Voicemails With Rachel podcast

5:44

Imagine trying to raise money in instrument science during the Elizabeth Holmes scandal. That’s exactly what happened to Ellen Williams. She’s the VP of Business Development at Exum Instruments, who developed an actual mass spectrometer box that can give you the full periodic table of anything you test in a matter of minutes, without using a full lab’s worth of equipment and a staff full of PhD chemists. So when her company was trying to raise funds, they ran into a few stumbling blocks along the way because people couldn't get Theranos out of their brains. How do you navigate that? What can you do when there’s a scandal in the media related to what you’re trying to do? Ellen says it comes down to being able to listen and adapt. Listen to the episode for her full story. Link up with Ellen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott-williams/ Check out Exum Instruments: https://www.exuminstruments.com/ Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
Replay: What Are the Core Tenets of Storytelling for Long-Lasting Brands? [with Voiceflow's Kristin Hillery] 9:18

1 year ago9:18

9:18

In this replay episode, As Rachel is investigating what makes the best brands the best as she grows her own company and brand. What makes brands stand the test of time? Enter Kristin Hillery, Head of Brand and Content at Voiceflow. She’s been crafting and strategizing brand-defining content for over a decade. Her answer? Take inspiration from what left an impression on you as a kid. Even (or especially?) if that impression is left by a talking toaster. Tune in to the episode to find out what she means. Link up with Kristin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinhillery/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
What Are the Most Common Mistakes B2B Brands Make When Launching a Media Strategy? [with Devin Reed] 8:47

1 year ago8:47

8:47

Welcome to another episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. As we're all exploring and redefining what it means to build a brand with a media-led strategy, Rachel asks the most innovative people she knows for their thoughts and questions to help us all create better, human, intentional content. (This is a special series part of the TACK Network. For more about that, click here .) Devin Reed, content creator, author, founder of The Reeder, and Head of Content at Clari, left Rachel a message: what are the most common mistakes B2B brands make when launching a media strategy? And why do people always forget that these marketing efforts actually have the end goal of making sales? Rachel says the answer is simple: we need to stop thinking about “making a big splash” and settling for gimmicks + entertainment. Authenticity, consistency, and depth in relation to your key audience are actually what drives impact (re: sales, to Devin’s point). Link up with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/ Check out The Reeder: https://thereeder.co/ This is a special episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. Check out more as a part of the TACK Network here: https://tacknetwork.com/voicemail-with-rachel-creator-s-edition Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

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What Does a Media-Led Strategy Solve for Founders & CEOs? [with Devin Bramhall] 10:45

1 year ago10:45

10:45

Welcome to another episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. As we're all exploring and redefining what it means to build a brand with a media-led strategy, Rachel is asking the most innovative people she knows for their thoughts and questions to help us all create better, human, intentional content. (This is a special series part of the TACK Network. For more about that, click here .) Devin Bramhall, Growth Advisor, former CEO, and podcast host, left Rachel a message: what can a media-led content strategy solve for the busy, not-involved-enough-in-marketing CEO or Founder? Why should they start a podcast or something similar? Rachel says the answer is simple: communication with your buyer and with your team is made easier with this type of strategy. And doesn’t every leader want to communicate with both their buyer and their teams more often and more clearly? Press play for her full breakdown. Link up with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinbramhall/ Listen to Don’t Say Content: https://www.dontsaycontent.com/ This is a special episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. Check out more as a part of the TACK Network here: https://tacknetwork.com/voicemail-with-rachel-creator-s-edition Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

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Why Should You Be Thinking About People-First Audio Strategy? [with Nikki Lewallen Gregory of People Forward Network] 12:03

