What happens when design is the bottleneck? 

You came up with a great business idea, maybe even raised some capital for it, and then decided to hire an outside design agency, like ours at The MisFits, to build your brand identity. You had good momentum at first, but you can’t agree on the right design yet. Now what. 

This is a frustrating challenge for the client and the design team. If I sound like I’m speaking from first-hand experience, it's because I am. Design can be a huge bottleneck when launching a venture from scratch, especially if you need it for your website, packaging, and other collateral before you can move forward. 

Today on the show, Drew and I discuss the challenges of getting clients through our design process and some words of advice for those of you working with an external design team. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

When I first took the leap into entrepreneurship full-time, back in 2018, one of the first books I recommended was Allan Dib's, The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand Out From The Crowd. In the book, Allan gives a step by step process for creating a marketing plan that converts warm prospects into paying customers.  I use Allan’s framework from the book for podcasts, clients, and my own personal business ventures, including IRONBOUND Boxing and the MisFits.  

A few months ago, I signed up for the 1-Page Marketing Plan Online course, which sparked me to finally reach out to Allan and invite him on the show to talk through his framework, and also discuss his more recent book, "Lean Marketing: More Leads, More Profit, Less Marketing". I feel like there’s a lot of woohoo when it comes to marketing, but at the end of the day it needs to be sustainable, and put money in the bank, which is what Allan and I discussed on today’s show. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Check out Allan’s latest book here: https://leanmarketing.com/

In this episode of Dog Whistle Branding, I discuss the problem with focusing on marketing when you should be focusing on sales. Trust me, this problem is more common than you think. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

On Today’s episode I’m joined by fellow Marines Scott Patterson and Kristopher Floyd from Tumble, a veteran-owned tech start-up that’s bringing laundry day into the 21st century. Together, they created a new category of laundry called Smart Laundry to provide residents with a #ModernLaundryExperience. On the show, Scott and Kris share insight into Tumble’s Go-To-Market Strategy, including their current marketing stack, along with the category design process for smart laundry. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Visit Scott and Kristopher’s website here: www.tumble.to Dog Whistle Branding is brought to you by the team at IRONBOUND Media, where we help veteran business leaders create, distribute, and grow branded podcasts, in order to engage with your ideal audience. We believe audio is the future of publishing, and we’re committed to leading the movement for the veteran entrepreneurial community. You can learn more by visiting www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com This series is powered by The Lions Pride, a professional training coaching company for Badass Founders, that serves mission-driven, high-performing, small business owners with at-the-ready resources, battle-tested tools, and full-service support. We're proud to support veteran- and other badass-owned businesses at every stage of growth. Learn—and get—more at TheLionsPride.com

In today’s episode I am joined by Scott Mackes, Founder of the Strength Mugs and The Service Academy Business Mastermind, a worldwide community of military veterans who share resources, information, insight and professional guidance to advance business ideas and opportunities through a trusted network. Scott is a pioneer in the veteran entrepreneurial community, for combining podcasting, community , and investing, into an E.L.F Business (which stands for easy, lucrative, and fun.) On the show he shares go-to market strategies for both ventures, and also how he's leveraged the SABM podcast to help build out his robust network. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Visit Scott’s websites here: www.sabmgroup.com, www.strengthsmugs.com Dog Whistle Branding is brought to you by the team at IRONBOUND Media, where we help veteran business leaders create, distribute, and grow branded podcasts, in order to engage with your ideal audience. We believe audio is the future of publishing, and we’re committed to leading the movement for the veteran entrepreneurial community. You can learn more by visiting www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com This series is powered by The Lions Pride, a professional training coaching company for Badass Founders, that serves mission-driven, high-performing, small business owners with at-the-ready resources, battle-tested tools, and full-service support. We're proud to support veteran- and other badass-owned businesses at every stage of growth. Learn—and get—more at TheLionsPride.com

