SIMPLE brand With Matt Lyles

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Chris Wallace. Chris is the co-founder and president of InnerView Group - a brand consultancy that helps organizations improve alignment between their frontline teams and their go-to-market strategies. Chris and I chat about how to create a more collaborative relationship with your frontline team and how to get your frontline to care more about your brand. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Chris's websiteA Guide to Frontline Insights - eBookChris on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Derrick Daye. Derrick is the managing partner of The Blake Project, a strategic brand consultancy that helps businesses gain an emotional advantage, a distinctive advantage, and a connective advantage, moving them from brand awareness to brand insistence. He’s the founder of Branding Strategy Insider - an online publication to help marketing-oriented leaders and professionals build strong brands. Derrick and I discuss what goes into building a lasting brand that connects with customers and keeps them for the long term. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Derrick's websiteDerek's publication - Branding Strategy InsiderDerrick on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Karin Hurt, author of Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates. Karin is the founder of Let’s Grow Leaders, a training firm focused on helping human-centered leaders find clarity in uncertainty, drive innovation, and achieve breakthrough results - without losing their humanity. She’s an international keynote speaker. In fact, Inc. Magazine says she’s one of the top 100 leadership speakers. And Karin’s the bestselling author of four books including Courageous Cultures. Karin and I discuss her lessons to help you create a courageous culture that shares new ideas, proactively solves problems, and generates contributions from all levels. Here’s what we discuss: What holds employees back from speaking up and sharing ideasWhy telling your employees you have an “open door” policy isn’t enoughWhy creating clarity helps generate better ideasSetting constraints helps employees feel less intimidated to share ideasSteps for building a courageous cultureKarin’s IDEA model helps you effectively frame and pitch new ideasThe concept of micro-innovations helps everyone realize that they’re innovativeHow to influence a courageous culture in both your team and your leadershipRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Karin's websiteKarin's book - Courageous CulturesKarin on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Sylvie di Giusto, author of Discover Your Fair Advantage: Leverage Your Unique Selling Points and Human Potential for Work, Life, and Business. Sylvie’s an international keynote speaker and expert in emotional intelligence, personal image, and leadership. And she’s the bestselling author of Discover Your Fair Advantage: Leverage Your Unique Selling Points and Human Potential for Work, Life, and Business. Sylvie and I talk about her lessons to help you leverage all the right gifts and attributes that are unique to you so you can better stand out from the crowd. Here’s what we discuss: 🎙️Why it’s important that you define what your first impression should be 🎙️How we can become more self-aware of the impression that we give 🎙️How to use other people’s biases to your advantage 🎙️Using the first five letters of the alphabet to influence how people perceive you 🎙️What your brand really is and how you can purposefully imprint it on other people 🎙️Distinguishing between fair and unfair advantages 🎙️How to take perceived weaknesses and turn them into fair advantages 🎙️Recognizing how your natural skill set can actually be your superpower 🎙️Defining the ideal way to communicate your fair advantage RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Sylvie's websiteSylvie’s book - Discover Your Fair Advantage: Leverage Your Unique Selling Points and Human Potential for Work, Business, and LifeSylvie’s Fair Advantage AssessmentSylvie on LinkedInWHAT'S YOUR FUN FACT? Email me at matt@mattlyles.com with the subject #funfact

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Nancie McDonnell Ruder, author of How Senior Marketers Scale the Heights: What is Still True, More True, & Newly True. Nancie’s an executive coach, a leadership advisor, a marketing consultant and the founder of Noetic Consultants where they help companies build their internal marketing strength – so that their external marketing efforts are more focused and more effective. She’s an adjunct professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at Georgetown University. And Nancie’s the bestselling author of How Senior Marketers Scale the Heights: What is Still True, More True, & Newly True. It’s now in its second edition! Nancie and I discuss lessons from her research where she’s identified the qualities of senior marketers that help them make it to the top of their field. Here’s what we discuss: How brands can strengthen themselves from the inside outHow brands can get the insights they need from internal employeesDelivering on the brand inside your organization creates engaged employeesYou can’t fix operational issues with better brandingWhy it’s actually valuable to be a “jack of all trades”Psychological safety is a key driver in an innovative cultureNancie’s “Art & Science Assessment” helps marketers understand their needed skillsHow to help your peers learn from your own trials and errorsRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Noetic ConsultantsNancie’s book - How Senior Marketers Scale the Heights: What is Still True, More True, & Newly TrueNancie on LinkedInNoetic Consultants brand health diagnostic

