) 00:00:59 It’s a Big DayBrandon Coleman Jr: Today is a big day in my life. Today is the day my first book is officially published. Yep, you can now go buy it on Amazon and pretty much any good bookstore. It helps keep the podcast going!!00:01:46 WHY did you write this book?Brandon Coleman Jr: We committed 50% of our firm time to non-profits one way or the other. We were committed to giving since the day we opened our doors in 1980 andhave given ever since. 00:03:48 Why I wrote the bookBrandon Coleman Jr: So God says, “Hey, now you can help them.” So He inspired me to generously share my half-century of valuable insights and experiences with entrepreneurs everywhere.00:04:09 Why I wrote the bookBrandon Coleman Jr: So, I have embarked upon what I call a “Philanthropic Experience Transfer” to share the incredible stories that have shaped my journey and created successfor hundreds of clients, all at no charge.00:05:00 Why I wrote the bookBrandon Coleman Jr: I wrote this book to help ALL entrepreneurs. The 33 million plus small businesses that anchor America. If you are a small to medium business, a franchisee, a start-up, a solopreneur, or are just thinking about investing in a business, it is my desire to help you succeed, and brand alignment is THE KEY.00:05:23 The Definition of BrandBrandon Coleman Jr: In Brand ON!, you will learn that my definition of BRAND is simple but powerful. “A brand is a promise wrapped in a delivery.” I crafted that definition in 1980 and have not found a better one since.00:06:57 The Bottom LineBrandon Coleman Jr: The client stories are real, and you will learn from each one of them. They are not about Fortune 500’s, but the handful of smaller businesses we were able to help along the way.

In this episode, Brand ON! has a very candid talk with franchise guru Kevin Hogan—backed by 30+ years of experience with over 1,000 brands. They do a deep-dive into the critical importance of brand alignment in franchising. Learn how top brands like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Chick-fil-A achieve success not just with products, but through unmatched consistency and a unified franchisor-franchisee vision. Hogan uncovers common missteps, like franchisees misunderstanding their role, and reveals how clear communication and shared goals pave the way for lasting success. Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, or considering the leap into franchising, this conversation is packed with game-changing insights you don’t want to miss!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Kevin HoganKevin Hogan is a seasoned franchise expert with over 30 years of experience working with more than 1,000 franchise brands. Known for his deep insights into the franchisor-franchisee relationship, Kevin specializes in helping businesses achieve strategic and philosophical alignment to drive consistent growth and customer satisfaction. His expertise has made him a sought-after advisor in the franchising world, with a reputation for transforming brands through clarity, consistency, and purpose.LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hogan-6a26b56/ Email: [email protected] ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:02:08 Kevin Hogan’s Franchise ExperienceKevin Hogan: I have a unique perspective on the whole franchise relationship and the franchise world, but my core business has always been helping franchise or companies set up all of the systems and processes that they need to be able to franchise successfully.00:04:47 Brand Alignment in FranchisingKevin Hogan: When a franchisee decides they want to tweak a franchisor concept because they have a better idea, actually, they all do… even if it’s already a great idea. The irony is, it may not be the best thing for the brand, because if I'm the only franchisee who can do it, and no one else in the system can do it,...it's actually going to confuse the customer.00:08:38 Aligning a Brand in FranchisingKevin Hogan: How many times in your life have you ever seen McDonald's advertise, “We have the best hamburger”? Never, because they don't. The answer is they know they don't, and they know they don't, right? So they're not going to say that. What they advertise and what they market are the things they know they can deliver through their operating system.00:012:07 Challenges in Franchise RelationshipsKevin Hogan: Most franchisees come into the relationship believing that they bought a franchise. They own it. They're independent, they're an entrepreneur. They're in business for themselves… and all of a sudden the franchisor comes along and says, you can't do that. It challenges the relationship. 00:014:04 Aligning Franchise RelationshipsBrandon Coleman Jr: Franchisors and franchisees should absolutely be aligned. They should absolutely be on the same side of the table… They are not at war, however, most are. I have seen so many lawsuits and there are so many fights between franchisors and franchisees, and guess what? When they do that, nobody wins.00:021:02 The Role of Entrepreneurial Spirit in FranchisingBrandon Coleman Jr: So when you are awarding a franchise, or consider awarding a franchise to a franchisee, it is very important to make it very clear to them that while you have great respect for them and their ability to be an entrepreneur, you do not want their creativ

Be Brand On!This is Part 2 of the New Year's Inspiration show. It includes a brief review of Part 1 as well as the next steps in your brand alignment journey for the year ahead. Start by asking yourself if you are starting the year Brand ON! or Brand OFF? This is a question you need to answer from two different perspectives: personal and business. Take the time to assess both your brand alignment situations in preparation for the year ahead. Get ready for your best year yet by gaining a clear understanding of the assessment process. Being in alignment not only helps your business grow but also ensures that you're building a legacy that reflects your passion and the impact you want to have in the world. In this episode, you will know how to approach your next steps after you have assessed your situation. Start your new year off right. Be Brand ON!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)00:01:16 Are you Brand ON! Or Brand OFF?Brandon Coleman Jr: Are you starting the year Brand ON! or Brand OFF? This is a question you need to ask yourself from two different perspectives; personal and business00:02:09 The AssessmentBrandon Coleman Jr: Start out by taking inventory of your entire customer journey. Walk in their shoes, trace their digital clicks, experience what your customers go through when they do business with you and your enterprise. Take the extra time to make certain you are seeing things from their perspective.00:02:27 Assessment ToolsBrandon Coleman Jr: The Brand Alignment Checklist: Simply walk the checklist through your business and begin your own assessment of areas for improvement.00:03:39  What to ExpectBrandon Coleman Jr: Done right, you should anticipate a more natural flow in your business, an inspired workforce, increased sales, and a more engaged customer base.00:04:44 Next Steps After Your AssessmentBrandon Coleman Jr: After you evaluate your findings, prepare a solid set of objectives for what you think you want to achieve based on what you learn. If your results provide you a clear path and a direction for improvement, follow it, no matter how large or how small your team is, share your findings with them, and help them understand your desire to have a more aligned brand and what that means to you and what it should mean to each of them.00:06:00 Discipline is Required for Brand AlignmentBrandon Coleman Jr: Missteps can be super costly, so you need to get it done right the first time. Most importantly, you need to commit. You need to discipline yourself to keep leading your brand alignment initiative until you achieve your goals. Start the new year off right, no matter what month it is, by becoming BRAND ON!

Is your life and business truly aligned?As we step into the new year, it's time to reflect, reset, and realign. In this episode, we dive deep into the power of aligning your personal values with your brand, creating momentum that will propel both your life and business forward. Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to refine your customer experience or seeking inspiration to start the year strong, this episode has the tools and insights you need to succeed. Grab your favorite drink, take a moment to pause, and tune in for strategies that will transform your year—and your legacy.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)0:00:57 Are You Starting the Year Off, Brand On or Brand Off?Brandon Coleman Jr: Are you starting the year off, BRAND ON or BRAND OFF? This is a question that you need to ask yourself from two different perspectives, both personal and business.0:01:09 Personal AssessmentBrandon Coleman Jr: Personally, you might consider kicking-off the new year by assessing your current life position. Review your core values and beliefs to make sure you haven't gotten off-track. Analyze your current habits and review your key relationships. I like to start off my year in reflective prayer, asking God for His guidance in the new year. And you have to ask fervently, then be really quiet. 0:02:07 Business AssessmentBrandon Coleman Jr: I encourage you to also begin the year by taking stock in your business. Start out by taking inventory of your entire customer journey. Walk in their shoes, trace their digital clicks, experience what your customers go through when they do business with you and your enterprise. Take the time to make certain you are seeing things from their perspective.0:02:28 Business Assessment Tools and ProcessBrandon Coleman Jr: This will sound selfish, but I promise you a great way to start out your new year is to read my new book Brand ON! It will not only give you key consulting insights into the power of aligned brands, but it will provide you a definitive way to assess your own business from your customer's perspective. The book also includes two free, very powerful tools to help you in your quest to get to know your business better.0:05:22 Why It’s Important to be Brand ON!Brandon Coleman Jr: In essence, brand alignment is about creating a cohesive and compelling business narrative and delivery, that aligns with your entrepreneurial vision and life direction. This alignment not only helps your business grow but also ensures that you’re building a legacy that reflects your passion and the impact you want to have in the world.0:06:58 What to Expect With an Aligned BrandBrandon Coleman Jr: Great things will happen once you have aligned your brand for success. Done right, you should anticipate a more natural flow in your business, an inspired workforce, increased sales, and a more engaged customer base. Referrals should increase while complaints decrease.

Ever been on the brink of losing your company?  Running a business is tough. Whether you have 2, 20, or 200 employees, in different ways you feel responsible for them. To listen to this episode, you need to stop what you are doing, get your favorite holiday beverage, and park yourself in your most comfortable chair. This episode demands your undivided attention.  This is our Christmas episode and it contains the most powerful piece of business, and life, advice I can ever share with you. Entrepreneurs will relate to the tough times and pressures we all face and the challenging decisions that come with them. This episode explores the difference between faith and proof in your business and a story you will enjoy, relate to, and learn from. Merry Christmas!  ————  Ask Brandon ANY Question! https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#index Pre-Order Brand ON! The Book https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/ ———— Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman Jr Email: [email protected] Website: www.brandoncolemanjr.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr  ————  Transcript (with chapter marks) 0:02:05 Christmas Traditions Brandon Coleman Jr: " Every year, I would close our offices and give our entire team off from December 22nd to January 5th, give or take a day depending on how they fell on the calendar. It was a benefit our team and their families really appreciated, and it did not count towards vacation time.”  0:03:20 Our First Major Client Loss Brandon Coleman Jr: "On this particular year, I received a call from one of our top four clients on November 23, just before Thanksgiving. It was a large medical business that was growing like crazy. If I remember correctly, at the time, they were spending the equivalent of $1 Million a month on TV alone. The CEO had just had IRS agents surprise visit their offices and put his practice group on notice that they were being audited for tax fraud and evasion and would immediately need to cease all advertising and marketing efforts.”  0:05:18 Professional Service Firm Challenge Brandon Coleman Jr: "Professional service firms always face the challenge of having 80% of the business come from 20% or less of their clients. There is always a risk of being top-heavy with a few larger clients dominating your roster."  0:06:04 Our Second Major Client Loss Brandon Coleman Jr: "A week later, our largest client, one of the biggest physician owned internal medicine clinics in the world asked if I could come downtown to see him.”  0:09:05 The Pain Set In Brandon Coleman Jr: "This client was even larger than the big one we just lost at Thanksgiving. Not only that, because of our long-term relationship and high-profile advertising campaigns for them, we were well known for handling that account so it created a huge sense of pride."  0:11:47 A Plan to Move Forward Brandon Coleman Jr: “It felt like three months before Monday came, but it did. I brought them (our employee team) together and said for now, here is my plan. Gratitude.”  0:13:07 The Third Major Client Loss Brandon Coleman Jr: “But wait….it gets better. A few days later, we lost yet another client. He got transferred overseas. He was to be replaced with a new marketing lead who wanted to bring in their own firm.”  0:14:50 An Inspiring Phone Call Brandon Coleman Jr: “Ironically, two days later, on Wednesday, December 15, I get an inspiring phone call.”  017:28 Refocusing the Team and Maintaining MoraleBrandon Coleman Jr: "Now we were back to dealing with the reality we had lost 68% of our business in just two weeks and there was only one week left til Christmas."0:18:30 The Big Takeaway: The Difference in Faith and ProofBrandon Coleman Jr:  “I have learned through my faith journey, there is a big difference in faith and proof. Faith is believing in the unseen.

Even the Best Franchise Systems Can’t Do It AllSuccessful Franchisees (Zees) understand even the best franchise systems can’t do it all for them. The most successful Zees also see themselves as implementers of the system, doing all they can to stay in total alignment with the Franchisor (Zors) model and brand. This alignment is so critical to meeting, and preferably, exceeding customer expectations that each Zee must take responsibility for their own alignment at the store level. Brand alignment proves to be a win-win, for both the Zor and the Zee. Tune in and learn how entrepreneurs can leverage the power of brand alignment to accelerate their franchise. Whether you are currently a Zor or a Zee, or if you are thinking about buying into a franchise system, this episode is packed full of value for you!————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)0:03:15 Franchise Systems Have LimitsBrandon Coleman Jr: "Successful Zees (franchisees) understand even the best franchise systems can't do it all for them."0:03:35 Franchisees as ImplementersBrandon Coleman Jr: "You don't buy a franchise to become creative. If you want to be creative, start your own ad agency. You buy a franchise to buy into a system, something that is proven so you are an implementer, but you're an implementer with zest and zeal to deliver that promise."0:05:30 Brand Strength and Franchise FeesBrandon Coleman Jr: "The stronger the brand is for a Zor (franchisor), the more they are able to charge the Zee (franchisee) to buy into the franchise system, and the more successful they are as working partners going forward."0:06:16 Avoiding Brand MisalignmentBrandon Coleman Jr: "When Zees (franchisees) try to get creative trying new products and services outside the Zor (franchisor) operating system, it pulls the entire brand out of alignment and hurts everyone involved."0:11:49 The Profit in Brand AlignmentBrandon Coleman Jr: "Any Zee (franchisee) location who adheres to the brand standards, maybe not only adheres, but excels and surprises their customers, heightening the opportunity for profitability."0:12:30 Operational Alignment for EfficiencyBrandon Coleman Jr: "Zor (franchisor) brand standards should come with detailed operational guidelines, and you'll find they usually do and they streamline the process and reduce all your inefficiencies at the store level, making sure you and your team are in alignment with those guidelines can lead to improved operations and reduced or almost nonexistent customer friction."0:15:56 The Franchisee's Role in AlignmentBrandon Coleman Jr: "As the lead entrepreneur, the Zee (franchisee), you need to be the implementer who harnesses the power of that brand alignment at the store level, so you can deliver the penultimate customer experience and maximize your opportunities."

The Over-Abundance of Marketing ProfessionalsEntrepreneurs and business leaders are having a fit trying to find the best branding and marketing help for their companies. The global transformation from traditional media to digital media has created more sub-specialty niches than most can keep up with. Many of those niche workers are siloed off and work in a space without real collaboration toward a united brand strategy. Cell phones and AI essentially eliminate the barrier to entry for a service provider to claim they are a marketing expert and research finds less than 2% of them are capable of truly guiding your business. Tune in today and learn how this impacts your business and what you should do as a next step.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Transcript (with chapter marks)0:05:00 Talent Silos in MarketingBrandon Coleman Jr: "These micro-niche areas within the digital marketing space have created a marketing industry landscape full of silos where self-proclaimed marketing experts bury themselves to carve out their piece of the pie."0:08:30 AI and Marketing ProfessionalsBrandon Coleman Jr: "With a good prompt engineer, AI can make you a great writer, and no client will ever know that you created their marketing content in 30 seconds, even though you bill by the hour."0:10:15 Marketing as an Exciting IndustryBrandon Coleman Jr: "Marketing is a fun industry and a rather exciting career, but fun and excitement don't necessarily make one fit for leading entrepreneurs in the direction of their business."0:12:55 No Barriers to EntryBrandon Coleman Jr: "Anyone with a cell phone can have AI generate a quick graphic, snap a photo, add some words, and call themselves a marketing expert."0:15:30 Choosing the Right PartnerBrandon Coleman Jr: "Think about this: even in the year 2000, before the digital media world blew up, only about 2% of the top talents in marketing and branding strategy were truly brilliant and capable of bringing you game-changing counsel."0:17:45 The Cost of False StartsBrandon Coleman Jr: "False starts are way more expensive than you might imagine."0:21:00 Aligning Your BrandBrandon Coleman Jr: "Invest time to understand what your brand could look like in perfect alignment, why it would be so powerful, and why you need to work with the right partner to get you there."

Strap in for an electrifying conversation as Brandon Coleman Jr. welcomes Katie Harvey, Founder and Marketing Agency CEO of KGB Texas, to unpack the game-changing impact of brand alignment. Katie reveals how integrating values, operations, and marketing transformed her firm—boosting employee retention and client satisfaction.The duo tackles the tough stuff, from navigating rebranding challenges to the courage and trust it takes to lead with purpose. Katie’s faith-fueled journey and her triumph as a world champion equestrian add powerful layers to this masterclass in passion-driven leadership. Ready to align your business for lasting success? Don’t miss these actionable insights from two agency leaders that can help you build a thriving, purpose-driven brand.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr ————Connect and Follow Katie HarveyKatie founded KGBTexas when she was just 24 and had one confident client. Today, her agency’s San Antonio and Houston offices are filled with top pros and promising young talent, and has a client list that includes some of the most prestigious companies in America. However, she’s proud to share her love of Arabian horses. She grew up with them and is a dedicated, competitive rider. Katie’s other great loves are her husband and two sons.Website: https://kgbtexas.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-harvey-7299143/  ————Transcript (with chapter marks)0:01:37 Firm's GreatnessBrandon Coleman Jr: "What makes you great? What makes your firm great?"0:02:47 Accountability and ImpactKatie Harvey: "We check our progress. We hold ourselves accountable to the impact that we're making in our community."0:06:20 Accelerating FailureKatie Harvey: "If the marketing campaign is not true to the delivery from an operational standpoint, all we're doing is accelerating failure."0:13:21 Importance of CEO Buy-InKatie Harvey: "If you don't have a CEO that is bought in and also understands the value of brand alignment and understands the value of a marketing partner, then you will ultimately, I have, no, I have not been successful in overcoming that."0:16:20 Extensive Rebranding ProcessKatie Harvey: "We probably went through 150 names. Wow. Took us about two years."0:17:20 Discomfort of RebrandingKatie Harvey: "It may be very uncomfortable at first, the direction that they wanted to go, to the point to where, when I first saw it, I started sweating."0:25:31 Trusting in GodKatie Harvey: "I heard as plain as day, do you trust me? And I said, Lord, I do with all my heart, I trust you."

The Most Influential Brand Alignment StrategyGratitude is not only part of a virtuous life, it is also the single most influential brand alignment strategy. Learn how making gratitude the foundation of your brand alignment will build enduring customer relationships while driving lifelong profits. Integrate the energy and enthusiasm of gratitude into your culture and customer experience and improve the lives of all your stakeholders.————Ask Brandon ANY Question!https://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/brand-on/#indexPre-Order Brand ON! The Bookhttps://www.brandoncolemanjr.com/order-book/————Connect and Follow Brandon Coleman JrEmail: [email protected]: www.brandoncolemanjr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncolemanjr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brandoncolemanjrofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/officialbrandoncolemanjr