In this episode we will be discussing the importance of identifying and engaging with your perfect customer, clients who pay a premium for your products and service, are a pleasure to work with, and send you a constant stream of warm referrals. Joining me for this episode is the wise man in Wyoming, Mr. Bill Watkins, Founder of The Lions Pride, and my business coach who taught me everything I know about how to find your perfect customer. If you want to drive revenue in your business, knowing who your perfect customer is, is a non-negotiable. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Visit Bill’s website here: https://www.thelionspride.com/ Dog Whistle Branding is brought to you by the team at IRONBOUND Media, where we help veteran business leaders create, distribute, and grow branded podcasts, in order to engage with your ideal audience. We believe audio is the future of publishing, and we’re committed to leading the movement for the veteran entrepreneurial community. You can learn more by visiting www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com This series is powered by The Lions Pride, a professional training coaching company for Badass Founders, that serves mission-driven, high-performing, small business owners with at-the-ready resources, battle-tested tools, and full-service support. We're proud to support veteran- and other badass-owned businesses at every stage of growth. Learn—and get—more at TheLionsPride.com

In this episode I discuss the importance of setting your commander's intent, your company's core purpose and core values, so that your team knows what winning looks like. Commander's Intent is the foundation of your brand's core, and without, you're going into every battle unarmed. This episode will help you reflect on your company's core, and how to leverage it both internally and externally, to maintain your tactical advantage. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Dog Whistle Branding is brought to you by the team at IRONBOUND Media, where we help veteran business leaders create, distribute, and grow branded podcasts, in order to engage with your ideal audience. We believe audio is the future of publishing, and we’re committed to leading the movement for the veteran entrepreneurial community. You can learn more by visiting www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com This series is powered by The Lions Pride, a professional training coaching company for Badass Founders, that serves mission-driven, high-performing, small business owners with at-the-ready resources, battle-tested tools, and full-service support. We're proud to support veteran- and other badass-owned businesses at every stage of growth. Learn—and get—more at TheLionsPride.com

In this inaugural episode of Dog Whistle Branding, I introduce you to what it means to build a Dog Whistle Brand, and lays out the road ahead for the series. I'm fired up to finally pull the trigger on DWB, and look forward to helping you build a Dog Whistle Brand. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Dog Whistle Branding is brought to you by the team at IRONBOUND Media, where we help veteran business leaders create, distribute, and grow branded podcasts, in order to engage with your ideal audience. We believe audio is the future of publishing, and we’re committed to leading the movement for the veteran entrepreneurial community. You can learn more by visiting www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com This series is powered by The Lions Pride, a professional training coaching company for Badass Founders, that serves mission-driven, high-performing, small business owners with at-the-ready resources, battle-tested tools, and full-service support. We're proud to support veteran- and other badass-owned businesses at every stage of growth. Learn—and get—more at TheLionsPride.com

Welcome to Dog Whistle Branding, where we provide weekly TAC Planning on marketing, brand strategy, and category design for early and growth stage veteran owned-businesses, to keep you in the fight and not face down in a rice patty. Subscribe to the show and newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3A4FHXS Be sure to hit the follow button on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite podcast hosting platform.

In this episode of DWB, I reflect on my goal for the new year goal of acquiring 10,000 True Fans, as opposed to 1,000 as recommended by Kevin Kelly in his essay, “1000 True Fans.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

In this episode of DWB, I discuss why “painstorming” is the new brand storming.

Before we jump into the show, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the link in the show notes and also Download the official Dog Whistle Branding playbook at ironboundmedia.com

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I share my thought process for creating an authority machine at IRONBOUND Media, a process for sharing thoughts and ideas in a systematic way that positions us as an authority on brand building. I share a framework I came up and hopefully, you can apply it in your own business. 

Before we jump into the show, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the link in the show notes and also Download the official Dog Whistle Branding playbook at ironboundmedia.com

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I’m joined by Navy Veteran and retired Firefighter, Luke Schneider, Founder & CEO of Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned and firefighter-run coffee company that is dedicated to roasting high-quality coffee while giving back to first responders and other heroes in need.

Inspired by the vital role that coffee plays in helping firefighters stay alert and energized through long shifts, Fire Dept. Coffee was founded by Luke and his wife, Kate in 2016 What fascinates me the most about Luke and his company is their ability to gain such massive traction in a saturated market such as coffee and CPG as a whole. On the show, Luke peels back the curtain and brings up to speed on Fire Department Coffee Started, How It’s Going, and what the road ahead looks like. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Fire Department Coffee here: https://www.firedeptcoffee.com/