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Henna Pryor, author of Good Awkward: How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe to Become the Bravest You. Henna’s a workplace performance expert, a global keynote speaker, and a two-time TEDx speaker. She's been featured in Forbes, Real Simple, Fast Company, and more. And Henna’s the author of Good Awkward. How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe to Become the Bravest You. Henna and I discuss her lessons to help you become a better risk taker; to help you strengthen your mental muscles; and to help you be braver in moments when it really counts. Here’s what we discuss: How embracing your awkwardness is good for your personal brandWhy embracing your awkwardness is not just about being comfortable with discomfortHow to reframe our mindsets around awkward situationsHow to build your social muscle for awkwardness toleranceWhy a “bad idea brainstorm” is a good idea to implement in business meetingsHow role-playing and mock interviews actually reduce awkwardnessWhy embracing awkward moments is a strength vs. a weaknessHow to help your kids embrace their own awkwardnessRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Henna's siteHenna’s book - Good Awkward: How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe to Become the Bravest YouHenna on LinkedInHenna’s Good Awkward Spotify playlist

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Phil Mershon, author of Unforgettable: The Art and Science of Creating Memorable Experiences. Phil’s the Director of Experience for Social Media Examiner where he's been designing and delivering amazing event experiences like Social Media Marketing World and the Social Media Success Summit for over a decade. Drawing from over 25 years in creating customized events, Phil's a master at delivering and teaching others how to deliver memorable moments in transformational experiences. Phil and I talk about how to create life-changing experiences that leave a lasting impact on your audience. Here’s what we discuss: 🎙️How the acronym DRIED describes the 5 threats to executing a great event 🎙️How event planners can mitigate distractions and build in margin 🎙️How the concept of baking bread relates to planning events 🎙️How to use the customer journey to create peak moments that stand out 🎙️What emotions attendees should feel each moment of the event experience 🎙️How a toothbrush can create an unforgettable experience 🎙️What event planning and everyday customer experience have in common RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Phil's sitePhil’s book - Unforgettable: The Art and Science of Creating Memorable ExperiencesPhil on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Tiffani Bova, author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller - The Experience Mindset: Changing the Way You Think About Growth. Tiffani’s an international keynote speaker and the former global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce. She’s been named twice as one of the top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50. She’s a regular contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and Harvard Business Review. And she’s the host of the What's Next! With Tiffani Bova podcast. Tiffani and I discuss the impact your brand has when you place an equal focus on both customer experience and employee experience. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Tiffani's siteTiffani’s book - The Experience Mindset: Changing the Way You Think About GrowthTiffani’s book - Growth IQ: Get Smarter About the Choices that Will Make or Break Your BusinessTiffani's podcast - What's Next! With Tiffani BovaTiffani on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Dave Norton. Dave’s the Founder and Principal of Stone Mantel, an insights consultancy focused on helping companies create meaningful experiences for their customers. And he co-hosts the Experience Strategy Podcast where he explores how organizations create deep and meaningful relationships with their customers. Dave and I discuss all the right ways to design your customer experience so that your customers won’t see it as time wasted - but rather as time well saved, time well invested, and especially time well spent. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Dave's site - Stone MantelDave’s site - The CollaborativesDave's podcast - Experience Strategy PodcastDave on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with David Burkus. David’s written six award-winning books. He’s delivered three TEDx talks that have been viewed over two million times. He’s been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USA Today, Fast Company, and more. And he’s consistently ranked as one of the top world business thought leaders by thinkers50. David was actually our very first guest on episode 2 talking about how to inspire and align your employees to pick a fight. Then he was back on episode 23 teaching us how to lead from anywhere. This time he’s back to discuss his latest book - Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams. Why are some teams more motivated, more innovative, and more successful than others? Why do some groups of talented people actually fall short when compared to teams of less talented people? It comes down to the habits and practices you put in place that bring out the best in your team. David and I discuss how some of the world’s most effective teams do this, and we show you how you can do the same with your team. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: David's siteDavid's book - Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing TeamsDavid on LinkedInSIMPLE brand #23: David Burkus – Leading From AnywhereSIMPLE brand #2: David Burkus – Inspire And Align Your Employees to Pick A Fight

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Evelyn Starr. Evelyn is an author, brand expert, and marketing consultant with over 25 years of marketing strategy and research experience. She’s worked with a number of well-known brands including Hasbro, Gillette, and Dunkin. She specializes in working with “brands in adolescence,” brands that have stalled after their initial success. And Evelyn’s the author of Teenage Wastebrand: How Your Brand Can Stop Struggling and Start Scaling. Evelyn and I discuss her lessons from Teenage Wastebrand including the symptoms that adolescent brands display when they hit that awkward phase and start stalling. Fortunately, we also discuss the steps you can take to help your brand navigate through adolescence and come out stronger. Here’s what we discuss: Brands should not be a “set it and forget it” approach. They should evolve.Brands are formed in customers’ minds based on their experienceHow you can ensure your customers define your brand the way you’d likeWhat causes a brand to stall into “brand adolescence” The different symptoms of brand adolescenceHow brands get into identity crisisThe right way to define your brand purpose and brand attributesHow to help your employees understand minimum requirements versus differentiatorsRecognizing when your brand is self-centered and how to solve thatThe brand your employees receive internally will be the brand they deliver to your customersYour brand values act as a filter for your employees’ decisions and actionsRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Evelyn's siteEvelyn's book - Teenage Wastebrand: How Your Brand Can Stop Struggling and Start ScalingEvelyn on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Allen Adamson. Allen’s the co-founder and managing partner of Metaforce, a consultancy that takes a disruptive, multidisciplinary approach to help brands grow. He's also an adjunct professor at the Berkeley Center for Entrepreneurship at NYU Stern School of Business. And Allen’s the author of a number of bestselling brand strategy books including his latest - Seeing the How: Transforming What People Do, Not Buy, to Gain Market Advantage. Allen and I walk through his eight different lenses to help you understand the best ways to innovate your experience based on your brand, your industry, and most importantly your customer. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Allen's siteAllen’s agency - MetaforceAllen’s book - Seeing the How: Transforming What People Do, Not Buy, To Gain Market AdvantageAllen on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Howard Tiersky. Howard is the CEO and Founder of FROM, a digital transformation agency that helps some of the world's largest brands navigate digital transformation and re-invent their customer journeys to earn the love of today's ‘digital customers’. He’s named one of the Top 10 Digital Transformation Influencers by IDG Magazine, and one of the Top 100 Customer Success Strategists by Success Coaching. And Howard’s the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller - Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance. Howard and I discuss why the most valuable companies are known for providing a seamless, digital customer experience. And we discuss his five-step roadmap to help your brand do the same. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Howard’s siteHoward’s book - Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to IrrelevanceHoward on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Leslie O’Flahavan. Leslie’s the owner and founder of E-WRITE where she helps Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations learn how to write better for both their customers and their internal audiences. Leslie and I discuss how you can use plain language to simplify your customer experience while setting up your frontline employees for success. Here’s what we discuss: How writing in business has changed (not devolved!) over the decadesHow customer experience is like a romantic relationshipHow brands can build up affinity with customers through plain languageThe biggest drivers of complex and boring language form brandsHow to build empathy with customers without increasing legal riskHow to empower frontline employees to incorporate plain language and brand voiceThe need for consistent language and brand voice pre and post-purchaseCan and should empathy be scripted? RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Leslie's siteLeslie on LinkedInLeslie on Threads

This week's SIMPLE brand episode features a "From the Vault" discussion with Stacey Hanke about her book, Influence Redefined: Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be, Monday to Monday! When it comes to providing simple experiences to your customers, or your team members, you’re either helped or hindered by your level of influence. And many leaders are mistaken about what it means to be influential. In this episode, Stacey and I discuss methods for improving communication and producing the ideal type of influence—one that moves people to action long after an interaction is over. She dispels the most common influence myths and shares how leaders can stop sabotaging themselves in order to leave a positive, lasting impression with everyone. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Stacey’s book: Influence RedefinedStacey Hanke, Inc.

