In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Kelly Bennett, brand strategist and advisor at With Kelly Bennett and host of the Emerging Brands Podcast. Kelly Bennett is a New York City based brand strategist and advisor launching CPG food & beverage brands. They work with early-stage founders to differentiate brands and products in the marketplace, speak directly to their target audience, drive consumer demand (even before launching), and create buzz for consumers, media & retailers. Kelly also hosts ‘Emerging Brand Podcast’ interviewing founders building the coolest emerging brands. We chatted through ways to position your brand for success in terms of packaging and branding as well as how to prioritize storytelling and the purpose when marketing your brand. Listen in for a conversation filled with insights for emerging CPG brands and beyond!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

2:48 Kelly’s brand advisory work

4:31 Growing up and finding a path into marketing

10:34 5 ways to position your brand for success

14:40 Finding product market fit

16:15 Mistakes to avoid in social media

18:41 Prioritizing the story over virality in content creation

20:49 Rebranding and positioning Frankly Good Coffee

23:53 Creating packaging that aligns with your ideal consumer

27:13 Learnings from hosting Emerging Brands Podcast

32:09 Bread and Butter Program - a new way to navigate the trademark process

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Kelly's episode:

#2: Local PR for CPG Brands & Beyond | Delaney Vetter, PR Strategist and Copywriter

#15: Beyond the Fridge Bean Dip: Sustaining Viral Momentum in CPG Marketing | Jessyca Dewey, The Y Collective

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Find Kelly Bennett: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Find Emerging Brands Podcast: Website | Instagram

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Brandon Puszkiewicz, a program manager for the Indiana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Scott Soltys-Curry, creator of the Indianapolis Coffee Guide. We discuss their collaborative project involving coffee sleeves designed to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. The initiative combines the local coffee scene with a meaningful cause, demonstrating how authentic partnerships can create significant impact. Brandon and Scott share insights on the power of community, the importance of being connected to your collaboration, and how small ideas can lead to large-scale positive change. Plus we dig into how the Indianapolis Colts came on board. Tune in to hear more on the intersection of local marketing, community engagement, and social responsibility!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

2:45 Brandon and Scott’s career backgrounds

3:57 Inspiration behind the coffee shop collaboration

7:01 Building buy-in for the project from the community

9:43 Amplifying the collaboration through social media and community support

15:06 How an organic moment added a NFL partner to the mix

18:37 Breaking down what it looked like to work with the Indianapolis Colts

21:18 Inspiring other organizations and nonprofits

25:32 Creating collaborations that are aligned with purpose and meaning

29:22 Advice for anyone considering a bold collaboration

32:22 Where to find AFSP and Indianapolis Coffee Guide

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Brandon and Scott’s episode:

#10: Engaging Customers with a Purpose-Driven Mission | Katie Kardell, Century Farms Distillery

#13: Brewing Change and Scaling Impact | Rod Johnson, BLK & Bold

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Find Brandon Puszkiewicz: Instagram | LinkedIn

Find & Scott Soltys-Curry: Instagram | LinkedIn

Find AFSP Indiana: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Find Indianapolis Coffee Guide: Instagram | Website

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Sara Croft, the Co-Founder and CEO of Five Four, a growth agency for early-stage founders and founder-led businesses. Sara offers insights on experimentation, community-led growth, and preparing clients for fundraising, product launches, and revenue growth. We dive into the importance of local marketing and the power of meeting customers where they’re at. Listen in for valuable perspectives on balancing scalable marketing tactics with personalized approaches!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

0:20 Journey from food blogger to marketing exec to entrepreneur

4:40 Lessons learned from marketing in a nonprofit

7:41 Parallels between the nonprofit and startup world

9:16 Origins of Five Four and building an agency

12:15 Indicators that you’re ready to bring on a marketing partner

15:07 Meeting people where they are with local marketing

17:28 Setting a channel mix to balance scalable and non-scalable strategies

19:31 Attribution and conversion challenges and overcoming them

22:44 What it looks like to be a Five Four client

27:07 Building out a small team and creating a strong culture

29:16 Creating a relationship-driven network

32:20 What’s next for Five Four

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Sara's episode:

• #1: The Power of Everyday People in Influencer Marketing | Charise Flynn & Emily Steele, Co-Founders at Hummingbirds
• #15: Beyond the Fridge Bean Dip: Sustaining Viral Momentum in CPG Marketing | Jessyca Dewey, The Y Collective

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Sara: LinkedIn

Find Five Four: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jessyca Dewey, the founder of The Y Collective, a social-first digital marketing agency working with CPG better for you brands. She discusses her journey from working in-house at brands like Califia Farms and VaynerMedia to starting her own agency, emphasizing the importance of integrated marketing approaches for smaller brands. Jessica highlights the value of being an extension of a brand's team and the need for senior expertise in digital marketing. The episode covers topics like the success of a viral video campaign for Biena Snacks, the significance of social media presence for emerging brands, and key indicators for when a brand might be ready to partner with an agency. Jessica also offers valuable advice for emerging CPG brands!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