Almost a year ago, I had an opportunity to teach a branding workshop to the Founders Institute, The World’s Largest Pre-Seed Accelerator. After the workshop, one of the participants reached me on Linkedin, asking for advice and to keep me updated on his journey. The founder, Blake Berman, was in early stages of launching a San-Diego based premium sparkling soda brand. He sent me early mockups of the brand identity, website, and product. Earlier this year, Blake and his team officially launched Spade, a soda brand for health-conscious consumers like me who refuse to settle for high-sugar formulas and questionable ingredients. I invited Blake on the podcasts to talk about why he and his co-founders decided to go after the soda industry, what they’ve learned since launching, and where the biggest opportunity lies from a category and positioning perspective for Spade. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Spade here: https://drinkspade.com/

Today on DWB, I share what stop drinking alcohol taught me about competitive alternatives and pricing.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I’m going to teach you how to close your perfect customer, by taking all the risks off the table and giving them a brand guarantee. 

Visit our website to Download your free copy of the Dog Whistle Branding Playbook here: https://ironboundmedia.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

A few years ago, I met an inspiring young female officer, Haley Marie McClain Hill, who was building an apparel line specifically for female warriors. She was still in the early days of launching her venture, while also preparing to transition out of the military. From the moment I met her, I knew that given her background as an Air Force Officer, NFL Cheerleader, and passion for serving others, her business idea had steam. Face forward to today, Haley and her brand Torch Warrior Wear, a direct-to-consumer military apparel line for female service members and first responders, has been featured in multiple media outlets, including most recently, ABC’s hit show Shark Tank. Haley has built her brand through social media and word-of-mouth. I had a chance to interview Haley on my other platform, The Transition for Bunker Labs, two years ago, but wanted to invite her on Dog Whistle Branding to discuss what she’s been up to lately, how she’s approaching growth, and why she wants to continue bootstrapping Torch. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Torch Warrior Wear here: https://torchwarriorwear.com/

Today on DWB, I’m joined by Army Veteran Neil Whitney, CEO of Plankk, a tech company helping today's fitness brands turn their following into revenue with custom fitness & wellness apps. Prior to becoming CEO of Plankk, Neil founded and exited, Menud’s, which provided personalized &  curated meal plans, allowing users to shop for a week's worth of groceries in less than 30 seconds.

Learn more about Plankk at: https://plankk.com/

I get hit up by countless veteran entrepreneurs seeking advice on their entrepreneurial journey. Visit our website to Download your free copy of the Dog Whistle Branding Playbook here: https://ironboundmedia.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

How do you drive traffic to your website? I know this is a question that I’ve been pondering lately as we continue to grow the MisFits and think of ways to help our clients. One way is through Killer Creative, badass videos, and other forms of content that catch your perfect customers' attention, leading them down a rabbit hole that eventually converts them into paying customers.

One of the best in the business that I personally know is Rob Mains, Founder of RebelVictory Media, a content production house for emergings brands, including the nationally recognized Beard Club, which Rob is a partner and content creator for. More recently however, Rob’s focus is on helping veterans get the support they need through Guardian Revial, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to revive and preserve the mental health and wellbeing of veterans and first responders — our guardians — at no cost to them.

Like me, Rob is a bit of a bearded Renaissance man, but he’s still a content creator at heart. On the show, we talk about how to leverage video to drive leads, his thoughts on the creative business, and his calling to serve the veteran community at Guaridan Revival.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Guardian Revival here: https://www.guardianrevival.org/

I get hit up by countless veteran entrepreneurs seeking advice on their entrepreneurial journey. Some take my advice and run with it, others not so much. All I try to do is point people in the right direction. Today’s guest, Dominique Wright reached out to me over two years ago, in order to discuss her idea for an app serving collegiate athletes. With the change in policy allowing college athletes to earn income based on their name, image, and likeness, commonly referred to as NIL, Dominique so an opportunity to leverage technology. A few months later, she officially launched FAND, NIL Operations Software that automates communication, streamlines notifications and provides 24/7 athlete support. 

Dominique is a former collegiate athlete, and Naval Officer, and holds a law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law. She’s spent time working at the NFL Players Association and the National Football League, working on contracts and other legal affairs. FAND is a Hivers and Strivers portfolio company, which only invests in military veterans. On the show, Dominique and I discuss the origins of FAND, the challenges of bringing tech to the sports and entertainment industry, and what category her product falls in. 