1 year ago12:03

12:03

Welcome to the first episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. As we're all exploring and redefining what it means to build a brand with a media-led strategy, Rachel is asking the most innovative people she knows for their thoughts and questions to help us all create better, human, intentional content. (This is a special series part of the TACK Network. For more about that, click here .) So to kick us off, CEO and Founder of People Forward Network, Nikki Lewallen Gregory left Rachel a message about how the power of podcasting can do two major things for your business: accelerate growth and fuel culture. As a founder of a podcasting business herself, she’s got so many strategies to share when it comes to how podcasting can achieve those outcomes. And Rachel leaves us with a question—how are you thinking about audio in a media-rich world? Because it’s never just a podcast. Link up with Nikki: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/ Check out People Forward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/ This is a special episode of Voicemails with Rachel: Creator Edition. Check out more as a part of the TACK Network here: https://tacknetwork.com/voicemail-with-rachel-creator-s-edition Link up with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelelstsdowney/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
How Do You Maintain Motivation for Continued Growth? [with Element Three’s Joe Mills] 4:43

2 years ago4:43

4:43

How do you maintain motivation when you’re bored? What can you do to help stay engaged in working towards your goals? Rachel turns to Joe Mills, sales leader at Element Three, for his strategies for keeping his motivation and drive for progress in high gear. Rachel and Joe dive into the topic of maintaining motivation and finding the drive to keep growing, even after achieving goals. Joe shares his insightful perspective, emphasizing the importance of balance and variety in activities. He explains that mixing performance, training, and recovery is crucial for staying interested and fulfilled. Too much time spent on one aspect can lead to burnout or boredom. Joe draws parallels between his professional life, where he sees sales calls as performances, and his personal life as a fitness enthusiast. Press play to discover how to keep the wheel of motivation spinning smoothly by finding the right mix of practice, performance, and recovery. Link up with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemillse3/ Listen to 1,000 Stories: https://elementthree.com/resource_types/podcast/ Listen to Double Shot: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/double-shot/id1662370657 Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
What Does Creative Excellence Look Like? [with Element Three’s Reid Morris] 6:02

2 years ago6:02

6:02

While nothing is perfect, how close can you get? In your work product or in life. Rachel turns to Reid Morris, Sr. Marketing Manager at Element Three to answer this question. His high standard for video and podcasting content alone inspired her to ask this question (check those out below). But what seems like an inquiry into how perfectionistic we should be turned into how we can constantly be working toward leveling each other up, not just our work product. Tune in for some thought-provoking reflections on creative excellence. Link up with Reid: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidmorris/ Listen to 1,000 Stories: https://elementthree.com/resource_types/podcast/ Listen to Double Shot: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/double-shot/id1662370657 Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
How Do You Choose Your Own Adventure? [with Share Your Genius’s Jackie Yafremava] 3:32

2 years ago3:32

3:32

Are you team choose-your-own-adventure? Or team go where life takes you? Jackie Yafremava, Head of Delivery Services at Share Your Genius, left Rachel a voicemail seeking advice on transitioning from a mindset from the latter to the former. So how does Rachel choose her own adventure? She shares her insights on prioritizing personal goals and emphasizes regularly revisiting and refining them in this episode. One important takeaway? It's not selfish to set goals and map out where you want your life to go. It's your's, after all! Tune in to gain valuable insights on intentional living and goal setting from Rachel's advice and Jackie's candid questions. Link up with Jackie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-yafremava-58825a236/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
What Traits Do Successful Founders Have in Common? [with Qualifi’s Darrian Mikell] 6:02

2 years ago6:02

6:02

Founders’ stories captivate us. We love hearing about bringing a new idea to life. But it’s not always easy. As Rachel was reflecting on her own founder’s journey, she called up her friend, co-founder and CEO of Qualifi, Darrian Mikell, and asked: What traits do successful founders have in common? And how do those traits shape your thought leadership strategy? His unique POV on what to do with the lessons you learn from leading and growing is simple but impactful: share it. Link up with Darrian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrianmikell/ Listen to Rachel’s founder story (Part 1 of 3) here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rachel-downey-and-the-first-million-part-1/id1555762235?i=1000588299274 Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
How to Balance Screen Time as a High Performer and Parent? [with Amplify Logistics’s Matthew Zarzycki] 11:37