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Joey Coleman! Joey’s an award-winning speaker and a customer experience and employee experience design expert. He’s worked with hundreds of companies to help them deliver remarkable customer experiences while dramatically improving their profits. You may remember ​Joey’s first appearance on the SIMPLE brand podcast when he taught us how to successfully retain and grow our customer base. This time, we discuss his latest bestseller about how to apply those same principles in our own house – ​Never Lose an Employee Again: The Simple Path to Remarkable Retention. Joey and I discuss what you can do to help your employees feel heard, understood, and valued in their first 100 days and beyond. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Joey’s siteJoey’s book - Never Lose an Employee AgainJoey on LinkedInSIMPLE brand #73: Joey Coleman – Never Lose a Customer Again

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Scott McKain. Scott’s a globally recognized authority on how organizations and professionals create a distinction to attract and retain customers. He’s a member of the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame. And he’s one of 24 members of the “Sales and Marketing Hall of Fame.” And Scott’s the author of eight best-selling customer experience books including his latest - The Ultimate Customer Experience: 5 Steps Everyone Must Know to Excite Your Customers, Engage Your Colleagues, and Enjoy Your Work. Here’s what we discuss: The Titanic RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Scott’s siteScott’s book - The Ultimate Customer ExperienceScott on LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Heather R. Younger, author of The Art of Active Listening: How People at Work Feel Heard, Valued, and Understood! Heather’s an international keynote speaker, and she’s the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement firm. She’s also the host of Leadership With Heart podcast. And she’s the author of three best-selling leadership and employee engagement books including her latest - The Art of Active Listening: How People at Work Feel Heard, Valued, and Understood. Here’s what we discuss: RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Heather’s siteEmployee FanatixHeather’s book - The Art of Active ListeningHeather’s podcast - Leadership With HeartHeather on LinkedIn

This week's SIMPLE brand episode features a "From the Vault" discussion with Dee Ann Turner discussing her book, Crush Your Career! Dee Ann is the former head of Talent with Chick-fil-A. She was the company’s first female officer and was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture. In her 33-year career with Chick-fil-A, she was responsible for franchisee selection, talent acquisition, management and development, diversity and inclusion, culture and engagement, social responsibility and sustainability. Today, she’s a speaker, consultant and author where she helps organizations create and strengthen culture and talent to better serve their customers. With all her experience, it’s safe to say that Dee Ann knows what it takes to teach people how to develop, build and manage a fulfilling career. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Dee Ann ‘s book: Crush Your CareerDee Ann’s book: Bet On TalentDee Ann’s siteDee Ann on InstagramDee Ann on TwitterDee Ann on Facebook

In this week’s episode of the SIMPLE brand podcast, I talk with Jeannie Walters. Jeannie’s an award-winning customer experience expert, international keynote speaker, and Founder of Experience Investigators - a firm helping companies increase sales and customer retention through elevated customer experiences. And she’s the host of the Experience Action podcast. From the importance of creating and instilling a Customer Experience Mission to approaching your customer journey map as a verb, and not a noun - Jeannie and I discuss the right ways to help you and your team demystify the process for improving your customer experience. Some of the topics we discuss include: How to create fewer ruined days for customersWhat customers expect from brands todayUnderstanding a customer’s journey helps you know what they want at each interactionCustomer journey mapping is a verb, not a nounHow to use “micro-mapping” to truly understand customers along each interactionIf you recognize a poor interaction across the customer journey, there’s no need to validate it with dataA CX mission statement empowers your employees to know exactly how to deliver on your brand’s promiseA focus on customer experience helps create a better employee experience RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: Jeannie’s siteJeannie’s podcast - Experience ActionLeave your question for Jeannie to answer on the Experience Action podcast hereJeannie on LinkedIn