Visit our website to Download your free copy of the Dog Whistle Branding Playbook here: https://ironboundmedia.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

I know it’s been a while since I’ve been on the Mic, but make no mistake, I’ve been work hard behind the scenes on all things IRONBOUND and DWB. I launched a new series FRAGO Friday, which I drop each week via our newsletter. I got a fellowship to the Fund For New Leadership, a social impact fellowship supporting change makers across the country, and I went on Vacation to Peru. Needless to say it’s been an eventful summer. 

With that said, I am back and happy to announce our official sponsor for Dog Whistle Branding, Mission Plus, a tech platform that helps nonprofit organizations upgrade their websites and leverage technology to deliver services online. The Mission Plus team is based in Newark, NJ and has actually been supporting me for over 5 years, through their nonprofit the G.I. Go Fund, where IRONBOUND Media is incubated. Now, I get a chance to return the favor, by highlighting their efforts on the DWB Platform. 

On today’s show, I caught up with Mission Plus CEO Jack Fanous, to talk about the platform and the market opportunity with the nonprofit sector.

Visit our website to Download your free copy of the Dog Whistle Branding Playbook here: https://ironboundmedia.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I discuss why you need to build a damn email list. In case you haven’t noticed, Social Media is rented and if you want to own your audience, you better start building the last. 

Visit our website to Download your free copy of the Dog Whistle Branding Playbook here: https://ironboundmedia.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

When it comes to creating content, implementing a new marketing strategy, or wanting to try something new in general, the biggest hindrance business owners have is perfectionism. Rather than trying to be perfect and hit a home run out of the gate, I want to challenge you to start ugly, which I discuss in today’s show. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Who already has a reason to know, like, and trust you?

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I’m joined by fellow Naval Academy grad turned culinary entrepreneur, Jordan Foley, Founder, CEO, and Head Chef at Let’s Chow, a nonprofit Nonprofit providing vocational training in the culinary arts for veterans & military spouses using food trucks. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Let’s Chow here: https://www.letschow.org/

Everyone who has worked with or heard me speak at workshop knows my favorite question to ask when it comes to building a Dog Whistle Brand, 

Who's Your Perfect Customer?

If you’re having trouble answering this question, what if instead, you asked yourself, How does my perfect customer self-identify?

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

One of my frustrations for the longest time in the veteran space was a lack of agency. That’s one of the reasons’ I wrote the book Black Veteran Entrepreneur, and also why I’m excited about today’s guest Ruben Ayala, An Army Veteran, Green Beret, and Co-Founder of Triple Nikel, a veteran-owned streetwear brand promoting unity and honoring veterans of all shades and color. The name Triple Nikel is derived from the 555th Parachute Infantry Regiement, an all-black unit formed in 1943. 

Ruben, along with his three co-founders, saw an opportunity to launch the brand, after George Floyd’s death, when so many other veteran brands took a polarizing position, alienating minority veterans like Ruben and I. 

On the show, we discuss why so many of us felt alienated from the mainstream veteran narrative regarding social issues, how Triple Nikel is changing that, and what the future holds for Ruben and his team.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Triple Nikel here: https://triplenikel.com/

You know how much I love to geek out on Category Design, and most of the time, I find myself focusing on creating new types of markets, not new kinds of humans. Which is why on today’s show, I’m excited to chop it up with Mason Hamlett, CEO of Woobies Inc, a veteran-owned shoe company serving the protectorate class, you know, the kind of guys and gals that fly below the radar, work for three letter government agencies, the military, and first responder community. Mason and the Woobies team refer to them as the Freedom Loving Protectors or more commonly the “Everyday Elite.”

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Checkout April’s book here: https://amzn.to/3x4sJd4

Everyone knows that Veterans love Swag, there’s a reason you constantly see us wearing hoodies and T-shirts of the brands we love. Here in Newark, I’m constantly rocking my IRONBOUND Boxing hoodie, not only to bring more visibility to the IRONBOUND brand, but also to symbolize that I’m part of the team and a movement. 