2 years ago11:37

11:37

If you listen to this podcast, you’re probably a high performer. You’re working towards something. You have goals. You work hard. (You probably play hard too.) But we can’t do the big things without discipline. And we can’t invest in what matters most if we can’t figure out how to put our phones down and put work away. So what can we do? Rachel turns to COO of Amplify Logistics, Matthew Zarzycki to answer this question for us. He’s a dad, a COO, a board member, and more. Tune in for his tips on sustainably being attached AND detached from your devices. Link up with Matthew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewzarzycki/ Rachel’s performance coach, David Gorsage: https://campdavidllc.com/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
What are the Core Tenets of Storytelling for Long-Lasting Brands? [with Voiceflow's Kristin Hillery] 9:18

2 years ago9:18

9:18

As Rachel grows her own company and brand, she’s often investigating what makes the best brands the best. What makes brands stand the test of time? Enter Kristin Hillery, Head of Brand and Content at Voiceflow. She’s been crafting and strategizing brand-defining content for over a decade. Her answer? Take inspiration from what left an impression on you as a kid. Even (or especially?) if that impression is left by a talking toaster. Tune in to the episode to find out what she means. Link up with Kristin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinhillery/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
How Do You Define and Effectively Communicate Your Thought Leadership? [with Tegrita’s Brandi Starr] 7:58

2 years ago7:58

7:58

Brandi Starr is COO of Tegrita, who hosts the Revenue Rehab podcast. She met up with Rachel at a recent event, and left her a voicemail—how do you define your thought leadership strategy? And how do I bring my own thought leadership to the table when I’m the interviewer on my show to help my expertise shine? Rachel has 5 steps to help hone in on your thought leadership strategy, and some solid tips for bringing that into your podcast. It starts with asking really good questions. Listen to Revenue Rehab: https://www.revenuerehab.live/ Link up with Brandi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandistarr/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
Are Download Spikes Driven by Ego or Genuine Engagement? [with Share Your Genius’s Jillian Hoefer] 3:01

2 years ago3:01

3:01

Are downloads a sign of podcast success? Or is the attention we give them driven by ego? Rachel turns to Jillian Hoefer, Share Your Genius’ Strategic Lead and Creative Director to set the record straight: downloads are a metric of performance, but not necessarily an indicator of success. So what do we mean by that? What constitutes true success for your B2B podcast? Tune in to hear her answer. And if you want more of the discussion around this topic, Rachel and Jillian recorded their phone call discussing podcast success. It's the episode right before this one, titled You Shouldn't Care About Downloads . Link up with Jillian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianmacnulty/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

1
You Shouldn’t Care About Downloads [a Phone Call with Share Your Genius’s Jillian Hoefer] 27:29

2 years ago27:29

27:29

Spurred on by an article spouting that downloads are the best metric to track when it comes to podcast success, Rachel Downey turns to Jillian Hoefer, Strategic Lead at Share Your Genius for not only a voicemail, but an entire phone call (that she recorded) to dive into this discussion. And spoiler—they believe downloads are vanity metrics. Rachel and Jillian explore the importance of understanding your existing audience, tracking valuable interactions, and focusing on specific call-to-actions to promote your podcast. Plus, a successful content experience is all about creating connection with your audience—which is key in any business. Whether your preferred medium is podcasting or not, their discussion on what real success looks like can be useful for any content strategy. Press play to go beyond the vanity metric and dig into what we base our Share Your Genius strategy on. Link up with Jillian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianmacnulty/ Have a question for Rachel? https://www.speakpipe.com/vmswithrachel Want more from Rachel and her crew of brand content experts? Sign up for Genius Cuts. https://www.shareyourgenius.com/genius-cuts…

Voicemails with Rachel

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How Do Brand and Culture Intersect? [with Cast & Crew’s Alex George] 4:59

2 years ago4:59