0:40 Jessyca’s career background and journey to starting an agency

2:08 The why behind and differentiators of The Y Collective

4:20 What to look for in an agency partner

6:50 Why social should come first

9:37 Building a strong foundation for Biena Snacks

13:22 Creating that viral fridge bean dip moment

16:25 Capitalizing on virality to sustain success

22:16 Indicators you might be ready to partner with an agency on digital marketing

28:52 Key advice for emerging CPG brands

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Jessyca's episode:

• #2: Local PR for CPG Brands & Beyond | Delaney Vetter, PR Strategist and Copywriter

  #13: Brewing Change and Scaling Impact | Rod Johnson, BLK & Bold

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Jessyca: LinkedIn

Find The Y Collective: Website | Instagram

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Rachel Greiner, the marketing and social media manager at Experience Grand Rapids. She joins to share her strategies for promoting the city and attracting both locals and out-of-town visitors. She discusses the Brewsader app, which highlights the city's breweries and encourages people to visit them all, and the Flights of Flavor program, which showcases food and drink flights at local establishments. Rachel emphasizes the importance of being a go-to resource for information about events and attractions in Grand Rapids, and she shares upcoming developments for the city. Listen in to hear more about how Experience Grand Rapids executes on a goal of fostering connections and community through digital marketing!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

1:09 Rachel’s career history and landing at Experience Grand Rapids

3:53 Definition and explanation of DMO’s

4:45 Different audience tiers and catering to each of them through marketing

7:38 Brewsader App: highlighting Grand Rapids’ brewery scene

11:31 Flights of Flavor: sharing local food and drink flights

13:12 Evaluating growth and measurements of success

14:33 Strategy mix to attract visitors and locals alike

17:52 Trends in the destination marketing industry

19:38 Using a calendar of events as a marketing tool

21:59 What’s next for Experience Grand Rapids

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Rachel’'s episode:

#1: The Power of Everyday People in Influencer Marketing | Charise Flynn & Emily Steele, Co-Founders at Hummingbirds

#9: Integrating Into the Community and Keeping Social Media Fun | Hannah Kirkpatrick, Fareway

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Rachel: LinkedIn | Instagram

Find Experience Grand Rapids: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jarrhod ‘Rod’ Johnson, Co-Founder & Chief Values Officer at BLK & Bold, the specialty coffee and tea company that prioritizes domestic social impact. Through their 5% For Our Youth Program the brand donates to youth in need locally and nationally. They also quickly became the first Black-owned nationally distributed coffee company and a top seller on Amazon since launching on the platform in 2020. Rod joins Emily to share insights into the journey of creating a coffee company from scratch, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of scaling from Shopify to securing distribution in national retailers. The conversation delves into how BLK & Bold balances its commitment to social impact with the pursuit of product excellence. Additionally, Rod and Emily explore some of the exciting partnerships that the company has engaged in, such as their limited edition Change is Brewing flavor collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s.

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

1:52 Rod’s journey from nonprofits to entrepreneurship

4:14 The moment that sparked BLK & Bold’s start

5:47 Learning the coffee industry from scratch

7:25 Iterating and testing to find the perfect SKU

8:58 First distribution channels & sourcing feedback

12:31 Advice for founders looking to gain the attention of retailers

14:55 Getting clear on your message & values as a brand

17:21 What it means to be a B Corp

18:34 Securing partnerships with brands like Ben & Jerry’s, NBA, Black Panther

22:40 5% For Youth program and creating direct impact with your brand

26:12 Where to find BLK & Bold

27:02 Launching a non-profit foundation & brick & mortar coffee shops

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Rod’'s episode:

#7: From Local Markets to a National Spotlight | Steven Vigilante, OLIPOP

#8: Sourcing, Supply Chains, and Scaling from Scratch | Lucy Dana, One Trick Pony

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Rod: LinkedIn

Find BLK & Bold: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Katie Olthoff, co-founder at ChopLocal, an online meat marketplace connecting customers with independent farmers and butcher shops all over the country! ChopLocal provides a platform for small-scale farmers to sell their products while also offering marketing support to help them reach a wider audience. Katie joins Emily to discuss topics like search engine optimization, social proof, email marketing and more!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

1:23 Katie’s career journey and ChopLocal’s origin story

4:48 Evolving from marketer to co-founder

6:18 Getting farmers & butchers to join the platform

9:39 Types of consumers visiting ChopLocal to shop

14:35 Building demand and attracting new consumers & farmers to ChopLocal

16:58 Tweaking SEO to bring in the right buyers

18:37 Creating social proof through local creators

20:27 Intentional purchasing and the consumer buying habit shifts post-pandemic

22:45 Why you have to have an email marketing strategy

27:37 How to plug in and get connected with ChopLocal

29:15 The beauty of a non-linear career journey

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Katie's episode:

#9: Integrating Into the Community and Keeping Social Media Fun | Hannah Kirkpatrick, Fareway

#10: Engaging Customers with a Purpose-Driven Mission | Katie Kardell, Century Farms Distillery

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Katie: LinkedIn

Follow ChopLocal: Website | Instagram

Visit ChopLocal University

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.