Apparel is a hard business model to scale, but that hasn’t stopped Army Veteran and West Point graduate, Dean Wagner, from taking his chances. Dean is the Founder & CEO of Authentically American, an American Made apparel company that provides corporations and organizations high-quality branded apparel and accessories. Dean and his team are on a mission to bring jobs back to America by selling competitively priced, premium branded apparel, and believes it’s his patriotic duty to do so. On the show, Dean shares insight into the market opportunity he saw with Authentically American, tapping into the growing American made movement, some of the pivots he’s made along the way, and his overall strategy for scaling the brand nation wide. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Authentically American here:  https://www.authenticallyamerican.us/

The moment you start to get comfortable and complacent, you’re already dead; you just don’t realize it yet. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, Bill and I are joined by Navy Veteran and former Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman, Fred Soule, Founder of Sgt Suds which provides high-quality,all-natural, honest Soap and hygiene items for dudes, and in their own words "Keeping privates clean." After connecting with Fred and his brand on social media,  I wrote him a tentative brand strategy in the past, which we discussed on the show, as well as his marketing and growth tactics, leveraging data, refining his perfect customer, and creating a category of one. Fred is the man with a badass brand, and this is another episode you don’t want to miss. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about SGT SUDS here:  https://sgtsudssoap.com/

Today on DWB, I’m joined by Liz Giorgi, Co-Founder and CEO of Soona Studios, the world’s first virtual content studio, helping e-commerce merchants sell more online. For early-stage e-commerce brands, organizing photo shoots can be a pain in the ass, between selecting a location, having the right equipment, and moving products. What I like about Soona, is not only do they offer fresh and affordable photo and video content, but due to the thousands of brands they're currently working with, they have data and insights on best practices for sales and website conversion, which Liz and I discuss on the show, along with the future of the E-Commerce in general. Whether you’re an e-commerce brand or not, you can learn a lot from Liz on marketing, branding, and how to think about content creation.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Soona Studios here:  https://soona.co/

In this episode of DWB, I’m joined by West Point Grad, Army Veteran and Lions Pride Alumni, Paul Reily, Founder of Midstrong, an online fitness company helping busy men and women in midlife, make food, fitness, and function the priority that powers the best years of life. I met Paul a few years ago through the Lions Pride and instantly became a fan of his work with Midstrong. I got Paul drinking the category design cool-aid and since then he’s been creating the category of Healthspan Coaching, which we discuss on the show, along with some of the challenges he’s had lately with regards to lead generation. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Midstrong here: https://www.midstrong.com/

I’m fired up for the following episode of DWB, as I get chance to sit down with the one of original Category Pirates and Business Author, Eddie Yoon, a self-described Strategy Yoda, Category Designer, and Author of the book Superconsumers: A Simple, Speedy, and Sustainable Path to Superior Growth.I take pride in being an intellectual capitalist, what Eddie and his team at Category Pirates describe as the modern knowledge worker, unafraid of thinking about thinking, and introducing ideas that unlock new value in the world. We have to read, write, and share thoughts with the world, something Eddie’s been doing his entire professional career. During out conversation, not only did we discuss super consumers, Eddie also shared his frameworks for strategy, how to conduct research, and much much more. If you are committed to winning in business, this is another great podcast you don’t want to miss.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Purchase Eddie’s book here: https://amzn.to/3o6GTca

Checkout Category Pirates here: https://www.categorypirates.com/

I don’t know about you all, but I have an affinity for microbusinesses, typically these are bootstrapped businesses earning less than 100k in revenue, started from a hobby or passion. You can find them at your local farmers market, selling homemade honey, soap, and other CPG products. I serve a lot of these entrepreneurs, whether in my local community of Newark, NJ or the broader veteran entrepreneurial ecosystem. Whenever they need a new logo or brand identity, I send them to my man, Nick Edlin, an independent graphic designer, and illustrator, from Melbourne, Australia.  I brought him on the show to introduce himself and share his approach to logo design and brand identity for microbusiness owners. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Nick here: https://nickedlindesign.com/

Today on DWB, I’m joined by Steve Pratt, founder of The Creativity Business, a firm focused on content strategy for brands and business strategy for the creative industries. Steve is a podcasting OG. Prior to starting the Creativity Business, he co-founded one of the world’s first and leading branded podcast agencies, Pacific Content. For those of us running podcasts businesses, Pacific Content is one of the elite firms, standing side by side with Gimlet Media, Pineapple Studios, and other leading agencies.
 
Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Checkout Steve’s website here: https://www.creativity-business.com/

Today on DWB, Bill and I discuss how to drive leads using the Hub and Spoke Framework. Hubs are networks of impacts, such as trade associations, chambers of commerce, or MBA classrooms, for example, that have access to multiple spokes, which represent your perfect customer. If you can visualize a bicycle wheel, create a list of your perfect customers, and think of different areas where they may congregate, then you can implement this framework today, which we’ll get more into on today’s show. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I catch up with my main man and business coach, Mr. Bill Watkins, to talk about how to prepare and navigate challenging times ahead, through some DEFCON Branding. What the heck is DEFCON Brand Strategy? Find out on today’s how.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Today on DWB, I’m joined by Scott Roslyn, Co-Founder and CEO of We Are Bill, a boutique brand creation & reinvention consultancy based in New York, that connects strategic thinking, thoughtful design, and commercial impact to create new futures for ambitious brands. I invited Scott on the show to talk about his approach to brand strategy and share insights on how to think about Return on Brand.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about We Are Bill here: https://wearebill.com

Today on DWB, I’m joined by fellow Naval Academy grad turned serial entrepreneur, Justin Nassiri, Founder & CEO of Executive Presence, which provides a fully managed Linkedin presence for CEO’s and business leaders. I originally came into this interview expecting to talk about Justin’s podcasts and his new company executive presence, which we do get into, but it turned to Justin sharing lessons learned from more than decade of entrepreneurship. I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again, There are no rules in Audio, so although I try to focus mainly on branding on this show, I took this as an opportunity to do a deep dive on Justin's journey thus far. So without further ado. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Executive Presence here: https://www.executivepresence.io/

If you’re afraid to invest in your brand, in the words of Logan Roy from the HBO show Succession, You are not serious people. 

I’m all about staying lean, driving sales, and maximizing profitability. I’m a bootstrapper and proud of it. Truth be told, you can start a business these days with a Google Doc, a menu of products and services, and a hit list of potential prospects. I’ve done it multiple times at this point, but even I’ll admit that can only get you so far. 

If you want to be taken seriously and become a category of one, you must be willing to invest in your brand, which Drew and I discuss on today’s show.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about Lincoln Design. Co here: https://www.lincolndesignco.com/

“Succession” clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIauW3roDm0

Today on DWB, I sit down with Army Veteran and West Point Graduate Andrew Wolgemuth, Co-Founder & CEO of WOVE,  a 21st century online jeweler, bringing the jewelry design experience directly to couples for custom engagement ring creation.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Learn more about wove here: https://wovemade.com/

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Checkout April’s book here: https://amzn.to/3x4sJd4

Today on DWB, I’m joined by Marine Veteran and Business Advisor, Doug Minter, Head of Canada’s Black Chamber of Commerce and a serial entrepreneur. Like my own business coach, Bill Watkins, Doug has worked with hundreds if not thousands of entrepreneurs and knows more than a thing or two about branding, and the importance of creating experiences and building genuine relationships with your customers, which we get into on today’s show. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Checkout Simon Sinek’s Video “Start with Why” here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

Today on DWB, I chop it up with my fraternity brother and fellow Marine, Andre Truss, a serial entrepreneur based in Jacksonville, NC.Truss talks about his omnipresent social media strategy to stay top of mind with prospects, how he uses teaching to drive his lead generation, and his plans for his new restaurant. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Follow Andre here: https://www.instagram.com/andremtruss/

Today on DWB, I discuss why poor positioning can kill your revenue. If your sales and marketing isn’t working, then your positioning is broken. Luckily, we’re going to discuss how to fix it. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Purchase “Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It” here: https://amzn.to/3XmHt2v

Today on DWB, I go over a simple marketing framework called The Hawke Method, coined by Hawke Media CEO Erik Huberman.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Purchase “The Hawke Method”  here: https://amzn.to/3W20A0n

Today, we interrupt your regularly scheduled programming, to talk about execution with Bill Watkins, in particular scoreboards, because this is my show and there are no rules in audio. But in all seriousness, at IRONBOUND, we like to teach you how to bridge the gap between brand strategy and execution, and measuring your performance with scoreboards is essential, in order to do so. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

On this episode of DWB, I continue our conversation on Category Design, by discussing The Law of Category from the book, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Reis and Jack Trout. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

“How to Start a Business or Podcast From Scratch” by Tim Ferriss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymiBDged-eQ

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Reis & Jack Trout: https://amzn.to/3HMOVPq

On this episode of DWB, I dive into Category Design and why it needs to be an integral part of your brand strategy.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg